Shrink Rap (Frasier episode)
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| “Shrink Rap” | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frasier episode | |||||||
| Episode no. | Season 03 Episode 02 |
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| Written by | Christopher Lloyd | ||||||
| Directed by | David Lee | ||||||
| Guest stars | Dan Butler (Bob "Bulldog" Briscoe) , Milo O'Shea (Dr. Schachter), Kristen Lowman (Mrs. Kalish), Lesley Woods (Mrs. Kelly), Blair Brown (Voice of Jill), Don Sparks (Mr. Carr) | ||||||
| Production no. | 40571-051 | ||||||
| Original airdate | 26 September 1995 (U.S.A.) | ||||||
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| List of Frasier episodes (Season 3) | |||||||
"Shrink Rap" is the second episode of the third season of the American television sitcom Frasier. The episode is told in flashback, beginning with Frasier and Niles in therapy.
Contents |
[edit] Main cast and characters
Kelsey Grammer – Dr. Frasier Crane
David Hyde Pierce – Dr. Niles Crane
John Mahoney – Martin Crane
Jane Leeves – Daphne Moon
Peri Gilpin – Roz Doyle
[edit] Plot outline
(Note: In this outline, text in italics indicates flashbacks.)
Niles, dejected, pours his heart out on the couch of couples therapist Dr. Schachter; the relationship is simply not working, and he's questioning whether the effort he's putting in is worth it, as the other party to the relationship doesn't seem to be trying. In this case, the other party is not Maris, but Frasier, who is sitting on the other couch, and who is quite put out that Niles feels the need to speak for him. A brief sniping match ensues before Schachter can get both brothers back on track; their relationship is clearly quite tense and falling apart. Schachter asks them to tell him how this trouble all began, prompting Frasier to think back to the previous week...
A young woman has called Frasier's show with an intriguing recurring dream. Frasier, fascinated, listens to her problem - but unfortunately, they are almost out of time with the show. Nevertheless, Frasier asks her to stay on the line, in order to pursue this further - however, Bulldog needs the studio for his own show, and with typical blunt rudeness disconnects the call. This prompts Frasier to remark to Roz that he's feeling somewhat stifled by his radio show, as he never gets the chance to probe deeply into the problems of his callers, but can only offer brief snippets of advice; and Roz agrees, reasoning that for a staggering intellect like Frasier's, the show must be very constraining...'
Niles immediately interrupts, mocking Frasier's choice of words; Roz would never describe Frasier's intellect as staggering, and it is clear that Frasier is skewing his description of events to paint himself in a better light. Naturally, Frasier doesn't appreciate the interruption, and a fresh sniping match breaks out until Schachter can calm them both down again. In any case, Niles reasons, this is apparently typical of Frasier's self-absorbed nature; in Niles' view, the whole thing started with him several days earlier...
Niles is having problems with a tenant in his office; the other doctor is a practitioner of primal scream therapy, and encourages his clients to scream at the top of their lungs. This, of course, does not make a comforting and tranquil environment for the plane crash survivor whom Niles is trying to help, as bloodcurdling screams can be heard through the walls. As such, he comes up with an idea; that Friday, over at Frasier's apartment for dinner, Niles intends to approach his brother, but is distracted by a risque story of Daphne's similar problems with neighbours who made love too loud - Daphne decided to get even by demonstrating exactly what it feels like, and proceeds, in the middle of the room, to enact a rather detailed description of exactly what she said and how she said it.
Frasier interrupts; Niles knows full well that Daphne merely told the story, and didn't act it out. It appears, however, that Niles doesn't know this full well, and is genuinely confusing reality with fantasy somewhat. Nevertheless, he's persuaded to skip ahead. Later, as Frasier is revealing his discontent with radio psychiatry, Niles proposes that the solution to his difficult psychiatrist co-tenant is to replace him with Frasier (who has been wanting to see patients more formally, feeling frustrated with the limited contact his radio show provides him). The prospect of working together and consulting each other excites the two brothers, but Martin is not confident of the project succeeding, citing their failed attempts to write a book and to run a restaurant together, prompting Niles to rationally and thoughtfully point out that they could be going too fast with this idea...
Annoyed, Frasier demands that Niles reveal his true reaction to Martin's advice:
"Stop raining on our parade, Dad!" Niles enthusiastically snaps at Martin.
The first day, meanwhile, starts out smoothly enough. As Daphne struggles with all of Frasier's heavy lifting, and Martin complains about the handful of books that Frasier asked him to carry, the brothers delight in their new office arrangements... until Niles helpfully suggests that, in order to get up to speed with conducting practice, he read a few articles and books. Frasier is surprised, but accepts the advice - but his appreciation sours when it turns out that Niles has already found them for him, and a 'few' articles turns into a large stack of books. Frasier's mood is in not helped when Daphne notices that on the sign on the door, Frasier's name is written much smaller than Niles. Still, he claims not to mind - after all, if he was interested in self-promotion, he'd be content with his highly rated syndicated radio show, broadcasting to millions of viewers in the Pacific Northwest and parts of Canada... which he delightfully reminds Niles about. The sour feelings culminate in a childish argument about the proper care of Frasier's plant... which is observed with delight by Martin.
In therapy, the brothers reveal that things went quickly downhill from there; several arguments and an unfortunate incident in which Frasier misplaced the men's room key quickly saw the brother's nerves - and patience with each other - shattered. Finally, events reached exploding point at a joint couples group therapy session held by both brothers...
In the group therapy session, Niles introduces his brother Frasier... and is immediately put out when a handful of his patients recognise him from the radio. Still, this is real psychiatry, with no commercials or pat diagnoses here... as he cheerfully reminds everyone in front of his brother. Frasier, meanwhile, gets one back - although new to the case-histories of the group, and pledging to remain only an observer, he is incapable of resisting the temptation to offer his input into some of the problems faced by some of his clients when asked by them. Niles, aghast, is quick to make fun of his brother's 'soundbite' comments, and the two are quickly arguing - in front of their patients. Briefly excusing themselves to the corridor, it doesn't take long for the argument to become a bitter shouting match, which culminates in Frasier throwing the plant - which Niles has even started taking care of for him - out of the window. Naturally, the group therapy makes a quick exit, and the shouting match soon draws Dr. Schachter, who's own practice is being disturbed by the argument, out to see what's going on. Dr. Schachter suggests that the brothers take a few minutes to outline their problems to him, a trained couples therapist, and promises that he'll be able to help them...
It's Dr. Schachter's turn to object to the brother's flagrant rewriting of history (his exact words were that he might be able to help). Nevertheless, he's identified the problem; Frasier (with some justification), views Niles' patronising and condescending attitude towards him and his radio show as an attempt to undermine him as a psychiatrist, whilst Niles (also with justification) is openly jealous of Frasier's radio show and fears that he's attempting to steal away Niles' practice. The issue is a lack of trust; to that end, he suggests a trust exercise, in which one brother faces away from the other and falls, trusting, into his brother's arms. Unfortunately, neither Niles or Frasier are willing to trust each other, and when the exasperated Schachter attempts to justify how easy it is, they're so busy glaring suspiciously at each other that they fail to stand behind him, thus leading to a painful tumble on Schachter's part.
This is the last straw; Schachter explodes, and gives them advice he's never given to any couple before - to just give up, and not bother seeing each other again. The two brothers are "pathologically mistrustful of each other and competitive to the point of madness!", and he advises that they just stay away from each other except at weddings and funerals. That said, he storms out to find the nearest bar and drink himself into a stupor.
The two brothers are dumbstruck at Schachter's advice; but neither can deny that they're ludicrously competitive and vindicitve towards each other. Maybe, they decide, they should just give up... until Frasier notices exactly where Schachter gained his qualifications as a psychiatrist; in Grenada and Aruba. Neither brother is particularly impressed with the all-Caribbean schooling and, laughing off his diagnosis, decide to go for lunch together... and immediately begin arguing about the restaurant they'll go to.
[edit] Trivia
- Although this attempt at professional co-operation was unsuccessful, it can be assumed that later in the series both Frasier and Niles managed to get over their issues and co-operate in private practice; in The Maris Counselor, both brothers hold a joint couples therapy session (although, for personal reasons not to do with Frasier and Niles' relationship, it's just as disastrous as this one).
