The Two Mrs. Cranes

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“The Two Mrs. Cranes”
Frasier episode
Episode no. Season 04
Episode 01
Written by Joe Keenan
Directed by David Lee
Guest stars Edward Hibbert (Gil Chesterton) , Scott Atkinson (Clive)
Production no. 40571-073
Original airdate 17 September 1996
Episode chronology
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"You Can Go Home Again" "Love Bites Dog"
List of Frasier episodes (Season 4)

"The Two Mrs. Cranes" is the first episode in the fourth series of the American television sitcom Frasier.

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

Breakfast in the Crane household sees Daphne receive a phone call from Clive, an old fiancé of hers whom she ditched due to his lack of ambition and drive. Wanting to let him down gently, Daphne had told him that they try again in five years if both were still single - and true to her word, Clive's in Seattle to pick up where they left off. Daphne agrees to see him that night, and Frasier urges her to be honest with Clive if she's still not interested. Clive arrives at the apartment that night, and it soon becomes apparent that his undying love for Daphne is the reason he's around after all. Just as he's making his declaration of undying adoration, Niles, who is present in the apartment and not too happy at Clive's presence, interrupts. Daphne chickens out of telling Clive the truth about her feelings and introduces Niles as her 'husband', much to Niles' joy. When Frasier enters the room, Daphne explains that he is staying at the apartment owing to his marital difficulties with his wife 'Maris', and whilst Daphne is explaining the situation to him Niles - in no hurry to drop the pretence - invites Clive to stay for dinner. Frasier is annoyed by the turn of events, but Daphne ensures his cooperation by promising to take Martin to his army reunion.

Martin, who is also present in the apartment, soon discovers the situation. Annoyed by Frasier's casual dismissal of his improvisational skills, he soon takes great pleasure in making the situation much more complicated than it has to be, first by claiming that he is in fact a retired astronaut, and that Roz - who has stopped by to return Frasier's opera glasses - is actually Maris. As Frasier explains the situation to Roz, Daphne and Clive chat - and Daphne realizes that, far from the unmotivated slacker she dumped several years ago, Clive is now a successful businessman operating a chain of sporting goods stores. This suddenly makes Clive a lot more appealing to Daphne than he had been before, meaning that the charade is no longer necessary; but Niles is unwilling to give up playing the loving husband, and Roz - attracted to Clive herself - is more than eager to stay for dinner. Over dinner, everyone suffers through Martin's ludicrously implausible astronaut stories (save Clive, who believes every word). Roz, however, has been flirting with Clive, much to Daphne's fury. Roz is unwilling to leave, however, and so the interaction between the two women steadily becomes more antagonistic and bitchy, with Daphne coolly painting Roz as a sterile, overeating alcoholic - until Roz counters by telling Clive that Daphne is pregnant. Clive, stunned by these latest revelations, retreats to the restroom. Frasier, thoroughly sick of the ludicrous charade, demands to know whether everyone's lost their senses, and Daphne and Roz begin to bicker furiously about who should get Clive. During the ensuing argument, no one notices Clive emerge from the restroom just as Daphne bemoans how she's going to get rid of 'this bloody baby'. By this point, however, Clive has had enough as well; having kept his silence all evening, he's now unable to restrain himself about how appalling he thinks everyone is. He is especially condemning of Roz and Daphne, for their shameless flirting with him right in front of their 'husbands'. Daphne begs him to reconsider, but Clive - by now firmly over Daphne (much to her distress) - storms out, bemoaning how such a terrible family could have come from 'that sweet, courageous astronaut'.

[edit] Trivia

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[edit] See also