The Friend (Frasier episode)

Infobox Television episode | Title = The Friend
Series = Frasier


Caption =
Season = 3
Episode = 11
Airdate = 16 January 1996
Production =
Writer = Jack Burditt
Director = Philip Charles MacKenzie
Guests = Griffin Dunne (Bob)
Ben Mittleman (Ralph)
Armistead Maupin (Gerard)
Prev = It's Hard To Say Goodbye If You Won't Leave
Next = Come Lie with Me
Episode list = List of Frasier episodes (Season 3)

"The Friend" is the eleventh episode of season 3 of American sitcom "Frasier".

Cast and characters

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

Plot outline

Niles has tickets for the race track at the weekend, and offers them to Frasier; he prefers not to go, as something about the jockeys reminds him of Maris. When Martin declines the invitation to join him, Frasier suddenly realises that he has a shortage of friends in Seattle, as most of his old ones are back in Boston. He talks on the theme of making friends on his radio show later, saying how he hopes he comes across as approachable, and receives several messages from people touched by his words, who ask if they can meet him on a friendly basis. Most of them range from eccentric to seriously disturbed, but there is one fax which seems to come from a fairly normal man, name of Bob Reynolds. Frasier arranges to meet him at Café Nervosa, and once there, when Bob quotes Mark Twain during the conversation, Frasier instantly thinks this is a great opportunity and suggests they have dinner together. However, it does not take long for Bob to show his true colours: he is a photographer at a local supermarket, who likes wearing a tam o'shanter and has an unhealthy interest in barbecue food. He is also in a wheelchair…

Episode Title Cards

*"Maybe just a shampoo and set"
*"Butane and the Beast"
*"The squeaky wheel gives the grief"

Memorable Quotations

"Niles feels offended that Frasier seems to think of him as a back-up friend"
Frasier: You and I can go out together and I know what you're thinking before you even say it.
Niles: Well, then, I'm sorry you had to hear that, Frasier!

"Roz interrupts Frasier during his show to stop him inviting listeners to accost him in public"
Frasier: I, for one, happen to believe in the kindness of strangers.
Roz: Well, I believe in the "strangeness" of strangers.