Someone to Watch Over Me (Frasier episode)

Infobox Television episode | Title = Someone to Watch Over Me
Series = Frasier
Season = 2
Episode = 19
Airdate = 28 March 1995
Production =
Writer = Don Siegel
Director = James Burrows
Guests = Renée Lippin (Kari)
Rita McKenzie (Mrs. Littlejohn)
Alyson Reed (Cindy Carruthers)
Cherie Wimberly (Office Worker)
John Lithgow (Madman Martinez)
Prev = The Club
Next = Breaking the Ice
Episode list = List of Frasier episodes (Season 2)"Someone to Watch Over Me" is the nineteenth episode of season two of American sitcom "Frasier". The episode title is possibly a reference to the song by George Gershwin from the musical "Oh, Kay!".

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

Recurring cast

*Dan Butler – Bob 'Bulldog' Briscoe

Plot outline

Frasier has been receiving frequent calls to his radio show from a woman named Kari, who states that she is his "number one fan." Frasier is at first flattered by her admiration, but both he and Roz are somewhat disturbed when she calls into the show and tells him that she saw him buy a rose earlier that day and that he wasn't doing his "regular routine." However, Frasier soon shrugs it off, as he and Roz have been nominated for a SeaBee award.

Later, at Frasier's apartment, Frasier and Niles are planning to go to the opera. Frasier opens his briefcase to take out the tickets and, much to his surprise, discovers a scarf; an accompanying note tells him that it is a gift from Kari. He is confused over when she found the time to put it there, as he hardly had it out of his hand all day, except when he went to get his hair cut. His worries are only heightened by Niles' assertions that Kari has the handwriting of a sociopath and that her behaviour displays the classic signs of the predator stalking its prey. Frasier brushes Niles off and the doorbell rings; he goes to answer it and finds a collection of balloons floating outside. At first he thinks they are from the station; however, when he reads the note attached to them, he realises they are from Kari. Her message that "Your time has come. You are finally going to get what you deserve" causes Niles to be even more suspicious; Frasier assures everyone that he is not scared, yet when one of the balloons accidentally bursts, Frasier jumps in terror.

Later at the radio station, Frasier dispenses with a caller who only phoned in to advertise his car dealership. Roz has problems of her own; a large pimple has emerged on her nose. Frasier tells her about his continued trouble with Kari, and while he is talking to her, he discovers another note from her, in his jacket pocket, which reads, "I'm very disappointed in you, Dr Crane, you didn't wear the scarf that I knitted for you, even though it was very cold. The last man who disappointed me like that is in his grave. P.S: I'll be at the awards tomorrow night, and I'll be watching for you."

Now convinced that Kari is a dangerous stalker, Frasier hires a bodyguard, and the next scene takes place in his apartment, on the night of the SeaBee awards, with Frasier, Daphne and Martin all waiting for the bodyguard to show up. Niles arrives and teases Frasier a little; finally, there is a knock at the door, and Frasier's bodyguard is revealed to be a woman, Cindy Carruthers. She is introduced to the others, and gives Frasier some advice on how to act that night; she then leaves the apartment to use her cell phone. A few moments later, the phone in the apartment rings; Daphne answers it and says that it is Kari. They put it on speaker, and Kari tells Frasier that she will be wearing a bright red dress, and that she will find him. An even more terrified Frasier heads out of the apartment with Daphne, Niles and Martin.

They arrive at the SeaBee awards, where they meet up with Roz, who, because she is wearing a red dress, and covering her face with her hand in an attempt to hide the pimple on her nose, is at first mistaken for Kari by Cindy; Frasier sets her straight and introduces her. Bulldog approaches and tries to hit on Cindy; she grabs him by the neck and tells him that if she moves her thumb a quarter of an inch, she could kill him. Bulldog gasps that he's never been so turned on in his life, and quickly runs away. Daphne adjusts Roz's hairstyle so that it covers most of her face, hiding the pimple, but leaving Roz looking ridiculous, and unable to see. Meanwhile, Frasier, Niles and Martin talk, and Martin suggests that Kari may not have been telling the truth when she said she was wearing a red dress. Cindy discounts this theory, but Frasier pulls Niles aside and tells him that he finds it suspicious that Cindy was so quick to dismiss Martin's theory – Cindy who is not wearing a red dress. Niles is at first scornful at the idea that Cindy could be the stalker, but Frasier adds that she was conveniently out of the apartment at the time the stalker phoned. Niles agrees, and adds that they know she has a cell phone – maybe it "is" Cindy. He tells Frasier that she's probably waiting to get him alone before she makes her move.

Just then, everyone starts to head towards the elevator to go to the awards ceremony. Frasier tries to follow Niles into the elevator, but it is very crowded and Cindy announces that there are too many people dressed in red dresses in there, and announces that she and Frasier will take their own elevator. Whilst waiting for the elevator to arrive, Cindy tells Frasier that she's quite a fan, and that he should have worn a scarf. This convinces Frasier that Cindy is Kari; he distracts her, and then dives into the elevator himself. His relief is momentary, as he soon becomes aware of another person in the elevator with him; a woman in a red dress who tells him that she's his number one fan. Frasier screams and we hear the sound of a thud.

The elevator doors open to reveal Frasier holding the woman down on the floor. He calls for Niles to find Cindy; however, Roz tells Frasier that the woman he is holding down is Cornelia Littlejohn, the head of the nomination committee. Frasier apologises and tries to explain, but Cornelia Littlejohn storms off. Roz tells Frasier that they'd better hope they win this year, as they're not getting nominated next year, and heads through a doorway with Niles.

Cindy arrives and demands to know why Frasier ran away from her. Frasier replies that paranoia has turned him into a crazy person – first he thought she was the stalker, then he thought Cornelia Littlejohn was the stalker. He decides that he will come face to face with Kari once and for all and announces to everyone that he will be waiting in the lobby; he then takes the elevator downstairs. Martin, meanwhile, has noticed a woman in a red dress wearing the same scarf that Kari sent for Frasier; he asks her if she is Kari, and she admits that she is. She says that she is just a fan, and that she didn't mean to scare Frasier – the note about the man who disappointed her being in his grave was a reference to her husband, Walter, who caught pneumonia. She promises not to bother Frasier any more and asks Martin to explain it all to him.

Frasier is in the lobby. He sees a door open and close and a flash of red, and believes that it is Kari; he heads out into the parking lot when he demands that she come and face him. When she doesn't, he starts to tell her that she isn't so brave now, and challenges her again to come out and face him – and instead is approached by three tough, heavy-set thugs. Frasier runs away and the three men pursue him.

The episode ends with Frasier and Roz receiving their award from Cornelia Littlejohn. Frasier has been beaten up; his hair is messy and his tie is loose, and Roz still has her ridiculous hairstyle. The two of them leave the stage as soon as they can.

Episode title cards

*"Getting a bit loopy"
*"Krakatoa, West of Java (the movie was wrong)"
*"Someone to watch over me"
*"The Lady in Red"

Memorable Quotations

"Niles is enduring Frasier's boasting about the SeaBee nomination"
Niles: Well, as some illustrious person once said, “popularity is the hallmark of mediocrity”.
Frasier: You just made that up, didn't you?
Niles: Yes, but I stand by it.

"Martin thinks that Frasier is wasting money by hiring a bodyguard"
Frasier: These people are trained to size up a crowd, plan escape routes, even get shot if necessary.
Martin: Hey, I know how to take a bullet.
Frasier: Oh yes, that's just what your personality needs: another bullet(!)

"There is a knock at the door. Frasier exercises caution before opening"
Frasier: Who is it, please?
Niles: Lizzie Borden. I want you to autograph my hatchet.

ee also

*List of Frasier episodes

External links

*imdb title|id=0582503|title=Someone to Watch Over Me
* [http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Derby/3267/219.html Episode Transcript at "The Frasier Files"]