The Impossible Dream (Frasier episode)

Infobox Television episode | Title = The Impossible Dream
Series = Frasier
Season = 4
Episode = 03


Caption = Frasier dreaming of Gil
Airdate = 15 October 1996
Production =
Writer = Rob Greenberg
Director = David Lee
Guests = Byrne Piven (Dr. Sigmund Freud)
Kieran Culkin (Jimmy)
Christopher Durang (Rudy)
Prev = Love Bites Dog
Next = A Crane's Critique
Episode list = List of Frasier episodes (Season 4)

"The Impossible Dream" is the third episode episode of season 4 of American sitcom "Frasier", and the seventy sixth overall.

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

*Edward Hibbert – Gil Chesterton
*Dan Butler – Bob 'Bulldog' Briscoe

Plot

Frasier has a recurring erotic dream in which he wakes up in bed, hears the shower running and is shocked when the person who emerges is KACL's food critic, Gil Chesterton. Frasier is slightly appalled and becomes obsessed with the meaning of this dream, and so turns to his brother for help and advice. At first he believes it has some connection with food, then some connection with his mother, before even considering that his subconscious is trying to tell him something about his sexuality. Discussing this very notion with his father leaves Martin very uncomfortable, so Frasier is grateful when he eventually works out what the dream means: his subconscious was giving him a difficult problem to figure out. The slump on his show didn't provide him with the challenge he needed, so his subconscious needed to give him a problem to work out. Once he realizes that it what has been happening, he dreams that Sigmund Freud came into his hotel room, and climbed into bed with him. The episode ends with waking up after this nightmare.

Episode title cards

*"Why Gil? Why now?"
*"Psychiatrist...Crane...Frasier...Niles...Idiots"
*"Thank God he was wrong about that “mother” thing"

Memorable Quotations

"After Frasier finds out Roz has spread the word about his dream"
Frasier: Just exactly when did you have time to spread the news?
Roz: You don't think I was listening to your show, do you?

"Niles is relating an episode from that day"
Niles: I hardly need to tell you how the story ends.
Frasier: Just tell me "when" the story ends.

"Niles suggest free association to solve Frasier's dream"
Niles: Crescent…Moon…Daphne Moon…French maid…brass bed…satin robe…
Frasier: Niles! This is my dream.
Niles: I was just showing you the process.
Frasier: You were three words away from a cigarette!

"Daphne has her own theory on Frasier's dream"
Daphne: Who was in the shower? Gil. What is a shower? Running water. Who needs water? Fish. What do fish have? Gills. Do you see where I'm going?
Frasier: Insane(?)

"Niles thinks he's solved it"
Niles: Of course, it's so obvious! Gil is a food critic. Food, criticism…
Niles and Frasier in unison: Mother!

"Frasier tells his father the truth about his dream"
Frasier: The dream is really about me and a male co-worker, Gil Chesterton.
Martin: You don't care if I "ever" sleep again, do you?

Trivia

*This is the only time in the series duration that the outside of Frasier's apartment building is shown.

*The title of the episode is a reference to the "Cheers" episode "The Improbable Dream".