Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (Frasier episode)

Infobox Television episode | Title = Kisses Sweeter Than Wine
Series = Frasier


Caption = Daphne offering Joe a drink
Season = 3
Episode = 05
Airdate = 7 November 1995
Production =
Writer = Anne Flett-Giordano [ [http://www.tv.com/frasier/kisses-sweeter-than-wine/episode/17005/cast.html Frasier: Kisses Sweeter Than Wine Episode Cast Members - TV.com ] ]
Director = Philip Charles Mackenzie [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0582439/ "Frasier" Kisses Sweeter Than Wine (1995) ] ]
Guests = Tony Carreiro (Joe DeCarlo)
Brooke Adams (Marilyn)
Peter Siragusa (Bruce)
Kevin Weisman (Painter)
Prev = Leapin' Lizards
Next = Sleeping with the Enemy
Episode list = List of Frasier episodes (Season 3)

"Kisses Sweeter Than Wine" is the fifth episode of episode of season 3 of American sitcom "Frasier", and the fifty-third overall. The title refers to both strands of the storyline - Frasier plans for a wine-tasting and is forced to call out a handyman, who has a mutal attraction towards Daphne, much to Niles' dismay.

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

Frasier is angling to become the "maître de chez" of his wine club, so is holding a special wine tasting session in his apartment to try and win them over. Naturally, this means that Martin's barcalounger will have to be moved, but as Niles and Frasier attempt to move it into Martin's room, Niles drops his end which scratches a small dent in Frasier's wooden floor. Frasier is aghast as the wine club members will pick up on any little detail, even though Martin can't even see it, but Niles tells him he will bring along his miracle-working handyman Joe DeCarlo tomorrow to fix it. When Joe arrives, Frasier is anxious that the work be done by 5 p.m as that's when his guests arrive so is relieved when Joe tells him he'll be done by midday. Daphne, on the other hand, develops an instant attraction to Joe and him to her. This concerns Niles, who tells Daphne that he is known as “love-'em-and-leave-'em Joe” with a string of affairs behind him.

When Frasier returns home a few hours later, he finds his apartment in a state of disarray with holes in his walls and workmen everywhere. Joe tells him that when he plugged in the sander, a fuse went and this has led to faulty wiring being discovered. However, he assures Frasier, he'll be finished by 4 p.m. The news is not so good for Joe when he asks Daphne out, who turns him down flat. Martin wants to know why, and guesses it's something Niles has said as his nose his bleeding; this only happens when he breaches his ethics. Frasier takes issue with this with his brother, and forces him to tell Daphne the truth, as well as persuading Niles to get Joe to ask Daphne out again. Frasier, though, is more concerned about his apartment especially as he arrives home at 4.30pm to find his apartment still unfinished. Frasier panics again: the water is cut off, the gas pipes are damaged, and his guests will be here soon. But Martin asks his sons to give all the money they have got which he offers to the workers to finish the job quickly.

Episode Title Cards

*"Sip, swish, spit"
*"The clot thickens"

Memorable Quotations

"Daphne wonders why Frasier can't tell the difference between some of her dishes"
Frasier: Considering you learned to cook in England, it's a wonder I can tell your flank steak from a braised tennis ball!

"Frasier asks his brother to help him move Martin's chair"
Niles: You know I don't lift.
Frasier: Yes. With that stick where it is, I'm surprised you can bend!

"Niles has brought Joe over to fix the scratch in the floor"
Niles: We're talking about a man who satisfied Maris, something that regrettably is still on my 'To Do' list.

"Niles tells Frasier he needs to get something from his bowling bag"
Frasier: You have a bowling bag?
Niles:: Yes. Maris and I have taken to giving each other gag gifts. I gave her a cook book!

"Frasier cannot believe the mess he has got himself into with his apartment"
Frasier: "(to Niles)" If you were able to lift anything heavier than an emery board, we wouldn't be in this situation!

"Niles is distraught that Daphne finds Joe attractive"
Niles: She deserves a doctor, a lawyer…someone for whom a T-shirt is an undergarment.

"Frasier has tried to shave with no water and cut himself"
Frasier: I cut myself because I was shaving without water, and why was there no water? Because I had to move your chair, which gouged the floor which made me call for Joe, who found bad pipes which called for Cecil, who ate the cat who killed the rat that lived in the house that Frasier built!

Trivia

*This is the first episode Anne Flett-Giordano has written on her own, without Chuck Ranberg.
*First appearance of Joe.
*Niles' nose bleeds when he lies.
*The ceiling expert (whose face is never seen) is called Cecil; this is also the name of the character David Hyde Pierce played in "The Simpsons" (though pronounced differently).
* Frasier's speech to Niles about Daphne needing a man who can do more than simply smell her hair was originally written for "The Matchmaker".

References