Frasier Crane's Best Episodes Of Frasier Ranked

The NBC sitcom "Frasier" may have begun as a "Cheers" spin-off, but it quickly gained stratospheric popularity of its own. The series ran for 11 seasons and made the eponymous main character a household name. Talk radio therapist Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) won over audiences with a unique blend of intelligent, sarcastic humor and genuine compassion for the people he helped. Although all of the characters in "Frasier" are memorable in their own right, Frasier Crane was the true heart of the series and left a lasting impression on the world of sitcoms. 

Although the series officially went off the air in 2004, Frasier's story isn't quite over. According to Cheyenne Roundtree of Rolling Stone, fans of the beloved series will get another chance to see their favorite on-air psychologist in action. A "Frasier" reboot is officially in the works from Paramount+ and will follow Dr. Crane as he adjusts to his new life after leaving Seattle. Best of all, Kelsey Grammer will return to reprise his Emmy-winning role. As viewers gear up for the next installment in the Frasier Crane saga, it's a perfect opportunity to look back at his best heartwarming and hilarious moments from the original series, ranking them from good to great. 

It's hard for most people to forget their high school crushes, and Frasier is no exception. A chance coffee shop meeting brings his crush, Lorna Lynley (Jean Smart), back into his life in the Season 7 episode "Big Crane on Campus." Frasier almost works up the nerve to ask the real estate agent on a date, but gets cold feet and asks her to appraise his apartment instead. Despite the slip-up, Frasier is excited to see Lorna alone and comes up with an excuse to get his family out of the apartment for the evening.

As Lorna takes stock of the apartment, Frasier has an amusing inner dialogue with himself that makes light of his longstanding crush on her. He finally musters the courage to come clean, and, much to his surprise, Lorna agrees to have dinner with him. This small victory feels like a dream come true for Frasier, and the feeling only grows once he and Lorna spend the night together after their first date. However, like most things in Frasier's romantic life, the connection turns out to be too good to be true. Frasier soon finds Lorna to be short-tempered and abrasive, and although he enjoys having her on his arm, he knows that the right thing to do is to end the relationship. 

Sometimes, a character's best moments involve learning a valuable lesson. For Frasier Crane, the Season 2 episode "Flour Child" provides a lesson in slowing down and paying attention to those around you. At the beginning of the episode, a stressed-out Frasier signs a card for a security guard named Clarence (Aaron Heyman), but doesn't bother to read the card before signing. Instead, he comes up with a witty, birthday-themed message to write and moves on to his litany of other tasks without giving it another thought.

However, this approach causes a major faux pas: the card Frasier signs was intended to wish Clarence well as he recovers after a kidney transplant. When Roz tells Frasier that she left the card for Clarence at the hospital, our hero is instantly horrified by his mistake and concocts a scheme to correct it. He steals the card back, buys a replacement, and enlists Daphne Moon's (Jane Leeves) help in rewriting a whole new card from scratch. The two forge the original signatures, using different pens to make the card look more authentic. When Frasier returns the new card to the wrong room at the hospital, he finally takes a moment to speak to Clarence. The guard appreciates the visit, and Frasier narrowly escapes embarrassment.

One of the major strengths of "Frasier" is the dialogue. Dr. Crane utters memorable one-liners season after season. One of his funniest exclamations comes in the Season 10 episode "Roe to Perdition." Frasier and his brother Niles Crane (David Hyde Pierce) stumble upon a way to buy beluga caviar for much less than the prices in their local market. Although the seller is a little suspicious, the Crane brothers take a leap of faith and receive a batch of high-quality caviar. Even Roz, who didn't understand the hype around caviar, falls in love with the small sample the brothers share with her. 

The delicacy is also an instant hit with Frasier's party guests that evening, and offering to sell it makes the brothers more popular than ever. Niles and Frasier later review their caviar requests at the local coffee shop and compare stories about what social invitations they've received in exchange. Although Frasier is thrilled with their suddenly more active social life, Niles finds their wealth of options somewhat overwhelming. He expresses mild concern about having no time to sleep, but Frasier has the perfect answer to this problem. Without missing a beat, the doctor takes a sip of his coffee and quips: "Sleep is for people without social lives."

Dr. Frasier Crane is known for being unlucky in love, so it's no surprise that his friends and family think his new girlfriend is just a fantasy in Season 5's "Frasier's Imaginary Friend." While traveling to Acapulco, Mexico, Frasier meets a model named Kelly Easterbrook (Sela Ward). The two instantly connect after recognizing each other from their respective careers and then build a romance during the short trip. This serendipitous meeting seems like a chance for Frasier's luck to change, but there's one catch: Kelly swears Frasier to secrecy about their affair.

However, the overexcited doctor can't resist divulging the details of his trip to everyone he knows back home. When no one believes him, some of Frasier's funniest moments of Season 5 ensue as he becomes increasingly frustrated with their denials. He even stoops to the level of taking Kelly's photo while she's asleep in his bed, which startles her awake and kicks off a hilarious argument. Sadly for Frasier, his obsession with proving Kelly's existence backfires horribly: she is so angry that she ends their affair just in time for his family to arrive home and miss seeing her. As far as they're concerned, Frasier imagined the whole thing, but Kelly returns just in time to tell him off and prove that he was being honest.

Dr. Frasier Crane is never truly off-duty when it comes to caring about those struggling with their mental health. In the Season 8 episode "A Day in May," he uses his medical training in a very unexpected situation. Frasier tags along with Lana Gardner (Jean Smart — according to Variety, the character's name changed) as she attempts to sell a house on behalf of a very reluctant owner. Gardner complains that the homeowner, Phillip Donovan (Patrick Breen), keeps driving away potential buyers with his miserable disposition. However, Phillip has an excellent reason to be unhappy: a year prior, his wife moved out unexpectedly and took their four children with her.

At first, Frasier is annoyed with the whole situation, but as the episode progresses, he has a change of heart. Frasier takes the time to listen to some of Phillip's story before potential buyers arrive, which makes him more empathetic towards the divorced father. He also scolds Lana for her lack of sympathy for the man, which starts an argument. In the process, Lana accidentally destroys a wooden house built by Phillip's son. Frasier insists they need to rebuild the house to spare Phillip's feelings, and the pair manages to reconstruct an exact replica.

Frasier Crane is very motivated to help others, but that desire sometimes results in hilarious mistakes. In the Season 2 episode "The Candidate," Frasier lends his support to a political candidate named Phil Patterson (Boyd Gaines) to oppose his father's candidate of choice. He agrees to film a television spot and publicly endorses Patterson, who appears to be a wiser choice. However, Frasier soon learns that there is one significant downside to supporting Patterson. While filming the television spot, Patterson confesses to Dr. Crane that he has considered calling into his show.

Assuming the role of a psychiatrist, Frasier invites the candidate to divulge what's troubling him. Much to Frasier's surprise, Patterson confesses that aliens abducted him. Frasier tries to continue filming, but his trepidation is written all over his face. The result is a hysterically cringeworthy moment in which Frasier looks absolutely bewildered on camera. To make matters worse, Dr. Crane later inadvertently betrays Patterson's confidence on air in an attempt to help him. Despite genuinely wanting to help, Frasier's actions ultimately cost Patterson the election. Nevertheless, Patterson graciously accepts Frasier's apology and encourages him to remember that all things are possible.

Although Frasier's sarcasm and impatience were on full display most of the time, he also had a soft side for his family and friends. In the Season 9 episode "Frasier Has Spokane," his longtime producer, Roz Doyle (Peri Gilpin), struggles to get over a difficult breakup. When the two plan a trip to a radio broadcast studio in Spokane, Frasier finds out that Roz and her boyfriend, Roger (Tony Goldwyn), broke up a whole week before sharing the news. Frasier tries to provide her with some generic comfort, but Roz initially insists that she feels okay about the relationship ending.

Of course, it soon becomes apparent that Roz is in denial about her feelings. Despite Frasier's insistence, she remains reluctant to accept help from him or discuss the situation. Determined to help, Frasier finally comes up with a way to reach Roz and get her to open up to him. During a problematic first show in Spokane, he asks Roz to call into the show and pretend to be seeking advice. Although she is initially against the idea, the ensuing on-air conversation is one of the most heartwarming moments in Roz and Frasier's friendship. The doctor validates her hidden feelings about the breakup and soothes her heartache, bringing them closer together.

"Frasier" featured several "Cheers" crossovers over the years, but one of the most memorable was Season 6's "The Show Where Woody Shows Up." In this episode, Frasier's old friend Woody Boyd (Woody Harrelson) makes a surprise call to the radio show to let Frasier know he's in town. They agree to reunite over dinner that night, and Woody drops by Frasier's apartment to meet his family. In addition, Woody provides updates on the "Cheers" crew, who haven't changed much since Frasier's move to Seattle. The two then drink beer and eat pizza together while reliving old memories, and it seems as though the friendship is still alive and well.

Seeing the pair together again is a pleasant experience for fans, but it quickly becomes apparent that the psychiatrist and the bartender no longer have much in common. Frasier feels guilty for not enjoying Woody's company as much as he once did but continues to entertain him. When Woody claims he has to fly home early, Frasier thinks he's off the hook. As it turns out, Woody lied about going home early to avoid having to spend more time with Frasier. The two men share a bittersweet moment in which they both admit that their lives have gone in opposite directions. They wish each other well, and their friendship officially becomes a happy part of the past.

Throughout the series, Frasier Crane demonstrates his ability to be firm and no-nonsense with his callers. In the pilot episode, titled "The Good Son," fans are immediately introduced to the doctor's brand of harsh-but-true advice on a segment of his radio show. He provides snappy answers to various mundane questions, usually rushing to get callers off the line. Frasier sounds fed up by the end of the segment and later complains about the day's questions to Niles. Frasier's agitation level continues to climb when his father, Martin Crane (John Mahoney), moves in with him.

However, for all of his apparent jadedness, "The Good Son" also showcases Frasier's compassionate side. In one of his touching early moments, Frasier returns to the air for another radio segment with a very different attitude. His father calls into the show, and Frasier puts aside his frustrations to hear him out. The two have a brief on-air heart-to-heart in which they apologize to each other. Then, when Frasier takes his next call, he gives the caller, Claire, warm encouragement about navigating her grief after a recent breakup. This early demonstration of Frasier's caring nature is a significant factor in why fans continue to root for his success season after season.

Martin Crane's favorite easy chair is an eyesore at best, and its presence in Frasier's apartment is an ongoing point of contention between father and son. In the Season 9 episode "Bla-Z-Boy," Martin and Frasier celebrate the eighth anniversary of moving in together. However, the milestone feels a little unsettling for Dr. Crane, who is still struggling with his love life. Frasier becomes increasingly agitated with his father as the episode unfolds, and the two begin bickering about insignificant matters. When father and son fight about how squeaky the easy chair is, Martin tries to oil the springs. Unfortunately, he accidentally spills oil on Frasier's expensive carpet.

The accident inspires a significant argument, but Frasier's attitude completely changes when Martin's chair catches on fire. He panics when the fire starts, but things get even worse when the chair accidentally falls off the balcony. Of course, Martin believes Frasier did it on purpose, which makes him even angrier than their previous bickering. Niles manages to talk some sense into both of them, but Frasier and Martin are initially too stubborn to see eye to eye. Martin buys a new chair as a sign of good faith, but, in a heartwarming twist, Frasier also buys a replacement of his own: a nearly perfect replica of Martin's original chair.

A bar mitzvah is a significant rite of passage for a Jewish boy, and Frasier is excited to take part in his son Frederick's (Trevor Einhorn) in the Season 10 episode "Star Mitzvah." Although Frasier isn't Jewish, Frederick asks him to speak at the event. To honor the occasion, Frasier decides to learn how to deliver his speech in Hebrew. As luck would have it, a station employee named Noel Shempsky (Patrick Kerr) is willing to teach him Hebrew on one condition: Frasier must attend a Star Trek convention and get his favorite cast member's autograph. Reluctantly, Dr. Crane agrees to the deal to secure a free Hebrew lesson in time for the bar mitzvah.

Frasier doesn't hold up his end of the bargain, but, surprisingly, Noel decides to teach him Hebrew anyway — or so Frasier believes. When the big day arrives, he feels fully prepared to deliver his speech on Frederick's behalf. With his friends, family, and even some colleagues watching, Frasier recites what he believes to be an appropriate blessing for the occasion. However, Frederick and the rabbi look very confused for the duration of his speech. Then, much to Frasier's horror, an audience member informs him that his speech wasn't in Hebrew at all. Out of revenge for reneging on their deal, Noel taught Frasier how to deliver his entire speech in Klingon.

The two-part series finale of "Frasier," "Goodnight, Seattle," features many memorable Dr. Crane moments. Early on, audiences see the final interactions between Frasier and his latest love interest, Charlotte (Laura Linney), before she leaves for a job in Chicago. Although they have only known each other for a short time, it's clear that their connection is powerful. Charlotte and Frasier's extended last goodbye is very bittersweet, and it appears that the doctor has once again lost out on being in a relationship. As it turns out, the flight Frasier is on is Chicago-bound because he decided to leave his beloved Seattle and follow Charlotte.

Whether or not Frasier and Charlotte end up together remains a big unanswered question from the series, but seeing Frasier take a chance on love is a heartwarming experience for fans. Before leaving Seattle for good, Frasier takes to the air one last time. His farewell speech includes a touching poem and is a fitting tribute to his listeners and colleagues at the radio station. It also brings the beloved series to a warm, satisfying close after eleven seasons. The open-ended nature of the series finale is a perfect springboard for the upcoming "Frasier" reboot, which is sure to give fans even more memorable Dr. Crane moments to love.