Product Description

FRASIER - THE COMPLETE FOURTH SEASON is a half-hour comedy series set in Seattle, which chronicles the lives of an eloquently pompous radio show host, Dr. Frasier Crane, (Grammer), his competitive, high-brow brother Niles (Hyde Pierce), their crotchety father Martin (Mahoney) and Martin's semi-psychic, live-in home-care provider, Daphne (Leeves). The show made history by becoming the first series, comedy or drama, to achieve a record five consecutive Emmy wins for Outstanding Comedy Series.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3829 in DVD
• Brand: GRAMMER,KELSEY
• Released on: 2005-02-01
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Box set, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Number of discs: 4
• Dimensions: .70 pounds
• Running time: 553 minutes

Amazon.com
Frasier's fourth season was mostly about relationships. Niles (David Hyde Pierce), now separated from Maris, is back on the market like his bachelor brother, Frasier (Kelsey Grammer). That's great when the pair goes to a cabin with a pair of fetching women (Megan Mullaly, later of Will and Grace, and Lisa Darr), but Niles is never able to completely dispel his attachment to his suffocating wife... or to Daphne (Jane Leeves). His obsession with the latter gets an immediate burst in the season's first episode, in which he has to masquerade as Daphne's husband, then later comes to a head when she appears at his apartment door asking to stay the night. The boys have the usual disputes with their father (John Mahoney), including their disdain for the former cop's new girlfriend, Sherry (Marsha Mason), the boisterous, banjo-twangin', "gotcha"-playing bartender who would remain a regular cast member through the end of the series. Ex-wife Lilith (Bebe Neuwirth) makes her annual appearance, this time when she and Frasier try to get Frederick into an exclusive prep school. And the title character? As much as Frasier teases his producer Roz (Peri Gilpin) about her dating habits, he himself is lonely, leading him to a memorable airport encounter with guest star Linda Hamilton and a season finale that proves a kind of a harbinger to the series' final episode. This season made Frasier a perfect four-for-four at the Emmys, winning its fourth consecutive award for Outstanding Comedy Series. Unlike previous seasons, this DVD set has no bonus features. --David Horiuchi

Customer Reviews

Frasier's Best Year
After the solid third season, Frasier came back with what could arguably be its best season. There were new storylines: Martin meeting a new lady, Sherry (played by Marsha Mason), who doesn't exactly hit it off with the rest of the gang--as well as continuations of old ones: Niles trying to reconcile with Maris. The biggest story of this season, though, was off-camera: star Kelsey Grammer went into rehab, which necessitated that the others in the cast pick up the slack. They proved up to the task, of course, and upon Grammer's return the show became better than ever. In this season, we were visited by familiar faces like Lilith and Frederick for a memorable Thanksgiving episode, as well as Agent Bebe, as well as surprise appearances (James Earl Jones). In addition, this season contained some of the truly greatest episodes of this show: the opener, The Two Mrs. Cranes, had the show's farcical sense of its humor at its most potent, Ham Radio featured delightfully unhinged performances by the supporting cast, and Are You Being Served? features one of the show's funniest moments. This is where the show hit its peak: the synthesis of great acting, writing, and ensemble acting that made this show memorable. If you love Frasier, these episodes are probably many of the reasons why. If you only buy one set of Frasier DVDs, this should probably be it.

A year of comedy perfection
Frasier was about to come into its off years, but they got it exactly right in Season 4 - it's full of heavy laughs, pitch-perfect timing, meaningful characterizations, and a breezy, nimble energy that carries through one shockingly good episode after another. I may never laugh harder at a half hour sitcom than I did during the brilliant season premiere, "The Two Mrs. Cranes," which features Daphne and Roz trying to outlie each other for a random Brit's affection, or during "Ham Radio," the slapstick masterpiece about Frasier trying to put on an old-time radio mastery. The writing was the best it ever was this year, but I think that's because the characters had reached such a place of familiarity and ease that every scenario is just another grand excuse to see the bizarre ways they'll all interact. As brilliantly embodied by the entire cast (especially, this year, by John Mahoney as Martin, and David Hyde Pierce, in the Niles golden years), it's hard not to argue that this was one of the funniest years of any sitcom in television history.

And the Champion is Frasier!
Frasier is, for my money, the best sitcom ever presented on American TV. The comedy on this wonderful show runs across all genres from slapstick to drawing room farce. And the dialogue is aguably in the same class as the best of the 1930's screwball comedies! If Preston Sturges were alive, he would have been writing for Frasier.

The fourth season of Frasier is the best yet. The interplay between Frasier and Niles and their father is a joy to behold. Frasier is the only TV show that consistently has me rolling on the floor with laughter. And, the supporting players, from Bulldog to Roz, cross all comedic and encomic lines! And what great lines they are...

I love being able to buy these quality shows in their entirety so that I can watch them without commercials and at a time of my chosing. And, with the price drop for Season 4, it's gotten even better! According to tvshowsontv.com, Paramount will be releasing 3 more seasons in 2005! It doesn't get much better than this for comedy fans.

I recommend this show to all intelligent and discriminating TV viewers.