With its sharp wit, farcical comedy style, and cast of colorful characters, Frasier was a hit series from 1994 all the way until it ended eleven seasons later. It was only recently unseated for having the most Emmy nominations, an honor that now belongs to Game of Thrones. It remains one of the most successful spin-offs in television history, following psychiatrist Frasier Crane from Boston (where he was a series regular on Cheers) to his new life in Seattle living with his retired police officer father and working at the KACL radio station.
While Frasier was praised for its complex plots and intricate storylines, its clever writing couldn't prevent all the inconsistencies over the course of eleven years. From mixing up names, to birthdays, to leaving out certain characters, it couldn't keep everything straight. In many ways, it was to be watched by casual viewers who happened to tune in periodically just as much as longtime viewers. Below are ten things that make no sense about the series; sure to infuriate fans, but fun to puzzle over.
FAMILY MYSTERIES
One of the biggest plot points that never made sense on Frasier was the presence of his father and brother. In Cheers, Frasier always maintained his father died. He also never had a brother. This had to be explained away in-character that Frasier was simply mad at them and thus never brought them up/killed his father off in his mind. The character of Niles was only created because David Hyde Pierce bore a strong resemblance to a young Kelsey Grammer.
The character of Martin Crane was also given a familial hiccup. In Season 1, Marty explains he never had a brother, but in Season 5, he is reunited with his brother Walt (and his son/Frasier's cousin) with no explanation whatsoever about where they came from or why he explained they never existed.
WHY ANYONE LISTENS TO FRASIER
One of the many reasons why Frasier is a hilarious character is because, as a psychiatrist, he feels that his advice is better than anyone else's. In reality, his advice causes more havoc, and the person he's inflicted it on is no better off than when they started.
He's suggested his family take a chance in Season 3 on "Leap Year" challenges, which ended in disaster for every one of them, including himself. He's suggested that Niles wait to tell Daphne how he really felt about her, only for her to get a new boyfriend that very day, forcing Niles to wait several more years. Despite all of this, people still ask his advice (despite Marty's frequent insistence that Frasier not stick his nose in other people's business).
ALL OF THE SUDDEN AMNESIA
There are numerous occasions throughout the series where every character systematically forgets how to do a specific task or activity, with no explanation. For instance, Niles and Frasier high-five each other plenty of times until Season 6, when Niles forgets how. He also can't ride a bike or do anything athletic with a ball in Season 3, but then is suddenly playing squash and tennis with Frasier in the same season.
Similarly, in Season 2, Fraiser is asked for a screwdriver and knows exactly where his toolset is. In Season 4, Frasier is asked for a screwdriver again but he has no idea where one might be. Similarly, he doesn't know any German in Season 2, but by Season 8 can speak German.
HOW FRASIER CAN COMPLAIN ABOUT HIS LOVE LIFE
One of the hallmarks of Frasier Crane is his ability to dispense advice to everyone but never take any of it himself. It may be because a lot of therapists can look objectively at others' problems, but are too subjective to their own circumstances to have the proper emotional distance to find solutions.
Frasier often counsels others in love, but claims to be very unlucky in love himself. In Season 1, this is explained at length to Marty and Niles (he is freshly divorced), but in Season 3 and 4, he's still complaining about it, despite having had innumerable dates, liaisons, and girlfriends.
NILES' AND DAPHNE'S PREVIOUS RELATIONSHIPS
Prior to finally getting together, the relationship history of Niles and Daphne was confusing to say the least. Niles had never been very successful with the ladies, and in Season 3, it's revealed that his only serious girlfriend had been Maris before they were married. However, by Season 11, he's talking about the girlfriend he had throughout college.
Similarly, Daphne explained in Season 1 that she never had a serious boyfriend, but in Season 4 her previous fiance of two years comes looking for her in Seattle. In Season 6, it's revealed that her boyfriend before him proposed to her as well, which indicates several serious boyfriends.
FRASIER'S PRINCIPLES
By all accounts, Frasier is a principled man who believes that even though he does radio psychiatry, it's just as valid a form of mental health assistance as the standard variety. Whether he takes a call for ten minutes or sees someone in his private practice for an hour, his advice is still worthwhile for a patient.
That being said, in Season 1 and the end of Season 5, he declares that he never does commercial endorsements, but then, in the middle of Season 5, he does one. He also does several theme-based shows throughout all eleven seasons, but in Season 3, he claims he never does them.
THE CRANE BOYS' HANDLING THEIR EMOTIONS
Niles and Frasier are self-proclaimed men of reason, often feeling that to succumb to displays of emotion undermines logical discernment. However, in several situations, this plot device is dropped, and they become slaves to their emotions at every turn.
For instance, in Season 1, it's explained that it's not in Niles' nature to cry, but beginning in Season 3 and onward, he breaks down often, especially when other people are crying. Similarly for Frasier, he's very fond of hugs in Seasons 1, 2, and 3, but in Season 4 suddenly declares that he has a "aversion to hugging" and has never felt comfortable with such displays of affection.
NILES' ALLERGIES
In the first season, when Niles and Frasier are getting accustomed to being in each other's social circles again, they form the habit of taking coffee together in the mornings. This is when we first learn what Niles' regular drink consists of: a latte with "a dusting of nutmeg and the barest whisper of cinnamon."
Later in the series, in Season 5, Niles declares that he suddenly can't have nutmeg, because it severally inflames his stomach lining. This seems odd, considering he'd been continuously ordering his regular drink from the cafe every morning, and didn't mention he'd developed a stomach issue.
THE WINE CLUB
Frasier and Niles are part of a stuffy Wine Club that features in various episodes throughout the years. The details of the club seem to change based on what the plot of the episode calls for, leaving a remarkable amount of inconsistencies. In Season 1, Niles is made the President of the Wine Club following a prank on Brewster Cale, but in Season 7, he says he's never been the President, despite wanting to be.
Furthermore, the title of the Wine Club leader seems to change. First it's President, then in Season 3 it gets changed to Maitre d'Chai, and then in Season 7 it's Corkmaster. No reasons are given for the change, except that perhaps off-camera it sounded better.
NILES' VARIOUS HEALTH PROBLEMS
Tall, gaunt, and with a perpetually sallow complexion, to look at him, you'd think Niles was one of the most unhealthy people in Seattle. The rest of the family may have just viewed him as a hypochondriac and a germophobe, but he had various health problems introduced in the series that miraculously disappeared later.
In Season 2, it's explained that when Niles was getting married to Maris, he learned that he had a congenital heart murmur. But years later, in Season 10, he acts like he has no idea that he has any sort of heart condition. How did he ever play squash with Frasier? How did he get through medical school if he can't stand the sight of blood?