Freddy’s Birthday – The episode opens with Dr. Frasier Crane (Kelsey Grammer) and Alan Cornwall (Nicholas Lyndhurst) returning to the bar after a poor performance of Giacomo Puccini’s famed opera, Turandot. Spotting Freddy Crane (Jack Cutmore-Scott) amongst the patrons, Frasier mentions Freddy turning down his offers to attend the opera. Alan jokingly chides him about being the backup option. When the identity of Freddy’s guest is revealed as Dr. Lilith Sternin (Bebe Neuwirth), it becomes clear why Freddy didn’t willingly share the meeting. As the insults are traded both Freddie and Alan attempt to intervene. Before going to the bar to get drinks, Alan expresses frustration that Lilith doesn’t recognize him. Frasier attempts to prove to Freddy that he and Lilith can get along by proposing they take him out for his birthday. Lilith takes pleasure in telling Frasier that Freddy’s friends have already invited her and him out for the event. Frasier says that’s fine he’ll spend the time trying to remove the knife from his back. Freddy apologizes and offers to spend the following day with Frasier. Once Lilith accuses Frasier of making Freddy’s birthday all about him a small argument ensues. It ends with Freddy storming off and telling them both to not attend the party. Once alone, Lilith blames Frasier before they both realize how their contempt for each other could negatively impact future events and relationships.

Having joined Alan and Eve (Jess Salgueiro) at the bar, Freddy admits that uninviting his parents to his party feels like a huge relief. When Alan says his parents are the same, Eve suggests using the opportunity to fix their relationship. Freddy reluctantly agrees to give it a shot after she mentions how her son will never have the experience of being in the same room with both his parents. As Freddy returns to extend an invitation, Alan gives her credit for using the “dead boyfriend” angle. She claims she hasn’t lost an argument with it yet. At the table, Frasier and Lilith practically beg to be invited to the party before he can reinvite them. This leads to Frasier offering to bankroll the event.

Knights In White Linen – Fraiser joins Alan at a bowling alley where he is dressed in the same white suit and fedora he wore to their wedding. When Frasier teases him with mafia slurs, he says he hopes it will spark Lilith’s memory. An inept David Crane (Anders Keith) interrupts and announces himself as the event coordinator before Freddy joins them. After they decide to get a lane, Chip (Michael Saltzman) the attendant reminds them they need bowling shoes. When Lilith shows up, she still doesn’t recognize Alan., although she, Freddy, and Frasier spend several minutes teasing him about the suit. She intimates into letting her wear her shoes before they join Freddy’s friends at a lane. Frasier becomes irritated after watching Moose (Jimmy Dunn) and the others bend over backward for Lilith. Off to the side with Alan, he accuses her of flaunting her relationship with Freddy’s friends. He then unveils his plans to get in Freddy’s good graces with his present of a personal pen from JD Salinger’s collection.

In the arcade, Freddy makes a new female friend while playing a miniature basketball shootout game. A drunken Eve arrives and nags him about missing the party. Bringing his friend along, they return just as David is gathering everyone for the gift reveals. Lilith is the first to share her gift of a football. Just when Frasier thinks he has her beat with his gift, she claims that it was supposed to be signed. Taking the ball, she goes to the bar where Vince Wilfork has been sitting unseen. Smokey (Renee Pezzotta) and the others are beside themselves. Vince reveals how Lilith helped him overcome his battle with shyness before asking for a pen. Tiny (Kevin Daniels) notices Frasier’s JD Salinger pen and jerks it out of his hands before he can protest. When the pen doesn’t write, Moose discards it like trash on the bar.

Later that evening at the bar, Frasier complains to Alan about being outshined by Lilith. Alan basically tells him to prepare to keep being outshined before he orders a Dirty Mojito. The mention of the drink causes Lilith to recall Alan as the wedding guest who kept pestering the bartender to add olive brine to the mojitos. She goes on to share how he also got drunk, broke into the zoo, and fed the animals 2 grand worth of caviar. He’s enthused she finally remembers him, but less so when she also recalls having to foot the bill for the incident. This sends him fleeing and her alone with Frasier. The mention of his brooding nearly starts an argument that ends when Freddy arrives to get a picture of beer from the bartender. Once he’s gone, she says she can’t help that she knows Freddy better. As he disputes her claims, David announces that Freddy Trivia will begin shortly.

What’s The Opposite Of The Newlywed Game? – Freddy pulls David aside and attempts to pull the plug on the trivia for fear that he will be embarrassed in front of his new female friend. David ensures him that he would never intentionally embarrass him. The first question is, “What nail polish did Freddy wear during his Goth phase?” Lilith scores the point by answering, “Sabbath Black.” She scores another point by correctly answering Freddy’s blood type as “O-Negative.” Frasier thinks he has the upper hand when the next question is about Freddy’s favorite book. It turns out it was “Cather In The Rye,” but was later changed to “Oliver Twist,” another point for Lilith. The evening is transformed when the next question about Freddy’s favorite breakfast leads to the revelation that Freddy is living with Frasier. Apparently, Lilith didn’t know and Frasier publically takes great pleasure in that before being asked to leave by Freddy.

Remember, She Can’t Cross The Threshold Until She’s Invited In – Sometime later, Lilith unexpectedly shows up at Frasier’s apartment with requests to see where their son is living. He offers her a drink before showing her Freddy’s room. Although she chides him about his wallpaper on the way upstairs, he can’t find any faults in Freddy’s room. She then admits that she was competing by trying to earn the favor of Freddy’s friends. He asks why and points out that she was already way ahead. She claims that neither of them won because Freddy actually lied to both of them. She wonders aloud if they were so competitive because they felt guilty for breaking up their family. He says that’s an interesting theory before claiming they haven’t screwed him up too bad because he’s doing pretty well with that girl from the bowling alley. As they continue to recall happier memories from the early years of their relationship they end up making out. The episode ends with Freddie and his horrified new friend interrupting them.

 

Frasier Review

Due to my lack of intimacy with the original series, I feel I cannot adequately compare the modern-day Lilith and Frasier relationship to the one of the past. I will say, however, what little I saw of them in the episode, seemed incredible. They appear to have an onscreen rapport that meshes. Once again, I enjoyed what I would describe as the simplicity of the comedy. Aside from the mention of the wallpaper and the opera, the comedy seemed to flow easily. The content is incredibly easy to relate to and I’m intrigued to see where these personal relationships go from here. For that, I’d give this episode a 6 out of 10.

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