Frasier: Complete Series 1 [DVD] [2003]

the first season of a comedy classic, complete on dvd. Doctor frasier crane, a supporting character in legendary sitcom cheers, was spun off into his own show, a comedy that lasted as long as cheers and became just as legendary in it's own right. it succeeded because it was able to develop the character and take him in new directions and make him the centre of the show. because it had a wonderful ensemble cast who complemented each other perfectly. and the writing and the acting were top notch. dry witty urbane and clever this was delightful comedy. people do say it's lost it's way a little in later years, but this is the first season and nobody quibbles about the quality of the early years, so let's not get into that debate here. There are twenty four episodes of comedy gold on display across four discs. each disc contains six episodes. each has language tracks in english spanish and french. and subtitles in english danish norwegian and swedish. each disc also contains celebrity voices, a short extra running from two to five minutes depending on which disc you're on, showing clips from the episodes on them where guest actors would do the voices for people calling frasier's radio show. disc one has a commentary on the first episode from two of the creators of the show. the subtitles for this are english spanish and french. and disc four also offers a twenty one minute long documentary about the creation of the show. dating from 2003 this features contributions from two of the creators and all the main cast, and is a fascinating look at the creative process. and at the sitcom kelsey grammer could have been in post cheers. there's also frasier's apartment. there are two screens to this extra showing a still of the set, and if you watch the disc on a pc and move the pointer around over the first screen till it lights up when you're over the door, click on that to see a very short piece by the set designer looking at the creation of that area of the set. on the second screen of this feature similar short features can be found by clicking on the couch and the table behind it and the table with a sculpture on it to the side of that. a good box set for a classic comedy

This Is one of the greatest comedies ever to air on television. I personally am a great fan of most witty comedies such as Blackadder but I feel their are few comedies that could rival such a fantastic show. This series is abut the character known as Frasier Crane who previously was a character in Cheers (although in Cheers he was only a side character). Frasier returns to his hometown of Seattle to start a new life on his own, this however is not possible as his down to earth Father was recently shot in the hip and cant survive on his own. Frasier is emotionally blackmailed into taking his father in and if that wasn't enough he also has to let out one of his rooms to a care worker to help his Dad. Throughout the series Frasier is bombarded with issues from his father and his very similar brother Niles. This series is absolutely hilarious, it can have you laughing one minute and then feeling sad for the characters. As this was the first series of Frasier there are some things missing from this series that are in the other Frasier series, for example the base line for this series is the struggle for Frasier and his Dad to get along and so you dont see as much of Niles as you would like and the episodes usually have a emotional side to them between the father and Frasier. Above all else this is a fantastic Series and I would recommend it to anyone.

There’s a certain delight in revisiting a sitcom that not only stood the test of time but practically polished the genre's crown while it was at it. *Frasier*, in its inaugural season, proves why it remains the gold standard for intelligent comedy — elegantly penned, masterfully acted, and sharpened with a wit so dry you could sand furniture with it. This box set of Season One brings us 24 expertly crafted episodes that reintroduce Kelsey Grammer’s Frasier Crane, freshly transplanted from the barstools of *Cheers* to the rainy skyline of Seattle. Now a radio psychiatrist with an impossibly posh vocabulary and a penchant for fine sherry, Frasier is also suddenly grappling with the everyday chaos of family, friendship and forced cohabitation. A man who quotes Nietzsche and plays the piano like a tortured soul, he's now sharing a flat with his blue-collar, ex-cop father and a one-eyed Jack Russell terrier named Eddie. Welcome home, indeed. The cast is an embarrassment of riches. John Mahoney’s Martin Crane is the perfect foil to his pompous son — brusque, pragmatic, and brilliantly sardonic. David Hyde Pierce as Frasier’s younger brother Niles is nothing short of miraculous: a twitching symphony of suppressed neurosis, passive aggression, and unswerving adoration for Daphne Moon, the wonderfully odd Mancunian home aide played with wide-eyed whimsy by Jane Leeves. The writing throughout is razor-sharp. The dialogue snaps with cultured acidity, the plots revel in absurdity with a Shakespearean flair, and the jokes are built with the craftsmanship of a Swiss watch. There’s no pandering here — the humour expects you to keep up, and rewards you richly when you do. References to opera, Freud, and obscure wines mingle effortlessly with slapstick and sight gags. One moment, you’re marvelling at a perfectly timed farce about restaurant reservations; the next, you’re moved by a surprisingly poignant meditation on grief or loneliness. Among the standout episodes: “The Good Son” is a pitch-perfect pilot that introduces the central tensions with effortless clarity. “My Coffee With Niles” is a near-absurdist delight, unfolding in real-time over a single conversation with philosophical depth hidden beneath caffeine-fuelled banter. “The Show Where Lilith Comes Back” provides the *Cheers* faithful with a clever, barbed reunion that proves old flames still spark — and sometimes scald. Visually, it’s a product of its time, with all the comforting aesthetics of ‘90s network television: boxy jackets, espresso machines the size of small cars, and a warm, amber hue that practically smells of leather armchairs and wood polish. But it’s the tone that endures — urbane, neurotic, and ever-so-slightly smug, but always with a wink. The beauty of *Frasier* lies in its contradictions. It’s a show about highbrow tastes that never takes itself too seriously. It celebrates intellect while mercilessly mocking pretension. It’s refined but never cold. And it somehow wrings comedy out of everything from sibling rivalry to misplaced modern art, all while leaving just enough room for genuine heart. The DVD box set offers little in the way of extras, but when the content itself is this satisfying, one hardly misses the fluff. Subtitles are available for those who prefer their wit with a side of clarity. In short, *Frasier* Season One is a triumph — clever without being smug, touching without sentimentality, and uproariously funny without resorting to the lowest common denominator. If you're in need of laughter with substance, you could do far worse than an evening with the Crane brothers and company. Pour yourself a glass of sherry and enjoy — just don’t sit in Martin’s chair.

Love the series, always get 2nd hand if I can, never had a problem with second hand and will not loose too much when sell on as it is so popular. Well written, good humour. Good to see Miles and Daphne get together at last but can not remember in which series they do, but over half way through anyway, Best characters are Miles, Daphne and the Dad and of course Eddie the dog! also Ross too

I have come late to the Frasier series of American comedies and I would recommend this series to anyone in search of light comedy. The style of humour varies between espisodes, from farce to the gentle exploration of quite serious human relattionships. The acting and ensemble work of the cast are of very high standard.

We love Frasier and now have DVDs for all 11 seasons. After watching the last few seasons over recent months, we replaced our VHS season 1 with the DVDs and have just started watching it again. The actors are superb and we still laugh out loud. Apart from the obvious clothing and hairstyle changes, the comedy itself remains timeless and we have also enjoyed the special features looking back at the pilot and set design. Love it!

Loved it - all the characters (including Eddie the dog) get laughs. Still vastly enjoyable after all these years.

Thus says Frasier to Roz in the opening pilot episode. All twenty-four episodes of the first series are here, including the return of Lilith and our first view of Niles's home. Some would argue that the first season was the best in terms of writing, and that's probably true. As this first series progressed, the writing did become sometimes trite and contrived, but still there are a plethora of brilliant one-liners and some fantastic repartee. Here are some of my favourites that make this series a cut above all the rest: - FRASIER to Niles: "Oh Niles, you're a psychiatrist; you know what it's like to listen to people prattling on endlessly about their mundane lives." NILES: "Touché! And on that subject, I heard your show today." FRASIER (in anger) to Niles: "Yes, I know what you think about everything. When was the last time you had an unexpressed thought?" NILES: "I'm having one now." FRASIER to Dad: Dad, I can't read my paper; Eddie's staring at me." DAD: "Just ignore him." FRASIER: "I'm trying to." DAD: "I'm talking to the dog." FRASIER to Niles (about Daphne): "She's psychic; we've decided to find it charming." FRASIER to Niles: "I hate lawyers. NILES: Me too, but they make wonderful patients. They have excellent health insurance and they never get better." ROZ to Frasier: "The whole point of gossip is to talk behind the person's back, not in front of them. I didn't realise you were unclear about this concept." DAPHNE to Niles: "Why does she [Maris] take the train instead of flying [to Chicago]?" NILES: "She's been afraid to fly since her harrowing accident." DAPHNE: "Oh dear! Did her plane almost crash?" NILES: "No, no, she was bumped from first class." FRASIER to Dad: "Dad, ... don't you believe in second chances?" DAD: "I did; then we had Niles." FRASIER to Niles: "Dad can be so judgemental." NILES: "He is, and I've often condemned him for it." FRASIER to Roz: "What do you do when the romance goes out of a relationship?" ROZ: "I get dressed and go home." FRASIER: "Back in prep school the existentialist club once named me `Most Likely To Be'." NILES (on the urge to write a book): "Al my life I have dreamed of one thing: the day I could go into a library and go to the card catalogue and see my name under `mental illness'." NILES (of Roz): "She is comely, in a back-alley sort of way." What about the extras? There are separate replays of the calls made by various celebrities into Frasier's radio show; there is a twenty-minute documentary called `Behind the Couch - the Making of Frasier', made in 2003; and a piece entitled `Frasier Crane's Apartment' where we are shown around his condo by the Production Designer. In addition, there is a commentary on the first episode by the creators of the show. Here we learn that the original intention was to have long scenes, like a play, and no music cues. Maris never appeared, as the character was deemed impossible to cast. It was assumed from the start that the audience would have some intelligence, and that the character of Daphne would be played by a Latino. If you're into good writing, witty dialogue, fine acting, clever characterisation, and self-deprecating humour (who says the Americans don't understand irony?) then you cannot go wrong with this first season collection.

Merveilleuse série ! J'adore, merci !!!

Desafortunadamente el ser región 1 pensé que era sólo la restricción de lectura por parte del equipo, sin embargo tampoco tiene subtítulos. En fin. mi error.

I've been waiting for this for a long time.

If you are looking at reviews here, you've already seen that there are currently over one hundred reviews for Season One of "Frasier," and you doubtless noticed that the overall summative rating for the show is nearly a perfect five stars. That's pretty rare, but it demonstrates what most people say about this show, and it's what I, too, have discovered myself as I've been reintroduced to the Frasier on these disks. I can't add much "substantive" content than what others have already written, but I'll just pitch in a few of my own comments, for whatever they may be worth. "Frasier" is simply hilarious, so hilarious (a word frequently overused, but I assure you, correctly used in this case) that you will find yourself having to stop the disk because you're doubled over with laughter. It's an example of that rare combination of a unique set of actors, superb script writing, and a great story concept. I've seen a lot of shows in my life, and I was completely convinced that no one would ever "top" "The Dick van Dyke Show" because it set the bar so high), but I would have to say that this one is right up there with some of the very best ever made. As I write this, I'm thinking of some of the lines from Season One that simply had my CRYING with laughter, and I so wish I could share them here, but that would just spoil the experience of watching them yourself. Also, the humour does not come across in writing as powerfully as the production itself provides it. Frasier is a psychologist in Seattle who has a call-in talk show for helping listeners with problems. His brother, also a psychologist, but with a more traditional practice, also lives in the city. Their father, a retired policeman, lives with Frasier in his somewhat upper-middle class ("The Elliot Bay Towers, on the Counterbalance") high rise apartment. They have a live-in physical therapist, Daphne Moon, who is there to help Frasier's dad with his hip problem (who was injured by a gunshot wound while on duty and retired as a result). Frazier has a producer, Roz, a young woman who is always trying to find "Mr. Right," but doesn't seem to be very successful in doing so. Sound boring? Trivial? Of no interest? Unoriginal? Yes, that little description above might sound that way, but I can assure you, once you waded into the very first episode (one of those rare exceptions where the pilot is actually as good as the rest of the show: this thing starts right on Episode One), you'll see the reason why over 100 people rate Frazier with essentially a perfect five-star score. The fun starts on the first episode and doesn't let up from that point. Frasier is one of those shows that requires you to think a little as you watch in order to catch all the jokes (it's a tad like "The Simpsons" in that aspect, although the two shows bear no similarity). And you have to listen "quick": the witty interjections that make up so much of the comedy can come at a blisteringly fast rate. Sometimes the interjections will catch you completely off guard, and it is some of these lines that will just knock you over with laughter. "Frasier" is a show that indeed requires you to think, but it pays off in spades. The show does not "reach down" to a low common denominator, as we see in so many comedies. If you like witty dialog, strange situations, and enjoy seeing how humanity intersects with humor, this is the show for you. The show assumes an educated audience, and that is that. An easy five stars, but you already know that. ADDENDUM: After re-watching all 11 seasons of this show with my wife numerous times, I can still say it. This show is hysterically funny. When you are new to it, you get "caught" by the verbal gags and you'll have to stop the disk or you'll miss then next three jokes. Witticisms abound. Obscure references are not uncommon. And the fact that they could hold this up for 11 years is remarkable. It is said that the only reason that it did not keep going is because of the cost involved due to the very, very high salaries of the cast, and Kelsey Grammer may or may not have been the longest playing single character in TV history (spanning three shows), but none of that matters. We may be sad that we missed out on what unquestionably would have been another hilarious Season, but I guess we'll have to be content with 263 episodes. And do you know what is even more miraculous? As incredibly good as this show is--and it truly is--the show does not even showcase Grammer's greatest acting achievement. That achievement doubtless lays in "Boss," a two-season show on Starz that anyone who grew up in Chicago will cleave to, and everyone else will be mesmerized by the performances ( Boss - Season One and Boss - Season 2 [DVD ]).

good value with great old time memories.