Panopticon

The more I think about the gingerbread resolution, the more I don’t get it. It’s classic physical comedy to try to move a fragile object from one place to another under ridiculous conditions. And since Alan and his daughter did end up reuniting, it would’ve been a nice payoff for Alan to appreciate all the detail David put into the gingerbread village after everyone else mocked it. That would have been a better holiday over-the-ending-credits episode tag than what we got. I assumed that that was Freddy taking liberties with his own history so that Nora would see his point more easily. Because when it comes to what actually aired on Cheers and OG Frasier, Freddy was younger when Frasier went to Seattle than he claimed in this episode.

I do agree that we saw some real improvement this season and there were several episodes I really liked. This particular episode, though, was at best mixed. I was charmed by Freddy embracing his inner meddler, and Alan’s big speech to Frasier was beautifully delivered. But I was distracted by how horrible I felt for David. Making him smash his gingerbread village instead of moving it into another room just wasn’t funny. Can’t any of David’s family feel anything but contempt for him? Especially since I saw more Niles and Daphne in him this episode than I ever have before.

I know that all the cool kids hate the reboot, but my uncool self thought it was absolutely hilarious when Frasier revealed that Alan loves murder mystery parties.

I might give them four in a row. The Bebe episode and Cape Cod were my two favorites, I liked last week’s sister episode a lot, and this week had the Seattle reunion.

I think the other Duggar girls have modesty panels, but theirs are close in color to their dresses. Only Josie has one in a contrasting color. Speaking of Josie, she looks more like Michelle every day.

I still want a treehouse reference now that Jason has his thread. Jason and Maddie: A Treehouse Spouse Jason and Maddie: If the Tree is Rockin Don’t Come Knockin Jason and Maddie: Up the Tree Without a Ladder

I didn't care for this episode. Why did it matter if Eve wanted to keep everything in one smallish box, including a little tiny rock? It's not like she turned the whole apartment into a shrine. The filing cabinet sequence was decent, but it was overshadowed for me by the way Frasier was completely unswayed by ethical concerns. He only relented and returned the file because he feared estrangement from Freddy. My least favorite so far this season.

I often feel like the show is trying too hard with both David and Eve, so I suppose it makes a weird kind of sense that I like them best when they’re together. I genuinely think they’re each other’s best screen partners.

Same here. I knew I knew her, but I was initially stumped on exactly who she was. I thought she was excellent! And the gray hair looks great too. :)

….. There’s a Jason?

Well fitting tuxes with appropriate footwear. How very un-Duggar.

I can’t decide what surprises me most. The lack of engagement announcements and the general attempt to keep this private until they officially released the pictures. Did Jim Bob even push for his most recognizable daughter to do something to monetize the wedding? Or has he given up on that post-Josh? The somewhat revealing gown. (It’s perfectly modest by mainstream standards, but far away from Duggar standards.) The People article describing them as having dated and then broken it off. No hair tearing about potential giving away of pieces of the heart? The raw interview where she essentially admits to having been unhappy and having had a hard time watching her siblings pass her by. Not to mention alluding to her family coming with a lot of challenges and thinking he must love her to put up with that. Jessa of all the sisters as maid of honor. Maybe she returned the jewelry box as a bridal gift. I would have guessed that Jana would choose Joy if she had to have a sister, and Abbie if she was allowed to expand to her sisters-in-law. Leaving out the sister-in-law who is also her husband’s sister is certainly interesting. No Jill in the wedding party. If it was a deliberate snub, I do get it. It’s been less than a year since Jill‘s memoir, which really danced on the line of getting into Jana‘s personal business when it commented on the danger of Jana having been one of the chief church abuser’s particular favorites. But for a long time, they were paired off as the responsible older sisters while Jessa and Jinger were the BFF slacker older sisters. Even if they were never super close except by circumstance, I’m actually kind of sad for them if the rift is that deep.

I misread this as a suggestion that the children be locked in the trunk of the car, and I thought that was a little harsh as a punishment for sneaking technology…

There are still very good episodes in those seasons, just not as consistently as in earlier seasons. To me, it feels like a slow natural decline after they resolve the tension between Niles and Daphne, move Martin on to the next phase of his life, and leave Frasier himself as kind of stagnant.

I also always thought Scarlett did a terrific job, kindly and thoughtfully. Plus I loved hearing about her pets and her family. Thank you, Scarlett, if you're reading. And while I'm at it-- thanks to all the contributors here for your snark and knowledge and compassion, especially during the depths of the pandemic. If we're heading toward the end of Primetimer forums, please always remember to have cows at your wedding.