Frasier Reboot Episode 9 Reveals
Frasier Reboot Episode 9 Reveals Niles & Daphne’s Biggest Failure (& Makes Their Absence Even Worse)
The Frasier reboot episode 9 makes Niles and Daphne's glaring absence worse as "The Fix Is In" exposes their biggest failure as a couple.
Summary
- Niles and Daphne's absence in the Frasier reboot worsens as their biggest failure is revealed in episode 9.
- David, Niles and Daphne's son, becomes Alan's assistant and admits that being coddled by his parents negatively impacts him.
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Niles and Daphne potentially spoiled David due to their financial
capacity and happy marriage, and their absence in the reboot makes their
mistake worse.
Niles and Daphne's absence worsened as the Frasier reboot episode 9 reveals their biggest failure. Frasier Crane navigates his new life in Boston away from his family in Seattle. While Martin is gone, his brother and sister-in-law remain based in the Emerald City. Frasier has long lived a life separate from them, considering his move to Chicago, it's still jarring to see him go through life without his regular coffee dates with Niles or Daphne's occasional reality check. Behind the scenes, they were supposed to be part of the revival, with Kelsey Grammer inviting them, but David Hyde Pierce and Jane Leeves turned down the opportunity.
Niles and Daphne were great additions to the original Frasier show, and both almost didn't happen had initial plans for the Cheers
spin-off were followed. Separately, they both brought something new to
the table, not just in terms of their relationship with Frasier but also
how they factored in his dynamic with Martin. Together, however, they
are arguably one of the best love stories in sitcoms. All of these
considered, it is a massive disappointment that neither one will be in
the Paramount+ revival. Somehow, however, the Frasier reboot episode 9, "The Fix Is In" is able to make it worse.
David has talked about his parents in the revival in previous episodes, but his admission in the Frasier reboot season 1 penultimate episode is arguably the most detrimental to his parents. As Niles and Daphne's son becomes Alan's assistant, he gets bullied to do Frasier's friend's bidding. Like his father, David is a stickler for the rules, but Alan finds a way to manipulate him into doing the most mundane tasks. Instead of getting mad about it, David surprisingly appreciates the experience, saying that he likes being treated as an actual adult instead of a kid because his parents coddled him.
Like his father, uncle, and cousin, David is clearly very bright. In the Frasier reboot episode 8, "The B Story," he revealed that he was a straight "A" student until Frasier gave him a "B." Despite his intellect, however, David acts more like a child than an actual adult in college. He is specifically awkward in most social settings, which impacts his dating life negatively. It's difficult to say how exactly David was coddled by his parents, but considering the usual effects of being pampered, it's likely that his social difficulties are all rooted in the way he was brought up.
The great thing about his confession in "The Fix Is In" is that David is well aware of how being coddled impacted his current being and is actively seeking ways to deal with it. Having a cheery disposition while Alan is blatantly manipulating him is impressive and is an indication of how dedicated he is in terms of making himself better. The only drawback is that he is prone to being taken advantage of. If he doesn't become discerning with the situations he is subjecting himself to, he can be unknowingly abused. It's still important that he also learn how to have some boundaries.
David was born in the series finale of the original Frasier. So while he technically appeared in the original series, he didn't factor into its storytelling, considering that he was still a newborn when Frasier left Seattle. Because of this, the Paramount+ revival has almost a clean slate when developing the character. Although the new show doesn't dwell too much on the past, it is heavily insinuated that David is an only child, which could explain why Niles and Daphne coddled him. Admittedly, it's difficult to imagine Daphne spoiling her son, considering how strict she was while rehabilitating Martin's hip, but perhaps, it was Niles' call.
Martin and Hester didn't seem to pamper their kids, and Frasier and Lilith were in unison when disciplining Freddy. What separates Niles and Daphne from them in terms of parenting, however, is their circumstances. Unlike the elder Cranes, Niles and Daphne have the financial capacity to pamper David. Meanwhile, despite also having one kid like Frasier and his ex-wife, the Crane-Moons are very happy together. Between those factors, it's very easy to overdo everything, including indulging their son. It doesn't make Niles and Daphne bad parents, but it's certainly a massive mistake on their part, considering David's confession in the Frasier reboot episode 9.
David’s Issues Make Niles & Daphne’s Absence Worse
At the very least, Niles and Daphne need to visit David in Boston.
After a rocky start, the Frasier reboot has done a great job eventually finding its footing. It has progressively gotten better, which makes its final stretch exciting. That being said, it would be hard-pressed to find anyone who wouldn't want to see Niles and Daphne back in the new show. Only Peri Gilpin's Roz is confirmed to appear in the Frasier reboot finale from the Seattle series, which means that any chance to see the couple again will be in potential future episodes of the show. Whether Grammer tries to recruit them again is currently uncertain, however.
Aside from not being able to reunite Niles and Daphne with Frasier, their absence also robs them of the chance to address their mistake in raising David. While Frasier and Freddy are around, they are also busy fixing their relationship that they won't be able to guide David as he endeavors to become a better version of himself. The couple can't also refute claims that he was coddled — if they have a different take on his story. At the very least, they need to visit him in Boston once in a while. Otherwise, this Frasier reboot revelation can totally ruin Daphne and Niles' reputation as parents, which no one wants.