Frasier
Frasier (2024) Season 2 Episode 4 Recap, Review, Cast Photos
Review Score – 8.8: Frasier Season 2 Episode 4 (“The Dedication”) is stellar. We see two sides of Dr. Frasier Crane, the concerned parent and the esteemed professional, at an APA ethical crossroads. Posing viewers with the question, ‘Is it ever okay for a parent to breach their child’s patient confidentiality?’
Warning: This (2024) Frasier Season 2 Episode 4 Recap and Review contains spoilers for “The Dedication”.
L-R: Kelsey Grammer as Frasier and Jess Salgueiro as Eve in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
“The Dedication” begins with a commemoration event for Eve’s deceased boyfriend Adam, who was taken down in the line of duty pre Frasier reboot.
Jack Cutmore-Scott as Freddy in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
At first, it appears Freddy is about to reveal a big secret about Adam… But then turns to joke about Adam’s ‘bad turkey chili’ drawing laughs from the firehouse crowd.
– One wonders if there will one day be a ‘prequel’ episode or flashback where we see Freddy and Adam working side by side as firefighters.
The real meat and potatoes of “The Dedication” occurs when Frasier notices Freddy speaking to the firehouse psychologist once off the podium.
L-R: Renee Pezzotta as Smokey, Kelsey Grammer as Frasier, Kevin Daniels as Tiny and Jimmy Dunn as Moose in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Frasier is distraught to learn from Moose that in-house firehouse ‘doc’ Dr. Ayton (played wonderfully by actress Amy Sedaris) only treats firemen who are struggling greatly.
L-R: Amy Sedaris as Dr. Ayton and Kelsey Grammer as Frasier in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Frasier goes to Dr. Ayton’s office and attempts to charm and schmooze his way into learning the source of son Freddy’s struggles. Despite Dr. Ayton being absolutely starstruck by the great Dr. Frasier Crane entering her office, she rejects Frasier’s request multiple times, citing APA confidentiality.
Dr. Ayton informs Frasier of what he already knows, that she could lose her license if she were to breach Freddy’s confidence.
L-R: Amy Sedaris as Dr. Ayton and Kelsey Grammer as Frasier in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Frasier comments that he understands her position entirely but secretly does not give up his pursuit. When Dr. Ayton is suddenly asked to play basketball at the firehouse (she was a former point guard at Vassar college), Frasier is left alone in her office…
And he succumbs to his parental need to know his child’s troubles over his professional integrity. Niles would be beside himself for sure.
L-R: Toks Olagundoye as Olivia, Kelsey Grammer as Frasier and Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Frasier greets Alan and Olivia with Freddy’s file underneath his jacket/sweater combo. In Alan’s words, “Frasier, no!” Olivia says she doesn’t want to be involved until Frasier reels her back in with the folder as a legal ‘puzzle’.
Intrigued to solve the ‘puzzle’, she brings up that it would be okay to look at if Freddy might be suspected of being a “serial killer”. Alan rebukes the excuse by asking, ‘And who has Freddy slayed lately?’
L-R: Toks Olagundoye as Olivia, Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan and Kelsey Grammer as Frasier in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Feeling a moral argument to peek in Freddy’s file is hopeless, Frasier attempts to simply drop the folder on the floor, hoping he can ‘accidentally read it’. But the folder stays fully in tact and then picked up by Alan. Surprisingly, Alan does not open the folder.
L-R: Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan, Kelsey Grammer as Frasier and Toks Olagundoye as Olivia in Frasier cast for episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Instead, Alan tells Frasier that if Freddy finds out he read his file their bond will forever be broken. That all the work Frasier has done to return to Boston to heal their father-son relationship will be tarnished beyond repair.
L-R: Kelsey Grammer as Frasier and Amy Sedaris as Dr. Ayton in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Frasier agrees and decides to return Freddy’s patient folder before Dr. Ayton notices it’s missing. A classic Frasier sitcom moment unfolds with lots of great physical comedy on the part of Alan. Dr. Ayton agrees for a makeshift therapy session with her eyes closed, as Alan looks for the key to Dr. Ayton’s cabinet to place Freddy’s folder back.
Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan in Frasier cast for episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Alan’s first instinct is to use the firehouse axe to simply break the cabinet which prompts Frasier to begin subliminal communication to Alan while in-session, yelling “No!”
L-R: Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan, Amy Sedaris as Dr. Ayton and Kelsey Grammer as Frasier in Frasier season 2 episode 4 cast streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
The whole concept of Frasier guiding Alan while Dr. Ayton thinks each word is part of her therapy session is a great watch. A comedy sitcom classic.
Kelsey Grammer as Frasier in Frasier season 2 episode 4 cast streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Frasier is almost caught as the firehouse dog traps Alan, who managed to at least place Freddy’s folder back in Dr. Ayton’s cabinet. Alan had previously taunted the dog with pretzel snacks he didn’t give to him and instead pocketed.
Nicholas Lyndhurst as Alan in Frasier episode 4 season 2 cast streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Frasier manages to convince the hungry pooch to abandon his pretzel quest and come by for a pet. Dr. Ayton opens her eyes but is none the wiser to what has occurred. Simply wondering how the dog managed to get out.
L-R: Amy Sedaris as Dr. Ayton and Kelsey Grammer as Frasier in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 cast streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Dr. Ayton tells Frasier it’s the best therapy session she’s had in years and apologizes for not being able to share Freddy’s troubles. She then calms Frasier by telling him if children told their parents their problems, they’d be out of a job. That the best Frasier could do is be a watchful hummingbird always in the background.
Side Stories in “The Dedication”
L-R: Jess Salgueiro as Eve and Jack Cutmore-Scott as Freddy in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 cast streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Eve asks Freddy to assist her with deciding which of Adam’s belongings she could keep and which she should let go of. At first, Eve is unable to give up anything even a corroded battery that once belonged to Adam. Freddy and Eve end up simply moving everything from the original box to the ‘Keep’ box which defeats the whole purpose.
L-R: Jess Salgueiro as Eve and Jack Cutmore-Scott as Freddy in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 cast streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Realizing what they’ve done prompts Freddy to propose a different solution. Only the items that have a story attached to them should be kept.
Anders Keith as David in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
– The only flawed element in this “The Dedication” is David randomly dropping by to collect Eve’s video game system to sell it on campus at Harvard. But there is no video game system, it’s just a Razer laptop judging by a glimpse of the logo. It’s no PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, or even a 3DS so it’s odd David and Eve call it a video game system.
Clearly, the issue was not showing a branded object as the Razer logo is clearly seen on camera, albeit briefly. Just strange. It’s likely the writers of this episode simply don’t play video games to make such a mistake. But it’s a marginal flaw in an otherwise great Frasier episode.
More Frasier Reviews:
L-R: Kelsey Grammer as Frasier and Jess Salgueiro as Eve in Frasier, episode 4, season 2 streaming on Paramount+, 2024. Photo credit: Chris Haston/Paramount+
Enjoyed this Frasier Season 2 Episode 4 Review and Recap? Be sure to read these:
– Frasier (2024) Season 2 Non-Spoiler Review: Episodes 1 and 2
– Frasier (2023) Episode 10 Recap, Cast, Photos: A Roz Christmas
– Frasier (2023) Episode 9 Review, Recap: Depressing Age Plot
– Frasier (2023) Episode 8 Recap, Photos, Cast: The B Story
– Frasier (2023) Episode 7 Recap, Photos, Cast: Freddy’s Birthday
– Visit The Natural Aristocrat®’s Frasier section for more recaps, reviews, and exclusive interviews like with Donny actor Saul Rubinek:
– Saul Rubinek Interview: Frasier Reboot, Donny and Daphne
– Watch Frasier (2024) Season 2 now via streaming on Paramount+.
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