Men's brains, women's brains...or just watch 'Frasier'

Earlier this evening I started watching a weekly talk show, SBS's "Insight", that had a special theme issue: "are men's brains different to women's brains and why does it matter?" It had plenty of interesting comments, some info, plus a few different guest speakers on satellite tv, some audience members became stirred up etc etc...but after a day at work I decided it was all becoming just a little too serious so I switched to the Season 7 DD of 'Frasier' which I'd started last night (see yesterday's posts) and saw the theme played out between the cast. It was just the kind of change I needed.

This evening's two episodes (so far) were: "There's Something about Dr Mary" and "Hot Pursuit".

1. "There's Something about Dr Mary" Frasier decides to sign up for a community self-improvement program called Second Start, aimed at giving new job opportunities to people who come from marginalised groups and/or need to re-start their lives. He chooses a woman called Mary to be a stand-in producer for his radio show while Roz is on holiday. He feels good about being a mentor and Roz is impressed to hear he's sounding committed to making it work.

Sadly for Frasier, Mary turns out to be a faster and louder talker than him (and he's no slouch about getting words out) once he assures her she doesn't have to stay silent for each show...so a clash of wills and style becomes imminent as they compete for the caller's attention. It gets worse for Dr Crane when a second woman - Louise- comes in and loudly disagrees with both of them; poor Frasier is sidelined on air. :)

At the apartment, Frasier isn't getting much help from his family, especially his straight-talking dad. It just makes it harder that Mary proudly describes herself as Black American, has a style uncannily similar to Queen Latifah and Frasier is in agonies about getting himself into a minefield of gender correctness issues vs needing to tell her they just aren't working as a duo. His capacity for over-analysis is limitless, and this episode shows it more than most. Eventually, he manages to blurt out some lines in his trusty Cafe Nervosa coffee house, 'the air is cleared' and she's happy to get her own show.

2. "Hot Pursuit" Frasier and Roz are both hoping to 'catch' a new love interest at a regional conference for radio station staff, and Marty Crane, their dad the ex-cop, is happy to get a chance to revive his enjoyment of surveillance work. Each situations starts to look promising: while Frasier and Roz are quickly becoming closer as they play a game about Roz wearing a blonde wig, Marty is really loving his work with a pair of strong binoculars.

Then it all goes pear-shaped, for all the pursuers. Thanks to a storm, Kenny the amiable station manager shows up at the door and asks to share their modest hotel room for the night, as there are no rooms left anywhere in town...and after all, he is the manager. Roz decides that the couch is a less disagreeable or gossip-producing option. Back in Seattle, Niles' re-surfacing memories about his dad's dangerous work life compel him to track down Marty (with a tip from Sid, the apartment block doorman) in a 'sketchy' neighbourhood, and corners his dad - in a white van. Niles has a special genius for pestering and employs it ruthlessly, partly by playing with the tracking equipment and partly by insistent questioning. Marty eventually wears down and admits his surveillance work for Daphne's fiance Donny (a lawyer) is questionable.

But with this show, the scriptwriters don't let you go with that easy ending. At the very last moment, the guy being watched carelessly runs his car into Niles' beloved Mercedes, and all the high-principled talk is instantly dismissed as the younger outraged Crane brother demands that Marty get the guy on camera. The wily old cop couldn't be happier.

Good night, and good blogging.