The Show Where Diane Comes Back is the 14th episode of Season 3 of Frasier.
Synopsis[]
SHELLEY LONG REPRISES EMMY WINNING ROLE FROM "CHEERS" -- Frasier panics at a surprise visit from his ex-fiancée, Diane Chambers (Emmy-winner Shelley Long), who once jilted him at the altar. She's come to Seattle to oversee the production of a play she wrote and is excited to catch up. Niles advises Frasier to get closure with Diane by telling her his true feelings about the way she treated him, but when Diane's play almost collapses and she appears to be on the verge of a breakdown, Frasier comes to her rescue.
Plot[]
Frasier ends his show with Roz telling him that a woman ran through security to come to see him. Frasier, convinced that it's just a fan, is shocked to see that it's actually his former fiancée, Diane Chambers. Frasier rushes to over to Niles to tell him about what has happened. Niles' patient, Mr. Carr, leaves, telling Frasier to take "all the time he needs" as it's about a woman. Frasier implies to Niles that he never fully addressed the issue, Diane leaving him at the altar, with Diane. Niles wants to write this in his pad, but Frasier refuses to let Niles as he says that he is not a patient. Frasier eventually decides to invite Diane to dinner to rub his success into her face. Diane arrives later that evening, but she seems not to be fazed by Frasier's success. However, when they mention her play, she begins to twitch. Diane reveals that her play was not actually going to be produced, as her producer backed out, and her life is in shambles. Frasier decides to produce the play, and Martin and Niles are concerned that Frasier may be falling for Diane again.
Frasier attends the dress rehearsal for Diane's show, "Rhapsody and Requiem", at Diane's invitation. Frasier is shocked to see that the stage resembles Cheers, his Boston bar hang-out, and the characters are all based on the regulars at Cheers, the men of whom all worship Diane's character. Frasier becomes upset when Diane begins to kiss the actor playing Sam. When the actor playing the character Franklin, based on Frasier, says that he holds no ill-will for Diane leaving him at the altar, Frasier begins to lose focus. When Franklin's actor asks how he should be feeling about the altar, Frasier interrupts and launches into a tirade about how he felt as if his heart were plucked out. After Frasier's speech, he walks away receiving applause from the actors on stage. In the end, Frasier meets with Diane, and apologizes for his speech. He and Diane say goodbye and split their separate ways. Frasier walks off through the door on stage as he would at Cheers. He then comes back out, realizing he made a mistake.
Starring[]
- Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane
- Jane Leeves as Daphne Moon
- David Hyde Pierce as Niles Crane
- Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle
- and John Mahoney as Martin Crane
Special Guest Star
Guest starring
- John Carroll Lynch as Franklin
- Cali Timmins as Mary Anne
- Perry Stephens as Stan
- Don Sparks as Mr. Carr
- Googy Gress as Ned
- Danny Breen as Clark
- Judith Corber Wexler as Darla
Trivia[]
- Diane's facial tic was first seen in the first season of Cheers in the episode "Endless Slumper." They are often the result of extreme nervousness or stress. Having seen her beset before with uncontrollable facial tics, Frasier realises that things are not quite as they seem with Diane.
BEHIND THE SCENES
- This is one of Kelsey Grammer's favorite episodes. On Cheers, Shelley Long didn't like the Frasier character and lobbied hard to get Grammer removed from the show. The producers disagreed, noting that the audience liked him. When Long's character of Diane Chambers appeared on this show, Grammer said the episode was an opportunity for him and Long to make peace with each other.
Photos[]
