"Nice Guys"--in fiction.

[konstantya]

(If you aren't familiar with the Nice Guy phenomenon, here are some articles to remedy that.)

I've recently been plowing my way through Frasier.  Frasier was one of those shows that, as an early teenager, if it happened to be on, I would watch it and enjoy it, but I never really went out of my way to catch it.  But lately I've grown tired of listening to music while I work, so I've instead started putting TV shows on as background noise--M*A*S*H, 3rd Rock From the Sun, and yes, Frasier (I'm hoping to work my way back to The Golden Girls, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, and maybe even Designing Women--if only for the retrolicious fashion and '80s entrepreneurialism).

Anyway, Frasier is one of those sitcoms I've grown to heartily enjoy.  It's smart, sarcastic, funny (the rare bits of physical comedy are some of the most hilarious I've ever seen), surprisingly (or perhaps unsurprisingly, as it's focused on a psychiatrist) intellectual, and at times, incredibly poignant.  No doubt this has to do with the relationships in the series (you know me and relationships), and just how very real and complex they are.  Truly, this show had some fantastic writers.  Last night, I actually stopped what I was doing to fully focus on one particular episode (8x19), because it was so wonderfully, tactfully, and realistically handled.

If you aren't familiar with the show, Niles Crane is the younger brother of the titular Frasier, and he is a fantastically adorkable beta male.  He's also a beautifully crafted Nice Guy--who, though he's been called out on it before when his behavior dipped into selfish and manipulative, really gets called out on it in this episode, where he simply doesn't understand how loving someone to the point of worshipping the ground she walks on could be a bad thing.  It made me squeal in delight, because this is a very real problem that is so rarely addressed, and for it to be addressed on a popular sitcom (even if it originally aired ten years ago) was even more delightful, and something I felt would be worth sharing:

Now, the whole reason Daphne had to gain weight in the first place was because Jane Leeves, her actress, got pregnant in real life.  The whole "Daphne gets fat" thing struck me as a bit random and a cop-out in the beginning (but hey, she was pregnant--there's really no good work-around for that, admittedly), but I was really impressed with how the writers managed to turn it into something more important and character-developing than just "Daphne suddenly got fat--but now she's better, so carry on!"  Have I mentioned the character development on this series is fantastic?

(I also feel the need to mention just how much I love the character of Roz Doyle.  She's strong, capable, and unapologetically sexual--even after she gets pregnant from one of her flings.  Actually, as much as I love Niles/Daphne, I buzz at the idea of Niles/Roz.  Sort of like how I like to imagine Cloud/Tifa in my head, but prefer to write Reno/Tifa.  There's more conflict and uncharted territory or something.)

Comments

[trekqueen.livejournal.com]

hubby was just watching some of Fraiser the other night. ^_^ I have watched it before when I have caught it on but like you said, never went out of the way. These days, the sitcom setup gets a bit on my nerves so I can't stand watching them for too long.

[meganinhiding.livejournal.com]

I loved Frazier and Niles was indeed my favorite though it was one of those shows where I enjoyed everyone in the cast. Among other things loved the Crane brothers interaction with their dad. They were a nicely functional family albeit a snarky one.

Now that I think about Roz's pregnancy I never felt like we were supposed to judge though I think Frazier wanted the father to take responsibility.

[licoricealsorts.livejournal.com]

I've never been much of a TV watcher, but I've always loved Frasier. I starting typing '... and Niles has always been my favourite character...' but it's the ensemble acting, and the ensemble relationships, I love. Every character is rounded, loveable, exasperating, and real.

My favourite episode is the one where Frasier tries to recreate the glory days of radio with a 'mystery theatre'. I weep tears of laughter every time.