Navigator wrote:
> How many people agree that James Burrows is the best director that "Frasier"
> has had? He's directed "The Episode When Lilith Comes Back", "Travels With
> Martin", "My Coffee With Niles", and the "Innkeepers". I personally don't
> think any of the other directors for Frasier have directed episodes as funny
> as those directed by Burrows. I'm curious to know how many people agree or
> disagree.
James Burrows is, without question, one of the finest directors in the
entire history of American television comedy. As I've mentioned in a
few recent posts to this NG, I'm just now catching up on the earliest
episodes of "Cheers", most of which were directed -- superbly -- by Mr.
Burrows. And the "Frasier" episodes you cite are all stupendous
(especially "My Coffee With Niles").
However, in the context of "Frasier", I consider David Lee has directed
as many outstanding episodes as has Mr. Burrows. Off the top of my head
(my copy of the "Frasier Companion" is buried somewhere in one of almost
40 moving boxes!), I know David directed "The Matchmaker", "Daphne's
Room" (arguably the best episode in "Frasier"'s history), "Shrink Rap",
"The Two Mrs. Cranes", "To Kill A Talking Bird", "The 1000th Show",
"Room Service, "The Ski Lodge" -- plus this week's new show (sorry,
don't know the episode title). Quite a list, IMHO!!!
Just to keep things in perspective and to stave off an unwanted
flamewar, I'll add the three episodes directed to date by Kelsey Grammer
("Moondance", "Daphne Hates Sherry", and "First Date") have all been
glorious.
CPJ.
