Beware of Greeks

A cousin of Frasier's comes to see him at the studio. He is going to be married. He is Greek and has a very demonstrative family. Patti Lupone plays his mother and she has it in for Frasier ever since he talked the boy out of being a doctor in lieu of being a juggler. They have been banned from the family but Frasier finagles an invitation by agreeing to never meddle in their affairs again. Of course, nothing is that simple and Frasier can't resist getting involved.

After two classic episodes in a row, there was always going to be a dip in quality afterwards, and that certainly is the case here.

It's almost like they got Patti LuPone to guest star and then tried to build a plot around her, rather than the other way around.

She's not great here, it's far too cliché Greek and hammy a performance, but the story isn't much better to help things along.

There are a couple of nice moments, but this is a skippable episode.

Broadway's Patti Lupone received a well-deserved Emmy nomination for her turn as Frasier's volatile Aunt Zora in this hilarious episode from 1998. The Crane boys and Martin are attending a family gathering at Zora's restaurant where her son has recently gotten engaged to a prominent "yuppie", an engagement heavily favored by the aunt. There is an estranged relationship between Frasier and his aunt due to an intervention years ago by the good doctor that really rattled her nerves. Thus, she "warns" him - with a meat cleaver in her hand - not to get involved in the couple's lives.

However, in the best tradition of "Frasier" things go awry with perfectly executed comic timing and Lupone plays the role to the hilt, demonstrating why she is one of the greats of the Broadway stage.

"Frasier" had a healthy share of performing legends who guested over its 11 seasons. Patti LuPone appeared only once--and in that single, all-too-brief performance, she makes an indelible impression. Her 'Aunt Zora' is a manic Greek dynamo with the temperament of a Category 4 hurricane. A great episode-too bad she didn't do a few more.

This is one of those polarizing episodes among the most avid Frasier fans. It seems you either love it or you hate it. I love it. Aunt Zora was hilarious and I wish she had made more appearances. There is a subplot with Niles that is kinda of funny in an uncomfortable way. Watching Martin and his brother is so familiar to those of us with that kind of male in our lives. I love this one.