Wednesday, May 17, 2006

Room Service 2

Here’s more from the FRASIER episode, “Room Service”. Based on the current trend of sitcoms, this kind of comedy is no longer in vogue. It’s too bad. There should always be a place for it.

INT. LILITH’S HOTEL ROOM – CONTINUOUS

NILES IN BED, LILITH AT THE DOOR, HAVING JUST ASKED “WHO IS IT?”

WAITER (OC)

Room service, Ma’am.

LILITH

(relieved, to Niles) Oh, that’s right. We ordered breakfast last night.

LILITH OPENS THE DOOR AND LETS IN THE ROOM SERVICE WAITER. HE ENTERS, ROLLING A BREAKFAST CART INTO THE ROOM. HE’S A CHIPPER FELLOW.

WAITER

Good morning, Ma’am, Sir.

THE WAITER STARTS TO SET UP BREAKFAST AT THE TABLE.

WAITER

I have eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine.

LILITH

Did you bring ketchup?

WAITER

Oh, No, I’m sorry. Let me go get that for you right now.

NILES

Ketchup on eggs Florentine?

WAITER

(Joking) Oh, your first breakfast together?

LILITH

Just get it!

THE WAITER EXITS. NILES GETS OUT OF BED AND SLIPS ON A BATHROBE.

NILES

Now I remember ordering this. It’s the breakfast I always order after a night of passion.

LILITH

Eggs Benedict…very rich.

NILES

Well, I only have it once a year. (then) Let’s dig in.

THEY SIT AT THE TABLE. THERE’S A KNOCK AT THE DOOR.

LILITH

That was quick.

LILITH CROSSES TO THE DOOR AND IS JUST ABOUT TO OPEN IT WHEN THEY HEAR:

FRASIER (OC)

Lilith, are you awake?

A STARTLED NILES AND LILITH SPEAK IN HUSHED TONES.

LILITH

It’s Frasier!

NILES

What do we do?

NILES NEARLY KNOCKS THE TRAY OVER GETTING UP.

FRASIER (OC)

Lilith?

LILITH

Just a second.

NILES

Why did you answer?

LILITH

I don’t know. I’m not very good at this. Hide in the bathroom.

THEY BOTH DART FOR THE BATHROOM.

NILES

No, not you!

LILITH

Here, take the cart with you.

NILES STARTS TO PUSH THE CART INTO THE BATHROOM. THEN:

NILES

Food in the bathroom?

LILITH

Go!

LILITH SHOVES NILES AND THE CART INTO THE BATHROOM, KNOCKING NILES DOWN.

FRASIER (OC)

Lilith? Lilith?

LILITH

Coming.

LILITH RUNS TO THE DOOR, FEIGNS COMPLETE INSOUCIANCE AND OPENS THE DOOR.

MORE TOMORROW…

By at

5 comments :

Anonymous said...

Hi Ken

You mentioned the current trend of sitcoms.

Would you care to elaborate on that? why do you say that the frasier style of comedy is no longer in vogue? And why do you think its no longer in vogue?

like you, i wish the style of taxi, mash, frasier, cheers comedy will live forever!

do you think that sort of comedy will make a comeback?

also, what did you think of seinfeld? i love the dialogue in seinfeld, especially the scene where kramer was encouraging george to seek fortune in LA - i love the line - covenant of the keys...

5/18/2006 7:15 AM
Tom said...

This is one of my favourite episodes of Fraiser. I remember watching it with my then flatmate who commented that it was very much in the style of a classic British farce, much like those Brian Rix was famous for.

5/18/2006 7:22 AM
Anonymous said...

Ever since the CHEERS episode where Frasier and Lilith were both guests on a talk show and started to realize that there was some subliminal sense of attraction/passion/love-hate feelings going on between them, I thought that the pairing of Kelsey and Bebe was one of the best ever on television. In it's own manner, the Frasier/Lilith relationship ranked with Ralph/Alice, George/Gracie, Lucy/Desi and Rob/Laura. The introduction of Niles into the equation took things to another comic level.

This scene reminds me of the one in the first or second season of FRASIER where Lilith visits Seattle hoping to re-kindle their love, and she and Frasier sleep together at her hotel. In the morning, after breakfast has been brought by room service, Frasier seems to be lost in this thoughts, as he ponders whether or not to re-start their relationship. When Lilith says "This is wrong," Frasier passionately pours out his heart to her, saying he knows it is, and that he doesn't think that they should continue, for the good of both their lives. She gives him one of her patented Lilith faces and replies "I meant room service. They brought the wrong order." A funny but touching scene, because we know by Frasier's speech that their past relationship really has ended.

-- Ken: by any chance did you and David write that episode also?

5/18/2006 7:34 AM
Jaime J. Weinman said...

Levine and Isaacs wrote that episode, yes.

5/18/2006 12:54 PM
Anonymous said...

hi there

Tom quigley mentioned that scene. Its a perfect example of how to write a dramatic scene funny. That line by bebe - i meant the room service - that's the one - a beautiful undercutting of a dramatic speech, which makes you laugh and at the same time, hammers the point of the scene even deeper into you.

Its like that classic scene in TAXI. When Alex decided to meet and have a talk with his dying father in the hospital, and he worked up his courage and gave this very touching speech, releasing all that pent up pain over the years- only to realize taht he had been talking to the wrong guy and when his real father stepped into the room - all he said was - hwo you doing? great? okay.

and alex leaves.

funny. and then touching.

Its something i feel that seinfeld could never do - even though seinfeld was brilliant - and yes, i know the rule on seinfeld was no hugging - but still...its good to hug once in a while. haha

5/19/2006 8:53 AM

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments ( Atom )