10 Reasons Why Frasier Is The Best US Sitcom In History

2. Niles Crane

Perhaps one of the greatest creations in sitcom history, Niles is not only a great character but, in David Hyde Pierce, has an excellent actor to portray him. Every detail is as precise as Niles' dusting off of the chairs at Cafe Nervosa and it's all the better for that. A talented theatre actor, Hyde Pierce was hired due to his similarity in looks to Kelsey Grammer. What they got though was more than a mere surface level subservient. Niles develops from a snooty psychiatrist with little interest in his father and brother to a stalwart of the family who, along with Daphne, is the real heart of the piece. The physical comedy he brings to the role is excellent (as previously mentioned in Three Valentines) but, beyond that, he brings a depth to the role as he almost sees his Daphne wrenched away from him by Donny. On top of this, though, Niles is a complete quote machine and you can tell the writers love putting words in his mouth. Whether he's poking fun at his brother for Dr Frasier Crane Day ("I tried to join in on the '12 Days of Frasier' but I got lost around day seven") or a deep-seated putdown ("May your opera box be full of cellophane crinklers and a stage swarming with stand-bys"). Perhaps his best though (perhaps just in front of "Her lips were saying no but her eyes were saying read my lips") is "Are you mad? You don't proposition a woman like that on the first date! Last night after dinner, I dropped her home with nothing more than a courtly kiss on the wrist. Tonight may proceed to handholding. If all goes well, in two weeks, I shall storm the citadel of her womanhood." It's one of his final moments with his brother though that's the most simple as he says, "I'll miss the coffees".