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Mama, I've got it all!
—Niles on the dance floor

Moon Dance is the 13th episode of Season 3 of Frasier.

Synopsis[]

KELSEY GRAMMER MAKES DIRECTORIAL DEBUT; JODIE FOSTER CALLS IN – Niles needs a date for the country club “Snow Ball” dance in case he encounters Maris and her new beau. Meanwhile, he turns to Daphne for dance instructions and they do a romantic tango.

Plot[]

Frasier leaves for the week to take Frederick on vacation. Meanwhile, Niles is invited to the Snow Ball, a charity for one of his clubs. He secures a date, and is worried that he might need to learn to dance. He needs to attend in order to "show Maris". Daphne offers to give him lessons, having danced many times with her brother, Billy. Niles agrees but after his lessons begin, his date calls and cancels. However, he continues his lessons.

Martin urges Niles to end the dancing lessons, due to something that happened to him as a young man. However, when Niles tells Daphne that he needs to end the lessons, Daphne insists that she accompany Niles to the ball. Niles happily accedes, and picks her up on the evening to the ball, to Frasier's surprise as he returns. At the ball, Daphne and Niles give a dazzling dance performance, which ends with a kiss. However, Daphne says she is surprised how good an actor Niles is. Niles is disappointed but soon perks up when a woman gives him her number as he leaves.

Starring[]

Kelsey Grammer as Frasier Crane
Jane Leeves as Daphne Moon
David Hyde Pierce as Niles Crane
Peri Gilpin as Roz Doyle
and John Mahoney as Martin Crane

Guest starring

Christine McGraw as Lacey
Hank Stratton as Andrew
Nancy Stafford as Claire Barnes
Michael G. Hawkins as Conductor

Guest caller

Jodie Foster as Marlene

Trivia[]

  • Niles tells Daphne how he feels, but she takes it as part of the performance.
  • After witnessing their dancing, a woman hits on Niles.

CONTINUITY

  • As a key moment in the evolution of the Niles-Daphne romance, the dance here is revisited twice; as a counter-point from Maris' attorneys in the legal battle of Niles' divorce[1] from her and when Niles is explaining the depth and reality of his love for Daphne.[2]

BEHIND THE SCENES

  • This is the first episode that Kelsey Grammer directed, and he went on to direct 36 episodes of the show, second in number only to series creator David Lee (who directed 41 episodes).
  • This episode was nominated for several Emmy awards. Due to directing, Grammer spent very little time in front of the camera. Only in the episode Head Game did Grammer spend less time on camera.

Photos[]

Notes and references[]

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