Room Full Of Heroes
Frasier’s costume party unmasks hidden resentments.
To celebrate Halloween, Frasier invites everyone to dress up as their heroes so they can play a new game he’s invented called Hero Worship. Before the bash starts, Daphne tells Frasier that the kids in the building believe a rumor (spread by Martin as a joke) that Frasier is “Old Man Crane,” who devours the brains of children.
At the party, Frasier portrays Sigmund Freud; Daphne decks out as Elton John; Martin plays Joe Di Maggio; and Roz dons a Wonder Woman outfit. Martin is delighted when Niles arrives dressed like him, complete with a white ‘Martin’ wig, a cane, and a stuffed dog. For authenticity’s sake, Niles also begins downing a sixpack of Martin’s favorite beer. Feeling peevish after everyone finds his game boring, Frasier accuses Niles of sucking up to Martin by choosing him as his hero, then walks out on his own party.
While cooling off, Frasier convinces a boy in the building that he’s not a braineating madman. Frasier returns to his condo, where everyone wants to give Hero Worship another shot. Yet, when the game resumes, a tipsy Niles insults Martin by implying that he and Frasier are a disappointment to him, which leads Martin to leave the room in anger. Eager to apologize to his father, Niles asks Frasier to help him remove the glued-on “Martin” wig he’s wearing first. Frasier struggles to pry off the hairpiece at the precise moment a group of kids shows up to trick or treat. Thinking Frasier is stealing Niles’ brain, the kids scream and run away in horror.


