Script-of-the-Week: Frasier “Space Quest”

by Sy Dukane & Denise Moss (48 pages)

Awards: None listed on IMDB

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick

• Screen Visibility: Minimal even though I believe this is the first episode.

• Formatting: Standard for sticoms

• Act Structure: Act 1 A,B,C. Act 2 D,E,H.

Recommendation: For Screenwriters who want to learn how early episodes for shows are written. Pay particular attention to the specific details revealed by all the characters. Most of these details will not be repeated in further episodes.

Script-of-the-Week: Frasier “The Show Where Sam Shows Up”

by Ken Levine and David Isaacs (41 pages)

Awards: None that I could find

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick

• Screen Visibility: Absolute minimum.

• Formatting: Double spacing. Some direction for characters. Some direction in parenthesis.

• Act Structure: Act 1. Scenes A, B, C. Act 2. Scenes D, E, H.

Recommendation: For all screenwriters looking for an example of writing about (possibly) controversial subjects like alcohol addiction or sex addiction in a humorous way.

Script-of-the-Week:Frasier “Midwinter Night’s Dream”

by Chuck Ranberg & Anne Flett Giordano (57 pages)

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick dialogue driven scenes with minimal action from the actors. Act 1 finished in 25 pages.

• Screen Visibility: Minimal for most scene. Specific details for a scene set in Niles’ conservatory. Presumably the first time we’ve seen this. Also nice description of Frasier in the window like Dustin Hoffman from “The Graduate”.

• Formatting: Standard action and dialogue with one section allowing for an ad lib scene.

• Act Structure: Act 1, Scenes A, B, C. Act 2, Scenes D, E, (no F, G), H, (no I), J, K, L, (no M), N.

Recommendation: I’m not entirely sure, but I believe this must have been a two part episode. I also noted several scenes have been omitted. For screenwriters creating a longer episode and want to appreciate how scenes may be taken out either due to timing or storyline. Also note the story transpires over 4 nights.

Script-of-the-Week: Frasier “An Affair to Forget”

by Chuck Ranberg & Anne Flett-Giordano (47 pages)

Awards: Won an Emmy in 1995 for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Writing for a Comedy Series

Points of Interest:

• Pacing: Quick pacing, slows down with German/Spanish dialogue.

• Screen Visibility: Minimal.

• Formatting: Standard.

• Act Structure: 2 Act Structure

Recommendation: For Screenwriters who want an example of introducing foreign language jokes into the mix. There is also a moment where Ad Libbing by Frasier and Niles is indicated. Rather unusual for a script.