MovieChat Forums > Frasier (1993) Discussion > Why did Niles still want Daphne after al...

Why did Niles still want Daphne after all those years?

posted 5 years ago by Rolltide (964)
22 replies | jump to latest

This is a bit of a double standard in how men think but when a man has such passionate and intense desires for a woman and she ends up with somebody else that usually reduces those desires. Part of it is a coping mechanism I guess you need to move on. You cannot help fixating on what these people are doing together and that she is doing it with him and not you.

In Niles's case he had to deal with Daphne dating other men and then having an intimate relationship that resulted in an engagement and by then that would be it for most men.

On top of all that Niles had somebody for himself. An attractive woman he had much in common with and became married to. Between those 2 things there would not have been much heat left.

[–] Rolltide (964) 5 years ago

I have been married for 25 years but back when i was single there were a few times i really wanted a girl but she wanted somebody else more or ended up with somebody else. Some time later I would look at the girl and wonder what I was so hot and bothered about.

In 2 occasions the girl broke it off with this other guy and rebounded back to me but by then i had no interest any longer. You move on in your mind.

[–] TandyMan (11178) 5 years ago

There's at least a dozen women where i'm just waiting for them to be single again, some over 25 years now. Soon as that window opens i'm pouncing. The lust never dies.

[–] Rolltide (964) 5 years ago

A dozen my goodness.

My personal desire for Daphne as a character declined after she was with Donnie. I used to think of her as a highly desirable woman and then that fell off. Perhaps the fat episodes had something to do with that. Jane Leeves in real life had a baby and really did pack on some weight.

The single virginal Daphne was more attractive than the one who had been ravaged by Donnie.

[–] exithereplease (3553) 5 years ago

Perhaps the fat episodes had something to do with that.

Those were terrible, awful episodes.

[–] TandyMan (11178) 5 years ago

I don't own that season. I actually caught some on tv the other day and was like, oh yeah, this is as bad as I remember.

[–] exithereplease (3553) 5 years ago

The show went through many writers and producers over it's lengthy's 11-year-run.

In fact, one of the creators David Angell (along with his wife) was aboard American Airlines Flight 11...the first plane that flew into the Twin Towers on 9/11!

You probably already knew this, but I would imagine many reading this thread didn't.

...just kind of a weird tid bit of history.

Personally, I think this is the only show in television history other than Star Trek: New Generation where the spin-off is better than the original.

The show won nearly 40 Emmys including "Outstanding Comedy Series" for 5 years in a row (a then record!) and was a top ten hit for most it's run, peaking at #3.

It's a classic for sure!

[–] TandyMan (11178) 5 years ago

The character of Daphne changed a lot over the years. I don't care much for later Daphne at all. Obviously this is just the writing and people changing behind the scenes. But if the show is to be taken as a slice of real life, yes, it must be accepted that Donnie kind of ruined Daphne. I tell ya, I might have some hunnies in the hopper, but there is a handful i've deleted out of my brain because the people they shacked up with are so abhorrent to me, that she would even be with them at all, let alone find common ground told me they had serious issues. I mean, you never really know somebody. They got layers and with some folks it goes real deep. I try to keep most relationships in my life as shallow as possible. Everybody gets along better that way.

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

A dozen? That's really kind of scary to think about. Don't let covetousness mess up your life.

[–] ATG6 (3000) 3 years ago

That was the plot of a Seinfeld episode, where Jerry and Elaine were waiting for one hot couple to break up so they could pounce. And then Jerry found out the woman was not his type after all.

[–] bobbydallas (8619) 4 years ago

the writers wanted it that way.
i still don't see the romantic chemistry between Niles and Daphne.. but that's just me.

[–] exithereplease (3553) 4 years ago

It seems weird.

Netflix. Amazon Prime. All that shit.

Single comedy comedy's are lifeless, lack anything of joy. Thy suck. And apparently nobody watches them in syndication.

I always tell my friends, before you login don't forget to pop an anti-depressant.

[–] Artisan (3464) 4 years ago

I agree.

[–] Artisan (3464) 4 years ago

Niles was a meek cuck and was used to feeling inadequate.

He also idealised Daphne so much that he just had to have her. He was willing to wait in the wings.

In real life Daphne may have used him for the love and stability and still saw more manly men for fun.

[–] bobbydallas (8619) 4 years ago

he did have a lot of money.
so i agree with that..

Niles would never land Daphne (in a romantic marriage way) even if she was a "maid"

[–] Artisan (3464) 4 years ago

He's perfect for exploitation!

I know it's just a show but even the actress didn't have any chemistry with him, she couldn't even fake affection convincingly. And the men in the show that Daphne did go for tended to be rather masculine, usually tradesmen if I recall correctly. So there is no way Niles would land her unless she thought she could work it in her favour.

I never got the sense that Daphne was beyond reproach either in terms of her morals.

[–] Rolltide (964) 4 years ago

Let's count them down.

1. The guy from the cafe who she barely dated but did have sex with. We know that because she came home with the back side of her clothes are dirty. As I recall Niles jealously said "He has community college written all over him.".. By the next episode we never hear about him again.

2. Joe the construction guy. More than a tradesman he owned the business. Nice good looking guy who would later dump Dahne. Joe appears in just 2 episodes as I recall.

3. Clive-Dahne's former fiancé from Manchester. She never dates him on the show but wants to again after she finds out he owns 3 sporting goods stores. She should have believed in him in the first place.

4. Rodney the Niles clone. That sure was hilarious.

5. Donnie. Not sure why they choose this type of man or this particular actor. So short. Good actor but nobody realistically saw him as somebody Dahne would be attracted to. Perhaps the purpose of this was to set up viewers to be more open to the idea of Niles and Donnie as a couple.

In the middle of this written into the script are some odd things like Dahne and Niles never having sex after dating for 6 months. And also Dahne's significant weight gain.

[–] Artisan (3464) 4 years ago

Yes, Daphne either made poor choices to begin with or sabotages them in some way (Clive) then when she is all "used up" she settles for Niles, how proud he must be. And after having seen her bang guys quickly after meeting them at times he has to wait a further 6 months.

It's a classic story and very true to life.

I believe her weight gain was due to the actress being pregnant.

[–] Rolltide (964) 3 years ago

I thought Adelle was the hottest woman ever on that show and Niles only saw her as a stop gap and was not hurt at all when he found out she was hot for Rodney. He was more insulted that Rodney was cheating on Daphne.

Yes Jane was pregnant and the weight gain really changed her appearance and made her less attractive and older looking.

[–] Mustang (5520) a year ago

Adelle was attractive and probably a better match for Niles than Daphne. Even slim I never saw the big deal about Daphne, she had a pretty face but very skinny legs. She was attractive back in her Benny Hill days though.

For me the sexiest woman on the show was Lilith. Although there were many very attractive women on the show.

[–] Kowalski (76773) 4 years ago

THIS THREAD...🤢...🤮

[–] Heisenberg (6730) 4 years ago

Cartoonish comedy writing.

It's funny at first, than it becomes creepy and then it needs a shrink to fix.

The bros should have seen the signs of an illness here.

[–] liscarkat (18886) 3 years ago

In my twenties I was in love with my girlfriend of two years, wanted desperately to marry her, and was devastated when she went off with another guy. I eventually got over it, met and married someone better, and today I don't know what I was thinking. I'm glad I dodged that bullet. I can't imagine waiting around for years for some woman while she was dating and screwing a list of other dudes. Niles was a fool!