With this third season, Frasier scored an impressive hat trick, winning its third successive Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. You don't need too much analysis to get to the bottom of this unprecedented success. The series was a primetime oasis of wit and sophistication, with welcome forays into farce that pricked Frasier's bubble of pomposity. His priceless reactions to the assaults on his dignity are worthy of Jack Benny. Frasier (Kelsey Grammer) can be infuriating, as in "The Focus Group," in which he is obsessed with knowing why a lone focus group participant (guest star Tony Shalhoub) doesn't like him. But he is also endearing in his delusional view of himself as, in the words of one mocking bystander, a "man of the people." Frasier meets his match in new station owner Kate Costas (Oscar-winner Mercedes Ruehl). Their combative relationship turns to lust over the course of the first 10 episodes.

But the season's most pivotal story arc is the separation of Niles (David Hyde Pierce) and Maris. "Moon Dance," which marked Grammer's directorial debut, is a series benchmark, as a crestfallen Niles tangos with his unrequited love, Daphne (Jane Leeves), at a high society ball. Not that the Crane family still doesn't have issues to work out. Frasier cannot abide being beaten at chess by Martin (John Mahoney) in "Chess Pains." Frasier and Niles ill-advisedly go into joint practice in "Shrink Rap," and find themselves on the opposite sides of a sanity hearing in "Crane vs. Crane." Lilith is sorely missed, but in this season's blast-from-the-past episode, Shelley Long returns in "The Show Where Diane Comes Back." It is a joy to see Cheers resurrected, if only in Diane's self-absorbed new play, which Frasier agrees to back. And any episode with Frasier's amoral agent Bebe (Harriet Sansom Harris) is must-see television. Frasier's humor was character-based, rather than topical, giving it a longer shelf life. For those who lament the end of one of television's gold standard series, this box set will be excellent therapy. --Donald Liebenson

It`s been a few years since the last season of Frasier left our screens, but I still watch an episode most days, and certainly nothing funnier has been made since. Not much that is funnier was made before it either. I have minor gripes with some of the characters (Bulldog bores me and Daphne is occasionally irritating) but the consistently high calibre of the acting and writing (hell, even the subject matter of some episodes!) overrides these peeves.

Some of my personal favourites are contained in this box set; "A Word To The Wise Guy" (featuring a great guest performance) and "High Crane Drifter" are particularly good. The former showcases the only occasion that Maris says "thank you" whilst Frasier`s experiences in the latter are not only chillingly similar to what I seem to go through everyday but contains many excellent moments; when Frasier learns that his new neighbour, heavy metaller Freddy Chainsaw, has sold 5 million copies of his latest album, he adds this to his "list of reasons to die" whilst Niles has to endure a hire car, something he calls a "hunchback"; Frasier`s determination to restore manners in Cafe Nervosa inspires callers to anarchy, such as fedexing one-hundred scorpions in the mail, dumping rotting shrimps in a neighbour`s air-con, and setting fire to lawns (guest voices including Eric Idle and Katrina Witt)). "Chess Pains" stars too, with it`s Freudian theme, exruciating sock-puppet show and bordering-on-psychopath obsession with winning. The quintet of shows with Mercedes Ruehl are definitely high points - it`s great to have someone other than the superlative David Hyde Pierce at Frasier`s intellectual level, and the animal attraction between Kate and Frasier leads to some very funny situations. I like "Shrink Rap" too, containing as it does one of my favourite lines - "I`m tired of your constant exaggerations! You always make everything sound 50,000 times worse than they are!" - and "Moon Dance" is quite beautiful and wonderfully acted. I suppose "Martin Does It His Way" is a weaker episode when judged against the above, and I don`t think anyone rates anything with Shelley Long in, do they? But hey, when you have lines like the one about gun play in the living room, it`s almost impossible to complain. High class throughout.

And that's just one of many exquisite lines uttered by Frasier (never mind the rest of the characters) during this terrific third outing of the 'Cheers' spin-off. This third season, for me, saw 'Frasier' move on appropriately to the point where it completely eclipsed its parent show and many others for that matter. This isn't to downplay the previous two, which are equally excellent, but the show has a more settled feel. As I mentioned in my review of Season 1, it's hard to pick an outstanding series from the first six so simply sit back and enjoy!

The first part of Season 3 focuses largely on Frasier's antagonistic-yet-passionate relationship with the new station manager Kate Costas (an excellent Mercedes Ruehl). The two have great chemistry and sweep the opening eight or so episodes along at such a brilliant pace, you hardly have time to choke on your laughter. A particularly great moment occurs when Frasier goes to demand rises for the station support staff and ends up having sex with Kate on her desk, to the chant of the workers crying, "Frasier, Frasier, Frasier!" It's a great start and then things take another twist as Niles separates from his forever unseen wife Maris. This gives further scope to David Hyde Pierce's excellent acting, who blends physical performance with quirky eccentricity to such marvellous effect. Both he and Jane Leeves are terrific in the hilarious and touching 'Moon Dance', where it seems as though Daphne might just be starting to fall for Niles' awkward charms...or is it just the tango?

In truth, some of the episodes lose their energy a bit (I'm not a huge fan of 'Crane vs Crane' or 'Shrink Rap') and 'The Show Where Diane Comes Back' is the weakest of the 'Cheers' episodes, despite a pleasantly nostalgic recreation of the bar where everyone knows your name. But 3 is still 'Frasier' on top form and deserves nothing less than five of this man's stars!

I loved all the series of frasier on DVD. After season 3 they stopped doing special features and started taking longet to release them. I've been waiting ages for a season 5 release date in the UK. Let's also see some special features. I'm very tempted to buy season 5,6 and 7 from Amazon.com but they have no subtitles and season 5 and 6 have adverts. Come on paramount let's hurry it up a bit!!

Season 3 is possibly the high water mark of this already classic show.

Having caught and enjoyed the occational Frasier episode on TV earlier, I bought the Season 3 Set hoping it could confirm its place in the upper division of sit-coms. Having watched the entire collection probably three times now, I hold this show as my favorite and this season my preference.

As mentioned in previous reviews, the genious of the series lies in the absolutely brilliant writing job behind it. It's packed with witty puns, intelligent lines and clever references. I deeply enjoy the recurring themes and conflicts of the show, like Maris in all her absurdity, the two brothers' neverending rivalry and jealousy, and of course Niles' hopeless infatuation with Daphne. They serve well to tie the episodes and even seasons together, allowing us viewers to feel somehow connected to the characters and sad for Niles and Frasier every time they fly high only to be shot down (which happens, well, all the time).

The acting is top notch - David Hyde Pierce's brilliant timing and wonderfully theatrical body language cracks me up every time, and Kelsey Grammer and Jane Leeves always deliver awesome performances.

As any other 20-something episode set, this season has its slower points ("Chess Pains" comes to mind) but also stunning highlights that I enjoy over and over, like "The last time I saw Maris", "Moon Dance" and "Crane vs. Crane".

All in all I can only give this set my best recommendations for all those who enjoy intelligent comedy and good acting.