When the still-unemployed Frasier begins spending too much time cramped in his condo with Martin, his dad volunteers to move in with Niles. An initially reluctant Niles soon agrees wholeheartedly to the living arrangements once he realizes that having Daphne as a roommate is part of the deal. But, with Niles' apartment so filled with stairs, Daphne announces she must tender her resignation because she is seemingly not needed for Martin's therapy anymore.
Examples:
- Ambiguous Situation: It’s not actually clear whether Frasier is correct that Niles is unconsciously trying to hurt Martin, or whether the events of the episode are genuinely coincidental accidents that Frasier has turned into something menacing because he reads into everything.
- This also applies to the episode's last scene: Martin and Daphne have to stay at Frasier's after Daphne 'accidentally' knocks Martin over, while playing with Eddie. Notably, this happens seconds after Frasier tells Niles that situations like these rarely happen by mistake.
- Antagonistic Offspring: Niles is trying to hurt Martin so Daphne won’t leave, although it’s made clear that he is only doing so subconsciously. He “accidentally” kicks Martin’s cane out from under him, leaves scissors on his chair, and installs a faulty bath railing that breaks as soon as any weight is put on it, on top of generally behaving ominously. When he invites Martin onto the balcony the latter literally runs back to Frasier’s.
- Brainwashed and Crazy: An odd variant - Niles deliberately doing things like pushing his dad down the stairs would be rather dark for the show, so the show squares this circle by saying that his desire to keep Daphne around is so intense that his subconscious has hijacked his behavior.
- Mandatory Line: Roz has one scene, where she suggests Martin move in with Niles.
- Status Quo Is God: The episode teases the idea of Martin moving in with Niles and Daphne leaving, or at least having her role changed. By the end everyone is back in their proper place.
