Becker (1998–2004)

Dr. John Becker goes through his daily routine of being a doctor, stopping at his favorite diner, and other various situations, all the while hating life and everything around him.

Creator:

Dave Hackel

Stars:

Ted Danson, Hattie Winston, Shawnee Smith

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Ted Danson	...	Dr. John Becker (129 episodes, 1998-2004)
Hattie Winston	...	Margaret Wyborn (129 episodes, 1998-2004)
Shawnee Smith	...	Linda (129 episodes, 1998-2004)
Alex Désert	...	Jake Malinak (129 episodes, 1998-2004)
Saverio Guerra	...	Bob (104 episodes, 1998-2003)
Terry Farrell	...	Regina "Reggie" Kostas (94 episodes, 1998-2002)

Storyline

Misanthropic Dr. John Becker runs a clinic in New York City. He is assisted by super-capable Margaret Wyborn and less-than-capable Linda, who's only kept on because no one else can stand the doctor. Becker's best (some would say only) friend is the blind Jake Malinak, who runs a newsstand in the diner across the street. The diner used to be run by Reggie Kostas, but it has been taken over by Chris Conner, a lady whom Becker fluctuates between loathing and being attracted to. The diner is also frequented by Robert Benito, who is universally known as Bob and is the super at Becker's apartment (much to the doctor's regret).

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Plot Keywords:

diner | doctor | new york city | short man | interracial friendship | 

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Taglines:

He's only human... sometimes.

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Genres:

Comedy

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

CBS [us]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 November 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tohtori Becker

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dave Hackel Productions, Industry Entertainment, Paramount Television

Technical Specs

Runtime:

30 min 30 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Bob disappeared at the start of the 6th season, the character was said to "be on vacation" and was then never referred to again. This was because Saverio Guerra had left the show between the 5th and 6th seasons.

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Quotes

Dr. John Becker: [walking with a pregnant patient to the door] Don't worry about your baby, in a few months you'll be on your back with your legs up in the air, screaming like a banshee.
[turns to go to his office]
Dr. John Becker: Pretty much what got you there in the first place.

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Connections

Referenced in Hollywood and the Muslim World (2003)

User Reviews

Ted Danson's best work since Cheers

This show is funny and very original. The show is like a reflection of everyday life, sort of like Seinfeld. But whereas Seinfeld gives a more positive out look to the world, Becker does the opposite. Every episode has Ted Danson complaining about something; a broken street light in front of his apartment, his annoying patients, the post office and much, much more. A very funny show.