BECKER: IMM-ORAL FIXATIONS (TV)
Summary
One in this comedy series about a gruff neighborhood doctor working in the Bronx. Reggie’s freezer breaks down, ruining her plans to spend time with her old roommate Amanda. She and Jake give Becker a hard time for his smoking habit, but Becker doesn’t listen. However, Becker soon changes his mind and makes an effort to quit. Linda approves of his resolve, but Margaret points out that his previous attempts to quit all failed spectacularly and exacerbated his ill temper further than usual. He believes he will be successful if he can cope with the ensuing stress, but dealing with his patients sets off his anger, and he yells at Jake to give him a pack of cigarettes before he changes his mind about it. Amanda arrives and reunites with Reggie, and they catch up. Amanda invites them all out to a newly-opened club in SoHo, and even Becker insists on going. Once there, however, he finds himself surrounded by smokers, increasing his irritability. He explains this to Amanda, who is an ex-smoker herself. She notes that sex was the only thing which allowed her to quit, and she and Becker end up sleeping together. This method appears to work, and Becker goes for the entire weekend without smoking. However, the stress of his job soon gets to him and he feels the need to smoke again. He goes to Reggie’s again, fighting the urge to get cigarettes. He runs into Amanda there, and they share an awkward greeting. Reggie is forced to leave to resolve a problem with her replacement freezer motor delivery, leaving Becker and Amanda free to quickly have sex again. Margaret and Linda are suspicious when Becker returns later in different clothes, and don’t believe him when he tells them the truth. Later he learns that Amanda has to fly back to Miami that night, and they say goodbye; Reggie reveals that she knows about their sexual escapades. Jake points out that Becker has traded his smoking addiction with an addiction to sex. Alone, Becker figures out that Reggie is upset about him sleeping with Amanda, but in actuality she’s jealous of Amanda’s comparatively ritzy lifestyle. Becker encourages her to make changes to her life if she’s not happy with the diner, particularly urging her to go back and finish college. She promises to consider her options. Reggie admits that despite everything, she does appreciate Becker’s company and advice. Becker pretends to leave, but sneaks back in to grab a cigarette. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: CBS
- DATE: September 27, 1999 9:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:22:05
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:81607
- GENRE: Comedy
- SUBJECT HEADING: Comedy
- SERIES RUN: CBS - TV series, 1998-2004
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dave Hackel … Executive Producer, Created by
- Russ Woody … Co-Executive Producer
- Ian Gurvitz … Co-Executive Producer, Writer
- Michael Markowitz … Producer
- Andy Ackerman … Producer, Director
- Marsha Myers … Co-Producer
- Lori A. Moneymaker … Co-Producer
- Bruce Miller … Music by
- Ted Danson … Cast, Dr. John Becker
- Terry Farrell … Cast, Regina "Reggie" Kostas
- Hattie Winston … Cast, Margaret Wyborn
- Shawnee Smith … Cast, Linda
- Alex Desert … Cast, Jake Malinak
- Marjorie Monaghan … Cast, Amanda
- William Hill … Cast, Mr. Ehrlich
- Connie Sawyer … Cast, Mrs. Yudelson
- Ken Magee … Cast, Smoking Man