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List Price: $36.98 | | Label: Paramount
Salesrank: 8451
Released: April 1, 2008 |
| Our Price: $26.15 |
| Used Price: $23.95 |
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MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
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Editorial Review:
BECKER centers on the life of Dr. John Becker, a cantankerous, yet dedicated and talented physician, who, in spite of his constant rants, has a decent heart underneath the sarcasm. BECKER will continue to unleash his views at the local diner, even in Reggie’s continuing absense. Jake (Alex Desert), the blind proprietor of the local newsstand continues to turn a deaf ear to John. Bob, Becker’s brash, obnoxious apartment super (Saverio Guerra), persists in annoying virtually everyone. At the office, Becker’s head nurse Margaret (Hattie Winston) continues to make order out of chaos, keeping John and his space-cadet nurses-aid Linda (Shawnee Smith) in line. New to the neighborhood is Chris Konnors (Nancy Travis), Becker’s new neighbor, with whom he must contend on a daily basis. Although her positive attitude is a major annoyance to Becker, he slowly begins to have feelings for her. John Becker is a cynical Harvard Medical School graduate who is somewhat of a loner and has trouble letting people get close to him. He looks at the world around him and feels society has gone mad - full of inconsistencies and just plain backward thinking. Although he is a diagnostician by trade, Becker feels he can dispense diagnoses even when no one asks. He has no qualms about saying what comes to mind, never sugarcoats his opinions and often seems to offend somebody nearby. However, his friends and colleagues recognize the heart beneath the hate and so accept his gruff demeanor for what it is.
Description of Becker - The First Season:
"Aren’t doctors supposed to be nice?" Running for six seasons, Becker broke the Cheers curse (RIP: Good Advice, Inc, Pearl). The role of Dr. John Becker was just what the doctor ordered for Ted Danson. Becker is, according to those who know, and grudgingly admire him, best, "a miserable human being" and "such an ass," but "a brilliant one." As for his bedside manner, he makes House seem like Marcus Welby. But this being a sitcom, the cynical and politically incorrect Becker also must have a heart. In the pilot episode, it is revealed that he will secretly pay for treatments for an HIV-positive seven-year-old. "You may go to heaven whether you like it or not," his chief of staff Margaret (Hattie Winston) tells him. Becker divides his time between his chaotic clinic and the local diner, where he alienates the patrons with his tirades on subjects ranging from Jerry Springer to reality shows. In its promising first season, there’s nothing wrong with Becker that sharper writing can’t cure. The first season suffers slightly from Night Court-itus; the gritty urban setting glimpsed in the show’s interstitials undercut by the broadly-drawn character types who are either Becker’s patients, or simply try his patience, like his flaky new nurse’s assistant (Shawnee Smith) or on the make diner (as opposed to lounge) lizard Bob (Saverio Guerra). Much better company are Jake (Alex Desert), the blind diner newsstand vendor, and "Reggie" (Terry Farrell), a gives-as-good-as-she-gets gal in the mold of Frasier’s Roz. Becker and Reggie aren’t exactly Sam and Diane, but this season sets the stage for romantic possibilities (although the season finale, in which he wrestles with whether to ask her to a formal charity benefit, is anti-climactic). As the season unfolds, Becker more closely examines the good doctor’s misanthropy. One of the season’s better episodes is "Becker the Elder," featuring Dick van Dyke as Becker’s estranged salesman father, who is as charming as Becker is abrasive. In "Activate Your Choices," we meet Becker’s ex-wife, who has written a self-help book in which she diagnoses Becker as "Angry Man." There are no spoonfuls of sugar (extras) to help the medicine go down, but for those who made an appointment to see Danson and company every week, the DVD release of Becker is good for what ails you. --Donald Liebenson
Becker - The First Season Reviews:
Great Show 
2009-11-15 - Becker was a great show from the late 90s to the early 2000s that most people don't really know too much about. I think more people are discovering this great show on re-runs. The cast was terrific and I love the sarcastic humor of the show. I'm glad to see they are putting this show on DVD. I will collect all the seasons.
Becker gets 5 stars, DVD gets 3 
2009-09-18 - One of my pet peeves is people who comment on the content of a DVD or Blue-ray disc without telling you anything about the quality of the recording.
I'm not going to comment on the content. Anyone who's watched Becker knows how great the show was and doesn't need to be told again.
I'm elated that they're finally releasing Becker on DVD. But why did they have to screw up for the first season?
This DVD disables the instant replay button on my player. If I miss a line, it's a pain to rewind to play over again. I don't have the same problem with the second season. There they did it right. Other than that everything is great. Even closed captioning works so you don't miss any gags.
Hail Ted Danson
2009-07-21 - I almost wet my pants when I first heard this being finally released on DVD. Now we just have to hope they release the whole series, and not just the two first ones.
Ted Danson made an art out of being a thorny, cranky doc, but I also love Terry Farrell's performance. Too bad she went into bad relations with Danson & co thus costing her career in Hollywood.
If You Like Becker...
2009-07-18 - If you like Becker you'll want this. I got half way through the first season and ordered the second season. You'll laugh just as you did watching these for the first time. Don't think about it, just buy it!
Rude, arrogant, and funny as hell.
2009-04-25 - I can think of a lot worse ways to spend $[...] bucks. The only difference between Becker and a lot of us, is that Becker says it out loud. Not concerned with protocol, good manners, or malpractice insurance, Becker is committed to his patient's well-being, and doesn't mess with political correctness or "red tape". He is surrounded by a variety of misfits that add to the hilarity, and sarcastic humor of this worthwhile show. Great one-liners.
