What was your favorite Becker Episode?

[Tiger32]

Originally Posted by Ant-Lox

"Christmas is a time for sharing, Christmas is a time for caring" I forget the rest, but was hilarious....

I can't remember the rest of the song, but I think was something like "If you think of Christmas things then you will know the joy it brings."

[Janice]

John Mahoney plays a priest, Father D'Andrea. His character is every bit as gruff and edgy as Frasier's Martin Crane. One of Becker's patients has to undergo emergency surgery for a blocked artery in his neck, so the priest goes to the hospital to be with the man's family. He meets Becker in the cafeteria, so it's just the two of them. Becker is an atheist, so the sparks fly.

The two men have some interesting dialog, both at the hospital, and he even pays Becker a visit to his office. The priest wears the black shirt and priest's collar, but with casual pants and a button sweater.

Father D'Andrea asks Becker what the patient's chances are, and Becker is honest with him...he could stroke out, hemorrhage, etc, it's very risky surgery. The priest says that it's in God's hands. Becker gets irked and says, "What's that all about?" The priest says he doesn't understand God's plan, but he watches out for all of us.

Becker asks him, "How about the guy who works hard, has a wonderful home and family, and a piano falls on him. Is that God's plan? It sounds more like premeditated murder to me." Becker takes issue with the priest giving the family hope. He asks him..."What do I tell the family if the guy doesn't pull through? God didn't come through this time? I'd rather be honest, than give the family false hope."

There are some good moments between the two men, some funny zingers. Becker tells him, "You work your side of the street, and I'll work mine," The priest tells Becker a joke. "What's the difference between God and a doctor? ....God doesn't think he's a doctor."

The exchanges between them were deep, funny and heated. Basically, the underlying theme of the episode was, God vs. Science.

In the final scene, they're at the hospital while the surgery's taking place. They get word that it was a success. They're both so relieved. Becker says to the priest that he thinks it's nice that he devoted so much time to the man having surgery. The priest says, "Of course I did. He's my brother." Becker gets a confused look on his face, and says, "You mean, in a 'we're all brothers on this earth' kind of way, right?"

The priest says, "No. As in a 'we have the same parents' kind of way." Becker asks him why he didn't tell him before...said he would've been nicer and not so forthcoming about how dangerous the patient's surgery was.

The priest tells him that's exactly why he didn't tell him. He wanted honesty. It ended with them walking out of the cafeteria, bickering...but in a friendlier way. Great episode.

[Ireneparalegal]

"God doesn't believe he is a doctor"... I love it. So true, how many doctors think that of themselves? Too many.

Becker finding out they are brothers...I can imagine what Becker's face looked like... I really got to watch this more.

[traderonline]

I enjoyed watching The Gay Cruise