Becker: First Season [DVD] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

A great show on DVD. Becker is funny and has good messages buried in the shows.

Everybody thought "House M.D." was such an original show when it debuted in 2004 with its wise-cracking sarcastic Dr. Gregory House. Though this was more of a drama, nobody seemed to realize that Ted Danson is the one who made that popular, way back in 1998 as Dr. John Becker. "Becker" is one of the funniest shows ever to hit TV, but sadly some casting changes and other behind-the-scenes squabbling brought the show to a slow demise after about six seasons. Ted Danson gives some of his best work here. If you think the rants of Dr. Cox on "Scrubs" are funny, just wait until Becker storms into his office ranting about the bums on the street, the city health department, the justice system, humanity in general or any one the upteen-million things that seem to make him angry. The true heart of this show is it's sheer originality and unique characters - Becker's dim-witted female assistant, Linda, could have been a walking cliche were she portrayed by a busty blond, instead she's portrayed by the raven-haired Shawnee Smith (of "Saw" fame) with perfect comedic timing; Margaret is Dr. Becker's nurse, a heavy-set Bible-thumping black woman who is the perfect opposite of Becker's in-your-face sarcasm, anger and rants against God and religion; then there's Jake, Becker's blind best friend who, although he becomes the butt of many jokes, holds his own as one of the show's leading men; there's Reggie, the middle-aged ex-model turned diner owner who can't get a date despite her drop-dead gorgeous looks; and Bob, the fast talking nitwit who annoys everyone yet manages to remain an appealing part of the show. Other characters constantly move in and out of the show with many famous stars making guest appearances. Naturally "Becker" falls prey to many common sitcom gags and it's formula never really changes, which makes it a bit redundant after a while. Still, it's not one to miss!

Fantastic... Love it..

I received this DVD within 3 days and the quality was superb. I would highly recommend this seller to anybody that wants a great purchase. The show is absolutely hilarious and has so many great characters to feed off of. Loved Ted Danson in Cheers and he does an exceptional job portraying somebody that is so different from the role of Sam Malone. I recommend this show that loves truly well written comedy.

My wife and I got to about episode 3 or 4. We hadn't seen the first season of Becker, and much enjoyed learning how the series started off. The first episodes take no time at all descending into the forthright misanthropy that colors the whole series. Maybe Becker is just a little bit more human than average in the first episode, as we get to witness the crabbed, chain-smoking grump plop down his own savings to help a child with AIDS. Almost too good to stand. But the New Yawwk sarcasm and casual grouchiness are all there from the start, deliciously honest relief for those of us who live in the more repressed Christofascist provinces. My only complaint - but it is a big one - is physical quality. The DVD started freezing up around episode 4. I felt too depresed to try to watch more. I don't like that "ripped off" feeling. Note to Amazon or whoever's responsible for quality assurance: pay that extra ten cents per copy, to guarantee the thing is reliable.