Becker (1998–2004): Season 2, Episode 24 - Panic on the 86th - full transcript

( upbeat blues theme playing )

TOUR GUIDE:
...and here's one of the most
romantic spots in the world,

the Empire State Building's
famed observation deck.

It's been immortalized in movies
like An Affair to Remember

and Sleepless in Seattle,

and has come to symbolize

the perfect rendezvous
for lovers.

Oh, look at them, Bernie.
That's wonderful.

Why can't you be like that?

Oh, jeez.

( upbeat blues themeplaying )



Did you see the mess out there?

They got limos backing up
traffic all over town.

Evidently, it's--
It's Tour the Ghetto Day

for our presidential candidates.

What a joke.

I mean, the two whitest guys
in the world

all of a sudden are speaking
Yiddish, salsa dancing,

and keeping it real
with their homeys.

Oh, Lord, give me some coffee
there, will you, Reg?

Are you okay?
No, I'm pissed as hell.

Haven't you been listening
to what I've been talking about?

Should I have been?

I was talking about what
happened between you and Liz.

I know how hard breakups
can be.



Oh, yeah.
Well, what are you gonna do?

You know,
she got a better job in Chicago.

I'll be fine.

Come on, Reg,
leave him alone.

He'll bounce back.

Although,
what are the chances

of him finding a woman
like Liz ever again?

Yeah, given his age, attitude,
and lack of social skills.

Don't forget he's cheap,
really cheap.

Thank you, thank you both.

The healing
is finally beginning.

Good morning, troops.

Hey, Bones, I heard
the redhead dumped you.

So, what was the problem?
Money? Kids?

Your friends
weren't good enough?

Well, let's give her that one.

Now, look,
Short and Shiny,

if I tell you what happened,
will you--?

Will you promise to go away?
No can do.

If I promise you I'll go away,

then I gotta promise everybody.

All right, look,
this is gonna be difficult,

but it turns out Liz
is married.

What?
What are you talking about?

Yeah, yeah. I mean,

they've been split up
for a while,

but he came back
in the picture.

She was torn between us,

but I realized that they
belonged together,

so I made her
get on that plane

even though it was the hardest
thing I've ever had to do.

That's beautiful.

They should make
it into a movie.

It is a movie.
It's called Casablanca.

Oh, I see.

Bob opens his heart,
tries to show his concern,

and all you can do
is blow him off?

Pretty much. Yeah.

You know, Bob has a lot of pain
in his life

he doesn't like to talk about.

When I was a kid,
this friend of mine died.

I'm sorry--
And this other friend and I

had to carry him
around the beach

to make people think
he was still alive.

That didn't happen to you.

That's that stupid movie
Weekend at Bernie's.

How's it feel?

( upbeat blues theme swells )

( upbeat blues theme playing )

Uh, Linda, do me a favor,
will you?

Hold my next patient
for a few minutes.

I got a call
I wanna return.

I guess you're glad to be busy.

It takes your mind off
your breakup with Liz, huh?

Oh, you too, Linda?
Look, I'm-- I'm fine.

Come on, Dr. Becker,
I know you better than that.

No, you don't.

You're right, I don't.

But I know how I feel
when I break up with someone,

and even though you're
a world-weary middle-aged man

and I'm a young,
attractive woman,

we're not that different,

because I believe
that we share the same heart.

Not like Siamese twins
or anything,

but like one really big heart
that belongs to all of us,

so my pain is your pain
and your pain is my pain.

You know, keep it up, Linda,

and there's gonna be enough pain
for everyone in this room.

Do you believe him?

He's so closed off.

Linda, you should know by now

that Dr. Becker
is a very private man.

And the best thing
we can do is respect that

and leave him alone.

All right,
what's going on?

You haven't said a damn thing
all day about Liz.

I know you're upset.

Oh, I'm not upset.
Yes, you are.

No, I'm not.
Yes, you are.

No, I'm not.
Yes, you are!

I am now.

You know what
I'm talking about.

You always do this.

You keep all your feelings
bottled up inside

and then you take it out on me.

Well, either
cry on this shoulder now,

or knock off
the "I'm fine" crap.

You're right, you're right.
I am in denial.

You want the truth?

It's not because

I'm in love with Liz.

It's because I'm in love
with you, Margaret.

Oh, see, now you're just
creeping me out.

You wanna get rid of a woman?

Just tell her you care.

( upbeat blues theme playing )

I did?

You're kidding.

Thank you so much.

I got an A in my Psych class.

ALL:
Ooh.

If I keep this up,

I'll have my degree
in no time.

Congratulations.

And then you'll all be coming
to me for counseling.

( all mumbling )

Oh, I can't believe it.

A year ago I had no direction
in my life.

And now I know where I'm going.
This is so exciting.

Oh, I've gotta celebrate.

I wanna do something
totally different.

Bob is different.

Not that different.

I know, I'm gonna go into
the city and have some fun.

That sounds like fun.
Can I come with you?

Sure. You wanna come too?

We'll make it a girls'
night out.

Oh, thank you, Reggie,
but I can't.

Louis would be lost if I didn't
go home and make his dinner.

What are you, his mother?
No, I'm not his mother.

He just gets upset
when I'm not there.

He gets hungry,
he throws a tantrum...

Good Lord, I am his mother.
Let's go.

Hey, throw a burger on for me,
will you, Reg? I'm starved.

REGGIE:
Sorry, Becker,

I got an A
in my Psych class

so, uh, Linda, Margaret and I
are gonna go out and celebrate.

Margaret, wait a minute. Don't
you have to fix Louis dinner?

Oh, that's it.
I'm staying out all night.

Jake, close up for me,
will you?

You got it.

Jake, you wanna go have
something to eat?

No, sorry, I've got a date.
All right.

Hey, Bob's got no plans
for the evening. You wanna hang?

You hang.
I'll kick out the chair.

( upbeat blues theme playing )

It's Becker on Kaden Avenue.

Where's my food?

No, it's been 45 minutes.
That's more than enough time

to put in all that MSG
you guys say you don't use.

Hey, you know,
I don't speak Chinese,

but I know what that means.

( knock on door )

Finally.

Moron.

Hi. I live in the building.

I heard you're a doctor.
I cut my hand.

Do you think I need
to go to the emergency room?

Come on in.
Let me take a look at it.

Boy, you know something?
It's not that bad.

Come on over here, and, uh,
I'll clean it up for you

and put a bandage on it.

Thank you.

I haven't seen you
around the building.

What apartment are you in?

4-C.
Really?

Oh, so the--
The hooker moved out?

No.

Really?

You-- You don't look like a--
I clean up real well.

Let me take a look here.
How'd you do this?

Cutting a bagel.

You mean, like in "cutting
a bagel" cutting a bagel?

Yeah, like cutting a bagel.

Thought maybe that was
an expression you use for...

I'm Anita, by the way.
And you are?

John.

That'll be easy to remember.

( knock on door )

Yeah, hold on.

I'll be right back.

( knock on door )
I'm coming, I'm coming.

It's about time.

This is gonna hurt your tip,
you know.

You never tip.

What are you gonna do,
make me pay you?

Just shut up and give me
the food, will you?

Small order tonight.

Liz not coming over?

No, Liz and I aren't
seeing each other anymore.

Oh, and before you say anything,
I'm fine with that.

Okay, well, if you get lonely,
there's always Anita in 4-C.

Hey, Jimmy.

Oh, hi, Anita.

Boy, you're the master
of takeout.

( upbeat blues theme playing )

Look at that city.
This is so cool.

This is so high.

You didn't tell me
it was this high.

You know, sometimes they
build these buildings

so they sway in the wind.

If you close your eyes, you can
feel it moving back and forth,

back and forth.

Linda, did you like dinner?

Do you want to see it again?

I was born and raised
in New York,

and I've never been to the top
of the Empire State Building.

Really?
I was conceived up here.

Well, actually,
it was in the elevator.

Your parents
did it in the elevator?

Well, they weren't gonna
do it on the stairs.

They're not animals.

Margaret, you have
to come over here and look.

I don't have to do anything
but stay black and pay taxes.

Margaret, relax.

This building has been standing
for 70 years.

Nothing is gonna happen.

Okay.

Unless that wind picks up and
carries you right over the side.

You know what? I gotta go.

Thanks for a lovely night.

Congratulations, Reggie.

Get out of my way!

( sighs )

So this is what it's like
to look down on New York.

All those people rushing around,
living their lives.

Speaking of lives, is there
any chance we're gonna have one

and go to a club?

Do you have someplace to go,
Linda?

I've got, like,
eight places to go.

Then go.

Are you sure? 'Cause I don't
wanna run out on you.

Well, I do,
but I don't want you to feel

like I'm running out on you.

No, really, it's okay.

I mean, if you don't
want to stay,

I don't wanna be the one to...

stop you.

Hi.

Waiting for somebody?

No, I, well--
I was with some friends,

but they left, so I'm by myself.

Alone.

( sighs )

I got an A on my test.

( blues theme swells )

( upbeat blues theme playing )

So anyway, I figure
if I'm okay with what I do,

that's all that really matters.

I mean, every once in a while
I run across a guy

who's really smarmy and sleazy,
so I just tell him

I'm a salesgirl
at Bloomingdale's.

I wish I could do that
in my profession.

You know, you don't exactly seem
like much of a people person.

Why did you become a doctor?

( knock on door )

Well, I always loved science.

You know what they say:
find something you're good at

and get paid for it.

I know what you mean.

Hey, Jake,
what are you doing here?

Well, I felt bad about
you being alone,

so I thought we'd break
into a nice bottle of scotch.

You got stood up, didn't you?

All right,
I didn't wanna be alone.

Well, you can come in,
but I'm not alone.

Liz came back? That's great.
You guys worked things out.

I'm so--
No, no, it's not, it's not Liz.

This is Anita.

Hello.
Oh, hi.

Anita lives upstairs, 4-C.

4-C?

Oh, so that hooker moved out?

No.

Oh, ha.

Well, uh,
I don't wanna interrupt

the healing process.

See you.

No, Jake, Jake,
that's not what--

Sorry about that.

No problem.
So who's Liz?

Well, actually, uh,
we were seeing each other.

We just broke up.

Oh, that's too bad.
Was it serious?

Obviously not.
She moved to Chicago.

Are you okay with it?

Isn't your food getting cold?

In other words, "Shut up,
I don't want to talk about it."

Close enough.

My fault. I've always been
too curious about people.

Guess that's why I was
a Psych major in college.

You were a Psych major?

Yeah, but what're you gonna
do with a Psych degree?

So four years of college
and here I am.

Good news is I paid off
my loans real fast.

( upbeat blues theme playing )

( distant siren blaring )

All those lights down there.

Makes you wonder
if your light went out,

if anyone would know...

or even care.

Are you okay?

Yeah.

'Cause you remind me of a woman

who was up here
a few months ago.

Really? You remember everyone
who comes up here?

Well, not everybody,
but she was special.

Really?

Yeah, she's the reason
we've got the new bars here.

Oh, no, no, really, I'm okay.

You know,
sorry if I'm butting in,

but I tend to be curious
about people.

I have a degree in,
uh, Psychology.

You have a Psych degree?

Oh, ha, I know there's
not much you can do with it.

Looking back now,
it was a colossal waste of time.

Oh, hey, you don't look so good.

I can't seem to...

catch my breath.

Oh, my God,
I feel like I'm gonna faint.

Oh, here, let me help you.
We'll get you downstairs.

No. I don't wanna move.

I can't move.

Okay.

Ma'am, everything's
gonna be okay.

Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God...

Uh, is there anything
I can do?

Anyone I can call?

Listen, my old Psych professor
really knows his stuff.

He's a waiter
at the Carnegie Deli.

Oh, God, oh, God, oh, God...

You know,
I find this fascinating.

I-I haven't spent
much time with someone

in your line of work before.

Oh, so you're one of those guys
who's never paid for it?

( knock on door)
Oh, no, no,

believe me, I've paid for it.

I've, uh, been married twice.
I'm still paying for it.

Yeah--?
Hey, Doc.

I know you said
you wanted to be alone,

but I brought something
to drown your sorrows.

Tomato juice?

Yeah. You got vodka?

Whoa. You're with
someone new already?

You doctors can't keep

the stethoscope in the bag,
can you?

( stutters )
( phone rings )

Hi, I'm Bob.

And who are you?
Doctor Becker.

Anita. I'm a sales girl
at Bloomingdale's.

You're kidding me.

Where-where is she?

No, no, I'll be, uh--
I'll be right there.

Look, uh, sorry, I gotta go.

I'll be back as soon as I can.
Don't-don't steal anything.

I would never do that.

No, he was talking to me.

( upbeat blues theme swells )

Wait a minute, wait a minute.
You know, you called me.

I shouldn't have had to pay
7 bucks to get up here.

And once you're up here,

how do we know
you're not gonna look?

For crying out loud...

Hey, Reg.

Take it easy. All right,
take it easy. I'm here.

Take some deep breaths,
all right? Just relax.

What--? What happened?

I don't know.

Margaret, Linda and I
were having a lot of fun

and we came up here
'cause I was feeling so good

and I wanted to see
the whole city.

And Margaret couldn't take it,
that big baby.

So then Linda ran off and then
I was talking to him and I--

Suddenly I couldn't breathe.

Y-you know what?
I think you're just having a--

You're having a panic attack.
That's all.

That's what I thought.

There are ten symptoms.

Uh, shortness of breath,
sweaty palms...

I know. It was on my exam.
I got an A.

Let us just have a moment here,
will ya?

Well--

Something brought this on.
What do you think it was?

I told you, I don't know.

I was just looking out there

and suddenly I started thinking
about what a waste my life is,

and then this feeling
overwhelmed me.

Well, now, you had a pretty
good day, didn't you?

I mean, you got
an A on that exam.

Oh, so what?

Even if I get my degree,
what am I gonna do with it?

Work as a guard up here?

Hey, I'm lucky to have this job.

You know something?

I met a woman tonight
who has a degree in Psychology,

and she does very well
for herself.

Really?
Yeah.

Well, what does she do?

Uh, well,
she makes people feel better.

But it's gonna take me forever
to get my degree.

And even then,
you gotta go to grad school

for the Ph.D.
That's four plus years

right there.
Then you start

a practice,
you gotta build a--

Hey, don't you have
anything else you can do?

You know,
like stand over there?

Nothing ever happens over there.

Then stand over there.

Hey, come on, you can't
stay up here all night

hugging a telescope, Reg.

Why not?

I mean,
what's down there for me?

Oh, God, I don't even have a--

I don't even have a--

What? Future? Career?

Boyfriend?

I was gonna say Kleenex.

Oh.

I'm just gonna spend the rest
of my life working in the diner

until I get old and die.

Oh, come on.

Look, you got your whole
life ahead of you.

And how could you understand?

You're a doctor.
You're doing great.

Oh, yeah, yeah, great. Right.

Please.

I mean, I've been married twice,
both failures.

I couldn't even
keep Liz in my life, and--

A woman who I have everything
in common with.

I mean, what--?
What does that say about me?

I guess it means
you need to change.

Well, short of that.

So you really do miss Liz?

Yes, I miss Liz.
Of course I do.

There, I said it. You happy?

I mean, is that what everybody's
been waiting to hear all day?

Oh, no, Becker, it's not that.

It's just nice to know
you have real feelings.

A lot of good they're doing me.

I mean, you said it yourself,
you know, I'm not exactly, uh,

easy to take, you know.

Come on, you're not bad looking,
and you're smart,

and you're not that horrible

if you'd just shut up
once in a while.

Well, it's true.
I've always been a catch.

( giggles )

See? You know something?

You're good
at talking to people.

If you could just
get out of your own way,

I bet you'd, uh,
make a pretty good psychologist.

You're just saying that
to get me down from here.

Reg, I'm-- I'm really cold.

I'm not ready.
I feel better right here.

You know what?
Give me your hand.

Come on, you'll be all right.

Come on.

Here we go.

What? What?

Becker, I could really use...
A Kleenex. I know, I'm sorry.

I don't seem to have one here.

No, a hug.

Oh. Here?

There are people here, Reg.

Look, Becker, if my father
were alive, I'd hug him.

If I had a boyfriend,
I'd hug him.

But right now,
it's either you or that guard.

TOUR GUIDE:
And here's one of the most
romantic spots in the world.

The Empire State Building's
famed observation deck.

It's been immortalized in movies
like An Affair to Remember

and Sleepless in Seattle,

and has come to symbolize

the perfect rendezvous
for lovers.

Oh, look at them, Bernie.
That's wonderful.

Why can't you be like that?

Oh, jeez.

( blues theme swells )

( upbeat blues theme playing )