Becker (1998–2004): Season 3, Episode 21 - The TorMentor - full transcript

Morning, everybody.
How's it going?

Hey.
Morning.

Well, look who's finally
in a good mood.

Yeah, I'm in a pretty good mood.
Guess who's coming to town.

Santa Claus?

Don't be such an idiot, Linda.

Where's...
Where's my coffee?

Welcome back.
We missed you.

Who is it?
Who's coming to town?

Oh, Emmett Fowler, my favorite
professor at Harvard.

He's coming to New York
for a book signing.



Ooh, please, tell me everything.

By that I mean,
who gives a crap?

No, you don't get it.

See, Professor Fowler
was my mentor.

You can say he's the one
who made me who I am today.

All right. We finally got
someone to blame.

He was a philosophy professor,

but his lectures
went way beyond that.

They incorporated, you know,

economics, physics,
ethics, logic, art.

I mean, uh, he was amazing.

I mean, everybody at Harvard
used to stand in line for days

to get into one of his classes.

Huh, who said Harvard students
don't know how to party?



He, uh...
He took special interest

in one particular student
and made him his prot?g?.

I'll give you one guess
who that young man was.

Who?

Oh, for God's sake,
Linda, it was me.

Well, when you said young,
it threw me off.

One day I'll tell you
about the time

Professor Fowler had,
uh, car trouble.

Ha-ha! We ended up
pushing his little Fiat

all the way across
Harvard Square to my place,

opened up a bottle
of Irish whiskey,

and spent
the whole night talking.

Someday, if you're lucky,
I'll tell you that story.

Again?

That's great, John.
It should be really fun for you.

Yeah, yeah, I know.
I'm gonna go down

to Tenth Street Books tonight
and surprise him.

Oh, can I go with you?

I need textbooks
for my psych class,

and they sell used ones there.

It's great. All the
underlining is already done.

How do you know if they
highlighted the right stuff?

Yeah, it was horny freshman
trying to look busy

to impress the large-breasted
chick next to him.

Why do I waste my time
with you people?

I'm talking about
one of the greatest

modern-day thinkers at Harvard,

and you guys are rambling on
like a bunch of imbeciles.

You know, I swear,
back at Harvard...

Oh, my goodness.
You've said Harvard

like ten times
since you walked in here.

Yeah, I think they should
teach a class at Harvard

on shutting up about Harvard.

Reg, you're in
for such a treat.

Wait till
you meet Professor Fowler.

You're gonna tell your kids
that you actually...

Oh, that's so sweet.
You think I'm gonna have kids.

Kids, cats, whatever.

To whom shall I make it out?

Oh, just make it to your
old friend, John Becker.

Very well.
"To my old friend..."

No, Professor Fowler,
it's me, John.

Got it.

Thank you very much for coming.

Next.
Professor Fowler, I...

John Becker, class of '72.
I was your favorite student.

Remember the time
we pushed your Fiat

all the way across campus?

Oh, yeah. Yes, of course.

So you do remember me.

No, I remember that car.

Remember how I was always
talking about becoming a doctor?

Well, I'm a doctor now.

Good for you. Well done.

Next.

Could you move it along,
please?

Just give me a second here.
I surprised the man.

But we go way back.
Look, you do know me.

Uh, we have a history together.
We shared theories.

Oh, please.

Uh, would the next person
step forward?

No, no. You know, I'm sorry,
you're not finished with me.

Oh, I'm sorry. My friend's
just a little upset.

We came all the way down
from the Bronx.

Did you say the Bronx?
Oh, I grew up in the Bronx.

Uh, I live in the Bronx.

He doesn't care.
You know something?

Oh, I see you're
studying psychology.

Yes, yes, I am.
Ah.

The science of the mind.

What could be more fascinating?

Oh, yeah, real fascinating.

Come on, Reg,
let's go. Come on.

And you bought
used textbooks. Very smart.

The underlining
is already done.

How you feeling now?

He didn't remember you,
and he snaked your date.

Hey, Becker.

You all remember John Becker?

And if you don't,
just say you do.

Very amusing.
Coffee to go, please.

So your professor
really didn't remember you?

How could he not remember you?

You went to Harvard.

He remembered me. He just
didn't remember me last night.

I mean, after all, the place
was incredibly crowded.

Crowded?
There were like five people

and a cutout of Kurt Vonnegut.

Yeah, and all I remember

is you fawning all over
Professor Fowler.

As a matter of fact,
we had a very nice chat.

After everyone left,

he invited me
to have a cup of coffee,

and we talked for hours.

What could you two
possibly have in common?

You know,
he once had a hamburger?

We had a lot to talk about.
Psychology, music.

He and his wife
both grew up in the Bronx.

He's gonna come by
the neighborhood later,

and I invited him to come over
and have lunch.

Have all the lunches you want.
You're still never gonna have

the relationship
that he and I had.

Hey, who the hell
is John Beeker?

That's Becker.
Some of his C's look like E's.

He didn't even know your name?
Ha-ha-ha!

Give me that.

"Ethics in an Unethical World."

You really gonna read this?

Yes, Bob, I am.
But I understand your confusion.

To me, it's a book.
To you, it's a booster seat.

Hey, don't turn this on me.

You're the one
he didn't remember.

He's got you there, Beeker.

Margaret, I just saw the
mailman. Did he leave the mail?

Yes, in a strange
turn of events,

the mailman left the mail.

Well, where is it now?

Dr. Becker took it
to his office.

Why?
Were you expecting something?

No.
Just making conversation.

Hello, Julie.

I'm so screwed.

I thought I could
get here early enough

to get the mail
before Dr. Becker,

but I overslept
and missed my train.

Oh, my God, he's gonna kill me

when he sees
that long-distance phone bill.

Why do you sound so tired?

Oh, sorry, I always forget

about the time difference
between here and Hawaii.

Oh, my God, I called Hawaii.

Again!

Margaret, I need to see you
in my office, now.

What?
Oh!

Oh, Julie, glad you're up.

Look, he just called her into
his office and closed the door.

This can't be good.

Look, I'll call you later.

No, what am I saying?
I can't do that. You call me.

Well, then call me collect.

How could Professor Fowler
not remember me?

It's been 30 years.
He's had a lot of students.

But we're talking about me,
Margaret.

How could he not remember me?

Although, he is getting older.

Maybe his memory's
starting to go.

Gore Vidal says
he has one of the greatest minds

of the 21st century.

Why do you always take
Gore Vidal's word over mine?

What?

Oh, of course.
How could I have missed that?

He's still teaching.

He's teaching me a lesson
right now.

Am I missing something here?

He's faking not remembering me.

He once faked a heart attack
in class

just to prove a point about
how people respond to crisis.

So, what point
is he trying to prove now?

I don't know.
I haven't gotten that far yet.

Wait, wait, wait.

Let me get this straight.
Yeah.

You're saying that the man
waited 30 years, wrote a book,

then came all the way
to New York for a book signing

where he pretended
not to remember you,

all as part
of some elaborate plan

just to make a point
to John "Beeker"?

Go away, just go away.

I wonder where I'd be today
if I had had a mentor.

I mean, when I look in
the mirror, what do I see?

A shrimpy guy with greasy hair
and a pointy face?

Hey, I thought you were blind.

You got a shrimpy,
greasy, pointy voice.

Anyway, what I was saying is,
my life stinks.

I've got no skills,
no goals, no future.

Stop complaining about it
and do something.

Why don't you
just go back to school,

get a degree,
and make something of yourself.

Make something of myself.

Hm, I never thought of that.

Hey, Reg.

Professor Fowler showed up
for lunch yet?

No, not yet.
He should be here any minute.

What are you so smug about?

Oh, I'm just eager to talk
to him, that's all.

He doesn't know you, Becker.

I can't
believe you fell for that.

Oh, Professor Fowler, welcome
back to the old neighborhood.

Bet things have really changed.
Oh, I'll say.

In fact,
the building I grew up in,

at 188th and Montgomery Street,
used to be so nice.

Now it's just an eyesore
covered in graffiti.

That's where I live.

And they said they painted it.

Well, professor, have a seat,

and I'll make you
some fresh coffee.

I know what you're doing.

I'm having
a cup of coffee in a diner.

Not exactly
the riddle of the Sphinx.

Come on, you can drop this act
about coming here to see Reggie.

Professor,
I know what you're doing.

Yes, but do you know
what you're doing?

Come on. It's so obvious.

You're trying to teach me
a lesson, just like that time

you faked a heart attack
in class just to prove a point.

I wasn't proving a point.
I was dying.

Okay, okay, but I know there's
a lesson in here someplace.

The only lesson here is that
you should take your medication.

You know,
I may be a lot of things,

but I am not forgettable.

Look,
I understand how you feel,

but I've had thousands
of students over the years.

I can't remember all of you.

No, but I was special.
You said so.

It was Harvard.
Everyone was special.

Oh, you know, give me a break.

Harvard is nothing more
than a breeding ground

for pissant little morons
who went to Harvard

just so they could say
they went to Harvard.

There, I said it. You happy?

I'll be right with you.
Please hold.

Good morning, Margaret.
Morning, Linda.

I think you'll find
that the coffee is made,

the storeroom is clean,
the patients are logged in,

and the files are in order.

Did you hire a temp?

No, I did it all myself,

because I wanna show you
and Dr. Becker

what a valuable employee I am,
despite any mistakes

that I may
or may not have made,

to my knowledge as it were.

Good morning, Dr. Becker.

I think you'll find
that the coffee's made,

the storeroom's clean...

Yeah, not now, Linda.
I'm not in the mood.

Margaret, I wanna see you
in my office right now.

He's really upset, isn't he?

Let's just say he's a little
disappointed in someone.

Julie, you still there?

They definitely know
about the phone bill.

They're in there right now
deciding what to do to me.

I've been trying to get
on their good side,

but it's not working.
What am I gonna do?

What do you mean
you don't know?

I've been on the phone with you
for over an hour.

You've been no help at all.

Mr. Hart? He's 104.
He remembers me.

And Mr. King fell off
his bicycle last week,

suffered acute head trauma,
he remembers me.

Mrs. Lee has Alzheimer's.

Who's the first person
she asks for every morning?

Me, because I am somebody,
Margaret.

I do exist.

Of course you exist.

Yeah, well, not to Fowler,
I don't.

John, are you sure
this isn't about your ego?

Oh, it has nothing to do
with my ego. It's his ego.

He's obviously so full of
himself, he can't remember me.

Hi. Is there anything
I can do for you?

Anything you need?
Anything at all?

Linda, we are having
a private conversation.

Yeah, why don't you pick up the
call that's blinking on Line 1?

Julie!

Well, Bob, there are
a lot of things

you could do to
better your life, uh...

You could become
a traveling salesman,

or a scout for a baseball team,

or work at an embassy
in a foreign country.

Everything you're talking about
involves me leaving town.

Well, if you can
improve your life,

no reason I can't improve mine.

Hold on.

I got a perfectly good
smart guy right over there.

Why am I wasting
my time with a guy

who graduated Phi Beta Kit Kat?

Hey, brainiac,
you got a minute?

Can I help you?

I'm at a crossroads.

That's where
two roads intersect...

Yes, I'm aware
of what a crossroad is.

Anyway,
I'm trying to better myself.

You know, trying to improve my
life. Can you help me out?

Well, I've been sitting here
for about 20 minutes

and I must say,
you've made quite an impression.

Heh. I get that a lot.
Hm.

As far as I can see,

you've reached the apex
of your capabilities.

I cannot imagine
that you could exceed

the level of achievement
you've already attained.

Out-freaking-standing.

You changed my life, man.
Thanks.

Hey, Jake, did you hear that?

I don't have to
set my goals any higher

because my life is perfect.

Your life sucks.

Now, now, don't be jealous.

Maybe someday you'll achieve
the apex of your capabilities.

Now if you'll excuse me,
I'm gonna go home,

burp, and take a nap.

Bob.
Beeker.

Oh, good, you're back.

Yeah, we have
some unfinished business.

Oh, God.

Becker, leave the man alone.

Hey, back off,
will you, teacher's pet.

That's my senior thesis.

Yeah, why don't you read
what you wrote?

"Excellent, insightful, superb."

I don't think so.

This statement is false,
this is a run-on sentence,

and this theory was disproved
in the 1800s.

I would've never
given this an A.

Whoa, whoa, whoa,
you can't change that.

Once you give an A, it's always
an A. That's the law.

You ought to know.
You're a lawyer.

I'm a doctor!

I can't believe
you don't remember me.

I'll tell you one thing.

You're becoming
impossible to forget.

Reggie, I should be going.

Here's the book
I was telling you about.

I think you'll find it
fascinating,

and the underlining
is already done.

Oh, thank you.

You're very welcome.

Nice, Becker. Very mature.

What a slut.

Hey, don't talk about
Reggie that way.

I'm talking about Fowler.

All you have to do
is say hello,

and he spreads
his mind wide open

like a cheerleader under
the bleachers at homecoming.

Look, I can understand
why you're upset.

He's an amazing teacher.

He completely changed
the way I look at my life.

I mean, I used to think
that getting my psych degree

meant setting up
a small, dead-end practice

in some crappy neighborhood,
taking patients off the street.

Well, I don't have to tell you.

What I mean is,

Emmett's opened my eyes

to a whole new world
of possibilities.

In fact...
Emmett?

You call him Emmett?

I-I never got to do that.

Don't...
Don't you understand?

By using somebody's first name,

it implies a certain degree
of familiarity and friendship.

I know,

Becker.

Julie,
the tension's killing me.

I know they're gonna call me in
there any minute and fire me.

Yes, I'm sure.

I've already started
cleaning out my desk.

Well, I don't
actually have a desk,

but I've been taking stuff.

Just answer the question,
will you, Margaret?

Does the government
have an obligation

to take care of people
in other countries

even though there's so much
suffering here at home?

That's very complicated.

I don't think
I can answer that right...

In less than 30 pages?
No, you wouldn't think so.

But I did, and I got an A.

And there's nothing
Fowler can do

to take it away from me either.

Dr. Becker,
I can't go on like this.

What are you talking about?

I can't take it anymore.

The secrecy, the whispering,
the closed-door meetings.

I know what's going on,

so if you're gonna fire me,
then just fire me.

Linda, this doesn't have
anything to do with you.

You mean, you weren't planning
to fire me?

Well, we always daydream,
but no.

So you haven't seen
the phone bill?

No.

Okay, I think I overshot the
runway a little bit. See you.

Hey, hey, hey.
Linda. Linda.

Okay.

I made a ton
of long-distance phone calls.

And by a ton, I mean a lot.

But I want you both to know
that I'm really, really sorry.

Look, you know, I'm involved

with something
much more important.

Whatever it is, we'll just
take it out of your salary.

That's it?
You mean, you're not mad?

Look, you're gonna pay it back,
so just drop it.

I will not drop it!

Do you know
how worried I've been?

Do you know
what I've been going through?

And then to find out
that you don't even care.

The least you could do
is yell at me.

I mean, how many phone calls
do I have to make?

How many stamps
do I have to steal?

How many times do I have
to break the x-ray machine

to feel like what I do matters?

You broke the x-ray machine?

All's I'm saying
is I wanna be important.

Can you imagine being
that self-centered?

Oh, look, it's lady
and the tramp. Oh.

Hey, Becker.

Sorry to bother you. I'll just
have some coffee to go.

Then I'll go.

Look, ahem.

I'm sorry I didn't remember you.

The loss is mine.

You seem to be
an exceptional person.

Nothing makes
a teacher more proud

than to know
that he made a difference.

You're obviously
a fine physician,

and if I had anything
to do with that, I'm honored.

Well, good for you.

Is your life
any less worthwhile

because I didn't remember you?

No.

And is your career
at all diminished by it?

No.

Do you love what you do
any less?

You stay out of this.

My job was to open
the door to learning.

You're the one who walked
through it. Don't forget that.

You're always teaching,
aren't you?

Thank you, Professor Fowler.

Bye.

Wait, wait, wait,
just a minute.

That night when my Fiat
broke down, it was snowing.

That was you that helped me?
Yes!

Oh, yes, yes, that was me.

And then...
And then we went home

and we talked all night.
Remember?

Yes. And as I recall,

there was a very fine bottle
of Irish whiskey.

Yeah! Oh, God,
I knew you'd remember.

I just knew it.
Oh.

I wish I didn't have to leave
town so soon.

But, believe me,

it's been great
seeing you again.

Ha-ha, come on. Ha-ha.
Oh. Oh, wow.

Oh.

Huh, well, don't be a stranger,
Professor Fowler.

Emmett, please.

Emmett.

In your face.

Thanks for that, Emmett.
It was perfect.

Ha. You even remembered the part
about the Irish whiskey.

Yeah, well, thanks
for filling me in on that story.

I'll tell you one thing.

I'll never forget
the name John Beeker again.

It's Becker.

Whatever.