Ep 2. Take These Pills and Shove 'Em

Becker is a comedy television show that originally aired from 1998 to 2004. The show stars Ted Danson as Dr. John Becker, a cantankerous and cynical doctor who runs a small medical practice in the Bronx. The show follows Becker's interactions with his patients, his friends, and his co-workers as he navigates through life in his own unique and often sarcastic way.

Season 1 episode 2 of Becker is called Take These Pills and Shove 'Em. In this episode, Becker is frustrated after a new medical survey arrives in the mail that he feels is meaningless and a waste of his time. Meanwhile, Margaret (played by Hattie Winston), the nurse who works in Becker's office, is struggling to keep up with her workload and is becoming increasingly forgetful.

While dealing with these issues, a patient named Mr. Matthews (played by Michael Fairman) comes into the practice, complaining of a persistent cough. Becker prescribes him some medication, but Mr. Matthews is unhappy with the side effects and decides to stop taking the pills. This leads to an argument between Becker and Mr. Matthews, with Becker insisting that the pills are necessary for his health and Mr. Matthews unwilling to continue taking them.

Later in the episode, Margaret makes a mistake with one of Becker's patients, giving him the wrong medication. This mistake makes Becker even more frustrated, and he begins to question his own abilities as a doctor. At the same time, he also starts to realize just how important Margaret is to the functioning of his practice and how much he relies on her.

As the episode continues, Becker's frustration with the medical survey and his doubts about his own abilities as a doctor only grow. He decides to take matters into his own hands and goes to confront the makers of the survey in person. While there, he has an encounter with one of the respondents who tells him how much she appreciates his work as a doctor and how much he has helped her. This encounter helps to remind Becker of why he became a doctor in the first place and restores his confidence in himself and his work.

Meanwhile, Margaret's forgetfulness is becoming a bigger problem, and she begins to worry that she is developing dementia. She confides in Jake (played by Alex Désert), one of the other employees at the practice, who suggests that she might just be stressed out from her workload. This conversation leads Margaret to realize that she needs to take better care of herself and seek help when she needs it.

Take These Pills and Shove 'Em is a classic episode of Becker that showcases the show's unique blend of comedy and pathos. The episode tackles serious issues like dementia and the importance of taking medication while still managing to be funny and entertaining. It also emphasizes the importance of teamwork and reminds us that even the most competent and talented professionals need help and support from those around them.