The Loud Bassoon

Becker (CBS)
1998-2004

Becker reeks of failure from top to bottom, from its faltering, unfunny star (Ted Danson), to its second-rate plots and supporting characters, to its dingy, unappealing sets. Oh sweet Jesus, how did this show last beyond one season?

Danson is Becker, an embittered single doctor with colorful friends he hangs out with at a coffee shop. These friends include the sexy coffee shop owner, a hip black man who just happens to be blind (folks, let's be serious, not ALL blind people are hip, smart, and sociable – some are downright ugly and mean, nay, MOST are ugly and mean), and an irritating guy named Bob who refers to himself in the third person. And don't let's forget the ditzy office assistant and sassy black nurse. Pee-yew!

Why is Becker bitter? Who knows.

The exciting season premiere had Danson giving some woman a Heimlich. When she's overly grateful, he becomes convinced she's stalking her. Lo and behold, after yelling at her in a crowded restaurant, it turns out that … she's a nun! Now that's Italian!

Becker is a useless and irritating, program about useless, irritating people. Why he hasn't molested either the ditzy office assistant or the coffee shop girl is beyond me. Wait, now I'm getting bitter!

I do believe Danson is a talented actor who simply can't find his place after Cheers. What he should do, if I were his manager, would be to stick to character roles in feature films and walk-ons in high-rated sitcoms (i.e. Frasier). Of course, if I actually were his manager I'd be making a percent of his income right now, so I probably would tell him to stick with Becker. But I'm not his manager anymore … probably shouldn't have told him to do that blackface thing.

1 lil' puppies2 lil' puppies

Loud Bassoon rating scale

Review by Crimedog © 1999


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z radio