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(Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited to remove this message.) Previously on Becker.

Have you quit smoking?

Changed your diet?

Started exercising?

Reduced your stress?

You know what?

I'll make you a deal.

Next time you go to the gym, take

me with you.

You can show me what to do.

I was at the gym.

For three hours?

Vinny DeLuca had a heart attack.

Hey, want to look at my ass?

No, no, I'm his doctor.

You know, when a patient gets injured, a

doctor can't help but question himself.

What I'm trying to say is, I'm just

wondering if I failed you in some way.

Don't blame yourself.

I should have taken your advice and started

taking care of myself years ago.

I'm just lucky you were there when this

happened.

I owe you my life.

Vinny DeLuca is suing me for malpractice.

What the hell's that about?

I mean, I saved a man's life.

He's suing me?

So what

the hell's this?

An awkward moment.

You ever hear of knocking?

Believe me, I wish I had.

Hey, Dr. Becker.

Don't hank Dr. Becker me.

How could you sue me for malpractice?

It's just something my lawyer said the two

insurance companies would find out.

It's nothing personal.

Nothing personal?

You're suing me?

I just spoke to you yesterday.

I mean, what kind of two-bit ambulance

chaser get their hooks into you so fast?

Melvyn Goeller, attorney at law.

You?

I'd get up, but I don't know what

they did with my pants.

You gotta be kidding me.

No, it's true.

They took mine, too.

What do they do with those?

I don't care about your damn pants, Vinny.

Calm down, you butcher.

It's lucky for my client I was here

after you gave him a heart attack.

I did not give Vinny a heart attack.

Fine.

The day you recklessly advised my client to

engage in exercise which led to a heart

attack.

Anyway, we're suing for a million.

Have your lawyer call me.

I don't have a lawyer.

Make it two million.

Is this guy serious?

He told me I'd be crazy not to

pursue this.

Yeah, well, I told you you'd be crazy

not to diet and exercise.

You never listened to me, did you?

For God's sake, man, I saved your life.

After you endangered it, you butcher.

Hey, would you stop calling me a butcher?

Oh, by the way, off the record, nice

flowers.

What?

On the record, it's interesting you felt guilty

enough to send them.

Oh, wait, wait a second.

The flowers were not my idea.

They were my nurse's.

Didn't even care enough to send flowers.

Well, thank you for stopping by.

All I need to do is add the

word butcher.

I'll have my opening statement.

You know, you go ahead and sue me,

Vinny, but you're not going to win because

I'm right and I got the truth on

my side.

Oh, the truth.

Make it three million.

I mean, how could that bastard sue me?

I tell you, it shakes your faith in

humanity.

You hate humanity.

No, I dislike humanity.

I hate stuffed peppers.

That's an omelet.

So are you going to fight this?

Absolutely.

There's no way I'm settling.

I'm right, dammit.

No, being right has nothing to do with

it, Becker.

People sue over the most ludicrous things and

still win.

They trip over a sidewalk and they sue

the city.

It rains on their vacation and they sue

the travel agent.

You could sue someone if you fell down

in their apartment.

Yeah, but make sure they have insurance first.

I pushed my mother down my cousin's front

step for nothing.

What?

She was already in a wheelchair.

So did you get a lawyer yet?

No, no, the insurance company is sending one

over tomorrow.

Oh, your favorite kind of lawyer, free.

I tell you something, they are messing with

the wrong guy.

You know, they're just trying to screw me

out of a quick buck and I will

die before I let that happen.

Oh, John, you're really angry.

This is a side of you we've seen

before.

I tell you, so they don't know, they

don't know who they're dealing with.

You know, I'm not your average moron.

John, I know what I said.

Your average moron wouldn't have known that.

Wouldn't have known what?

Not a word.

My husband made it for me.

Really?

Yes.

Now that he's unemployed, Lewis has some time

on his hands.

Some men drink, some men knit.

Apparently, my husband drinks and then he knits.

What exactly is it?

He calls it a swest.

Not quite a sweater, but more than a

vest.

He made it on a machine he bought

on TV called a knitwit.

The worst part is he said he might

drop by and I have to continue to

wear this hideous thing all day.

Well, I think it's nice.

Oh, please.

I look like a llama.

Margaret, llamas are beautiful animals, and I think

your swest looks great.

It really brings out your eyes.

And it goes nicely with your pen.

I'm serious.

And it's, oh, knitwit.

I get it.

Anyways, it's obvious that Lewis put a lot

of love and colors into it.

Besides, at a time like this, making that

probably gave him a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.

I don't know.

Maybe you're right.

Of course I am.

Linda, what's going on?

A bunch of patients up, but that's not

important.

Oh, and some lawyers in your office, but

that's not important either.

Wait till you see Margaret.

She's wearing the hideous thing ever.

The dress with the flowers?

Worse.

Pantsuit with the circles?

Worse.

It looks like someone ate a box of

crayons and threw up a sweater.

Whatever you do, don't laugh.

Linda, Margaret and I have worked together side

by side as trusted associates for years.

Believe me, I know how to keep a

straight face.

Hello.

Hi, Dr. Tucker.

I'm Ruth Saunders from First Medical Insurance.

Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you.

Look, I just want you to know I

am ready for this lawsuit.

I mean, three million dollars.

That's insane.

I agree.

Most of the time, these matters resolve very

quickly.

Well, I don't care if this trial drags

on for years.

Well, if we're lucky, it'll be over by

Friday.

If we make them a reasonable offer, I'm

sure they'll settle.

Settle?

Look, there is no way I am settling.

I'd be admitting that I was wrong.

Oh, please, no one admits they're wrong.

We signed some papers, exchanged the money and

we're all in the bar having drinks by

six.

No, no, no, no.

I am fighting this.

Look, I am right and I've got the

truth on my side.

I just assumed.

I mean, most people want to settle.

Yeah, well, I'm not most people.

Okay, well, fine.

If you want to fight, we'll fight.

I must say I'm impressed by your integrity.

I get that a lot.

This changes things.

I'm going to need more information from you.

Oh, well, I can't do it right now.

I got patients all day.

How about after work?

Yeah, all right.

Six o'clock.

Okay.

Yeah, that's fine here.

No, no, look, there's a great diner a

couple blocks over.

Go past that and it's a place called

Reggie's.

Can you believe that guy is suing Becker?

He's lucky he didn't die in that treadmill.

Can you imagine if he had?

I mean, how bad would that be?

Lying face down on a dirty, sweaty piece

of rubber while it sands your nose off.

You know, I think the worst way to

die would be drowning in the ocean.

I mean, you'd be wet, freezing and gasping

for air.

And it'd be really salty.

Salt is so bloating.

Yeah, it takes away from the lustrous good

health of drowning.

You know, drowning's not the worst way to

go.

Drowning's euphoric.

Everyone says so.

Yeah, I believe that's what it said on

the tickets for the Titanic.

I don't know.

Maybe.

Okay, okay, look, here's the worst way to

die.

I'm falling off a cliff, right?

Oh, I like it so far.

And I bash my head on the rocks

and I fall into the water.

Next thing you know, a shark is tearing

me apart.

Then I'm inside the shark, but I'm still

not dead.

I'm slowly being digested for the rest of

eternity.

Where do you even come up with a

sick story like that?

I didn't.

My ex-wife used to whisper it in

my ear every night and I dreamt it

up to sleep.

Reggie, just some coffee, please.

Whoa, Becker, who is this?

Yeah, Bob, she's my lawyer.

We got a lot to do, so just

leave us alone.

Oh, lawyer?

She can debrief me anything.

You hear what I said there, Jake?

Get it?

Debrief.

Why couldn't I be deaf?

I have a feeling you're a lot easier

to look at than to listen to.

Dump that on it.

Hi.

Hello.

I'm Bob.

Hey, but leave us alone, will you?

Hey, Becker, I'm working here.

So, how about we go back to my

place and I'll massage you with exotic oils?

What are you going to do, rub your

hair on her?

I'll check back with you.

I'm sorry about him.

Well, you spray, you put down traps, but

then you turn on the lights and there

he is, staring up at you.

Okay, your notes indicate that you've been trying

to get Mr. DeLuca to exercise for years.

That's right.

That's why I took him to the gym.

You do that with all your patients?

No, just Vinny, but, you know, he's in

such bad shape.

I mean, the guy was like a walking

time bomb.

So you took a walking time bomb to

the gym?

No, that's not what I meant was that,

you know, that he could have had that

heart attack at any time.

Any time someone made him do something strenuous.

That's right.

No, that's wrong.

He was lucky that I was there.

So you went to see Vinny in the

hospital.

Why?

Because he was my patient, you know, I

felt bad for him.

Oh, I see.

So you felt responsible.

No, no, absolutely not.

I was anything but responsible.

So you were irresponsible.

That's not what I said.

You know, I did not do anything wrong.

Of course not.

You were showing concern, which is only human.

That's right.

And humans make mistakes.

Exactly.

Like the mistake you made when you took

Mr. DeLuca to the gym, which led to

his heart attack.

I thought I thought you're on my side.

What are you doing?

It's giving you a taste of what an

attorney like Melvin Goler will do to you.

The hemorrhoid guy at the hospital?

Don't underestimate him.

Look, Dr. Becker, I know you want to

fight, but you could lose and your insurance

rates will skyrocket.

That's assuming you can get insurance in the

first place.

And that's assuming that your patients would want

to go to a doctor who's been convicted

of malpractice.

Don't you get it?

You could lose everything.

Be smart.

Settle this case.

I can't.

Linda.

Remember yesterday?

Yes.

Let me finish.

Remember yesterday when I was wearing my sweat?

Oh, yeah, I remember that.

It was really pretty.

Well, not everyone who saw it thought so.

As a matter of fact, I heard a

lot of laughter from Dr. Becker, patients, people

on the street, passing motorists.

Really?

Yes.

In this great multicultural city.

That was the one thing that brought everyone

together.

It occurred to me that you might be

having a little fun at my expense.

Were you?

No, Margaret, I wouldn't do that.

I really liked it.

Thank you, Linda.

Oh, I almost forgot.

I brought you a present.

Oh, Margaret, you didn't have to.

Oh, crap.

I told Lewis how much you said you

liked my sweat and he was so touched

that he stayed up all night drinking and

knitting.

It's just like mine, only more colorful.

Margaret, I can't accept this.

Oh, but you have to, Linda.

Lewis worked so hard on it.

But the sweat is something personal between you

and your husband.

It wouldn't be right for me.

Linda, I insist.

Try it on.

But it's so...

Yes?

Lovely.

Well, you know, your lungs sound a lot

better, Mrs. Jordan, but I think I want

to keep you on that by accident a

few more days.

Okay.

Dr. Becker, may I ask you a personal

question?

Oh, Mrs. Jordan, how many times can I

tell you?

I don't want to go out with your

niece again.

Oh, don't worry.

In fact, you were right about her.

Turns out she is a lesbian.

I'm not saying it's your fault, but, well,

you didn't exactly help.

Well, what is it?

I just wanted to know what's happening.

It's all over the neighborhood how Mr. DeLuca

almost died.

Well, he did not almost die.

Even if he did, he's fine now.

Oh, good.

So why is he suing you?

Because he's an idiot.

Yeah, it's a completely frivolous lawsuit.

Believe me, I'm going to win.

But what if you lose?

I'm not going to lose.

But what if you do?

Will you have to close your practice?

I can't go to another doctor.

In my whole life, I've only taken my

clothes off in front of two men, you

and my husband.

Now there's only you.

Your husband's not dead.

Like I said, now there's only you.

Look, Mrs. Jordan, don't worry.

I'm going to be here.

John, the schedule's getting backed up.

Mr. Vernon's in, too.

He needs you to take his stitches out.

Oh, and Mrs. Berry called.

She said that Kevin has not forgotten that

you promised him ice cream when he got

his tonsils out.

All right, I'll do that on my way

home.

Oh, and Mr. Rodriguez called.

He wants to stop by and talk to

you, but he said he probably can't get

here till after 6.30. That's all right.

Tell him I'll stay.

I'll be here.

Hey, hey, hey, back, back, back.

Come on, back, come on.

Let's go.

Margaret, do me a favor.

Will you see if you can get my

lawyer on the phone?

No, no, no.

You think that's a bad way to die?

Now, how about this?

You're in the woods.

Your pants are made of meat.

Then come the wolves.

I'll tell you the worst way to die,

listening to the two of you talk about

the worst way to die.

Okay, I got one.

You jump from a plane, your parachute doesn't

open, and you land three feet from a

trampoline.

Reg, coffee, please.

Hey, did you talk to your lawyer yet?

When are you going to court?

Oh, they're working that out, you know.

Bet you can hardly wait, huh?

Gonna go down there and kick some butt,

right?

Well, actually, I've decided to, excuse me, to

settle.

How about that coffee, Reg?

What did you say?

I said coffee, Reg.

No, no, no.

Before that.

Yeah, I heard him, too.

He said he was settling.

Becker, you said you were gonna go down

there.

I know what I said.

You know, things change.

You said settling was...

Look, you know, settling does not mean that

I was wrong.

It just means that both parties are willing

to drop the case.

You know, hell, 80% of these lawsuits

are just unfounded.

They're after money, that's all.

80%?

That seems really high.

It might be.

I just made it up.

This surprises me.

You know, I don't need you busting my

ass, too.

You know, I've got employees, I've got patients,

I've got a neighborhood full of people who,

believe it or not, depend on me.

You know, you gotta think about the big

picture here, so just get off my back.

I was going to say, I think you

did the right thing.

It's the first time since I've known you

that you haven't let your ego get in

the way.

Thanks.

I think.

Oh, hell, forget about the coffee.

I'm just gonna go back to the office.

That's it?

You're going back to work?

Well, what am I supposed to do?

Oh, can't you enjoy anything?

For God's sake, celebrate.

You just avoided a $3 million lawsuit.

I know.

You can take me to lunch.

Why would I want to do that?

Oh, come on, Becker.

There's gotta be some perk in knowing you.

All right, what the hell?

Yeah, I'll take you to lunch.

Just get your coat before I change my

mind.

Wait a minute.

Does this mean the lady lawyer goes away?

You've ruined Bob's life.

See, I told you settling was the right

thing to do.

This is nice.

Yeah, nice.

What's your problem?

You told me you were going to take

me to lunch at Tavern on the Green.

It's right over there.

We're at Tavern on the Green.

Nobody said anything about going inside.

Thank you.

Becker, you are such a cheap bastard.

It's good for me to get out like

this, get some fresh air, get that whole

lawsuit behind me.

You know, I gotta be honest with you.

I never thought you'd settle.

I thought you would fight it to the

death.

To what end?

You know, who needs the stress, the pressure?

No, I'm not.

You missed me.

Did not.

Did too.

Did not.

I got you.

Well, okay, if you say so.

No, no, don't.

Don't take that.

He totally missed you.

You know he didn't get you.

Why would you say he did?

Now fight back.

Oh, here we go.

No, no, no.

This is just wrong.

You don't say you're guilty if you're not

guilty.

That just sucks.

Don't you see that's what's wrong with our

whole society.

Nobody stands up for what they believe in.

You're not it.

He missed you.

He's wrong.

You're right.

And that's all there is to it.

Game, mister.

It's only a game.

A game?

This is not a game.

This is life.

Look, I don't care how much you sue

me for.

I'm not going to settle.

You may not care about the truth, but

I do.

There's no way I'm saying I'm guilty when

I'm not.

I'll see you two in court.