When a self-serving reporter witnesses a heated argument between Becker and a man at the diner, he determines that Becker's comments are "politically incorrect" and uses his column to create a local controversy. Becker tries to ignore the reporter's comments, but when the hack then belittles Becker on a local radio show, the short-fused doctor heads to the station for a one-on-one confrontation.

Dr. Becker sails off on a gay cruise because of Linda; Jake's girlfriend is letting her looks go due to his blindness.

Becker meets an older woman on the subway who's on her way to Ground Zero; Chris entertains the doctor's out-of-town friends with whom he is supposed to have dinner; Linda accidentally deletes some important insurance files.

Parents are enraged when they learn that John's talk on nutrition to a class of 8-year-olds turns into a discussion about sex; two cops use the diner for a stakeout.

John fumes when he can't get out of jury duty and then can't get picked to actually serve on a jury; Jake gets a dog.

As the series' third season comes to a close, John Becker is being taken to court by a patient who claims the doctor almost killed him. The patient, Vinny, is suing John for allegedly causing him to have a heart attack by taking him to a gym for a workout. John maintains that Vinny would have had the heart attack anyway and that going to the gym had nothing to do with it. Defending John from his insurance company is a pretty attorney, and, of course, John finds fault with her, too. She refuses to let the hot-tempered doctor take the stand, fearing that he won't be able to keep a lid on his anger.

The fourth season concludes with a romantic cliffhanger as Reggie and a new neighbor (guest star Nancy Travis) each vie for John's affection. Also, Linda takes Margaret out for a night on the town, which Margaret lives to regret.

Margaret looks back 10 years to her first meeting with John, when she persuaded him to hire her and keep his practice open instead of closing shop and returning to Boston. Meanwhile, Bob hides at the diner from an angry tenant who wants him to fix a clogged drain; and Chris finds Jake's old keyboard.

A prime parking space, an unexpected tax refund and a flawless trip to the post office are just a few of the lucky breaks bestowed upon Becker. Unable to accept the idea that he might just be having a good day, he remains wary of each new stroke of luck and convinces himself that payback is on its way.

While going to rescue the just-robbed Jake, Becker finds himself caught in the crossfire between two motorists who are arguing over a parking space. A struggle between the two ensues and one of them pulls out a gun. But it's Becker who takes a bullet to the shoulder. Despite his weakened state, he still manages to annoy everyone at the hospital and refuses to take the advice of his agitated doctor.

Becker decides to quit smoking -- unfortunately, on a day when nothing goes right; Margaret is worried that her marriage is falling apart when her husband plans a trip to Atlantic City without her; when Linda keeps screwing up an X-ray, she convinces an old woman that she's crazy to get the woman to keep coming in for new X-rays; Bob, instead of fixing Becker's broken radiator, sleeps in Becker's bed and breaks his clock radio; and Reggie makes Becker do a memory test for a school project.

At the end of last season, John was thrown in jail for contempt of court during a malpractice case. Tonight, he's released after reluctantly apologizing to a judge, who orders him to see a therapist and work on his problem with authority. However, the therapist, Katherine Simmons, is dealing with her own authority issues, which John winds up "helping" her work out. Becker is shocked one night when she shows up at his apartment a changed woman. Elsewhere, Jake grows weary of his new girlfriend's annoying habit of describing for him every little thing she's doing; and Linda lobbies for a raise.

John's day is filled with wacky people, from two guys who want a prescription for marijuana to a man who is upset when he learns that he isn't dying.

John agrees to give free medical care to Bob, Reggie and Jake in exchange for repairs, food and magazines.

John worries that women no longer find him attractive after Jake's girlfriend makes a disparaging remark to him; Linda fears that a pretty temp is going to replace her.

Becker's attempt at friendship is short lived; with Margaret at home with the flu, the flaky Linda is left in charge of the office; Reggie receives an unwelcome visit from a former high-school classmate.

When Reggie announces that she has an extra ticket to a Rangers-Flyers hockey game, Jake and Becker each makes it his primary goal to be chosen as the lucky recipient.

When a patient's mother desperately needs Becker to watch her two kids for the day, he reluctantly agrees and then makes Margaret and Linda keep an eye on them. But when the day turns into an unexpected sleepover at Becker's, his attempts to establish rules for the kids are about as effective as a blender during a power outage.

John's waiting room turns into a maze of boxes when Linda orders too many supplies; Reggie becomes attracted to a much younger student and Margaret learns that a former patient died and has included her in her will.

On the heels of being slapped with a traffic citation for reckless driving, a broken tail light and missing rear view mirror, Becker takes Margaret's advice when she suggests that he turn his jalopy into a potted plant. Although he doesn't get rid of his car, he does buy a motorcycle from one of his patients, causing everyone around him to agree that the doctor is suffering a mid-life crisis.

Becker's super dies and Bob takes his job, and the diner is packed, but no one is a paying customer.

John doesn't know what to do when he accidentally learns that Linda and Reggie are dating the same guy; Bob tries in vain to figure out who the hooker is in his building.

John is elated to learn that an article he submitted is being published in The New York Medical Journal, but when it appears, his article is accompanied by a picture of an overweight, unattractive stranger. After constant phone calls to correct the mistake, John is finally able to meet Wally, the editor, but then even more damage occurs. Meanwhile, Jake loses his hearing after going to a concert, and Linda is the dumpee-not the dumper-when she goes out Arnoldo the water delivery man.

Becker is less than thrilled when his estranged father, Fred, makes an unannounced visit. Although Becker is unhappy to see his father, the others are instantly charmed by Fred's easygoing, jovial manner. Despite Becker's chilly welcome, Fred refuses to give up on resuming contact with his polar opposite son.

When Dr. John Becker finds out that one of his patients is dating Reggie, he decides to give the guy some free advice on how to "court her properly." Meantime, Linda becomes a volunteer for Big Sisters and gets stuck being a mentor to a greedy brat who takes advantage of her at every turn.