Dr. John Becker goes through his daily routine of being a doctor, stopping at his favorite diner, and other various situations, all the while hating life and everything around him.
Becker is asked to perform a speech in front of a class of graduating students in the Mayor's absence. He is eagerly brainstorming things to say, little does he know the graduating class is the class of "2001 and a half".
Chris is incensed when Becker receives a free trip to Las Vegas and doesn't invite her. An "odd duck" plastic surgeon takes over Becker's practice during his absence.
Becker tries to plan a romantic first date with Chris, but unforeseen obstacles constantly appear. Jake receives shocking news about his grandmother after she dies in a retirement home.
Becker's ex-wife writes a book called "Angry Man" obviously about John. When Becker confronts Sondra at her hotel, it is obvious that she retains a strong emotional hold on him.
Chris tries to get John to be more considerate of her feelings. Margaret takes a night job with a telemarketer. Hector tricks Jake into selling porn magazines.
Becker is sentenced to attend an anger management class after he insults two police officers. Linda invites Bob to move in with her after his mother kicks him out of her retirement home.
Amanda leaves Jake for a deliveryman. Becker's withdrawal from smoking is driving everybody crazy-again. Chris awaits her delivery of hair conditioner.
Becker's patients include two young men who want a prescription for medical marijuana and a man who is upset to learn that he isn't dying after all. Jake challenges Bob to a game of scrabble.
Jake and Bob assume from overhearing one of Chris's phone conversations that she and John are sleeping together. John tries to convince a sexually active teen to use condoms.
Becker's father comes for a visit and they are surprised that he is nothing like Becker. They like him and Becker doesn't think much of him. When he tells Reggie what happened between them. She tells him that he should try and talk to him.
Jake feels further handicapped by his blindness when he inadvertently allows a crook to rob the diner. He feels vindicated later when he thinks he has found the crook.
John is more irritable than usual when he tries once again to quit smoking. Reggie believes a friendly, fortunate customer stole all of her good luck and left her with his former bad luck.
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 Chris's extra-friendly ex-husband suddenly appears and stays at her apartment, Becker tries everything possible to keep the divorced couple apart.
Chris is jealous when Becker plans to spend Christmas in Vermont with a magazine editor he is dating. Margaret invites Linda to go caroling with her church group. Bob fears that a street-corner Santa is out to get him.
