Hardly anybody goes in the diner!
How do Chris or Reggie make money without paying guests?
shareThere is only 2 tables, and the stools around the bar, so they can't even have that too much people in there.
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MovieChat Forums > Becker (1998) Discussion > Hardly anybody goes in the diner!
A Harvard graduated doctor loves money works in a poor neighborhood, can't even afford a decent car.
A blind black man sitting in a small box all day has a great social life.
An ex-model cooks greasy food.
None of above makes any sense.
I always saw it as Becker being a miser. He is probably very well off but won't spend any of it. The poor neighbourhood suits his grouchy demeanor.
Jake probably works his blindness well especially when meeting women.
The ex model cooking food, I can't recall how they explained that one. I agree it makes no sense, unless she had some kind of falling out in the modeling world.
Most TV premises don't make much sense though, they are just excuses to mix a group of characters together.
I always saw it as Becker being a miser. He is probably very well off but won't spend any of it. The poor neighbourhood suits his grouchy demeanor.
There was one episode where he treated a patient from "survivors", he ranted about "how much money could possibly be worth it for going through that", after the other guy said:"I did win a million dollars", he then went on to say "now how could I get involved in something like that?"
There is another episode where Linda said:"Would you quit all this if you have won a million dollars", Becker said something like:"In the middle of an operation."
Of course that was just him talking, but I think those were good indications he was not rich.
Jake probably works his blindness well especially when meeting women.
Yes, that was the narrative in the show, but do you really buy it? A poor blind man who was lucky to get home safely went on to social gatherings after work and getting a lot of dates? From what I understand businesses selling newspapers and magazines have to start quite early so he works fairly long hours. share
Which then would make you wonder what Becker does with his money. Even in a poor neightbourhood a Doctor would earn reasonable money. He has his own practice and can employ two people, one which is useless. He smokes, eats out all the time which would cost a bit of cash but overall where is all his money going?
Not really, Jake isn't particularly great looking or charming either.
Yeah, even in poor neighbourhood doctors can't be that poor, he paid minimum wages to his employees, and in one episode it was mentioned he paid very low rent even comparing to his neighbours.
He didn't spend money on his car, he ate cheap junk food. I think smoking is only thing he does that could be considered expensive.
I just take it as unrealistic setting of the show.
Thinking about this more due to our chat, the characters aren't very well developed at all. Ironically some of the minor characters are more interesting too like Margaret & although I don't think it would have lasted long I think Linda should have got a spin off or at least one Becker ep devoted to her.
sharethe characters aren't very well developed at all
That is quite true. We don't know how Linda became like Linda, in one episode we were told she was born in a rich family, good breeding, used to live in a well decorated apartment, neighboured with socialites and blue bloods. She must have good taste growing up, but we didn't see that from how she talked and how she dressed throughout the show.
Did not even bump into old friends or school mates like Rachel in "friends". share
It's at odds with how the actress chose/was told to play Linda. Her speech style, interests, clothing all screams Walmart scrubber.
As the daughter of a millionaire with good breeding there should still be elements of refinement showing through even if she is dressing like a hooker.
It actually would have been interesting if she started speaking fluent French or quoting philosophy and poetry etc. Add some depth and contrast.
I think Linda should have got a spin off or at least one Becker ep devoted to her.
There was one episode focusing on her in, I think, S02 "Linda Quits", where it was revealed that she lives in a luxury penthouse apartment that her rich parents bought for her.
It was also mentioned at one time that Becker hired her because he owed her father a favor (for some unknown reason) share
She comes off as a spoiled rich girl who likes to live the low life with daddy's money. Becker having to hire her as a favor is classic TV trope stuff. Becker the doctor who lives in the slums owes a millionaire a favor.
Sure, why not!
It's no less believable than the millionaire father wanting his daughter to work in a doctors office in the slums while he sets her up in a penthouse.
The ex model cooking food, I can't recall how they explained that one.
Her father owned & ran the diner. When he became sick, she had come home to take care of him & subsequently took over when he died. share
That means she had no intention to take over before, being a model and all.
But I guess cooking burgers is not that hard.
It also implies she didn't make much money as a model.
shareI read before that models on average is one of the lowest paid jobs, in the bottom 10, at least in Australia.
I think how much models are paid vary greatly. Like actors, only the top few get paid really well. Reggie should be one of the more average models paid well enough in the beginning but her pay dropped gradually as she aged.
True, I don't recall what type of model she was, it can vary and just like acting only a very small percentage get to make mega bucks. I think I just assumed the high paid type. She may have been a catalogue model or similar.
If done today she could have made a fortune on Only Fans etc lol.