Ep 17. Partial Law

Becker Season 1 Episode 17, titled "Partial Law," opens with Dr. John Becker (Ted Danson) rushing to his office to start his day at the clinic - only to finds that his building is without power. As he grumpily tries to navigate the pitch-black space, his nightmarish scenario is made even worse when he's accosted by a group of teenagers in the stairwell who demand that he diagnose their friend's mysterious illness without proper equipment.

Despite his initial resistance, Becker quickly realizes how serious the situation is and agrees to help - even if it means cutting corners and using makeshift tools to provide medical care in a near-blackout. His diagnosis turns out to be partially correct, but it's far from definitive. As the power comes back on and the patients are taken out, Becker is left questioning whether he did the right thing by treating them under such suboptimal conditions.

Meanwhile, Becker's friends and colleagues are dealing with their own issues. Linda (Shawnee Smith) is frustrated by the new office intern, who is anything but helpful, and Jake (Alex Désert) is trying to score a date with a nurse he's been romantically interested in for months. Reggie (Terry Farrell), Becker's patient advocate, is dealing with her own romantic problems when she discovers that her boyfriend is already married.

These subplots are nicely woven together in "Partial Law," providing a variety of comedic relief to balance out Becker's more serious storyline. Throughout it all, though, there's a sense that some boundaries have been tested and consequences may follow. As the episode wraps up, Becker is left to grapple with the moral quandary of whether his makeshift medical care could have caused more harm than good - and how that might impact his work going forward.