Neighbor Mr. Graham (whose wife either died or left him, depending on who you ask) has asked Ben to take care of his pigeons on the roof for a week. Ben claims more knowledge on the subject than he actually has ("they're mammals," he says), but is quite eager to learn more, which he does by reading a book that says pigeons held rank in the military in World War I. They learn a major snowstorm is coming, and Ben is concerned: "What if it sleets and tiny pellets kill them?" Katz proposes an "elegant and simple solution" ("Kill Mr. Graham," says Ben). When the storm starts, Ben wants to bring the birds inside the apartment, but Katz says no. "I will have frozen blood on my conscience," he says. Turns out the birds are fine, but Ben lets Duke, the best one, fly away, thinking he'll come back. He doesn't. Meanwhile, Laura announces she's going on a five-day cruise to the Caribbean ("Bring me back some Caribbean garb," says Katz), but her flight gets canceled because of the storm. Also in this episode: Ben points out that he's never seen any other customers at Vic's Video, which hurts Todd's feelings, so Ben tells him not to take it personally and describes what it would be like if he WERE making fun of Todd personally.

• Dana Gould: Dad is third generation Irish-American, so he doesn't care what you are: "Catholic and white, or white and Catholic, can't we all get along?"; wishes there was a guy in a top hat and tuxedo who would sing, "Mistake!!" every time you made one; invited parents out to L.A., where Dad got drunk and turned red, like Irish people do; doesn't like teen-age panhandlers ("I thought it took time to become a bum"); figures every job is stressful, even a Bingo caller, because old people count on you ("Come on N-7, I need my medicine!"); since he has a girlfriend, women hit on him; the difference between acting like Cary Grant and Vincent Price in a bar.
• Merrill Markoe: Spends too much time with her four dogs; she's like Jane Goodall "without all that annoying research"; the dogs keep moving meal time up a half hour; a loser at love; "there's no hope for the past." Note: The credits misspell her name as "Meryl Markoe."

Review:

Dana Gould's addition to the show helps it quite a bit, especially with his Cary Grant impression ("Don't say you won't look fabulous because you will look fabulous because you ARE fabulous") and his "Mistake!!" guy living in the closet. Ben's repartee with Todd is more amusing than usual, too. "Dr. Katz" is a formula show; no episode is ever terribly different from the others; it's the comedians who give it life and keep it from becoming stale. Merrill Markoe should have been funnier, since she was a writer (and live-in lover) for David Letterman for many years.GRADE: B

Stumble It!