M*A*S*H - General Discussion

[mmecorday]

I really liked Father Mulcahey too. I loved it when they were all doing impressions of him while Klinger was trying to fix "My Darling Clementine." William Christopher looked like he was having the best time.

What I really didn't like was that awful episode involving the USO visiting the 4077th. A saintly member of the troop falls ill and recuperates at the MASH unit. During which time she falls for Hawkeye (of course) and her mere presence makes a mute solider speak again! And Potter is once again tempted by a hooch-swilling floozy. I don't know why this had to be a two-parter.

[Chaos Theory]

Honestly I don't really care if BJ cheated on his wife.  If it happened it happened once, in a time of war,  he deeply regretted it and never let it happen again even though he was tempted.  Assuming it did happen with the nurse makes what happened with the reporter later all the more important.  

On 6/30/2017 at 9:43 PM, callie lee 29 said:

The way they wrote Father Mulcahey was one of the reasons I wanted to be a military chaplain (went to seminary for it). It was just so respectful and recognized what that role can and does mean to a lot of people. He wasn't written as a buffoon, obtuse, or self-righteous. It was wonderful and something I really haven't seen since.

He had his own opinions, personality and flaws.  All three ran deep.  

[TigerLynx]

On ‎6‎/‎14‎/‎2017 at 0:25 PM, Chaos Theory said:

One of my favorite moments involving Frank was I think in the episode "Dear Peggy" when Frank ratted out Hawkeye for trying to get a record for the most people in a jeep.  It was right after Potter told Klinger no one wanted to be in Korea but Frank up and tells him he loves it.  Potter then says something along the lines of "Either you or Klinger is crazy.  Now I have to figure out which one."

The truth is I always felt Frank loved Korea in large part because he hated his life.  Plus well he kinda did love Hot Lips.  He was too greedy to ever leave his wife who from what I understood held the purse strings but Korea was the best thing that ever happened to Frank.  

I agree.  Frank, as much as he was able to, loved Hot Lips.

When Larry Linville left the show, he said he felt they had done all they really could with the character of Frank.  I think he was right.  The episode where Hot Lips gets married, at the end, Margaret and Donald are leaving in a helicopter, and as they fly away, Frank sadly says, "Goodbye Margaret."  That was such a great ending for the character of Frank.

[Mama No Life]

Today they showed one of the "father didn't get a promotion" episodes.  Again, a nice juxtaposition between his goodness and his ambition. He also basically threatened two soldiers into behaving.

A Scully episode was on today as well.  Margaret and Hawkeye talked about her past relationships in a way that made me think it wasn't nearly as casual as they made it seem.  She included him in the list of men who have disappointed her, and said she'd want her ideal man to be 10% Hawkeye.

[TigerLynx]

I never got the impression Margaret had romantic feelings for Hawkeye.  She seemed very much in love with Donald and hurt by his behavior.  With the departures of Frank, Trapper, and Henry, Margaret and Hawkeye seemed to slowly become friends, but I didn't think it was anything more than that.

[callie lee 29]

I always took the 10% as indicative of how she admired him and his empathy and dedication to his patients, his irreverence for authority (to a degree), and his ability to loosen up and have fun. 

[Browncoat]

And the hot sex they had.

[TigerLynx]

Given how much experience Margaret and Hawkeye had, I'm not surprised they had great sex.  However, I thought Margaret's marriage to Donald, and their divorce was what made her rethink her relationships with men, and what she really wanted out of life.

[Mama No Life]

I didn't say they were in love or anything like that. I just meant that night in the hut was more than just a one night stand for both of them...it changed their relationship, I thought, and she was able to admit that there were parts of him she valued.  

After all, I don't remember the two of them kissing anyone else goodbye when the show ended....

[TigerLynx]

I agree Hawkeye and Margaret cared about each other.  To me, the goodbye kiss was acknowledgement that the two of them had been at the 4077 the longest, and everything they had been through.  Even in the early years when they were enemies, there were still times when Margaret and Hawkeye were there for each other.

I liked when they were burying the time capsule. and Margaret eventually agreed to put in all the stuff Pierce had collected until they got to Klinger's Scarlette O'Hara outfit.  Margaret said no way, Klinger pointed out it could stand for all the girls they left behind, and Margaret said okay, "But not that awful getup.  The black evening dress."  Klinger's response, "Madame has impeccable taste."

[TigerLynx]

In one of the early episodes, I think it's a North Korean patient who has somehow managed to get a gun, he is aiming it at Hawkeye, Trapper, Henry, and Frank, Radar might have been there to.  Margaret, "Isn't there one man among you?"  Hawkeye, "The job's open Margaret.  It's all yours."

[voiceover]

I had an epiphany the other day, after watching the scene where Fr Mulcahy performed the emergency tracheotomy while under fire.  

And it was: that it was the most exciting, nail-biting, intense sequence of the series.  

Just gets to me every time.  I'm holding my breath, even though I already know the outcome.

I often wondered over the years if, given the same circumstances, *I'd* be able to do that.  I've memorized the procedure & the equipment!

On 7/10/2017 at 4:26 PM, TigerLynx said:

 Even in the early years when they were enemies, there were still times when Margaret and Hawkeye were there for each other.

Best example: "Carry On, Hawkeye".

(You know those mean things I've said to you? All the tricks I played on you?[...]I'd like to get well & do 'em all over again!)

[chessiegal]

4 minutes ago, voiceover said:

I had an epiphany the other day, after watching the scene where Fr Mulcahy performed the emergency tracheotomy while under fire.  

And it was: that it was the most exciting, nail-biting, intense sequence of the series.  

Just gets to me every time.  I'm holding my breath, even though I already know the outcome.

I often wondered over the years if, given the same circumstances, *I'd* be able to do that.  I've memorized the procedure & the equipment!

I agree. I think the writers got it right - adrenaline is an amazing thing.

[rubaco]

Quote

I've memorized the procedure & the equipment!

Me, too! Hawkeye explains it so clearly, it makes you feel like you could do it yourself. 

My only complaint with the scene is that it seems like the patient goes without breathing for an awfully long time. I understand you need to say your prayer, Father (which turns out to be grace), but can't you do it at the same time you're cutting?

[callie lee 29]

Re-watch Margaret is annoying as fuck! I don't think I ever realized how absolute screachy she is, it's making my ears bleed. Granted the blind obsession over Frank is gone, but dear god. 

[Browncoat]

I noticed yesterday on the episode where Charles and Margaret get food poisoning from the bad pheasant that the crackers Charles gets are some of my favorites -- Red Oval Farms stoned wheat crackers.  They're delicious!

 

Now watching the one with Potter's anniversary where Radar finds the horse.  Throughout the episode, they refer to and call the horse "he" -- even Potter, who should certainly know (Radar should know, too).  But somehow, "he" became Sophie, the mare for future episodes. 

[BooksRule]

I just saw an episode that I hadn't seen in years, 'No sweat', where no one can sleep because of the heat.  That show (and the actors) could really make it look like it was sweltering (and they could also make it look like it was 10 below during winter episodes).  The scenes where they kept waking up Col. Potter to give permission for things (the helicopter, combination to the safe, rash medicine) are always so funny (and he doesn't remember any of it the next day).  Potter (dazed look):  'I hope you got the chopper so you could make copies of it with the carbon paper' (or something like that).  And, of course, the entire conversation that Potter (half asleep) has with Margaret about her heat rash that is broadcast to the whole camp.  'Keister itch', 'fanny fungus', 'rump rot'--hysterical!

[joanne3482]

On 8/19/2017 at 2:25 PM, Browncoat said:

Now watching the one with Potter's anniversary where Radar finds the horse.  Throughout the episode, they refer to and call the horse "he" -- even Potter, who should certainly know (Radar should know, too).  But somehow, "he" became Sophie, the mare for future episodes. 

I caught the end of that one and couldn't remember if there was a horse before Sophie. I loved the episodes around Potter's horse, especially the one with the old man who had been in the infantry and stole it and you see him in his full regalia on her. Potter gives him the horse and the daughter brings it back because he died happy and with dignity that night. 

[Browncoat]

32 minutes ago, joanne3482 said:

I caught the end of that one and couldn't remember if there was a horse before Sophie. I loved the episodes around Potter's horse, especially the one with the old man who had been in the infantry and stole it and you see him in his full regalia on her. Potter gives him the horse and the daughter brings it back because he died happy and with dignity that night. 

That is one of my favorite episodes, too.

[joanne3482]

Recently I was wondering why Radar left. I couldn't remember. Much to my surprise and delight, they showed Goodbye Radar parts 1 & 2 yesterday on Sundance.  Once I started watching it did jog my memory.  I think they did the "going home" episodes pretty well.  

They also reran the party episode recently. I like it more and more. (although it kind of does seem like the mail magically gets to them magically quickly. BJ got Radar hooked up to meet Peg and Erin  and Radar left without a lot of notice.  I would buy it if BJ had called Peg but he had a letter from her.).  

[Browncoat]

Radar just seemed so terribly angry in his goodbye episodes.  I think the only time he wasn't was when he was talking to the nurse in the airport.  But I will always love that Hawkeye gave him a real salute, even if it was from the OR.

[roamyn]

On 9/5/2017 at 2:16 PM, Browncoat said:

Radar just seemed so terribly angry in his goodbye episodes.  I think the only time he wasn't was when he was talking to the nurse in the airport.  But I will always love that Hawkeye gave him a real salute, even if it was from the OR.

That's because Gary Burrgoff didn't get along w/his castmates.  Notice he wasn't at any of the reunions, either.

My impressions thru the years, are that he was a problem.

Edited September 7, 2017 by roamyn

[Crs97]

I remember an interview that described an encounter between Gary and Mike Farrell in which Mike said, "The problem is you can dish it out, but you can't take it," and Gary responded, "and I am sick and tired of dishing it out."  The story-teller said he never even caught his slip.  Gary still seems defensive about his experience and talks about being burned out.

[Constant Viewer]

That's a shame I always liked the character of Radar and just imagined all the cast got along well in real life.

[BW Manilowe]

I was watching some cast interviews by the TV Academy (the Emmy people) on YouTube recently & I don't know if anyone else realized it but Wayne Rogers & William Christopher died exactly a year apart. Wayne died on New Year's Eve 2015, & William died on New Year's Eve last year, 2016. I thought that was interesting; I wonder if that's ever happened with any other actors who worked together; it probably has. I also know of another pair of actors, from a different show, who have the same birthday, down to the year.

Not for nothing, but I live in Frank Burns' hometown.

Edited October 12, 2017 by BW Manilowe
To add punctuation.

[mmecorday]

But then she went right into a doomed relationship with Lt. Col. Donald Penobscott. I hated the episodes where she kept mentioning his name and talking about him like his name had some clout. He was unfaithful to her and gave her an engagement ring with a tiny diamond. Jerk.

[stonehaven]

Don't forget she shoots unarmed foot luggage. (that should be the thread title!)

[Utpe]

I actually did feel a little bad for Frank before he departed.  Though, I never liked how Hawkeye kept referring to his character during the first few episodes of the sixth season.  They really went all out mentioning that he was a mental case.  At least Frank wound up working stateside in a VA hospital close to home along with a promotion.

As much as I prefer Winchester over him (breath of fresh air with a know-it-all surgeon), he did have some pretty funny episodes.  I absolutely love Der Tag (Season 4, Episode 17).  We really got to see a different side of him when he decided to let loose.  One of the best lines of that episode was, "Emotionally exhausted...and morally bankrupt!", LOL!

You know, thinking about it, Frank does come off as a bit of a sleazeball at times.  The way he used to thrust himself upon Hot Lips would have been deemed as being a borderline rapist if the show were made nowadays.  But, I'm glad Larry Linville was a complete professional about it all the way to the end.

I was hoping he would have had a guest appearance on the short-lived series AfterMASH.  It would have been nice to see what he was up to after leaving the 4077th.

[mmecorday]

I wish that he could have been friendlier with Hawkeye and BJ after Margaret married Donald. I loved the scene at the end of Margaret's engagement episode when Frank talks about going out with the guys and looking for a younger model.

[TheLastKidPicked]

On 3/6/2017 at 6:50 PM, TigerLynx said:

Not a funny quote, but one I liked from Margaret to BJ.  BJ was upset because Peg had gotten a job, Hawkeye had been trying to talk to him about it all day, and BJ just kept drinking.  Margaret thought something really horrible had happened to BJ's family, and when she found out what BJ was upset about she went off on him ending with, "Maybe you do have the most to lose, but that's because you have the most."

Is that the same episode where B.J. is feeling very sorry for himself and she gets mad and says,  "How dare you think your suffering is worse than any of ours?"

[wilsie]

Tomorrow, December 8, ME has "Rally Round the Flagg, Boys" for anyone who has access to that channel and wants to watch.  In my area it's on at 7:30 pm. 

[Willowsmom]

It always amazes me how totally  selfish all the characters  are on the show.

[Crs97]

Even Father Mulcahy?

[Starry Eyes]

On 5/21/2014 at 9:09 PM, midge said:

but I did love Frank

I loved his goofy laugh, and all the fun pranks Trapper and Hawkeye played on him, and he mostly took it all in stride, mostly. LOL

[Sarah 103]

During the Christmas episode when they're operating on the soldier and Hawkeye wants to fake the time of death, I've often wonderded what the character was thinking at that moment. She mentions she's never falsified a record before, but Hawkeye and BJ don't have to work very hard to convince her to go along with putting December 26th on the form. 

[Sarah 103]

On 11/16/2014 at 7:45 AM, Miss Dee said:

I liked that they went an entirely different route for Potter than they did for Henry Blake. Blake just let the zoo run mad and either ran mad with them or tried to stay out of the way. It wouldn't have been realistic to get two such officers in a row, now to mention feeling redundant. With Potter the audience got to see how the camp operated under a competent soldier. 

What I liked about Potter was that due to his decades in the military, there was little he hadn't seen before. Whatever happened, there was a been there, done that, know how to deal with this type attitude. He was also more experienced medically, so while there where some things that were new to him, for the most part he knew what he was doing. I always got the sense that Henry Blake had only slightly more medical experience than the other doctors. 

[Sarah 103]

I love the episode "Fallen Idol." The episode where Radar wants the man who thinks he is Jesus to bless Radar's teddy bear is so touching. Radar was always one of my favorites. 

[Sarah 103]

On 5/27/2014 at 8:31 PM, midge said:

No matter how goofy the outfit he could be counted on to assist, after a rocky start he became a good clerk... I just always thought it was meaningful that for all his "I'm section 8 from head to toe.  I'm wearing a Warner Bra.  I play with dolls."  at his core he was a good person who cared deeply for the people around him, even strangers.  

 

On 5/29/2014 at 11:13 PM, Rhondinella said:

Yeah, I agree.  He always knew when to drop the act, when things got serious.  It really was just a diversion for him.

Klinger wanted to get out of the military, but when the situation called for it, he would do what was needed to save lives or help his friends. As much as he wanted a Section 8, I always got the sense he would never hurt someone to get it. It was like there was a line he would not cross. 

[rubaco]

Oral History of M*A*S*H from the Hollywood Reporter. I've read or heard most of those anecdotes before, but this story from Loretta Swit (about a scene in "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen") was news to me, and I love it.

Swit: A few episodes before, Margaret had borrowed a book of poems from Winchester. He got angry with me at one point and made me return it. In real life, we had this running gag. I would tease David all the time that no one had his private phone number. He was very much his own person, very reclusive in a way. So, in the final episode Winchester gives Margaret the book back. I open it and read the inscription. David had written his phone number inside. That's my real emotion on camera.

[Browncoat]

Thanks for sharing that, @rubaco!

[Crs97]

What a wonderful article!  Thanks, Rubaco!  

[Browncoat]

One of my least favorite episodes is on now -- called "Who Knew?" -- about the nurse who went for a walk at night and stepped on a mine and died.  It's fine right up until Hawkeye's eulogy.  I just didn't like that he made her life and death all about him in the end.

[Browncoat]

I am mad at TVLand!  They're currently showing "UN, The Night and The Music", wherein Charles gets repeatedly humiliated by this British doctor, who ends their final conversation with the line, "You have been outclassed by the son of a bloody butler!"  TVLand cut the next bit, which, to me, just makes the whole scene -- in the full version, the camera then cuts to Hawkeye standing on his head, howling with laughter so hard that he falls over.  TVLand's version cut to BJ telling his patient that he couldn't save the leg. 

Does TVLand think we won't notice?

[VCRTracking]

David Ogden Stiers, Major Charles Emerson Winchester III in 'M*A*S*H,' Dies at 75

RIP Charles.

My favorite scene of his:

Edited March 4, 2018 by VCRTracking

[SimoneS]

Rest in peace, David Ogden Stiers. Such a talented actor. He portrayed Charles with arrogance and vulnerability. I would go from wanting to punch him to wanting to hug him. My favorite scene will always be Charles helping the soldier with his stutter and then we watch him listen to his sister stutter on her recording.

Edited March 4, 2018 by SimoneS

[VCRTracking]

Quote

Stop me if I've told these stories before, but the week before production David came up to our office and we heard him read the character.  He chose to do it in a thick Boston accent.  We told him we were concerned that it was hard to decipher some of the words.  He said, "Well, what if I backed off just a little bit?"  He re-read it with that slight adjustment and we said, "Perfect!"  That's the way he played it from then on.

David Isaacs and I actually wrote the first episode featuring Charles although it didn't air until late in the season.  The episode is called "The Merchant of Korea" and dealt primarily with a poker game.  Since there was no need to film at the Malibu ranch it was held back to the latter part of the year when going to the ranch was unfeasible due to lack of daylight.   That script served as the template.  Jim Fritzell & Everett Greenbaum then wrote the terrific hour episode that introduced him.

The night of the premier we had a big party.  I was sitting next to David on the couch and just before the show aired I said, "In one hour your life will change forever."  He thought I was being a tad over-dramatic.  Three days later he said to me, "My God.  You're right. I can't go anywhere without being recognized."

There's always the worry when you introduce a new character that fans will take to him.  In David's case it was instantaneous acceptance. 

 

Edited March 4, 2018 by VCRTracking

[Utpe]

Just read about his passing.  So sad.  I'll always remember the episode (The Life You Save) in which his character has a near-death experience.  Very fine performance.

R.I.P. David Ogden Stiers.

[voiceover]

Stiers finally gave the series an antagonist who was smarter -- and sometimes, more talented -- than Hawkeye.  And he was wicked funny with it, too!  One of my favorite eps was when he turned the tables on a certain spy ("I'm going to speak to Colonel Potter about getting you better quarters", referring to Flagg's hiding in a garbage can).  Before his character jumped on Teh Moral High Ground with the rest of the cast, his Charles was sharp and elegant and private about his personal life.

Rest In Peace, David!  Thanks for all the years and all the roles.  Your Boston Brahmin accent is one of television's most memorable voices.

[bijoux]

Oh, man. And I’m just rewatching MASH on TV. Seeing this topic pop up in the activity feed just made me go, oh, that’s a happy coincidence. Apparently, not so happy.

Charles was such a great character. The ultimate snob, while also capable of tremendous compasion.

[Browncoat]

R.I.P., Chuck Remington.

"Please.  Mozart."