Remembering MASH

[LennG]

MASH, was, without a doubt, one of the best series ever shown on TV and also, without a doubt, always in my top 5 series of all time. I watched this series right from episode 1 in 1972 till it went off in 1983. AND, unlike many series that stayed on a lot longer than they should, MASH was always right there. Many thought they should have ended it when Radar went home, but Klinger did a commendable job and the show endured. For my birthday, one year, my wife bought me a book on MASH, which contains every episode, step by step, for its entire run.
MASH was truly one of a kind and the first comedy to put drama, hurt, sentimentality, and honest feelings into a series.
We all have our favorite episodes. Here is a list of maybe to top 25, see how many you remember and loved.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/the-best-m-a-s-h-episode-of-all-time-is-not-the-series-finale-according-to-fans-see-the-top-25/ss-AA1yZT8i?ocid=msedgntp&pc=HCTS&cvid=32b1bab691fd469bd047829c4ff105db&ei=36

[MightyGiants]

When MASH started out, I was a kid, but I watched it.  In many ways the messages of that show shaped my life views.   Personally, I liked the MASH with Henry Blake more than the Potter years.  Once Frank Burns left, the show went downhill.   The natural conflict between characters was eventually replaced with a schmaltzy, good-natured bickering.  I guess there were still a few good episodes in the first season or two with Charles, but it was the beginning of the end for that show, in my eyes.

I also really enjoyed the movie the series was based on.

[ozzie]

M*A*S*H is one of my all time favorites. Solid in both comedy and drama for it's entire run IMO. Yes, some episodes were weaker than others and the cast changed a bit, but that's bound to happen when you're on a run that lasts 11 years.
Most shows seem to falter when a major player leaves, but having to replace Blake, Burns, McIntyre & Radar was done almost flawlessly and the show didn't miss a beat.
And yes, it deals with a war/conflict that is going on 70 years ago, but when I watch it today, it doesn't feel "dated".
The gags still work and the drama is still relevant. That's tough to do.

[Bob In PA]

The show was a rare combination of entertainment and an undercurrent of what might be called political (or certainly anti-war) commentary (IMO without getting stale or running out of ideas as the end approached. Sheer genius. Bob

[MightyGiants]

MASH* featured many famous guest stars throughout its 11-season run. Here are some notable ones:

Actors & Comedians

• Ron Howard – Played an underage Marine in Season 1, Episode 22 ("Sometimes You Hear the Bullet").
• Leslie Nielsen – Portrayed Colonel Buzz Brighton, an arrogant officer, in Season 1, Episode 18 ("Ringbanger").
• John Ritter – Played Private Carter, a soldier suffering from battle fatigue, in Season 2, Episode 19 ("Deal Me Out").
• Patrick Swayze – Played Private Sturgis, a soldier diagnosed with leukemia, in Season 9, Episode 18 ("Blood Brothers").
• George Wendt – Played Private La Roche in Season 11, Episode 7 ("Trick or Treatment").

Famous TV & Film Faces

• Robert Alda – Played Dr. Anthony Borelli, a visiting surgeon, in two episodes (father of Alan Alda in real life).
• Lawrence Fishburne – Appeared as Corporal Dorsey, a soldier accused of stealing, in Season 10, Episode 9 ("The Tooth Shall Set You Free").
• Teri Garr – Played a nurse in Season 2, Episode 10 ("Carry On, Hawkeye").
• Ed Begley Jr. – Appeared as Private Paul Conway in Season 9, Episode 7 ("Tell It to the Marines").

Athletes & Public Figures

• Alex Karras – Former NFL player, played a madman who thinks he's Jesus in Season 8, Episode 8 ("Dear Uncle Abdul").

[LennG]

 One of my all-time favorite episodes was 'The Interview' which was mentioned in the list posted.

I still remember the black-and-white episode and I believe it was Potter saying to t he interviewer how the surgeons warmed their hands on the heat from bodies as they operated. Truly a remarkable episode, especially for what was billed as a comedy.

MASH was the anti-war show that was able to maintain its message all throughout the series. The only problem I ever had with it was it was, for the most part, an all-white cast, and I sure don't want to start a debate on race, but they had one Black character, Spearchucker Jones in the movie, and then in the first year, but he quietly left (I don't know if they ever mentioned why) and after that, except for an occasional appearance by a guest star, it was all white. I'm not sure how the military was during the Korean Conflict, if Blacks and Whites served together so I'll just leave it at that.

PS  If you were a fan you would know the only actor who transitioned from the movie to the TV series was Gary Burghoff (Radar O'Reilly).

[ozzie]

Actually Lenn, it was Father Mulcahy who spoke about the surgeons warming their hands over the bodies. I definitely remember that episode, very powerful.
Yes, Spearchucker was only seen in season one, but if I'm not mistaken there was a black nurse. I think her name was Ginger, who appeared on a semi regular basis.

[LennG]

Actually Lenn, it was Father Mulcahy who spoke about the surgeons warming their hands over the bodies. I definitely remember that episode, very powerful.
Yes, Spearchucker was only seen in season one, but if I'm not mistaken there was a black nurse. I think her name was Ginger, who appeared on a semi regular basis.

 Yes Lou, I wasn't exactly sure who made the quote on warming, thanks for the memory jolt.

[DaveBrown74]

This isn't meant to be a diss on MASH, but in my personal opinion TV has come such a long way since this era. By "TV" I am pretty much including every piece of video entertainment that isn't clearly a feature film. Many of the TV shows that were major hits back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s wouldn't stand a chance today.

Conversely, movies on the whole have declined over the last half century or so. Again, just my opinion, and this is not to say there are no good movies these days, because there are. But the frequency of good movies these days is a lot less than it was in the 90s and earlier. Back in the 80s and 90s, you could pretty much go to the movies every weekend if you wanted, and provided you were thoughtful about your choices and maybe read a review or two, you could be reasonably confident that you'd see something that was at least "good" if not better than that. I was born in 1974 so I don't remember seeing many movies live in the 70s, but I'm 100% confident the same would apply to that decade and earlier.

Nowadays, while there are still plenty of good movies to see, the frequency of them is less. And the frequency of pure junk that actually gets heavily promoted and has good-sized budgets is greater. I feel like the decline of consistently good feature films has been more than offset by a very significant augmentation in the caliber of "TV" and series in the last 20-25 years.

[LennG]

Juzt my own opinion also, but I truly believe if MASH were on today, it would still be a hit show. The writing was superb and the acting far better than what we have come to expect from today's TV. I would love to be able to see MASH on something like HBO where they don't have to sanitize it.
You have to understand, that these are wartime doctors who have people's lives in their hands just about every day. When they do have time off, I might expect them to be drunk on more than one occasion. It is the nature of the beast.
I know so many guys who came back from Vietnam, all who were on drugs, or something else. Something to 'dull the pain' between battles and death. I can certainly understand the silliness that they portray on MASH, anything again, to take away the stench of death that they live with day in and day out.

[LennG]

This isn't meant to be a diss on MASH, but in my personal opinion TV has come such a long way since this era. By "TV" I am pretty much including every piece of video entertainment that isn't clearly a feature film. Many of the TV shows that were major hits back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s wouldn't stand a chance today.

Conversely, movies on the whole have declined over the last half century or so. Again, just my opinion, and this is not to say there are no good movies these days, because there are. But the frequency of good movies these days is a lot less than it was in the 90s and earlier. Back in the 80s and 90s, you could pretty much go to the movies every weekend if you wanted, and provided you were thoughtful about your choices and maybe read a review or two, you could be reasonably confident that you'd see something that was at least "good" if not better than that. I was born in 1974 so I don't remember seeing many movies live in the 70s, but I'm 100% confident the same would apply to that decade and earlier.

Nowadays, while there are still plenty of good movies to see, the frequency of them is less. And the frequency of pure junk that actually gets heavily promoted and has good-sized budgets is greater. I feel like the decline of consistently good feature films has been more than offset by a very significant augmentation in the caliber of "TV" and series in the last 20-25 years.

 I do not want to hijack this thread but in response to your statement. agreed the movies of today compared to the movies of yesteryear, basically suck. Most know I am a movie freak, I watch everything and anything, but I really have a hard time with today's crop. Most are made for teenagers who will go 2-3-4 times to see the same movie, which, for the most part, I consider fluff and something you just stare at without a thought. I need something to stimulate my brain, a good mystery or something like that. Myself, I basically hate all these superhero movies, these Dumb and Dumber movies, these Barbie movies, you get the point. These are what top the charts, and there just seem to be fewer and less of movies aimed at adults with any sort of intellect.
I could go on Jeopardy and win if all the topics were older movies. I know the casts, the directors the music. Back then movies were made for families, not for kids. I used to go to the movie theater all the time, but now I haven't been in well over 5 years. It is a shame though. When the Academy Awards Show was on, I was prepared. I had always seen almost all the top movies and rooted for my favorites. Now I haven't seen any of the movies, don't even know most of them.

[AZGiantFan]

I'm the opposite of MG in that I liked the later cast.  IMO the characters were less caricatures and more fully fleshed out.  Winchester was a far more formidable adversary than Burns.  Things I particularly remember are Potter's tontine. Charles turning out to be really caring in the episode with the concert pianist with the damaged had - "I can play the notes but I can't make the music".  And defending the stuttering soldier who was being picked on by his "buddies" and then we find out that his sister Honoria had a stutter.  BJ's torture at not being able to see his daughter grow up.  And the evolution of Margaret and the deepening of Hawkeye.

I think the early years were more pure comedy, almost silly.  I think if the show had ended with the original cast and production values it would be remembered as very good.  But for me when it got more serious and more focused on character growth and development, without leaving the funny behind, that is when it became great.

[LennG]

I'm the opposite of MG in that I liked the later cast.  IMO the characters were less caricatures and more fully fleshed out.  Winchester was a far more formidable adversary than Burns.  Things I particularly remember are Potter's tontine. Charles turning out to be really caring in the episode with the concert pianist with the damaged had - "I can play the notes but I can't make the music".  And defending the stuttering soldier who was being picked on by his "buddies" and then we find out that his sister Honoria had a stutter.  BJ's torture at not being able to see his daughter grow up.  And the evolution of Margaret and the deepening of Hawkeye.

I think the early years were more pure comedy, almost silly.  I think if the show had ended with the original cast and production values it would be remembered as very good.  But for me when it got more serious and more focused on character growth and development, without leaving the funny behind, that is when it became great.

Couldn't agree more. Take the character of Father Mullcayhy who basically evolved from the camp priest who showed up once an episode to a major force of reason in the show.