M*A*S*H: The Moose

M*A*S*H: The Moose
CBS
October 15, 1972
Sitcom
DVD
B-

Laurence Marks's first M*A*S*H story of twenty-eight tells of the title character, Young Hi (Virginia Ann Lee, who would return in other roles), who's been sold as a servant by her family.  Hawkeye cheats at poker to win her from her "owner" and then set her free.  But she doesn't want or even understand "freedom," till he and his friends give her "person lessons."  This a well-intentioned episode, particularly compared to some of the others so far, but from a 21st-century viewpoint (and even somewhat my adolescent view watching this in reruns in the '80s), it is a bit grating that the do-gooders have to teach the downtrodden how to have self-respect.  Also, I couldn't help worrying about how she would survive in Seoul, since she can't stay with her family, who would just resell her.  The letter at the end about her going to convent school is somewhat reassuring.

Interestingly, Burns and Houlihan are both absent, which somewhat changes the dynamic.  Barbara Brownell is introduced as Lt. Jones, while Patrick Adiarte (Ho-Jon), Timothy Brown ("Spearchucker"), Linda Meiklejohn (Lt. Scorch), and John Orchard ("Ugly John") all return.