M*A*S*H: Pilot

M*A*S*H: Pilot
CBS
September 17, 1972
Dramedy
DVD
D-

And then there are pilots like this.  Yes, I realize that much of the humor and attitude are carryovers from the 1970 movie (and perhaps from the books, which I haven't read), but what may be acceptable as dark humor on the big screen does not work on the little screen, especially with a laugh track.  There is no question that we're looking at a pre-feminist Alan Alda, when he makes a remark about "Hot Lips' B-cups," or when he "raffles off a nurse," Lt. Maria "Dish" Schneider (Karen Philipp).  We're supposed to sympathize with him and Trapper (Wayne Rogers), even when the latter jokes about "selling Spearchucker."  It's for a good cause, sending young Korean Ho-Jon (Patrick Adiarte) to Hawkeye's alma mater.  Why they couldn't send him to school in, say, Tokyo, is unclear.  It's a bad sign when I was sort of rooting for Hot Lips, AKA Major Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit), and Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville).  When Brig. Gen. Charlie Hammond (G. Wood reprising from the movie) showed up, I was relieved.  Only Radar (Gary Burghoff reprising from the movie) emerges from this unfunny, sexist, racist mess intact.

"We're sending you to Tokyo with a nurse and
replacing you with William Christopher."

Would you believe this used to be one of my favorite shows?  Well, remember, I was four when it went on the air, and therefore fifteen when it ended, so, although I saw the early episodes in syndication, I actually preferred the later, supposedly shark-jumping, "sanctimonious" era.  I got this complete DVD collection as a gift, and I'm very curious to see how the show looks to me now, considering I haven't seen some episodes in over twenty years.  I do know that one of my favorite episodes, "Tuttle," is from the first season, so I'll try to be patient.  But it's going to be a very long three-year war.  And, no, I don't know why there's no asterisk at the end of the title.

Making their first appearances (on the show, not counting the movie) as minor characters are Timothy Brown as Capt. Oliver Harmon "Spearchucker" Jones, Odessa Cleveland as Lt. Ginger Bayliss, John Orchard as Capt. "Ugly John" Black, and Linda Meikeljohn as Lt. Leslie Scorch.  (No, some of the nurses are not subtly named.)