M*A*S*H: There's Nothing Like a Nurse

M*A*S*H: There's Nothing Like a Nurse
CBS
November 19, 1974
Dramedy
DVD
C+

In the first part of the episode, Frank is rude to a nurse, who's sarcastic back to him.  Later, Margaret goes to Henry's office to complain, and after awhile he just sees her as a nagging mouth.  Then the nurses and patients are sent away from the camp for their own safety for a couple days.  The men all miss the women but, Frank pining for Margaret aside, not really as individuals.  And then Hawkeye and Trapper trap Frank under a jeep and screen his wedding movie, mocking him for being henpecked.  The scene is echoed at the end with Frank and Margaret.  I think the episode is about taking the nurses for granted, but if so, it's frequently undercut.  The closest it comes to an apology is when the enlisted men have to work as nurses, and the doctors are rude and condescending to them, as if it's the position not the gender that's been insulted all this time.  It's not a terrible episode, but sheesh!  I'm pretty sick of Gelbart's sexism.

Leland Sun makes his first of four M*A*S*H appearances, as Mr. Kwang.  Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky), Bobbie Mitchell (Baker), Jeanne Shulherr (this time Louise Burns in the home movie), and Loudon Wainwright III (Spalding, singing a couple of not great songs) return.