M*A*S*H: Of Moose and Men

Unlike in the first season episode, "moose" here means
girlfriend rather than servant, although the lines are blurred.

M*A*S*H: Of Moose and Men
CBS
November 21, 1975
Dramedy
DVD
B-

This first of five M*A*S*H stories by Jay Folb takes awhile to get going, and I kept wondering if Frank is crazier this season than in the first three years and why no one seems to notice.  But I particularly liked the plot where Hawkeye is rude to a "superior" officer, Col. Spiker (Tim O'Connor, who'd return in a different role), and then later saves the man's life.  The scene where Hawkeye in disbelief finds himself thanking Spiker for not punishing him, while he was expecting to be thanked, is well played by Alda.

Lois Foraker for now takes over the rotating role of Nurse Able.  Johnny Haymer (Zale, with a subplot about his reaction to his wife's infidelity after nine years of marriage), Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky), and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato, with a scene where her facial reaction to Frank's racism is good, even while wearing a surgical mask) return.  This is the only M*A*S*H episode directed by John Erman, who had recently directed his only Bob Newhart Show episode, but he did do ten of the early That Girl episodes