M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion

M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion
Fox
May 17, 2002
Documentary
DVD
B

The then surviving cast, producers, and some of the writers gather together to reminisce about the making of the show.  It's good to see them together, enjoying each other's company-- an anecdote about the late Larry Linville (whom I didn't have room to tag) cracks the whole gang up-- but in a way it's too many people for this format, and not everyone gets an equal chance to talk.  (Alda, no surprise, does more than his share.)  Larry Gelbart, Burt Metcalfe, and Gene Reynolds do contribute a lot.  Note that at the time not only Linville but Stevenson and some of the supporting cast had died since the last M*A*S*H special I reviewed; last year of course we lost William Christopher, and Wayne Rogers the year before that (both on December 31st); Harry Morgan had gone at 96 in 2011.

M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen
CBS
February 28, 1983
Dramedy
DVD
A-

About the "too many writers" rule?  I guess there are exceptions.  I don't know who was responsible for which strand, but together Alda, Davis, Hall, Metcalfe, Mumford, Pollock, Rappaport, and Wilcox managed a two-hour episode (2 1/2 hours with commercials) that somehow holds together and moved me at least as much as it did over a third of a century ago.  Alda also directed, and he has the heaviest subplot, but he lets the others shine, from his six main co-stars to some of the familiar faces listed here at the bottom.

I don't think it's simply nostalgia that makes me give one of my rare A-s.  This is a series that I once loved yet have been reliving through more cynical eyes.  But the finale really did move me.  Yes, I like that there are references to past characters and episodes (especially during one of Charles and Margaret's arguments), but on its own terms, this is amazing.  It's definitely on the "drama" side of dramedy, but there are also moments of joy and silliness.  And, really, all I remembered was something about Hawkeye and a "chicken," something about Charles and Korean musicians, and the goodbye message in rocks.

My favorite parts were when people stand up and say what they're doing after the war, and the goodbyes.  I like that each two-person relationship is unique, and the goodbyes match them.  But I would be remiss if I didn't talk about the Hawkeye/Margaret kiss.  While Hawkeye finds it easy to say the words to tell BJ how much his best friend means to him, it's not so easy with the longer-lasting and arguably more complex relationship with the former Hot Lips.  And, yes, Henry Blake gave her a big kiss goodbye, but it wasn't like this.  It's not even simply a matter of romance.  It's that these characters know they would never work as a couple, and yet they do in a sense love each other.  Also, as Hawkeye pointed out on the previous episode, they've been there as long as each other (the only ones from the first episode still here in the last).  Believe me, this packs more of a wallop in middle age, having had some "opposites attract" relationships, than it did when I was a starry-eyed 15-year-old who'd never been kissed.

It was also the part that made me laugh the most out loud.  And that is because Farrell, Morgan, and Stiers have to stand around awkwardly, adding little touches like Charles skimming through the book he's returning to Margaret.  And you know that BJ knows about the one-night stand, and the other two have probably guessed by now.  So there's resonance, and I can only wonder what the 121.6 million people watching the last six minutes thought.

GW Bailey (Rizzo), Natasha Bauman (Nurse), Brigitte Chandler (Nurse), Jennifer Davis (Nurse), Gwen Farrell (Nurse Gwen), Judy Farrell (Able), Dennis Flood (this time as a Corpsman), Roy Goldman (as Roy Goldman), Jan Jorden (Baker), Enid Kent (Bigelow), June Kim (this time the Woman with Shawl), Jeff Maxwell (Straminsky), Kellye Nakahara (Yamato), David Orr (this time a Soldier), John Otrin (Ambulance Driver), Frank Pettinger (Corpsman), Shari Saba (Nurse Shari), Frank Slaten (Corpsman Frank), Bill Snider (Corpsman), Arthur Song (Korean Man), Jo Ann Thompson (Nurse Jo Ann), and Dennis Troy (Corpsman) all return, one last time.

So how do I average this episode in?  Does it count five times?  After all, I never counted the one-hour episodes twice.  But let's count this as two episodes.  With the rest of the season averaging C to B, this comes out to a B-.  I still believe M*A*S*H didn't need to run this long without Radar and, yes, I know about and in fact watched some of After MASH.  But this is as good a place as any, and better than most, to end it.

M*A*S*H: Pressure Points

M*A*S*H: Pressure Points
CBS
February 15, 1982
Dramedy
DVD
C+

More sloppy writing from Pollock & Davis:

• Why does Charles become a slob?  If it's to get back at Hawkeye and BJ, it's not made clear.  And the no bathing thing gives me a case of the de ja vus.
• Why is there a pathetic raffle ($3.65 total) for the "honor" of shaving Charles as the tag?
• Why is Potter 62, about a decade older than when he arrived?
• How can we still be in the Fall of '51?  (DiMaggio just retired on September 30th.)
• How does no one make the connection between Sidney's visit and Potter's increased irritability?

That said, there's a good performance by Morgan here if you can get past the other stuff, including that weak B plot.

Roy Goldman (as Roy Goldman) and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.

Oh, Google image-search!

M*A*S*H: Bless You, Hawkeye

M*A*S*H: Bless You, Hawkeye
CBS
March 16, 1981
Dramedy
DVD
C+

This Wilcox & Mumford story has Hawkeye psychomatically sick, sneezing violently, so it's time to call in Sidney, who in a short time discovers that Hawkeye has suppressed anger over a beloved older cousin pushing him out of a boat and then "rescuing" him when Hawk was seven.  This is very Season Niney, not bad but not really working either.  I liked hearing about Hawkeye's childhood but the cure here is too quick, and the illness is a bit contrived.

Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) and Dennis Troy (this time a Driver) return.  This is the first of three M*A*S*H episodes directed by Nell Cox.

M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Cruel World

M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Cruel World
CBS
February 11, 1980
Dramedy
DVD
C

It's a toss-up over which is worse, Mumford & Wilcox's script, which has Klinger forging Potter's signature and then impersonating Radar, as well as Sidney curing suicidal tendencies with a quick dose of hypnosis, or the direction, which results in many off line readings.  Not that it's a terrible episode, but I can't think of any reason to recommend it, unless for the opening scene in the OR where they discuss television (anachronistically of course), or for Klinger's bad interior decorating.

David Cramer (this time as the Aide), Clyde Kusatsu (this time Sgt. Michael Yee), James Lough (giving the worst performance in the episode, as the Courier), and Kellye Nakahara (getting more lines than usual as Yamato) return.

M*A*S*H: The Billfold Syndrome

M*A*S*H: The Billfold Syndrome
CBS
October 16, 1978
Dramedy
DVD
C+

This Levine & Isaacs story doesn't quite work.  I don't see why Hawkeye and BJ would be so bothered by Charles's silent treatment, and sending him a fake telegram promising a job feels extreme.  As for the other plot, while it's nice to see Sidney again, it feels like the hypnotism breakthrough happens too easily.

Roy Goldman (this time a Corpsman), Kellye Nakahara (Yamato), and Sal Viscusco (PA Announcer) return.  Alda directed.

M*A*S*H: War of Nerves

M*A*S*H: War of Nerves
CBS
October 11, 1977
Dramedy
DVD
B-

Alan Alda wrote and directed this episode where Sidney visits the camp as both doctor and patient, during a time of great stress.  The bonfire proves cathartic, although I couldn't help thinking about how they're going to have to get a lot of that stuff replaced, including Potter's desk!  The story hints that Margaret and Charles are infatuated with each other, or at least suspect the other of a crush, but I don't think that will go anywhere.

Michael O'Keefe makes his second of two M*A*S*H appearances, this time as Corporal Richard Travis.  Johnny Haymer (Zale), Kellye Nakahara (Yamato), and Sal Viscuso (PA Announcer) return, but Igor Straminsky is played for the first of two times by Peter Riegert, of Animal House, Americathon, and Local Hero.

M*A*S*H: Hawk's Nightmare

M*A*S*H: Hawk's Nightmare
CBS
December 21, 1976
Dramedy
DVD
B

This Burt Prelutsky story has Hawkeye so stressed out from the war that he finds dreams and reality blurring, with even his happy, peaceful memories of his childhood in Crabapple Cove tarnished by fear of death.  A talk with Sidney doesn't cure him completely but it does help.  Patricia Stevens is back to being Nurse Baker.

M*A*S*H: Dear Sigmund

M*A*S*H: Dear Sigmund
CBS
November 9, 1976
Dramedy
DVD
B

Sidney writes to Freud about the denizens of the 4077th.  Set during March ('52?) since it includes the first day of Spring.  It's implied that Donald has cheated on Margaret, although there's no follow-up.  I like the twist that BJ is the practical joker.

Jennifer Davis Westmore makes her first of nine appearances as a nameless Nurse.  Charles Frank is Capt. Hathaway here, the first of two roles.  And a pre-Vegas Bart Braverman plays Private Habib.  Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) and Sal Viscuso (this time onscreen as Patient John) return.  Alda wrote and directed this one.

M*A*S*H: Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler

M*A*S*H: Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler
CBS
November 7, 1975
Dramedy
DVD
B-

Burt Prelutsky's first of eight M*A*S*H scripts, directed by Gelbart, is an odd one.  A soldier claims to be Jesus Christ, and so both Flagg and Freedman show up, leading to a scene where Flagg basically calls Freedman a Commie.  The tone of the episode shifts wildly and, laugh-track-less this time, it's hard to know how we're supposed to take any of this.

Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) returns.

M*A*S*H: O.R.

M*A*S*H: O.R.
CBS
October 8, 1974
Dramedy
DVD
B

This Gelbart & Marks story aired without a laugh track for a change, which in this case was definitely the right decision.  As the title suggests, most of the action is set in and around the operating room, with more blood and more serious talk than usual.  I wasn't crazy about the continuing rudeness and condescension to the nurses (who, Margaret aside, never stand up for themselves), but it was good to see Sidney (Arbus) show up again and offer help and common sense.  There are some nice character moments, between Hawkeye and Henry, and surprisingly Trapper and Frank.  And I like that Hawkeye does something heroic in saving a patient, and then when the patient dies, he's even more heroic in continuing on, while Trapper calmly and quickly puts out a fire.

Jeanne Shulherr makes her first of three M*A*S*H appearances, as an Anesthetist.  Odessa Cleveland (Bayliss, first time this season) and Bobbie Mitchell (Able) return.

Likely season two or three

M*A*S*H: Deal Me Out

The sunglasses are the perfect accessory.

M*A*S*H: Deal Me Out
CBS
December 8, 1973
Dramedy
DVD
B

This is the best episode in awhile, helped along by the guest shots from Allan Arbus (Sidney Freedman) and Pat Morita (again as Capt. Sam Pak).  The script by Gelbart and Marks is wittier than usual, including a Kafka joke.  The performance by 25-year-old John Ritter as Private Carter is a little shaky, but then it's a tricky role, and again the laugh track is misused, with him threatening Frank with a gun played mostly for laughs.

Gwen Farrell (Wilson) returns.  Tom Dever has his first of five M*A*S*H roles, this time as Lt. Rogers, while Jerry Fujikawa has his first of seven, as "Whiplash" Hwang.  And Edward Winter, who'd done a guest shot on The Bob Newhart Show, is Capt. Halloran here, but would be Col. Flagg later, a much more gung-ho character as I recall.  Note that there's no sign of Hot Lips.

M*A*S*H: Radar's Report

M*A*S*H: Radar's Report
CBS
September 29, 1973
Dramedy
DVD
C

This story by Laurence Marks and Sheldon Keller may well be the most frustrating so far.  Every time there's a situation that has potential, it's screwed up.

• Hawkeye falls for a woman, Lt. Erica Johnson (Joan Van Ark, who'd reappear on a retrospective episode five years later).  After a very brief acquaintance, he decides that he must marry her, but unfortunately she appears to be married.  It turns out the ring is just to prevent "wrestling matches."  She doesn't believe in marriage though, and he just takes a moment to savor the irony and then gets over it very quickly.
• Trapper gets a plot, yay!  For the #2 guy, he hasn't done much other than react to and scheme with Hawkeye.  This time he loses a patient, but the music and direction suddenly seem to suggest we're veering into melodrama or even horror.  Will Trap kill the Chinese Communist he blames for the patient's death?
• Burns refuses to operate on the Commie, so Hawkeye makes a statement of tolerance, which is undercut by a "one hour later" joke.
• For some reason, Burns and Houlihan want Klinger to get a Section Eight, which is what he wants, too.  So psychiatrist Major Milton Freedman (Allan Arbus in his first of twelve M*A*S*H appearances although I would've guessed more) shows up and diagnoses Klinger as not only a transvestite but a homosexual and a weirdo.  Klinger is offended, and I am, too, since I remember Freedman as more sympathetic.  (Maybe he got nicer when he changed his first name to Sidney.)
• The framing device is OK, and I like that we finally get specific dates (Oct. 17th to 22nd, 1951), but as with Hawkeye's letters to his dad, there's no way anyone (even near omniscient Radar) could know absolutely everything going on in camp, and a lot of what happens doesn't end up in the report, so what's the point of it?
• Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) returns and there's one scene where she's just silently standing there, waiting to help Trapper put on his surgical gown.  I realize that this is what nurses did, but it's poorly directed and only underlines the sexism of the early years.  The female characters are just there to react to and serve the men.  Johnson is a partial exception.