M*A*S*H: Love and Marriage

M*A*S*H: Love and Marriage
CBS
February 18, 1975
Dramedy
DVD
B-

This is the only M*A*S*H script by Arthur Julian, who did three for That Girl, and it has some flaws, among them the lack of real concern when a gunshot outside interrupts a poker game, and Radar's extreme squeamishness as a witness to childbirth.  (I know he's innocent, but come on, he grew up on a farm and he has lots of pets.)  Still, there are some good dramatic scenes.

Soon-Tek Oh, who gives a nice understated performance as Mr. Kwang, would return in four other roles.  Dennis Dugan, who plays the innocent-seeming Private Danny McShane, would return in a different role in the final season.  Jerry Fujikawa (this time Dr. Pak), Roy Goldman (as Roy Goldman), Johnny Haymer (Zale), and Kellye Nakahara (Yamato) return.  Swit is absence without explanation.  This is the second of two M*A*S*H episodes directed by Lee Philips.

M*A*S*H: Yankee Doodle Doctor

M*A*S*H: Yankee Doodle Doctor
CBS
October 22, 1972
Dramedy
DVD
B-

Laurence Marks's second M*A*S*H script is never as funny as it thinks it is, but it has its moments.  Hawkeye and Trapper rebel against a phony film about life in their unit, so they reshoot it to be both sillier and more poignant.

Herb Voland (the Agnew-looking actor) makes his first of seven appearances as Gen. Crandell Clayton.  Lee Philips directed a Gidget episode and this is his first of two for M*A*S*H.

Gidget: Ask Helpful Hannah

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Gidget: Ask Helpful Hannah
ABC
March 31, 1966
Sitcom
DVD
B-

The plot of this episode somewhat resembles my favorite ABC after-school special, Dear Lovey Hart, I Am Desperate, which we'll look at in '76.  Gidget reluctantly takes over the campus newspaper advice column and things backfire for her and others.  I don't think it's handled as well here as there, but there are some things I like, gimmicky though they are.  The Bewitched-sounding sound effect whenever Gidget has (or thinks she has) a realization is cute, as are the "bubbles" of her family and Larue commenting on the mess.

Barbara Hershey again plays Ellen, but this time she doesn't seem to be friends with Gidget.  Jewel Jaffe, who plays Kathy, would go on to write eight Welcome Back, Kotter episodes.  Rick Cooper again is Ted.  Bob Beach is again Toby, and pretends he's never been to the local teen hang-out before, although he was on "We Got Each Other."