M*A*S*H: Dear Comrade

M*A*S*H: Dear Comrade
CBS
November 27, 1978
Dramedy
DVD
C+

This is the first of three M*A*S*H episodes Tom Reeder wrote and it feels like it should've gone through another couple drafts, and I think Dubin's direction should've been subtler.  With the latter, it feels like the humor is playing to the overly loud laugh track.  Reeder will have a joke in a place where it doesn't quite fit, and then Dubin will have the cast punch it up.  The other script issue is that it's partly from the perspective of Charles's new houseboy, Kwang (Sab Shimono in his first of two M*A*S*H roles), who's a North Korean spy.  As with a lot of these "Dear" episodes, the frame of a letter doesn't quite work because much of what we see is not observed by the letter-writer.  I do like the twist that Kwang, bothered by the staff's ignorance, comes up with a rash cure (a cure for rashes, not a thoughtless cure) that wins him the admiration of the doctors (except Winchester).

Robert Clotworthy, who was Clete in the ABC After School Special "The Skating Rink," here is Private Welch, and would be Tony Williams twice on Three's Company.  Laurie Bates makes her first of three appearances on the show as a nameless Nurse, while David Dozer does his first of three, as Groves.  Larry Block (this time Cimoli), James Saito (this time a Korean Soldier), Dennis Troy (this time Corpsman #1), and Sal Viscuso (PA Announcer) return.