"M*A*S*H" (1972) TV series 1972-1983

User Rating:

8.6/10   

Writers:

Linda Bloodworth-Thomason (writer) (5 episodes 1973-1976)
Elias Davis (writer) (17 episodes 1981-1982)

Seasons:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11

Release Date:

17 September 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | War

Plot:

The staff of an army hospital in the Korean war find that laughter is the best way to deal with their situation.

Plot Keywords:

Nurse | Colonel | Doctor | Korean War | Captain

Awards:

Won 8 Golden Globes. Another 42 wins & 130 nominations

US TV Schedule:

Mon. Nov. 9	5:00 PM	HALMRK	Soldier of the Month	#4.12
Mon. Nov. 9	5:30 PM	HALMRK	The Gun	#4.13

Cast

Alan Alda	...	Captain Benjamin Franklin Pierce (251 episodes, 1972-1983)
Loretta Swit	...	Major Margaret Houlihan (245 episodes, 1972-1983)
Jamie Farr	...	Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger / ... (211 episodes, 1972-1983)
William Christopher	...	Father Francis Mulcahy (209 episodes, 1972-1983)
Harry Morgan	...	Colonel Sherman T. Potter / ... (180 episodes, 1974-1983)
Mike Farrell	...	Captain B.J. Hunnicut (179 episodes, 1975-1983)
Kellye Nakahara	...	Lieutenant Kellye Yamato / ... (165 episodes, 1973-1983)
Gary Burghoff	...	Corporal Walter Eugene O'Reilly (159 episodes, 1972-1979)
David Ogden Stiers	...	Major Charles Winchester (130 episodes, 1977-1983)
Larry Linville	...	Major Franklin Marion Burns (119 episodes, 1972-1977)

Also Known As:

MASH (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

25 min (255 episodes) | 25 min (256 episodes)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone Sound Recording) | Mono (1972-1973)

Certification:

Australia:M (some episodes) | USA:TV-PG | Finland:K-7 (2006) (DVD) | New Zealand:M (Complete Box Set) | Australia:PG (some episodes) | Singapore:PG | Australia:G (some episodes)

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

20th Century Fox Television

Trivia:

Many of the actors from the cast appeared in a series of TV commercials for the IBM Personal Computer. Alan Alda also endorsed the Atari personal computer.

Goofs:

Continuity: Several of the characters had multiple variations on their names during the series, perhaps none more so than Father Mulcahy. His name is given at various points as John, John P., Francis, Francis John Patrick, and John Patrick Francis

Quotes:

Henry Blake: Do we have enough sherry and ginger-ale for the General?
Radar: Oh, nobody does, sir.
Henry Blake: Oh, fine then, if nobody does we don't have to, but make sure we do, just in case we don't.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Mad Monster (#2.3)" (1989)

Outstanding television, mostly.

I've found many of the comments about this series to be quite amusing, particularly the ones bashing it for "shoving" a liberal agenda down viewers throats. Given it's success for 11 years, I don't think the audience seemed to agree with that assessment. Quite simply, the show was one of the best written, best acted, and most entertaining shows in television history. Yes, it wore out its welcome in the end; but, it is a masterpiece that later shows rarely measured up to.

I have no great preference for one season's cast over another. Each character was unique and had something to contribute. When we lost the bumbling, but loveable Henry Blake, we got the stern but loving Sherman Potter. Both were the C.O., but each was a different person, a smart move by the creators. The same is true for Frank Burns and Charles Emerson Winchester III. Burns was a neurotic, vindictive, childish fool; while Winchester was an arrogant blowhard, but one who could hold his own with Hawkeye. Burns was incompetent, while Winchester was an outstanding surgeon; just ask him. Characters were missed when they left; but, they were not replaced with doppelgangers. That is part of the reason this show lasted so long.

The show did take on a more serious tone in the later seasons, but not entirely. There are plenty of laughs right up to the end. Those serious shows were often some of the most memorable, and they kept the series from becoming stale. With that said, they did tend to resort to Hawkeye's mental problems a bit too much, especially in the farewell. You can argue that a character like Hawkeye, with his passion for preserving life, was ripe for mental breakdowns; but, in reality, he probably would have been shipped home by the second breakdown.

The show is not perfect (it lasted 8 years longer than the actual war) but it comes far closer than most. It seems to be fashionable to bash popular shows and movies after their days is over. Part of this is a new generation trying to establish their own identity and dominance. Well, I didn't like my parent's movies, shows and music when I was younger; until I actually watched them and listened to them. Some of it turned out to be quite good, some not. Real quality stands the test of time. MASH will be around far longer than most of what I see on tv today.