For M.A.S.H. lovers
- Thread starter Jimmy McGill
- Start date
Great movie. Saw it in the theater when it came out.
Trivia: Gary Burghoff has a deformed hand (can't remember which) but he always works to keep it off camera.
Anyone who doesn’t say Henry’s death didn’t watch MASH. Even now, when I see that episode start, I can’t watch.
McLean Stevenson has admitted he screwed up by leaving. He mistakenly thought he could cash in on his popularity gain on the show.
Voted for Henry Blake but the Chicken Story was the first that came to mind but not in the poll.
The show transitioned from a comedy with dramatic elements to a drama with comedic elements over time. This is part of what made it great and how it lasted so long. Season 1 is just a completely different show than Season 11 and that evolution occurred slowly during the run. I think that understanding that is key to appreciating the show and the later seasons.
I read once that MASH changed the formula for how to replace characters in shows. Up until then, when an actor left, the new replacement character was typically just a different version of the same character type. But MASH established that the best way to replace characters was to go in a completely different direction. Give the audience someone that isn't going to make them think of the former version of that character. So the non-military Blake is replaced with the career officer Potter. The womanizing Trapper is replaced with the family man Hunnicutt. The incompetent, bumbling Burns is replaced with the highly competent, Ivy league educated, over qualified Winchester. In my opinion, it was brilliant. But obviously these choices helped move the show to a more dramatic feel since those character types lend themselves to that type of show more than to a comedy.
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Cheers followed a similar formula in replacing characters.
Honestly, I like all the different versions of the cast on the show. Keeps it fresh in the reruns which I used to watch every day.
Honestly, I like all the different versions of the cast on the show. Keeps it fresh in the reruns which I used to watch every day.
Love this show (Hawkeye drinking a martini is my Google profile pic). Of the options it's Blake death. Radar's solemn announcement after being admonished for not wearing a mask, walking out immediately after reading it, and the eerie silence in the OR as the show fades out. It hits me harder now. I've been involved in codes where we kept going far longer than we should have to allow family to get there.
Chicken story is the winner not listed. Not listed honorable mention-the one where they all agree to commit medical fraud and falsify a kid's time of death so the family doesn't have to think of Christmas as the day their son died.
Chicken story is the winner not listed. Not listed honorable mention-the one where they all agree to commit medical fraud and falsify a kid's time of death so the family doesn't have to think of Christmas as the day their son died.
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Watching the show as a kid was one of the early things that pushed me towards medicine. Even though I absolutely hated surgery once I got to med school.
I think the chicken story was unbelievably heart-wrenching writing, but to me, Alda's acting wasn't up to the power of the scene when he finally breaks down when the truth comes out....may be in the minority on this, but his emotion seemed "overacting"-ish.
Not trying to degrade it, it was still a very powerful scene.
Not trying to degrade it, it was still a very powerful scene.
You guys are swaying me to Blake death. I just think the final scene of the show was perfection.
A lot like Cheers final scene.
Seinfeld.....not so much
A lot like Cheers final scene.
Seinfeld.....not so much
Who said war is good? The commentary about the fruitless gains of war was all over that show
Seems to me that to be good commentary, one has to comment on a controversial and contested topic. Not one (war) where there are not two sides.
Well I’ll already have the dvd’s purchased from years ago so they’re free to watch now.
Ok, I have no idea where you wanting to go with this rant. Anyone that has been to war, knows how terrible it is. Not sure what 1980 families has to do with anything.
I just think he’s a prick. I don’t usually remember most posters but he went out his way to be a prick in the Baltimore bridge thread without bothering to carefully read posts before throwing stones. If I step in something I can admit when I’m wrong, but if you come at me you best come correctly.
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And for f!cks sake if ANYONE on this board knows that it is YOU!
Not just me. There are bunch on here that went to the sandbox
I believe you. The only one I know for sure is you. I do believe soybean. As they say, no one hates war more than a warrior. I served but not like that and I freely admit it.
Doesn't make a difference. You served. You did it well. Timing in life happens to determine who is sent to war.
I won't disavow that it f'd me up in some ways....but still happy I did it. I took a shit in Saadam's bathroom.
It is the finale. I won't give anything away. It is a hard watch
If you guys go back and watch the reruns, it is amazing how many great actors had simple short moments in the show.
Norm choked on a pool ball
Norm choked on a pool ball
The statement was that when MASH was on, it was a simpler time with families sitting together watching shows, as opposed to now, when they are heading 10 different directions..
Just more “the good ole days, now sucks” self-loathing. It’s depressing and not helpful.
I still have no idea what you are talking about. Sorry. I can reach you out to several good counselors.
NoleATL’s post was, in part, “This show is a reminder to much simpler times when families weren't running in 10 different directions every day, would watch quality TV together and the children were the remote controls.”
To this I replied “BS”.
I just hate the knee-jerk “how great it used to be and how bad it is now” view so many in our world (and on HORT) have. Don’t you find it depressing? Hell, even if it’s true (and I don’t think it is).
I've never been a big how great things used to be person. I do, however, wish kids were not addicted to their phones 24/7. It is not healthy for kids or adults
I really do not think I am a prick. See above for an explanation of my “BS” post.
As for the Baltimore thread, someone (perhaps you) said “I’m thinking like a 9/11 thing” followed by “we’ll just have to see”.
I (and at least another poster) saw those two statements as conflicting.
It wasn’t just MASH, it was the studio / production company era where big tim e stars and you actors on contracts moved from series to series. I watched an episode of Cannon recently and Robert Webber was in it. I pulled up his bio and he had four different roles in the series, as well as his landmark role as Adm. Jack Fletcher in Midway. Madilyn Rhue was in the episode, a great actress who was in 100 shows it seems like, most notably as the lieutenant who falls for Khan in the original Star Trek.
And I pointed out you didn’t read my posts in the thread as you took those individual statements out of context. You flame first and figure things out (or not) later. That makes you a prick. That’s fine, you will just treated by such.
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