D'Snowth's M*A*S*H Reviews

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "The Gun"
Episode Number: 86
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: December 2, 1975
Production Code: G517
Writers: Larry Gelbart, Gene Reynolds
Director: Burt Metcalfe

Episode Summary
Among the number of wounded brought into camp in the middle of the night is one Colonel Chaffey, whose leg had been wounded by a runaway tank, with him he had a really fancy Colt .45 that Radar takes very special care of when he locks it up in the Supply Room for him to pick up later. Frank Burns like the gun... in fact, he likes it so much, he wishes it were his. So it comes as a shock to Radar the next morning when he unloads the gun bin and discovers Colonel Chaffey's gun has been stolen, but how? The only other person who knew about it was Frank, but he couldn't have stolen it because Radar had the keys the whole time, unless someone swiped them while he slept; so Hawkeye, B.J., and Colonel Potter go on in search for whoever stole the gun to help Radar avoid spending fifteen years in the Stockade. Meanwhile, Frank has fun showing off his new prized piece for Margaret, but when he finally realizes the trouble he's caused, he tries to clear his name before Hawkeye and B.J. rat him out by returning the gun in the middle of the night, only to accidentally shoot himself in the foot; in the end, both he and Radar are off the hook, and Colonel Chaffey is reunited with his prized revolver.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the fourteenth episode of Season Four, it was the seventeenth produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* Colonel Potter has an Uncle Claud, who accidentally killed both his little toe and the family cat when a gun he was cleaning on day accidentally went off.

* Radar's key ring has keys to Colonel Potter's office, the locker where he keeps his horse's food, and even for the lock to his bicycle back in Iowa that his sister tries to steal from him on a regular basis.

* Radar does an impression of John Wayne in this episode; Gary Burghoff has been known to do dead-on celebrity impersonations, at one point when he was substituting for Charles Nelson Reilly on Match Game, Gary does an impression of Charles when Gene Rayburn accidentally refers to Gary as Charles.

* Radar's old high school is Ottumwa Central, where he says 400 children attended. He sent every single one of them a photo of him in his stripes when he made Corporal after basic training. He sat in one of those "Four for a Quarter" booths for sixteen hours and spent $25 taking his picture in his stripes so everyone would have one.

* GOOF: When Colonel Potter tucks a drunken Radar into bed, Radar's right hand is lying on his stomach, yet when Colonel Potter hands him his teddy bear, his hand is at his side.

* GOOF: Also, Radar's pillow shrinks.

"Deleted" Scenes
* The triage scene where Frank ******** about being woken up in the middle of the night to treat wounded has been nicked for time.

* In most syndicated prints, the scene where a drunk Radar babbles on to Corporal Klinger about going to jail has been completely cut, while in other prints, it's simply, yet severly butchered for time. Either way, it cuts out Radar telling Klinger about spending sixteen hours having his picture taken so he could send one to every kid in his high school back home so they can see he made Corporal after basic training, which makes for an unusual comment when a drunk Radar tells Colonel Chaffey "I'm the guy who had his picture taken for sixteen hours for nothing on the count of your gun!"

* The closing sequence where Frank limps around from his injury to the sarcastic comments from Hawkeye and B.J. has been cut.

Favorite Quote
RADAR: (Drunk) I'm-a goin' to jail in my puberty, and I won't come out till my adultery...

Overall
Opinion: One of the best Season Four episodes.
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "Mail Call... Again"
Episode Number: 87
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: December 9, 1975
Production Code: G518
Writers: Jim Fritzell, Everett Greenbaum
Director: George Tyne

Episode Summary
The glorius day of Mail Call has arrived once again at the 4077th, and delivers a variety of highs and lows for the troops in camp: Colonel Potter receives news that he's going to be a grandfather, but his grandchild is late so a pool breaks out amongst everyone in camp for the baby's birthday, weight, and sex for a dollar, Margaret receives a sexy, sheer bed jacket that came from Frederick's of Hollywood, Father Mulcahy receives a nice little letter from his sister, Anjelica, Hawkeye bores everyone in camp with stories from his hometown newspaper, The Crabapple Cove Courier, B.J. receives letters from his wife and family dog about the baby speaking in babbles, Corporal Klinger tells Colonel Potter about the news from home this his brothers were killed in an explosion at the harmonica factory, though the Colonel knows he's bluffing, Radar receives a home movie of his family enjoying Sunday dinner out in the yard, and Frank Burns receives news from home that his wife, Louise, found out about Margaret, and wants to divorce him.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the fifteenth episode of Season Four, it was the eighteenth produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* This episode has no scene in the O.R., which violates Alan Alda's contract.

* Second installment of the "Mail Call" trilogy, the final installment will appear in the end of Season Six.

* Colonel Potter's son is a dentist in Ohio.

* Radar does an impression of James Cagney in this episode.

* The Hunnicutt family dog is named Waggle.

* Frank Burns's home state is revealed in this episode as Indiana.

* Corporal Klinger's Latest Scheme to Get Out of the Army: Telling Colonel Potter his brothers have been killed in an explosion at the Toledo Harmonica Factory, and must be sent home on a hardship discharge.

* The first and only time we see Radar's mother on screen, she was actually played by Gary Burghoff, possibly to show that Radar resembles his mother.

"Deleted" Scenes
* Radar delivering mail to Margaret has been nicked for time.

* Radar delivering mail to Father Mulcahy has been nicked for time as well.

* A brief scene where Hawkeye reads his hometown newspaper to a patient recuperating in Post-Op has been cut.

* Frank getting through to Louise on the phone has been nicked for time.

* Hawkeye and B.J. razzing Margaret in the Mess Tent about Frank being on the phone with Louise has been edited out.

* Radar's home movie has been nicked for time.

Favorite Quote
COLONEL POTTER: I know you Klinger, everytime you tell a lie, your nose gets smaller!

Overall
Opinion: Better than the first "Mail Call", but not as good as "Mail Call Three"
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "The Price of Tomato Juice"
Episode Number: 88
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: December 16, 1975
Production Code: G519
Writers: Larry Gelbart, Gene Reynolds
Director: Gene Reynolds

Episode Summary
While not enjoying breakfast in the Mess Tent one morning, Radar learns that Colonel Potter LOVES tomato juice when he has a glass with his breakfast, Radar loves to make Colonel Potter happy, so after he gives up his glass to him, he decides maybe he could requisition to have more sent to the 4077th to keep Colonel Potter in steady supply... but there's only one problem: Frank Burns is Requisition Officer, and he'll automatically say no since he hates Colonel Potter, so Radar goes to Hawkeye and B.J. for help, they go to Frank to get him to sign the requisition, Frank will only sign it if he can get his hands on a pair of nylons for Margaret, so Hawkeye and B.J. try to get a pair from Corporal Klinger, but he won't give them up unless Colonel Potter signs for him to have a three day pass in Tokyo, Colonel Potter can't let Klinger go because of new regulations, so Colonel Potter tries to persuade a buddy of his in Tokyo to let Klinger spend some R&R time there, but he'll only do it if he can be set up with Margaret, so Colonel Potter relays the news to Margaret, and she agrees, which upsets Frank, so he won't sign the requisition, so while he gets drunk in the Officers's Club, Radar plays cupid and Frank signs the requisition while he and Margaret spend a night in her tent, and Klinger is on his way to Tokyo for R&R. The next day, Radar surprises Colonel Potter with more tomato juice, but is crushed to learn that although Colonel Potter loves tomato juice, he's allergic to it.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the sixteenth episode of Season Four, it was the nineteenth produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* It is actually revealed in this episode for the first time that Klinger is Arabic, though it isn't revealed until later on that he's more specifically Lebanese.

* GOOF: Igor is refered to as Maxwell in this episode. Probably because Jeff Maxwell plays him.

"Deleted" Scenes
* The opening sequence in the Mess Tent has been nicked for time.

* Radar trying to get Colonel Potter to sign a three day pass for Klinger, and Colonel Potter getting permission from a buddy of his has been nicked for time.

* Radar playing cupid for Margaret and Frank has also been nicked for time.

* The closing sequence where Colonel Potter thanks Radar for the surprise when Klinger returns from R&R has been cut.

Favorite Quote
COLONEL POTTER: Radar, is that tomato juice?
RADAR: This red stuff here, yes.
COLONEL POTTER: I haven't seen tomato juice in donkeys years... reminds me of all the wonderful goodies back home.
B.J.: Kosher pickles...
HAWKEYE: Apple pancakes...
B.J.: Escargot.
RADAR: What's that?
B.J.: Snails.
RADAR: Oh ick, I would never eat a snail!
B.J.: Nobody would, that's why they started calling them "Escargot".

Overall
Opinion: Very nice episode.
Rating: Click here[/QUOTE]

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "Dear Ma"
Episode Number: 89
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: December 23, 1975
Production Code: G515
Writers: Jim Fritzell, Everett Greenbaum
Director: Alan Alda

Episode Summary
It's the middle of the night, and Radar is having trouble sleeping, so he decided to write a nice, long letter to his mother, describing the current events of the 4077th, including having to help Hawkeye conduct a camp-wide foot inspection, B.J. getting swindled by a patient leaving the 4077th who claims he needs to send money home for his wife's operation, Frank Burns avoiding the foot inspection, and then later wrongfully attacks a South Korean general, thinking he's North Korean after they encounter a North Korean P.O.W. in the Mess Tent, getting a new mail-order guinea pig whom he names Dopey, and Colonel Potter getting caught in Sniper fire with shrapnel in his butt.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the seventeenth episode of Season Four, it was the fifteenth produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* Colonel Potter has perfect feet, Margaret is retaining water, Corporal Klinger is missing a toenail, Father Mulcahy has a scar from where his sister bit his toe as a child, and Frank has nail polish on all his toes.

* Corporal Klinger's Latest Scheme to Get Out of the Army: Writing a long letter to the newly elected President Eisenhower describing his mental condition.

* GOOF: Colonel Potter's tent is used for both Father Mulcahy and Klinger's tents in this episode.

* GOOF: Radar says since there's 200 people stationed at the 4077th, the unit has a total of 20,000 toes, when it should really be only 2,000.

* GOOF: Radar says he finally has a pet with his new guinea pig... well, what about all those bunnies, possums, skunks, and raccoons he was keeping? Not to mention he grew up on a farm, surely he considers on of the animals back home his pet?

"Deleted" Scenes
* Hawkeye and Radar knocking on Margaret's door to let her know it's her turn for a foot inspection has been edited out.

Favorite Quote
RADAR: (Writing a letter) ... all of our doctors are really "terrif"... except for Major Burns, of course...

Overall
Opinion: Another great Season Four episode!
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "Der Tag"
Episode Number: 90
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: January 6, 1976
Production Code: G522
Writers: Everett Greenbaum, Jim Fritzell
Director: Gene Reynolds

Episode Summary
Margaret is busy attending a nurses' seminar in Tokyo, leaving Frank Burns all alone back at the 4077th... or at least that's how he feels, thus his misery makes for some unpleasant sessions in camp, so Colonel Potter asks the impossible: Hawkeye and B.J. be nice to him until Margaret comes back, so later when a poker game is being held in the Swamp, Hawkeye invites Frank to sit in on a hand, and join them in some drinks, to which by sheer, dumb, idiot luck, Frank keeps winning, and gets drunk, but he's happy, as he's convinced Hawkeye and B.J. are his new best friends since they also invite him to have drinks with them in the Officers' Club, so later when Hawkeye and B.J. drag an unconscious Frank to the Swamp, they grab a toe-tag, attach it to his toe, and write on it "Emotionally exhausted, and morally bankrupt". After Hawkeye and B.J. crash, Frank sleepwalks to the Latrine, but on his way out, he crashes into the back of an ambulance; the next morning, when Frank is apparently AWOL, he's found all the way down at an Aid Station, still sleeping like a baby, even with all the explosions going off, so Hawkeye and B.J. are sent to go pick him up, but not before having to help out at the Aid Station. Finally, back at the 4077th, Frank wakes up, but is saddened to learn Hawkeye and B.J. hate him again, but is esctatic when Margaret returns from her seminar.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the eighteenth episode of Season Four, it was the twenty-second produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* Frank has a snapper purse, he says "it says no to a pick-pocket with a capital 'N'!"

* Frank does his high-pitched, cackly, maniacle laugh for the first time in this episode.

* Frank admits to having secret feelings for Nurse Kellye in this episode, while under the influence, of course.

* GOOF: The cover of the comic book Radar is sleeping with keeps changing in between scenes.

* GOOF: When Hawkeye, B.J., and Frank return from the Aid Station, a shot outside the Swamp door as they drag him in reveals a large tear in the backdrop right behind the Officers' Club.

"Deleted" Scenes
* A brief scene in the O.R. where Hawkeye threatens to dessert the 4077th, while Frank b i t c h e s at everyone has been cut.

* The poker game in the Swamp has been nicked for time.

* Frank's "party" in the Officers' Club has also been nicked for time.

Favorite Quote
COLONEL POTTER: (Wanting Hawkeye and B.J. to befriend Frank) Hawkeye... B.J.... I'm beggin' you!
HAWKEYE: Aw, who can resist those big, Colonel eyes!

Overall
Opinion: Pretty amusing.
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "Hawkeye"
Episode Number: 91
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: January 13, 1976
Production Code: G520
Writers: Larry Gelbart, Simon Muntner
Director: Larry Gelbart

Episode Summary
While on his way back to the 4077th, Hawkeye's jeep skids off the road and crashes after he swerves to avoid hitting a group of Korean children playing in the middle of the road; the children then take him into their hut where he is met with mixed reviews from the rest of the family: a mother, father, grandmother, and dog. Hawkeye then makes a startling discovery: he has a severe head wound, and won't stop bleeding, so while he waits for someone from camp to come pick him up, Hawkeye then does a twenty-one-minute monologue to avoid unconsciousness.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the ninteenth episode of Season Four, it was the twentifth produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* B.J., Colonel Potter, Margaret, Frank, Corporal Klinger, and Father Mulcahy do not appear in this episode; Radar is refered to, but not seen.

* Alan Alda is the only cast member to appear in all 256 episodes, thus making Hawkeye the only character on the show to be in every situation from start to finish; Margaret, Klinger, and Father Mulcahy were also characters from beginning to end, but even they never appeared in every episode.

"Deleted" Scenes
* How in the world can you tell what's been cut from this episode?

Favorite Quote
HAWKEYE: (Samples the grandmother's cooking) Mmm! Meat! Where did you get meat? (Pauses) Wait a minute... where's the dog?

Overall
Opinion: Worst. Episode. Ever. 'Nuff said!
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "Some 38th Parallels"
Episode Number: 92
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: January 20, 1976
Production Code: G521
Writers: Regier and Markowitz
Director: Burt Metcalfe

Episode Summary
Frank Burns decides the 4077th's garbage is too valueable to simply be thrown away, so he decides to hold auctions and have Korean locals bid on various items of garbage, only to find that Hawkeye sent B.J. in to buy the entire lot. All this, meanwhile, Hawkeye tries to pick up a new nurse that's been assigned to the 4077th, only to actually find himself too tense to fool around, while Radar suddenly feels important after he indirectly saves a patients life.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the twentifth episode of Season Four, it was the twenty-first produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* Margaret doesn't appear in this episode.

* The set lighting is rather dim in this episode.

* Korean Lesson: "Chang-yo" means "prostitute".

"Deleted" Scenes

Favorite Quote
KLINGER: What's wrong?
RADAR: What's wrong, what's wrong?
KLINGER: You look happy, you never see any happy faces in the Army except for outside the Latrine.

Overall
Opinion: Meh...
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Plot from TV.com (which should still be TV Tome)

Episode Information
Episode Title: "The Novocaine Mutiny"
Episode Number: 93
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: January 27, 1976
Production Code: G523
Writers: Burt Prlutsky
Director: Harry Morgan

Episode Summary
Frank has Hawkeye up on charges of mutiny, for usurping his authority when Potter was away on leave, and Frank was the C.O. The Judge Advocate, Colonel Carmichael, tries the case; BJ, Potter, and Radar are in attendance of the preliminary hearing to offer support for Hawkeye. There are several versions of what happened: according to Frank, he was trying to hold the 4077th together during heavy casualties when everyone else was falling apart; according to The Eye Of The Hawk, BJ and Radar, it was Frank who was out of control with his regimen. Finding no evidence of the alleged mutiny, the judge drops all charges against Hawkeye and puts Frank in his place (but will he stay there?).

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the twenty-first episode of Season Four, it was the twenty-third produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* This is the first episode directed by series cast member, Harry Morgan.

* This episode takes place on October 11, 1952.

* It's said that Radar get his nickname (and his ability to sense something is going to happen before it happens) from his Uncle Ernest.

* Frank Burns has blood type B.

* GOOF: The laugh track is left on during the O.R. scenes, particularly when Frank tells his side of the story that's blown completely out of proportion!

"Deleted" Scenes

Favorite Quote
MAJOR: If eventually found guilty, Captain Pierce will be hanged.
HAWKEYE: (Under his breath) WHY does he keep saying that?
B.J.: (Under his breath) Because it'll never happen... probably.

Overall
Opinion: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "Smilin' Jack"
Episode Number: 94
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: February 3, 1976
Production Code: G508
Writers: Larry Gelbart, Simon Muntner
Director: Charles Dubin

Episode Summary
The 4077th has a rather cocky chopper pilot by the name of Smilin' Jack, who is busy trying to earn the title of "Chopper Pilot of the Year", a title based on how many casualties the pilots has transported from the front to a M*A*S*H unit that have survived. Jack's rival, Dangerous Dan is slowly, but surely ahead of Jack by only a few casualties, but Jack refuses to give up; though he's going to find it difficult to continue to beat Dan to the title when Colonel Potter suddenly orders for Jack to be grounded due to diabetes. All this, meanwhile, one of the patients Jack brought in is recuperating in Post-Op, and wishes not to be sent back to the front, especially after receiving his second Purple Heart.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the twenty-second episode of Season Four, it was the eighth produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* Corporal Klinger and Father Mulcahy don't appear in this episode.

* This is the first episode directed by Charles Dubin, who will direct for the series from here on in.

* The set lighting of this episode is rather dim.

* Radar's good luck charm is a four-leafed clover.

"Deleted" Scenes
* The scene in Post-Op where B.J. and Margaret go over the patients that Smilin' Jack brought in has been cut in half.

* Colonel Potter trying to get ahold of Jack on the radio has been nicked for time.

* A brief friendly scene between Colonel Potter and Jack after Jack is finally, and officially grounded has been cut.

* The closing sequence in O.R. where Hawkeye and Colonel Potter talk shop about war has been cut.

Favorite Quote
B.J. (After Jack managed to get a needle to stick in an orange) There's a magnet in the orange!
HAWKEYE: That's what it is... he peels the orange, puts a magnet inside, then he glues the rind back on the orange without a single seam showing, and I don't know what the h e l l I'm talking about!

Overall
Opinion: Not as good as "Cowboy", I think.
Rating: Click here

 

[D'Snowth]

Episode Information
Episode Title: "The More I See You"
Episode Number: 95
Season Number: Four
Original Airdate: February 10, 1976
Production Code: G524
Writers: Larry Gelbart, Gene Reynolds
Director: Gene Reynolds

Episode Summary
Hawkeye and B.J. are bored out of their skulls, but soon Hawkeye finds a different series of emotions running through his system when a jeep pulls into camp with two new nurses... one of which needs no introduction. Carlye was Hawkeye's ex-fiance, she and him had been engaged while he was in residency, but he had been too devoted to his work, and not devoted enough to his love life, that they never did get married; Hawkeye is even more sour when he and Carlye start catching up and he learns that she is now married to a man who is currently serving in the Navy, but in civilian life was in advertising. Now that Carlye is in camp, Hawkeye finds it difficult to keep his mind off of her (as well as his hands and lips), that in the end, she realizes that her being there is just simply not going to work out, so she puts in for a transfer to another unit as soon as possible, much to his dismay, though he finally agrees, but asks her to do him a favor, "if anybody asks, I turned you down" are his final words to her before she leaves the 4077th, and his life once again.

M*O*R*S*E*L*S
* Although this is the twenty-third episode of Season Four, it was the twenty-fourth produced.

* The film quality of this episode is rather awkward.

* Margaret, and Frank Burns don't appear in this episode.

* This episode features another special guest appearance by an actor who would later go on to become a big-name celebrity - Blythe Danner as Carlye Breslin-Walton.

* The set lighting of this episode is rather dim.

* Mary Jo Catlett makes her first guest appearance in this episode as the 4077th's new nurse Becky Anderson. Her second, and last guest appearance would also be as a nurse, Mary Jo Walsh.

* B.J. is asked for the first time what B.J. stands for, to which Hawkeye answers for him by saying "practically anything". Later, in Season Seven, an entire episode would revolve around Hawkeye going to extreme measures just to find out what B.J. does stand for.

* Dinnertime at the 4077th is at 7:00 P.M. (1900), while nausea is around 8:00 P.M. (2000).

* Colonel Potter practices his hobby for the first time in this episode, as he paints portraits of both Radar and Corporal Klinger. Through-out the series, Colonel Potter paints portraits of Hawkeye, Charles, his thumb, and the entire gang to name a few.

* Radar does impressions of a turtle, and Al Jolson.

"Deleted" Scenes
* The opening sequence with a bored Hawkeye and B.J. in the Swamp has been nicked for time.

* Hawkeye checking with Radar about the new nurses has been nicked for time.

* Nurses Becky Anderson and Carlye Walton setting up their tent with Hawkeye and B.J. giving them a small welcoming has been nicked for time.

* The entire scene where Colonel Potter is painting a portrait of Radar, while Radar shows off his turtle and Al Jolson impersonations to him has been completely cut.

* The closing sequence where Hawkeye and B.J. are back in the Swamp, bored to death again, has been cut.

Favorite Quote
HAWKEYE: Here's a bottle of shampoo...
B.J.: Because we couldn't find any "realpoo".

Overall
Opinion: Very interesting episode.
Rating: Click here