Moderators: Nick and Chief Couch Potato Kylie
THE SPECS:
Who: “M*A*S*H” is an American war comedy-drama that aired on CBS for eleven seasons, from 1972-1983.
What: “M*A*S*H” follows a team of doctors and support staff stationed at the “4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital” in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War (1950–53).
SYNOPSIS
Developed by Larry Gelbart as the first original spin-off series adapted from the 1970 feature film M*A*S*H, which, in turn, was based on Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, M*A*S*H is an ensemble situation comedy drama revolving around key personnel in a United States Army Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) in the Korean War (1950–53). Episodes were both plot- and character-driven, with several narrated by one of the show’s characters as the contents of a letter home. The show’s tone could move from silly to sobering from one episode to the next, with dramatic tension often occurring between the civilian draftees of the 4077th – Captains Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce (Alan Alda), Trapper John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers, Seasons 1-3), and B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell, Seasons 4-11), for example – who are forced to leave their homes to tend the wounded and dying of the war – and the “regular Army” characters, such as Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan (Loretta Swit) and Colonel Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan, Seasons 4-11), who tend to represent patriotism and duty, though Houlihan and Potter could also represent the other perspective at times. Other characters, such as Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson, Seasons 1-3), Major Charles Emerson Winchester II (David Ogden Stiers, Seasons 6-11), and Corporal Maxwell Q. Klinger (Jamie Farr), help demonstrate various American civilian attitudes toward Army life, while guest characters also help further the show’s discussion of America’s place as a Cold War participant and peace maker.
When: The show aired on CBS from 1972-1983; our Patreon bonus panel recorded this additional reflection in April 2021.
Where: The show is set in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War (1950–53).
Why: Listen to tonight’s episode, linked below, for the (new) panelists’ individual stories on how they found M*A*S*H.
How – as in How Much Do We Love this Show?! – THOUGHTS
To listen to our entire M*A*S*H Retrospective, for which this episode serves as a bonus companion, click the embedded links below:
Seasons 1-3
Seasons 4-7
Seasons 8-11
As a companion to our M*A*S*H Retrospective Series, which we ran alongside our Patreon launch (which has since been unlaunched, as we are moving in a different direction), we recorded this bonus episode, which we call “The Legacy of M*A*S*H: Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.” This episode features an entirely new panel of generationally appropriate panelists, who caught at least some of the acclaimed comedy-drama during its first run, waxing especially nostalgic about the series and its impact on future generations and future TV creations. Co-moderated by Chief Couch Potato Kylie and the Retrospective moderator, Nick, this panel features Stacey, who previously appeared on our Downton Abbey panel; Todd, who currently appears on our The Crown panel; Sherryl, who previously appeared on our Forever panel; and a brand new panelist! As our prime panel of primarily younger Couch Potatoes did, these four panelists take the time to further celebrate the quality writing and unprecedented longevity of this wartime satire and to Look Back at a show with an undeniable legacy, upon which this panel comments, that has only expanded as the years have passed, particularly when one reflects upon how ahead of its time the show was in light of some of the subjects that it addressed.
As a reminder, M*A*S*H constitutes another entry in our “Best Of!” series. To wit, herein be the list of M*A*S*H’s Best Of!:
- #25 on TV Guide’s list of 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time
- #8 on TV Guide’s list of 60 Best Series of All Time
- #47 on Empire‘s “50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time” in 2016
- #13 on The Hollywood Reporter‘s “Hollywood’s 100 Favorite TV Shows”
- TIME Magazine’s All-Time 100 TV Shows
- #16 Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest TV Shows of All Time
In addition, M*A*S*H ranked #5 on The Writer’s Guild of America’s Best Written TV list in 2013, as it is also considered one of the best written (scripted) television series of all time.
This particular CPU! episode was recorded in April 2021, and there are, without question, MAJOR SPOILERS, as the panelists cover key plot points, situations, sight gags, and jokes of the whole series of M*A*S*H! Listen at your own risk, and let us know what you think by commenting below!
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Remember, new episodes and/or blog posts are published weekly! Next Wednesday, our The Crown panel triumphantly returns to the CPU! Water Cooler – after a year’s hiatus and prior to a total two year hiatus before Season 5 premieres, in light of another cast changeover and pandemic-inspired filming delays – ready to royally recap and review Season 4 of the Netflix biopic series. Stay tuned for the regal return of our panel of Royal Family fans – next week!
RECOMMENDATION
M*A*S*H – if you haven’t already watched it – is further recommended by this bonus panel to anyone who hasn’t somehow seen any portion of it in the over 40 years since it first premiered and who enjoys well-written, well performed, well directed, and thoughtful situation comedies, and/or anyone who considers themselves a TV connoisseur, because one could hardly adopt such a label without taking a look-see at one of the longest-running, “quintessential” comedies with the most watched series finale of all time, an honor that has never been surpassed in the Nielsen ratings. M*A*S*H, in many ways, pioneered and perfected the ensemble comedy formula that has become a staple of everything from Cheers to Friends to The Office to Modern Family, but that also elevated its own contribution to the craft by injecting satire and piercing social commentary into the usual slapstick and farce situations that made for contemporary popular television. As we discuss even tonight, M*A*S*H clearly influenced so many other comedies and dramedies to follow, not to mention spin-offs of its own, though none of them could match the success of the parent show. M*A*S*H continues to be a timeless, engaging fusion of ensemble cast chemistry and poignant social subtext that no doubt managed to push the boundaries of network censors. Further, the panel unanimously agrees that this series holds up well because the show is already something of a period piece but also because its strength is in its focus upon the people and characters that staff the 4-0-77, not to mention the fact that the producers and writers were never afraid to tackle salient social and cultural commentary that has only resonated throughout the decades to follow as society continues to grapple with the same issues. Plus, in contrast to another successful situation comedy from the same decade, All in the Family, M*A*S*H manages to walk the line of irreverence without stumbling headlong into language and attitudes that have only become dated and too offensive to be funny when measured against today’s social mores. If you love trying something new, and if you have somehow missed this series, you should make time for M*A*S*H, all eleven seasons of which are currently available to stream on Hulu.
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