alan alda – The Mind Reels

MAS*H (1983) – Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen

On 28 February, 1983, millions of viewers bid goodbye to the 4077th and its residents over the course of two hours. It’s one of those moments burned into my brain, and I remember exactly where I was and how emotionally it affected me. The only other time I was affected in the same way would…

MAS*H (1983) – Give and Take, and As Time Goes By

Here we go, the penultimate installment of my re-watch of M*A*S*H. There are two episodes this week. The first one is Give and Take. Written by Dennis Koenig, this episode was first broadcast on 14 February, 1983. While Charles (David Ogden Stiers) tries to pawn off being charity collection officer, which leads to countless favor…

MAS*H (1983) – Strange Bedfellows, Say No More, and Friends and Enemies

Mike Farrell gets behind the camera and settles into the director’s chair again in Strange Bedfellows which was written by Karen Hall and debuted on 10 January, 1983. Charles (David Ogden Stiers) is suffering from a seasonal allergy and his snoring is keeping both Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and B.J. (Farrell) awake. It’s complicated by the…

MAS*H (1982/1983) – The Moon Is Not Blue, Run For The Money, and U.N., The Night and the Music

Larry Balmagia turns up the heat on the 4077th with his script for The Moon Is Not Blue. First airing on 13 December, 1982, the story finds the unit in the midst of a heatwave, and a wounded general issuing a standing order that as long as he’s in camp there will be no alcohol…

MAS*H (1982) – Trick or Treatment, Foreign Affairs, and The Joker is Wild

Dennis Koenig pens Trick or Treatment which first aired on 1 November, 1982. While the 4077th attempts to get in on local Halloween parties, a slew of wounded ruin their evening, but doesn’t stop them from sharing ghost stories, and dressing up in costumes. Amongst the wounded are Richard Lineback, George Wendt, and Andrew Clay….

MAS*H (1982) – Picture This, That Darn Kid, and Hey, Look Me Over

The penultimate episode of season ten (!) of MASH was written by Karen Hall and had an original airdate of 5 April, 1982. Potter (Harry Morgan) has decided to paint a portrait of his staff as a gift for his wife, Mildred. Unfortunately, he couldn’t have picked a worse time. Everyone has gotten on one…

MAS*H (1982) – Promotion Commotion, Heroes, and Sons and Bowlers

Promotion Commotion by Dennis Koenig first aired on 1 March, 1982. It’s just a fun goofy episode, though there’s a nice story that develops between Potter (Harry Morgan) and a wounded soldier, Danielson (Jim Boyce) who is catching flak from the rest of his unit because he wants to stay faithful to his girl at…

MAS*H (1981/1982) – Snappier Judgement, ‘Twas the Day After Christmas, and Follies of the Living – Concerns of the Dead

Klinger (Jamie Farr) faces his court-martial with Charles (David Ogden Stiers) defending him in Snappier Judgement. The two-parter comes to its conclusion this week in a story written by Paul Perlove. It first aired on 14 December, 1981. While Charles smugly (and wrongly) thinks he will be able to properly defend Klinger during his day…

MAS*H (1981) – Identity Crisis, Rumor at the Top, and Give ‘Em Hell, Hawkeye

David Ogden Stiers slips into the director’s chair for Identity Crisis which was written by Dan Wilcox and Thad Mumford and had an original airdate of 2 November, 1981. Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) gets some of the spotlight in this episode when he encounters a wounded soldier played by a young Joe Pantoliano. He claims…

MAS*H (1981) – The Life You Save, and That’s Show Biz

Alan Alda directs the final episode of the ninth season, which he co-wrote with John Rappaport and had an original airdate of 4 May, 1981. While all the medical staff are given administrative duties around the camp, which illustrate how inane some Army regulations can be, Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) has a trial of the…