Summary
Running for eleven seasons and catapulting Alan Alda into stardom, the hit TV show,MASH, has some of the most rewatchable episodes of any television series. Based on the 1970 film starring Donald Sutherland,MASHpremiered just two years later in 1972 and has outlived the original movie in terms of legacy and notoriety. This is becausethe series was dedicated to tackling relevant social issues and wasn’t afraid to combine elements of dramainto its comedic format. The writing and direction of certain episodes have been hailed as some of the greatest in TV history.
Though it’s set during the Korean War,MASHconsistently commented on the Vietnam War and the experiences of soldiers sent overseas.
While there are someharsh realities of rewatchingMASHover fifty years later, the majority of the series holds up well under scrutiny. The strong anti-war messages are prevalent even in the show’s earliest episodes. Though it’s set during the Korean War,MASHconsistently commented on the Vietnam War and the experiences of soldiers sent overseas.This subject matter was heavy and taken seriously, but that didn’t stop the show from having fun with its premiseand finding plenty of humor in even the darkest moments.
All 11 Seasons Of MASH, Ranked
MASH is one of the most groundbreaking shows ever. While it maintained its quality throughout its run, some of its seasons were better than others.
10Pilot
Season 1, Episode 1
The episode that started it all is a bit different from the remainder of the show. However, the episode successfully reintroduced the story to audiences and set the tone for the remainder of the series. All thebest TV pilot episodeshave the difficult job of immersing the viewers in the story and making them care about the characters while delivering much-needed exposition about how the fictional world works. ForMASH, this came easily, asthere was already a cultural shorthand about living through wartime.
It’s enormously nostalgic to rewatch the pilot ofMASH, as it’s obvious looking back that the creators had something special on their hands. The chemistry between the actors is incredible, and the writing is quick-witted. These are two elements that would come to define the series. Returning to the pilot might seem inconsequential as there are more pivotal episodes later in the show. However,it gives vital insight into the inner workings of the story and serves as a reminder of how far the series would comemany years later.
9Our Finest Hour (Parts 1 & 2)
Season 7, Episodes 4 & 5
The clip show might be a sitcom trope that’s satirized and poked fun at today, but whenMASHseason 7 was airing, using the clip show was standard practice and a lot of fun for audiences. Putting aside modern-day contempt for formulaic episodes, “Our Finest Hour,” came at the perfect time, asMASHhad changed a lot since it began, but was keenly aware of how much it owed to actors in the first few seasons.Many actors exitedMASHbefore the finale, but the series never forgot them,as shown in the episode.
Told through the frame story of a reporter interviewing the characters, the episode is a two-parter that aired back-to-back in an hour-long slot.
“Our Finest Hour” is theoneMASHepisode with the entire cast, as it harkens back to episodes earlier in the series. Told through the frame story of a reporter interviewing the characters, the episode is a two-parter that aired back-to-back in an hour-long slot. The scenes that take place in the present day are shot in black and white, while the clips from older episodes are shown in their original color.Getting to revisit all the cast and characters who fostered the show from the beginning is emotional for the actorsand viewers alike.
8Welcome To Korea
Season 4, Episodes 1& 2
Alda’s Hawkeye was the heart and soul ofMASH, butfor the first three seasons, there was no Hawkeye without Trapper(Wayne Rogers). As hilarious partners in crime and best friends, they pulled pranks together and weathered the storm of war as constant companions. When both Rogers and McLean Stevenson wanted to leave the show at the end of season 3, big changes were in the air, and the series had to evolve to find Hawkeye a companion and deal with the loss of their leader, Henry (Stevenson).
All of this culminated in the season 4 premiere, “Welcome to Korea,” when two of the best characters of the series were introduced.B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell) would become Hawkeye’s new allyand Sherman T. Potter (Harry Morgan) would take over command of the 4077. Though they came later, Hunnicutt and Potter were invaluable for the majority of the series, and it’s in this episode that they make their mark. Season 4 is the end of an era in many ways, but it signals the necessary changes that cementMASHas a hit.
7The Joker Is Wild
Season 11, Episode 4
B.J. and Hawkeye get into the ultimate prank war as the members of the 4077 try to go about their daily business, though they are thwarted at every turn.
The best-rememberedMASHepisodes have gone down in history because they take on the trials and tribulations of war, butMASHunderstood that the only way to survive a war is to find moments of joy within the devastation. AsMASHwas winding down in its final season,“The Joker Is Wild” provided the kind of pure fun and hijinks that got the audiences laughingalong with the characters. B.J. and Hawkeye get into the ultimate prank war as the members of the 4077 try to go about their daily business, though they are thwarted at every turn.
The prank episode is somethingMASHdoes well and did several times across the seasons, but “The Joker Is Wild” was the last and served as a tribute to all that came before. In the episode,Hawkeye is targeted by B.J. who wants to prove himself as just as good a prankster as the rest of the unit,and the infamous Trapper. It’s fun to see Hawkeye with the tables turned on him sleeping with one eye open because he’s terrified of the biggest prank of all.
6Life Time
Season 8, Episode 11
In “Life Time,” a ticking clock becomes much more than a metaphor when a timer appears in the bottom corner of the screen and illustrates the time it takes to save a life. Split-second decisions are made andthe value of life is weighed in front of the audience as twenty minutes count down in real time to save a man’s life.As one of the most high-stakes and nerve-wracking episodes of the series, “Life Time” forces the audience to question what they would do if put in the same impossible situation.
Both Hawkeye and B.J. are faced with intense and impossible choices as they work together to save one patient but must do so by waiting for a brain-dead man to die.Watching the episode while knowing the outcome doesn’t change how thrilling and devastating every choice isand how real it feels as each minute passes. Using the clock on the screen is a clever way to communicate with the audience, and maintains the stakes decades later.
5Yankee Doodle Doctor
Season 1, Episode 6
For audiences that can’t get enough of the Hawkeye and Trapper dynamic, “Yankee Doodle Doctor” is the perfect episode,especially considering how political it is for season 1. Additionally, for those who believeHawkeye’s bestMASHpartner was B.J. not Trapper, this episode makes a case for how vital Hawkeye and Trapper’s connection was at the show’s beginning. The episode pays tribute to the Marx Brothers in a brilliant spoof while offering a withering indictment of military propaganda. “Yankee Doodle Doctor” shows the audience that Hawkeye will never sit back and do something he disagrees with.
After Hawkeye and Trapper discover that the “documentary” they’re asked to star in is virtually propaganda, they make a film of their own and style themselves after Groucho and Harpo Marx.
After Hawkeye and Trapper discover that the “documentary” they’re asked to star in is virtually propaganda, they make a film of their own and style themselves after Groucho and Harpo Marx. This results in hilarious remakes of Marx Brothers hijinks in the operating room, and is a great reference for fans of the classic Marx Brothers comedies. Even though the episode is only the sixth in the series,Hawkeye makes a poignant speech about the cost of war, setting up deeper explorations in later seasons.
4Dear Sigmund
Season 5, Episode 8
The recurring character, Sidney Freedman (Allan Arbus), is an army psychiatrist who pops up now and again throughout the show to provide mental evaluations for patients and doctors alike. However, in “Dear Sigmund,” the tables are turned on Sidney when he pens a letter to the famous, and deceased, founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud.Written and directed by Alda, “Dear Sigmund” experimented with tonal juxtaposition,as Sidney journies to the 4077th to heal from the death of one of his patients.
There are few episodes that so perfectly encapsulate the beautiful balance thatMASHstrikes, but “Dear Sigmund” is one of them. Combining childlike humor and wonder with the realities of loss, the story took the leap of dealing with feelings of depression in Sidney before television was openly grappling with discussions of mental health.Despite the weight of its narrative, “Dear Sigmund” includes some of the funniest moments of the show,and holds up well when compared to contemporary TV about similar topics.
3Goodbye, Farewell And Amen
Season 11, Episode 16
Watching “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” is bittersweet, to say the least, but it’s the kind of heartache that feels good decades later.
The finale of a TV has the power to ensure its longevity or be the final nail in the coffin that prevents it from being remembered for years to come. Luckily,MASHnever had a problem figuring out how to say goodbyeto its audience. All of the actors' exits across the series prepared the writers and creators to make the most satisfying ending possible and avoid the mistakes they made in the past. Watching “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” is bittersweet, to say the least, but it’s the kind of heartache that feels good decades later.
Clocking in at two and a half hours long at its premiere, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” starts with Hawkeye experiencing PTSD after witnessing the death of a child and culminates in the end of the war and the characters finally being sent home. It’s incredibly emotional watching the characters say their farewells and wrap up the few loose ends of the series. As the show aired for many more years than the actual Korean War,seeing the characters grapple with their desire to go home and uncertainty about life as a civilian never gets old.
MASH’s Cast Exits Are The Exact Reason It Lasted So Long
MASH had some high-profile actor departures throughout its 11-season run, but instead of hurting it, this is the reason it lasted for so long.
2O.R.
Season 3, Episode 5
MASHwas unlike other pieces of media about the military because it centered on the experiences of doctors close to the front lines of battle. A large part of each person’s characterization is their medical expertise and experience, especially Hawkeye, who is considered one of the most prominent surgeons in the unit.“O.R.” is the first episode that takes place almost solely in the operating roomas a revolving door of patients flows through the outpost, pushing each character to their physical and emotional brinks.
The pressure on Hawkeye and the other doctors is felt acutely throughout the episode,allowing the audience into the high-stakes world of the show, without fully devolving into a medical drama. Season 3 was a turning point for the show, as more episodes began to push the boundaries of whatMASHwas capable of. Later, Hawkeye will be challenged as a doctor more and more, but “O.R.” plants the seeds of his deeper struggles brilliantly.
1Point Of View
Season 7, Episode 10
MASHplayed with form and storytelling formatting long before other television shows of the same type were doing it, and this was never more apparent than in episodes like “Point of View.” In the episode, the camera takes on the perspective of a patient being treated by Hawkeye and the other doctors in the 4077th unit.Using unique camera movements and cinematography, it’s a vulnerable episode for the actors,as they can interact directly with the camera, and are aware of its gaze, since it’s a stand-in for an actual individual.
From being wounded in battle to being seen off by the crew, the familiarity of the characters and setting are turned upside down through the eyes of a scared and wounded soldier.
It’s a shift for the series, as the patients are always important to the doctors, but their experiences haven’t been fully captured until this moment. From being wounded in battle to being seen off by the crew, the familiarity of the characters and setting are turned upside down through the eyes of a scared and wounded soldier. After seven seasons, audiences might have believed they knew everything about the people on the show, but"Point of View" proves over and over upon rewatch that there will always be parts of the characters they hide from others and themselves.
MAS*H
Cast
MAS*H is a drama-comedy series set during the Korean War, centering on the lives of the staff at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital as they navigate the challenges of wartime medical service with humor and resilience.
