Don't get me wrong, the first three years of this show may have been my all-time favorites in television. But anyone looking for bellylaughs in later years would be disappointed; but you'd get your fill of preachiness & simplicity. Here are the stages of M*A*S*H's decline for me...
Stage 1 - M*A*S*H makes its network television debut. Centers around the loonball antics of doctors at an army surgical hospital in Korea. Hawkeye, Trapper, Ugly John (anesthetist), Spearchucker Jones and others worked hard and played hard, and made us all laugh.
Stage 2 - We focus more on affable Henry Blake and Hawkeye and Trapper busting Frank Burns' balls and irritating Hot Lips Houlihan.
Stage 3 - Maclean Stevenson (the venerable Henry Blake) leaves show for greener pastures (a brief tenure as a talk show host, then "Hello, Larry."). Written off in moving storyline. Marks beginning of the end.
Stage 4 - Two episodes after Stage 3, Wayne Rogers (loveable rogue doctor Trapper John McIntyre) leaves show for greener pastures (TV-movie remake of It's A Wonderful Life starring Marlo Thomas, TV series adaptation of "House Calls"). Written off with final scene in horizontal pin-stripe suit. Marks last time show is funny.
Stage 5 - Hawkeye gets new partner in crime (B.J. Honeycutt), camp gets new C.O. (Sherman Potter). Show develops a social conscience.
Stage 6 - Hot Lips breaks up with Frank Burns, becomes friendly, now known as Margaret. Bad omen.
Stage 7 - Larry Linville (twittish Frank Burns) leaves show for greener pastures (memorable turn on Love Boat). Is replaced by stuffy Charles Emerson Winchester. Quality of show continues to slide.
Stage 8 - B.J. grows a moustache. Show is no longer functionally a comedy.
Stage 9 - Klinger no longer wears women's clothing. Another turn on the downward spiral.
Stage 10 - Nearly every show is "issue-oriented." Yeah, war is hell - we get it, already. Alan Alda becomes the driving creative force on the show; he gets confused into thinking show is "Playhouse 90". Guns for a Humanitas Award each week.
Stage 11 - Gary Burghoff leaves show for greener pastures (in some TV markets becomes spokesman for BP Gasoline). Klinger runs camp - now apparently loves the army.
Stage 12 - Peripheral characters now have entire storylines devoted to them. John Q. Livingroom gets treated to helpings of Igor (cook), Kelley (heavy-set Hawaiian nurse), and Rizzo (Cajun guy in motor pool - you may recognize him as ball-busting sergeant in the Policy Academy franchise). Any potential of this show amusing anyone besides mental patients can be officially retired.
Stage 13 - Cast and crew of M*A*S*H decide to "go out on top". Many lament the loss of characters that became as dear as family members or close friends to viewers. I lament the fact that I had so little going on in my life, that I ever watched this show for a minute after Klinger stopped cross-dressing, or that I have brain cells occupied by the fact that I know that Sidney, the occasionally visiting psychiatrist, was portrayed by Alan Arbus. Where did my life go so wrong?
Stage 1 - M*A*S*H makes its network television debut. Centers around the loonball antics of doctors at an army surgical hospital in Korea. Hawkeye, Trapper, Ugly John (anesthetist), Spearchucker Jones and others worked hard and played hard, and made us all laugh.
Stage 2 - We focus more on affable Henry Blake and Hawkeye and Trapper busting Frank Burns' balls and irritating Hot Lips Houlihan.
Stage 3 - Maclean Stevenson (the venerable Henry Blake) leaves show for greener pastures (a brief tenure as a talk show host, then "Hello, Larry."). Written off in moving storyline. Marks beginning of the end.
Stage 4 - Two episodes after Stage 3, Wayne Rogers (loveable rogue doctor Trapper John McIntyre) leaves show for greener pastures (TV-movie remake of It's A Wonderful Life starring Marlo Thomas, TV series adaptation of "House Calls"). Written off with final scene in horizontal pin-stripe suit. Marks last time show is funny.
Stage 5 - Hawkeye gets new partner in crime (B.J. Honeycutt), camp gets new C.O. (Sherman Potter). Show develops a social conscience.
Stage 6 - Hot Lips breaks up with Frank Burns, becomes friendly, now known as Margaret. Bad omen.
Stage 7 - Larry Linville (twittish Frank Burns) leaves show for greener pastures (memorable turn on Love Boat). Is replaced by stuffy Charles Emerson Winchester. Quality of show continues to slide.
Stage 8 - B.J. grows a moustache. Show is no longer functionally a comedy.
Stage 9 - Klinger no longer wears women's clothing. Another turn on the downward spiral.
Stage 10 - Nearly every show is "issue-oriented." Yeah, war is hell - we get it, already. Alan Alda becomes the driving creative force on the show; he gets confused into thinking show is "Playhouse 90". Guns for a Humanitas Award each week.
Stage 11 - Gary Burghoff leaves show for greener pastures (in some TV markets becomes spokesman for BP Gasoline). Klinger runs camp - now apparently loves the army.
Stage 12 - Peripheral characters now have entire storylines devoted to them. John Q. Livingroom gets treated to helpings of Igor (cook), Kelley (heavy-set Hawaiian nurse), and Rizzo (Cajun guy in motor pool - you may recognize him as ball-busting sergeant in the Policy Academy franchise). Any potential of this show amusing anyone besides mental patients can be officially retired.
Stage 13 - Cast and crew of M*A*S*H decide to "go out on top". Many lament the loss of characters that became as dear as family members or close friends to viewers. I lament the fact that I had so little going on in my life, that I ever watched this show for a minute after Klinger stopped cross-dressing, or that I have brain cells occupied by the fact that I know that Sidney, the occasionally visiting psychiatrist, was portrayed by Alan Arbus. Where did my life go so wrong?