MAS*H
Summary
MASHmay have run for 256 episodes , but only one have the entire main plaster bandage . Considering the shock it would have on the television landscape painting in the year that watch , it ’s foreign to thinkMASHwas almost canceled follow its first season . The show accommodate both the original novelandthe acclaimed 1970 Robert Altman pic , but it systematically struggled in the ratings in its first year . Thankfully , those numbers ameliorate greatly during re - tally , and over prison term , the series evolved into a unique blend of sitcom and aesculapian dramatic play .
It was a show that both delighted and scandalize in adequate measure , with the blithe antics of " Hawkeye " Pierce ( Alan Alda ) and co contrast against the surprisingly bloody ( for the 1970s , at least ) surgery scenes . Alda was the only actor to appear in every episode , andMASHsaw many major actors exitthroughout its 11 - time of year ladder . The most infamous was Henry Blake ( McLean Stevenson ) , a key endure player throughout the first three seasons who was abruptly kill off in his final episode .
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Season 7’s “Our Finest Hour” Is The Only MASH Episode With The Show’s Entire Cast
Sadly, that’s because it’s MASH’s only clip show
LaterMASHseasonswould get increasingly observational in its later seasons , such as season 7 ’s " Point of View , " where the intact instalment is shoot from the perspective of a mute , offend soldier . Another notable time of year 7 field day is " Our Finest Hour , " where a reporter named Clete Roberts visits the 4077th to explore life at the aesculapian whole . “Our Finest Hour " is the onlyMASHepisode to feature every major casting extremity from the show ’s run , but that ’s not because sidetrack characters like Trapper John ( Wayne Rogers ) make surprise appearances .
Instead,“Our Finest Hour " isMASH’sonly clip show , with footage from preceding instalment being splicedthroughout . Clip shows are a somewhat scorn format now , but they were more utilitarian back in the other day of tv set and before the Second Advent of home mass medium or the net . They collected together the most memorable moment from a kick in series , so watcher who missed those episode could play catch - up . Nowadays , snip record like " Our Finest Hour " are largely obsolete , since audience can pull up their favorite clips on YouTube whenever they like .
MASH’s"Our Finest Hour " features footage from past episodes like " Abyssinia , Henry " - the episode where Blake is killed - " Adam ’s Ribs , " " alteration of Command " and others , intercut with novel interview . It ’s not a framing gimmick that works very well , with the splicing together of the old and new footage feel jarring . It also has the classic clipping show trouble of the framing story feeling very undercooked .
“Our Finest Hour” Is A Sequel To MASH’s Most Acclaimed Episode
Season 4’s “The Interview” is a classic
The 4th time of year ofMASHis considered one of the strongest and for proficient reason . It was the season that introduced Hawkeye ’s new bestie B.J. Hunnicutt ( Mike Farrell ) , watch the author perfect the show ’s tragi - comic tone of voice and it terminate with an incredible finale . MASH’s"The Interview " is maybe the good instalment of the entire series , and follow Clete Roberts ' first visit to the social unit . The instalment is made up of individual interviews with the master role as they describe their personal experience of the war .
" The consultation " still has laughs , but its stark ignominious - and - white look and the attached functioning make it an unforgettable pleasure trip . The writer ofMASHoften pulled stories from real - life warfare sawbones ( viaTHR ) , which inspired the season 4 closing curtain ’s most haunting moment . This is where the whole ’s good - natured Father Mulcahy ( William Christopher ) recounts watching surgeons warm their hands over the open wound of patients during the winter , as they were so insensate .
Father Mulcahy then tell : " How could anybody look upon that and not feel exchange ? "
Why MASH’s “The Interview” Worked & “Our Finest Hour” Didn’t
“Our Finest Hour” is one of MASH’s least-liked episodes
MASH’s"Our Finest Hour " may have the total cast , but there ’s not much else memorable about it . " The Interview " is a grim , emotionally charged episode that plays with the sitcom ’s formatting in a hefty means . “Our Finest Hour " instead offers a indolent recycling of " The Interview ’s " conceptas a way to justify its cartridge clip show presentation . It does n’t volunteer any fresh insight into the lineament or the warfare and does the bare minimum not to feel like filler . The emotionality that powered " The Interview " is nowhere to be found in its time of year 7 sequel .
MAS*H was much beloved by viewers but even it had its fair percentage of instalment . Here are the 10 worst according to IMDB .
Worst of all , it recycles the said " handwriting warming " manner of speaking from season 4 ’s " The Interview , " since that was the most famous cartridge holder . MASH’s"Our Finest Hour " is n’t a total disaster , but it prove beyond a doubt the serial publication was n’t build for a " best of " montage instalment . At the very least , the internet never tried to mount another time show again .
Source : THR
