matty_b
Posts: 12889
Joined: 19/10/2005
From: Outpost 31 calling McMurtle.
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M*A*S*H Series 3
SPOILERS The Korean war hospital comedy has a slightly skewed reputation these days; as the sheer length that it ran for (longer than the actual war lasted) and the huggy touchy-feely series that it turned into both combine to disguise the fact that, in its early years, it was much more clever and interesting than the 'dramedy' (I hate that fucking term) that it ended as.
It's almost a meta-comedy at times, decades before Community, with Alan Alda's Hawkeye Pierce commenting and reacting to situations as if he were in a movie and he was the star - for instance, when the chaplain Father Mulcahy behaves particularly generously Hawkeye confesses, "I feel guilty, we tried to get Pat O'Brien." Probably a ploy by the character to keep himself insane amongst all the blood and guts, it also keeps M*A*S*H feeling fresh, relevant and interesting nearly 40 years on.
This series is packed full of great episodes; Rainbow Bridge, Iron Guts Kelly - "There is a war on - someone must be fighting it somewhere!" - Adam's Ribs, Bombed - this was M*A*S*H at its peak.
Part of its...peakness? (peakicity?) is the perfect chemistry between the leads. Wayne Rogers as Trapper and Alan Alda have magnificent rapport and McLean Stevenson's oafish, but goodhearted, Colonel Blake really gave his best performances in this season, while Larry Linville and Loretta Swit were also excellent as Majors Burns and Houlihan, the only two people in camp insistent on military discipline. The butting of heads between the two captains and two majors with Blake, Radar and Klinger caught in the middle is a great example of how sublime comedy can be with a note-perfect cast.
Sadly, this was as good as it got for M*A*S*H despite the next eight years (hi, Gimli  ) because, of course, it ends with the devastating episode Abyssinia, Henry, an episode that hits you with a sucker punch right in the jaw and is rivalled only by the finale of Blackadder Goes Forth for sheer emotional devastation. McLean Stevenson gets an iconic departure as he doesn't make it home after all, but what's often forgotten is that this is also Wayne Rogers' final episode. A between-season dispute with the producers saw him depart the series, and he doesn't even get a proper goodbye which really, really sucks. Trapper and Henry were both replaced for the next season, which started a long, slow and sad slide into mediocrity and sappiness. Best instead to do what I do, and just pretend that M*A*S*H decided to bow out on its greatest series and most memorable episode. (5)
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RE: Top 100 TV/Radio Shows: 2013 - 
I am really gutted that is the end. 
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