~~~Background~~~
In 1968, a man named Richard Hooker penned a blackly humorous novel entitled M*A*S*H, A Novel About Three Army Doctors. It became a popular read, and spawned several sequels, all still available on the second hand market (check out Amazon, both .com and .co.uk). The original book told the tale of surgeons Hawkeye, Trapper, Frank Burns and their comrades at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War, and its sequels after the war. In 1971, a film adaptation of the original was released in cinemas and gathered a huge following. Inspired by the film, the books, and by the plot of the 1961 novel catch-22 by Joseph Heller (it is a dark satire taking place in WW II, and its influence can be seen especially in episodes dealing with government protocol and red tape), television producer Larry Gelbhart decided to develop the M*A*S*H concept for television, starring an all new cast barring the return of the film's original Radar O'Reilly, Gary Burghoff.

The Vietnam War was still raging, and despite accepting the series, CBS feared it would fail. Sensitively researched, by interviewing real Army M*A*S*H doctors, nurses, and medics, many of the stories had strong basis in fact. Surprisingly, most of the outrageous gags are amongst the true to life recountings, with one former doctor writing to tell TV Guide magazine just how true most of the jokes were, right down to Klinger's cross dressing. It was perhaps this attention to detail, the current parallels in the ongoing police action in South east Asia, and the fine depth of portrayals by the cast, that led to this show becoming one of the most syndicated programmes in TV history, with its finale 11 seasons later garnering it the distinction of the most watched television episode in history. Interestingly enough, the show proved popular with former and current serving soldiers, its anti war messages decrying the political situation at hand during war, with all the posturing and rhetoric, but also showing the all too human faces and emotions of the soldiers who served, whether called up or career military, without tarring all with the damning brush of shame.

Dealing with issues of racism, glory hunting, political red tape, military fubars, and the day to day lives of regular Army staff and often unwilling draftees, the programme never flinched from displaying the pathos of the common human drama during a time of war and deprivation, but did so with a light touch. Tongue firmly in cheek, the staff struggle to remain human and humane in a brutal situation, knowing that they either laugh, or go insane. Interestingly enough, the series ran from 1972 to 1983, giving 11 years worth of episodes for a war that lasted only three years. The enduring popularity of the series has little diminished, with T-shirts, jackets, ring tones of the opening theme (which was an instrumental version of Suicide is Painless, which was sung in the film), several fan websites, and the fantastically popular release onto DVD all easily purchased even today. It is also currently running on Paramount Comedy Channel, proving again its refusal to die, and is perhaps all too relevant again today with the current world situations we and our military men and women find themselves in today.

~~~The Cast~~~

This is a true ensemble programme, and there are many, many, many recurring back characters that occasionally are pivotal to the plot of several episodes. I will not list all of them as the list would grow unmanageable, but instead will stick to the main cast.

We have Alan Alda portraying the somewhat liberal and sarcastic swinging bachelor doctor Benjamin Hawkeye Pierce. An extremely gifted surgeon, he is unwillingly drafted, and refuses to be Army, though willing to care for his patients as per his Hippocratic Oath. He drinks heavily due to the mental toll the war has on his pacifistic soul, living in the pig sty of a tent nicknamed The Swamp, with co-conspirator, draftee doctor Trapper John, played by Wayne Rogers. Trapper is married, but is a bit of a philanderer, though he adores his wife and kids. He knows he has double standards, but figures the war gives him leeway. He is the one who manufactured the still in The Swamp. Trapper and Hawkeye also share their tent with another drafted doctor, Frank Burns, who has questionable medical skills, but adores the Army in a rather juvenile playing at Action man sort of way. Frank Burns is portrayed by Larry Linville, and he makes an excellent foil for the great camaraderie and thumb nosing antics of Trapper and Hawkeye. He is a prude on the outside, but being a very weak man, he nonetheless manages to carry on a tempestuous affair with the head nurse.

Added into the mix we have commanding officer, Henry Blake (MacLean Stevenson), who mostly daydreams about being back home with wife Lorraine and their two little girls, and who is only as Army as he has to be. He is usually seen wearing a fishing hat with lures, and avoiding G.I. type "stuff", relying heavily on company clerk, Corporal Radar O'Reilly. (Gary Burghoff). Radar has an uncanny second sense, knowing when the wounded are coming in by chopper before they can be seen or heard, and knowing ahead of time when Blake needs something, often before the occasion even arises that leads him to needing said form or item. Blake's lack of military correctness and friendship with Hawkeye and Trapper infuriate Burns, who covets command, and who is egged on by Major Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit). Nicknamed Hot Lips, Houlihan comes from a military family and strongly desires to impress her father from afar. She also is a very feminine woman, desiring nothing more than to not only be top of her field in the Army, but to marry an officer who will give her great social standing. She secretly longs for children, and her most revealing moments are not when she spouts regulatory nonsense in an effort to climb the political ladder, but those times that show us her hidden softness. Unfortunately, she also has a tendency to pick the wrong men, and this is evidenced by her relationship with Frank, which is obviously going nowhere due to his own greed and general spinelessness.

Amidst the chaos, we also have the camp's chaplain, Lt. Francis Mulcahy. A Jesuit priest, he also performs services for all the other faith. Usually he does so to an empty tent, and finds his services needed all too often in order to perform last rites when the wounded are brought in He is a gentle soul trapped in a bewildering world of violence and seemingly senseless tragedy, yet he steps up to the plate and takes his place to try and make where he is a better place for all about them, giving comfort where he can. He does this not only by doing the last rites and visiting the wounded in the wards, but by championing the cause of the local population who are displaced, particularly those of the orphaned children. The serenity of actor William Christopher is perfect for his role, giving us a glimpse of a strong, gentle, and usually overlooked member of the camp, whose presence none the less provides a vital part of the glue that allows the unit to function and forge their somewhat dysfunctional familial bond.

~~~Series 3~~~

Series 3 first aired from the September of 1974, and despite the decades passing, it has not dated at all save for the fact that the last M*A*S*H unit officially closed last year. Indeed, many of the episodes in this particular series have frightening parallels to current administrations and policies in the US and UK, showing that certain brands of patriotism and security are never new, but instead allows us to look at them from a historical viewpoint without getting caught up in the current political doublespeak.

This DVD contains all 24 of the original episodes of the third series, unedited, nicely cleaned up, and the mono soundtrack redubbed into digital mono for greater clarity. The episodes are:

1. The General Flipped at Dawn
Original airdate: 10 September 1974

This episode marked Harry Morgan’s guest appearance on Mash. He won an Emmy for it, and was only to return in the next season as a different character, portraying the new post commander. In this episode, however, he plays one gung ho general named General Steele. He decides they are not GI Joe Army enough, and demands they do callisthenics every morning, and decides to inspect them. He finds fault with absolutely everyone, even demanding the Father polish the crucifix that he wears about his neck. He also comes up with the daft notion to move the MASH Unit to the front line, deciding they can treat the wounded faster and get them back to the battle quicker. It becomes obvious he is not quite right however, when he mistakes Klinger for his wife. Things escalate, and Hawkeye ends up on court martial for disobeying his orders. It makes for an absolutely priceless performance as the general gets ready to testify before command and Morgan’s Emmy was richly deserved.

2. Rainbow Bridge
Original airdate: 17 September 1974

This episode is actually one of the often underrated ones that is actually a jewel. Hawkeye and Trapper are about to leave for Tokyo for some R and R, only to miss out on going due to an unusual request. The Chinese Army have some of ours, and they would like to swap for some of theirs. It is decide to send Hawkeye, Trapper, Burns, Klinger and Radar as the prisoners they are swapping for need medical attention. It is stipulated that NO weapons must be brought, but of course Burns lets his prejudices get in the way and nearly nixes the whole exchange. The resulting exchange between Hawkeye and the Chinese officer, Dr. Lin Tam, is a revealing one, showing us the men that get drawn into the conflict and placed behind the lines drawn by someone else in the sand.

3. Officer of the Day
Original airdate: 24 September 1974

Hawkeye is left in charge as officer of the day while Henry is in Seoul. The eccentric Col. Flagg from military intelligence or the CIA (I don’t think he even knows anymore), comes to request the custody transfer of a young North Korean they are treating. They of course butt heads, and neither is willing to back down.

4. Iron Guts Kelly
Original Airdate: 1 October 1974

Iron Guts Kelly, a Pattonesque larger than life sort of general, comes to the 4077th. He has made an excuse to visit there in order to tryst with Houlihan, who once served under his command, and with whom she also had an affair that helped her up her career ladder. Unfortunately, he dies in her tent, and a much shaken and extremely embarrassed Margaret knows her only hope of getting through this without shame on either of them, is to get Hawkeye to help. The escapade that ensues is as serious as it is comic, giving us a glimpse into the sometime reality of “heroes” with their feet of clay.

5. OR
Original Airdate: 8 October 1974

The 4077th is deluged with more casualties than they can handle, and no help is to hand to come and offer assistance. Adding to the drama of battling to save lives in this environment, Hawkeye experiences a galling loss and finds it hard to come to terms with it. Luckily, Army psychiatrist and long term poker buddy Sidney Freedman comes to join the melee and to offer support to both troops and staff.

6. Springtime
Original Airdate: 15 October 1974

Spring has sprung and emotions begin to run high. Klinger’s hometown sweetheart wants to marry him NOW, Radar falls in love with a nurse, and poor Hawkeye and Burns both receive two different sorts of unwanted attention from a patient. A wryly comic look at love during wartime, this one is a crowd pleaser that does not disappoint.

7. Check Up
Original Airdate: 22 October 1974

Like all other military personnel, the staff at the 4077 has to have regular physicals to assess their fitness for duty. It becomes apparent that Trapper has a nasty ulcer, and that means a ticket home. If only life was as straight forward as it should be….

8. Life with Father
Original Airdate: 29 October 1974

This episode deals with a few of the issues surrounding fatherhood during times of war. We get a young Jewish soldier who brings his Korean wife and infant son to the medical unit so Father Mulcahy can play rabbi and perform a Bris with the aid of the surgeons, and Henry despondent over his wife and kids as a letter from home makes him think a man is after taking over his family.

9. Alcoholics Unanimous
Original Airdate: 12 November 1974

Henry is away in Tokyo, and Burns as been left in charge. He decides to clean up the moral tone of the camp, so he and Hot Lips ban alcohol completely. This episode deals quite a bit n the moral characters of Hot Lips and Burn as we watch them decry and ban one “sin”, while self indulging in their own, providing a social commentary in microcosm on those in charge who try to impose morality for the masses.

10. There is Nothing Like a Nurse
Original Airdate: 19 November 1974

Headquarters tell the unit that they have credible intel of a probable enemy parachute drop in the area. It is decided to evacuate the nurses to safety, and the camp discovers just how much these ladies brightened their lives, and do nothing but wish for safer times so they can all return.

11. Adam’s Ribs
Original airdate: 26 November 1974

Many people can relate to the awesome taste of their favourite eatery. Imagine being miles from where you can get your fave nosh from it, and have really terrible food. This happens to Hawkeye when he is unfortunately reminded of Adam’s spare ribs back home. He goes nearly insane, imaging the succulent taste, and nearly smelling the barbecue sauce. Unable to stand it no longer, he and others he has caused to drool over the might as well be mythical food go all out to get some takeaway shipped still fresh.

12. A Full Rich Day
Original airdate: 3 December 1974

This really is a Dear Dad episode, in that Hawkeye has gotten a tape recorder and is recording a letter home to his Dad. Once more we are treated to some of the odd goings on at camp: A Turkish soldier who thinks Hawk is an “OK JOE”, the international incident that almost was when a “corpse” was misplaced and it belonged to a decorated Lichtenstein service member, and an officer who thinks the camp is a good place to go brandishing guns about.

13. Mad Dogs and Serviceman
Original Airdate: 10 December 1974

Animal lover Radar gets bit by a local dog that he has been feeding, and if the animal cannot be found, he will have to go undergo painful and debilitating rabies shots as a precaution, so the hunt is on. Meanwhile, a young soldier comes in with hysterical paralysis, a psychological condition brought on by the horror of the battlefield. Frank decides the man is trying to get an easy ride home via a psych discharge, and opposes Hawkeye who wants to treat him so he can return to a sense of normalcy.

14. Private Charles Lamb
Original Airdate: 31 December 1974

This is without a doubt one of the zaniest of the episodes, and is done very well. It also is a character development piece, giving us a closer look at both Radar and Major Burns. A frightened young man shoots himself in the foot so he can be taken away from the front. Hawkeye notices, but realises it was a momentary lapse of judgement in a blind moment of panic and fear and pretends to see nothing. Major Burns waits in the good Father’s tent, and the young man comes to confess to soothe his conscience, feeling like a coward and wishing to make amends. Burns does not disabuse him of his error of thinking HE is Father Mulcahy and ends up hearing the confession. He immediately goes ballistic wanting the boy court martialed, but there is the fact of the “impersonation” issue! While all this is going on, a grateful Greek commander and his unit decide to thank the 4077th for the splendid way they dealt with their casualties, and as Easter is approaching, deliver a lamb and several crates of food and retsina Radar is horrified to learn the cute ickle lamb is for the chop, and aids it in its getaway by using his role of company clerk. Pvt. Charles lamb therefore gets a transfer back stateside. Watch the hilarious result when they sculpt a replacement for the staff and the visiting Greeks out of Spam!

15. Bombed
Original Airdate: 7 January 1975

Once more, the camp is enduring an overflow of casualties, each one worse than the previous truckload. To add to the misery, the lines have moved closer with the fighting too close for comfort. Amidst it all, Frank suffers a moment of mad jealousy, and asks Hot Lips to marry him.

16. Bulletin Board
Original Airdate: 14 January 1975

It’s a light casualty day, so the camp has a cook out, a Shirley Temple movie is on offer in the mess tent as it doubles as a cinema, and poor Henry nearly dies of embarrassment when he is heckled mercilessly by Hawkeye and Trapper during a lecture on sex to the enlisted personnel.

17. The Consultant
Original Airdate: 21 January 1975

This episode is one of two which had Alan Alda’s father as a guest star. He portrays Dr. Anthony Borelli, a brilliant surgeon Hawkeye and Trapper meet at a Tokyo bar while they are supposed to be attending a medical conference. Borelli has a fantastic new method for grafting transplanted arteries. Realising the huge difference this could make to many patients they would have to otherwise amputate, they ask him to come demonstrate his technique at the 4077th. The staff are all over the moon when he shows up, and even more so when they find a commander willing to give donor tissue from a KIA casualty. Sadly, they arrive back to discover he is in no fit state to do the surgery; Borelli is as drunk as a lord and it falls to the 4077th surgeons to do the graft themselves. Hawkeye is furious and calls Borelli out over his alcoholism while Borelli stands in the swamp, swilling form the men’s own still, and he has a telling remark by way of reply. Hawkeye then learns about hubris in a very poignant moment.

18. House Arrest
Original Airdate: 4 February 1975

Hawkeye hits Frank and says it was an accident, but Frank is having none of it and wants to press charges. Major Houlihan was a witness and sides with Frank. A colonel is sent in to sift through the facts and decide whether or not to proceed with a court-martial. In the meantime, Hawkeye is on house arrest and is subjected to all manners of treats by the rest of the unit in sympathy. Being a female, the colonel is placed in Houlihan’s quarters as a roommate. Burns is unaware of this and blunders into the tent and is horrified when the woman screams “rape” upon discovering him there. Hawkeye’s charges are dropped and Houlihan has her work cut out for her as she realises se now has to sort out Burn’s mess which is entirely down to their own non regulation affair.

19. Aid station
Original Airdate: 11 February 1975

This is one of the stand out episodes, and once again also happens to be a piece that shows us a bit of character development. Aid Stations are First Aid huts at the front lines where they administer first aid and try to stabilise casualties so they can be transported to a MASH unit for further care. The doctor at such an aid station has himself become a casualty, and the corpsman asks the Mash unit for relief staff until a replacement can make it. Hawkeye, Radar, and Klinger are sent to fill those duties. Under direct enemy fire and enduring close up mortar attacks, the men work in fear and in the most unsanitary of conditions. They gain respect not only for the workers at the aid stations they have never actually met before, but for each other as well as they share in the grave adversity, and each grows a bit.

20. Love and Marriage
Original Airdate: 18 February 1975

Hawkeye and Trapper are running the day’s clinic when they come across a young GI who wishes to marry a Korean girl. The girl not only has TB, but she is a prostitute who wishes to marry him so she can ply her trade in the US, giving her “husband” a share of the profits while she sends the rest back to Korea. Aghast, they step in to prevent this human trafficking occurring. In the meantime, they also met a young Korean man who is desperate to be reunited with his pregnant wife as she is soon to give birth. Once more, Radar uses his savvy as company clerk and gives the officers just what they need to make both situations right.

21. Big Mac
Original Airdate: 25 February 1975

The entire camp is terribly excited as they are informed Gen. Macarthur himself will be coming through camp. The place is cleaned and spruced up, uniforms pressed, and on the big day, a speech at the ready and a welcoming banner. A not to be forgotten scene occurs when Klinger also comes to salute the general, dressed this time as the Statue of Liberty!

22. Payday
Original Airdate: 4 March 1975

The cash pay packet arrives and according to the rota it is Hawkeye’s turn to act as paymaster. After handing out all the pay, $3000 is left over. Radar is dismayed to discover there is no process to return the money, so Hawkeye gives it to the good father for the local orphans. Unfortunately, the Army discovers they have misplaced said $3000 and despite the evidence of radar ringing to try to get someone to tell them how to return the money, they decide Hawkeye has stolen it. He must cough up the cash or go to the stockade. Luckily, Trapper is in a gambling mood…So apparently was Frank Burns, as payday brought out his shopping desires and when a travelling jewellery salesman offers him two pearl necklaces, he buys knowingly 1 real (for his wife) and 1 fake (for Hot Lips). Only Hot Lips finds out he bought two and that one is a fake, and it’s not lust that makes him sweat!

23. White Gold
Original Airdate: 11 March 1975

The out of his skull intelligence (sic) officer, Col. Flagg once more appears in camp. This time, he wants the very hard to get a hold of the antibiotic Penicillin to use in trade for information about the enemy. Always being in short supply, he is frustrated they won’t give him any. Not until, that is, gets some in his rump after getting very ill.

24. Abysinnia, Henry
Original Airdate: 18 March 1975

Undoubtedly this is one of the classic episodes and one of the most famous. Henry Blake at long last gets his discharge papers and is elated to be going home to his wife Lorraine and his two little girls. A tearful good bye party is thrown, and is even complete with a kiss from Hot Lips. Burns is excited as well, as he prepares to take command of the unit. What makes this one of the most memorable, however, is the look of genuine shock on the faces of the cast as they stand in the OR scene, unsuspecting, when the PA announcement comes on to say Henry’s plane was shot down over the Sea of Japan, with no survivors. Producers had kept that a secret from everyone until right that moment, and the stunned look is genuine. Even MacLean Stevenson who played Henry Blake was caught off guard. I admit I cry a bit every time I watch this episode.

~~~The Boxset~~~
Released by Paramount, these are RCE encoded discs, so if you buy a region 1 set, you may have trouble playing these on certain, usually branded, multiregion players. There is no current advantage to buying Region 1, as the sets are exactly the same as those released here in Region 2. That is to say, neither set has any extra features on the discs. They do, however, provide paper inserts which are little full colour brochures with photos and titbits about the series, and a synopsis of each episode, which is nice. The episodes are remastered so the pictures have been nicely cleaned up and restored, and the original mono track digitised to Dolby Digital mono for greater clarity. It comes in a nice plastic case that is not overly flimsy, making a nice change from those easily dog-eared paperboard slipcovers one so often sees. Also welcome is that the discs are single sides, so you get three discs that are easily distinguished by their colourful pictures of different members of the cast upon them, without needing a magnifying glass to read incredibly minute print round the inner ring. Another welcome feature is that during audio set up, you are able to turn off the laugh track. During its original UK broadcast, the BBC turned it off, but later showings, including those today on the Paramount Comedy Channel, have left the laugh track on. The comedic timing is much better appreciated with the track switched off, as many are on the sarcastic side, and best savoured just that fraction of a second longer, rather than tipped of by inane canned laughter as they happen. The discs are in spoken English only, though subtitles in English and French are available, currently priced at about £25.50 for all 24 episodes, the cost being just about right despite the disappointing lack of any extras.