MASH was a unique mixture of tragedy and comedy, and while it may be heartbreakingly sad, it still had its share of hilarious episodes as well. This medical sitcom debuted in 1972, and although it was always intended to have an anti-war tone, it was much more of a comedy initially. The death of Henry Blake in MASH Season 3 stunned audiences after it aired, and underlined the fact that its main character faced life-or-death situations daily. From there, the series evolved into one of the first real dramas on television.
Some fans are split on this evolution. There was still a lot of humor, but excursions like MASH’s Detailing “Dreams” or “Follies of the Living – Concerns of the Dead” – both of which were helmed by star Alan Alda – felt too self-serious for their own good. MASH It also saw many actor exits during its early seasons, which had the unexpected benefit of bringing in new characters to freshen up the dynamic. No matter how serious it was, MASH Always made sure to keep audiences laughing.
10
“Tuttle”
MASH Season 1 Episode 15
MASH Ran for 11 seasons, and it’s fascinating to chart the way it changed over time. Like any comedy series, it took time for the showrunners and cast to find the show’s voice. That’s what makes the 15th episode of season 1 such a treat, and “Tuttle” is a great portal for newcomers to try MASH. This outing sees Hawkeye (Alda) creating a fictional Captain Tuttle as a way to send supplies to a local orphanage; Events soon spiral out of control as he has to spin more elaborate lies to keep the charade going.
“Tuttle” is often cited as an audience favorite from the show’s early years, and it’s easy to see why. It’s good, old-fashioned farce, where the stakes are low and there’s little of the heaviness that would define MASH In later years. Instead, the cast gets to bounce off each other as Hawkeye’s friend Tuttle becomes a 4077th celebrity despite being totally imaginary.
9
“Dear Sigmund”
MASH Season 5 Episode 8
The very best episodes managed to balance humor with darkness, and “Dear Sigmund” is a textbook example of this. It sees the return of psychiatrist Major Friedman (Alan Arbus), who is grieving the loss of a patient and takes a “Vacation“In the 4077 as a coping mechanism; Friedman also writes letters to the late Sigmund Freud where he reveals his thoughts about MASH’s Type of letters.
Alda wrote and directed “Dear Sigmund,” felt it was a big, unusual premise, and wanted to give regular guest star Arbus a showcase episode. Indeed, this season five outing is a gem, and while it deals with serious themes, it’s also warm-hearted and often funny. It even features a subplot where BJ (Mike Farrell) gets to let off some steam by pranking everyone else at the camp.
8
“The Novocaine Mutiny”
MASH Season 4 Episode 21
MASH Only completed his drama transformation when Larry Linville’s Weasley Frank Burns passed away. Frank was a perfect comic foil for Hawkeye and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) during the early seasons, being an uptight, humorless and cowardly authority figure who hated their antics. Frank was too much of a caricature to suit the more serious tone of later seasons, but episodes like “The Novocaine Mutiny” highlighted what a great villain he could be.
Directed by Harry Morgan (AKA Colonel Potter), the story sees Burns bring mutiny charges against Hawkeye, with much of the episode taking place during a hearing to determine his guilt. While some of the gags are hit-and-miss, “The Novocaine Mutiny” is a deep dive into the mindset of Frank Burns – Which is not a healthy place to be. Frank’s view of himself is wildly inflated compared to how the rest of the 4077 see him, and there’s something darkly comical about how disconnected from reality he’s become.
7
“Adam’s Ribs”
MASH Season 3 Episode 11
Another favorite from the early years of MASH“Adam’s Ribs” revolves around a simple but very relatable problem for Hawkeye. Because he’s so fed up with eating the same meals for days on end, Hawkeye is so desperate for something tasty to eat that he’s sent ribs from a Chicago restaurant to the camp; Hijinks ensue.
Hawkeye’sI ate a river of liver and an ocean of fishSpeech is one of MASH’s Funniest scenes and informs the character’s obsessive search for the rest of the episode. “Adam’s Rib” is another example of the show taking a simple hook and milking all the comedic potential out of it, delivering a great punchline of an ending: Hawkeye sits down to finally consume his mouth-watering ribs—only to be dragged away To surgery before he knows one bite.
6
“5 o’clock Charlie”
MASH Season 2, Episode 2
The episode’s title refers to a North Korean bomber who, regular as clockwork, attempts to bomb an ammo dump near the 4077. While most of the camp finds “5:00 Charlie’s” failed raids oddly entertaining, Frank and his “secret Lover Margaret (Loretta Sweet) feels that the bombings are a serious threat and tries to get an anti-aircraft gun to deal with it. Of course, that would make the camp even More of a purpose, so Trapper and Hawkeye set out to foil their plan.
Related
Another showcase episode for Frank Burns, “5:00 Charlie” is also a great outing for fans of the Hawkeye/Trapper Dynamic. It speaks to the insanity of war that the camp takes amusement from “Charlie’s” repeated failures – even gathering to watch them – while the episode is loaded with clever quips and wordplay. The episode gets bonus comedy points for Hawkeye and Trapper replacing Frank’s sidearm with an increasingly ridiculous array of itemsIncluding a toilet plunger.
5
“Death takes a holiday”
MASH Season 9 Episode 5
Co-written and directed by Mike Farrell, “Death Takes a Holiday” is a Christmas episode with two big storylines at its heart. One involves Hawkeye and company trying to keep a dying soldier alive until midnight, so the men’s children don’t associate Christmas Day with their father’s death. On the other plot, the snobbish Charles (David Ogden Stiers) tries to carry out a family tradition in secret – and that makes him unpopular with the rest of the 4077.
on paper, “Death takes a holiday” probably doesn’t sound like much fun, but it works thanks to MASH’s Almost magical blend of humor and pathos. It’s rare that the main story and subplot of an episode go so well together, and both could have served as their own solo outings. Together, they give MASH His best Christmas episode, while Charles provides a rare flash of humanity that proves heartwarming.
4
“April Fools”
MASH Season 8 Episode 25
This season 8 finale does what it says on the tin, and follows the camp pulling more and more outrageous April Fool’s Day pranks on each other. This is despite strict orders from Peter to avoid such”Tompulery“, as a tough colonel will visit the 4077th during this time. MASH It became more dramatic and experimental in its later seasons, as season 8’s own “Dreams” or “Lifetime” proves.
however, “April Fools” is almost a return to the wackier tone of the first couple of seasonsAnd is all the better for breaking away from the dramedy formula. It’s all good, clean fun, while guest stars Pat Hingle (aka Commissioner Gordon from the original Batman movies) is a great comic foil. Harry Morgan is also given some great dialogue, and the ending twist involving Potter is an expert caper.
3
“A Bit of Common Sense”
MASH Season 2 Episode 24
Two intelligence agents arrive at the camp at the same time in this season 2 offering, with Hawkeye and Trapper deciding to prank Frank again by framing him as a communist. The season finale of MASH’s In the second season, rival spies Colonel Flagg (Edward Winter) and Major Pratt (Bill Fletcher) go head to head, with the show’s creator Larry Galbart also making his directorial debut with this episode.
“A smattering of common sense” is one of MASH’s Most purely funny outingsEven if the plot makes little sense. Oddball CIA agent Flagg is the episode’s MVP, and was so popular that he became a recurring character on the show; He even made a guest appearance on the much-hated MASH Spinoff series AfterMASH. It may seem like a farce on the surface, but “A Smattering of Intelligence” takes some pointed jabs at intelligence agencies like the CIA.
2
“Movie Tonight”
MASH Season 5 Episode 22
One of the strangest MASH Episodes ever produced is “Movie Tonight,” where the camp gets together to watch classic westerns My darling Clementine. Unfortunately, the projector keeps breaking down, forcing the 4077 to play silly games and contests with each other while it’s being fixed. in his heart, “Movie Tonight” is a silly episode, but after seeing how excited everyone is when it starts, it’s nice to see them enjoying themselves So much during the screening.
The surgeons and staff are all forced to be together in a warzone where they stare death in the face day after day, and “Movie Tonight” is a rare example where the surrogate family just gets to enjoy hanging out. The various sing-alongs are the highlights, while Gary Burghoff’s radar gets to show off his range of impressions, including John Wayne from McLintock! – a movie that, by the way, was not released until ten years after the end of the Korean War.
1
“share me out”
MASH Season 2 Episode 13
There are MASH Fans who loved when it was more comedic, and those who enjoyed the more dramatic shift from season 3 onwards. Regardless, “Deal Me Out” is almost universally considered one of the funniest MASH Episodes. It looks like the 4077’s weekly poker game is constantly being interrupted, be it by radar being an accident or a soldier (played by the late, great John Ritter) holding Frank hostage in the shower.
MASH’s “Deal Me Out” also marked the debut of Edward Winter in the series, although fan debate rages to this day over whether he was supposed to play Flagg under a different alias. “Deal Me Out” is peppered with great dialogue and character beats, with almost every actor getting a moment to shine. It’s also a solid entry point, giving new viewers a snapshot of the main characters and their dynamic, while offering comedy and drama on top.