The Rejected MASH Spinoff Could Have Resolved Hawkeye and Trapper’s Broken Friendship

A renegade MASS the spinoff could have resolved the abrupt end of Hawkeye and Trapper’s friendship. Trapper actor Wayne Rogers left MASS after the third season and although the character was the show’s co-star alongside Alan Alda’s Hawkeye, it didn’t work out that way. Alda was so innovative that producers continued to put more focus on Hawkeye – with Trapper’s role gradually diminishing as a result. So Rogers gave up and Trapper left MASS without saying goodbye to Hawkeye.

This seemed like a petty move on the showrunner’s part, as Trapper could have easily left his friend a note before leaving. Rogers never returned to the show, but the character himself led the MASS franchise spin-off Hunter John, MD. Premiering in 1979, this medical drama began with the titular surgeon (now played by Pernell Roberts) 30 years after the war. Surprisingly, Hunter John, MD presented few MASS callbacksbesides the first episode having John dreaming about war and having a photo of Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers in MASS on your desk.

Trapper John, MD Could Have Repaired Hawkeye and Trapper’s Friendship

The First MASH Spinoff Could Have Healed an Old Wound

This naturally suggests that the spinoff is intended to follow the older version of Rogers’ Trapper, but it’s actually a spinoff of Robert Altman’s film. MASS film. With some changes, Hunter John, MD could have severed all connections to the franchise itself, since it has so little to do with it. If the show had actually drawn on its source material, it could have reintroduced older versions of the beloved MASS characters like Margaret, BJ or Radar and gave them all the epilogues.

Hunter John, MD could also have featured an emotional reunion between the older Hawkeye and Trapper, with the two rediscovering each other decades after the war. In addition to cleaning up loose ends of MASS In itself, this could have delved into the reasons why Trapper simply cut ties with someone he was so close to. Naturally, Alda would be too young to play Hawkeye 30 years in the future, but his own father, Robert Alda, would have fit the role.

Hunter John, MD was a straight drama rather than a comedy, so that could have allowed for a tense reunion between the former best friends that ended with some sort of resolution. Instead of, Hawkeye was rarely mentioned in the series and even vague references to 4077 were few and far between. and far behind.

A lawsuit forced Hunter John, MD, to part ways with the MASH TV series

This doesn’t explain the MASH photo in the pilot episode

Trapper John, M.D. lack of solid links to MASS proved useful when the show was sued by producer Ingo Preminger. It was Preminger who produced Altman’s film, and he felt he had first right of refusal on any spinoffs, as he had optioned the original novel. After this case went to court, it was decided that while Preminger did not have the right to produce the MASS spin-off, he still owed 25% of his profits (through Entertainment legal reporter).

Another consequence of this legal action was the determination that Hunter John, MD followed the MASS film only and not the TV series. This could explain the near absence of references to the year 4077 or the Korean War after the opening episode. Of course, the photo of Alda and Rogers as Hawkeye and Trapper suggests that this wasn’t the original plan, and the series may well intend to explore John’s time in Korea in future seasons.

Trapper’s MASH exit continued to haunt Hawkeye

Trapper’s cold departure was traumatic for Hawkeye

MASH The Season 4 premiere, “Welcome to Korea”, introduced the character BJ Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell), Trapper’s replacement. BJ would serve as Hawkeye’s new best friend for the remaining seven seasons of MASSbut despite this, Hawkeye never fully got over the sudden end of his friendship with Trapper. The latter’s dismissal happens so abruptly that he is unable to say goodbye before leaving Korea, and for unknown reasons, Trapper made no effort to send Hawkeye a letter or note after he left camp..

Trapper wasn’t mentioned much after he left MASSbut the few times Hawkeye mentions him, it’s usually hurtful. The subject even comes up in MASH record ending, where Hawkeye is also injured when BJ almost leaves 4077 without having time to leave a note; Hunnicutt’s discharge is later rescinded. Part of what makes the last moment of the show – where Hawkeye is airlifted from camp and sees that B.J. has written “GOODBYE” in rocks – so moving is knowing the lack of resolution the surgeon had with his previous best friend.

Trapper may have seen his friendship with Hawkeye as a convenience during this time in Korea. As soon as he left the camp, Trapper may simply want to leave all memories of the war behind and focus on his family.; this also included forgetting his multiple subjects. While it’s a harsh thought, it’s not like these short-term friendships don’t occur in the middle of a war zone, and at least Hawkeye has found a true friend in BJ.

Why Trapper’s MASH departure was so abrupt

Wayne Rogers Found an Easy Way to Terminate His MASH Contract

McLean Stevenson’s The Death of Henry Blake in MASH The Season 3 finale was a groundbreaking moment, marking the first time a major supporting character in a TV series was killed off. This departure tends to outweigh the fact that this episode also marked Wayne Rogers’ final appearance as Trapper, with the character leaving the screen between seasons. Rogers eventually grew tired of Trapper being sidelined and underutilized and decided that three seasons were enough for him. Naturally, the producers were furious and he was threatened with a lawsuit.

Fortunately for Rogers, he had never actually signed your contract for MASShaving been offended by the inclusion of a “morals clause” in it (via Reuters). This meant the studio could suspend or fire an actor for behaving in a supposedly immoral manner – but because there was no concrete definition of what this meant, it gave the studio too much control over their talent. Since Rogers had not signed the contract, he was free to leave MASS without any legal consequences.

This could explain the show’s less-than-flattering treatment of Trapper after he left – including the controversial lack of a farewell. That being said, the series had to move the spotlight to BJ, so keeping Trapper callbacks to a minimum was probably considered the best move. Again, Hunter John, MD had a unique opportunity to solve MASH Hawkeye/Trapper issue, but unfortunately, that never happened.

Source: Entertainment legal reporter, Reuters