MASS had many shocking moments, but the death of a major character not only transformed the show, but also impacted television itself in the decades that followed. MASS It ran for 11 seasons, and during that time it evolved from a wild comedy to a full-blown comedy-drama. The show was groundbreaking on many fronts, like ditching the laughter during the surgery scenes to really explore the trauma the main characters were experiencing. Henry Blake's shocking death in MASS the third season proved especially controversial.
It may have lost impact thanks to series like Game of Thrones or Undead killing main characters is okay, but before Blake, it was unheard of for a major supporting character to die. Although McLean Stevenson regretted leaving MASS so soon, Blake's death was a groundbreaking moment in many ways. It still stands out among divisive entries like “Dreams” – a borderline horror episode that explores the nightmares of the 4077 – or experimental outings like “Life Time” in terms of visceral impact.
MASH's Most Shocking Moment Was Henry Blake's Death in Season 3
The raw shock of Blake's death at MASH will never be recaptured
McLean Stevenson was one of the first MASS actors leave, tired of being part of an ensemble. Stevenson also had problems with the production company behind the show and was being cast as a possible replacement for Johnny Carson as the show's host. Tonight's program. That's why he accepted an offer from NBC to jump ship, with MASH the showrunner then opted to use Blake's departure to kill off the character. Season 3's “Abyssinia Henry” finale finds a heartbroken Radar (Gary Burghoff) announcing that Blake's plane was shot down in the 4077th.
This episode was originally supposed to end with Blake returning home – and it was only revealed at the last minute that there would be an additional scene confirming his death. Radar's halting announcement of Blake's death, combined with the shocked faces of the 4077th, made the scene especially devastating. for the public. The show's goal was never to shock, but it still featured its share of dark moments. This includes the final revelation that Hawkeye's (Alan Alda) repressed trauma was the memory of a mother accidentally suffocating her baby while they hid from enemy soldiers.
How Henry Blake's Death Impacted MASH
Blake's death was a transition point for MASH
MASH “Abyssinia Henry” marked the departure of Trapper John (Wayne Rogers) and Blake, and was the moment it went from a sitcom with dramatic moments to a full-blown dramedy. Some fans regret this as the early years were the funniest, but MASS really found his voice in later years. Blake's death also posed genuine stakes and underlined that no matter how beloved a character was, they could die at any moment. in a war zone. Despite this, the show never killed off a major character again.
Blake's death resulted in a tremendous backlash from angry viewers — but it also brought more attention to the show.
Blake's death resulted in a tremendous backlash from angry viewers — but it also brought more attention to the show. This encouraged the producers to take more risks in the future, like the Season 4 episode, which is basically a 20-minute Alan Alda comedy monologue. Much of modern TV can be traced back to MASS; this includes the fusion of comedy and drama, the willingness to kill off a beloved character, and that a show can have a serious message but still be incredibly entertaining.
Source: FoundationINTERVIEWS