Listen to this man. Seven years of college, you know. Trying to reason with 2020 and, now, 2022.

Monday, September 17, 2012

Happy 40th, MASH

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the series premier of "MASH."  The first episode was September 17, 1972.  I remember watching it, especially after I really loved the movie.  But, I sure wondered how well it would do, especially since I'd never heard of any of the actors.

It didn't take long for me to realize the quality of the show.  How you could make people laugh and cry in the same episode is a hard feat to accomplish.  And, then, there was the stupidity of war.  War shows tend to go heavy into the fighting, but most of the time is spent out of action.  How do folks pass the time?

And, then, the cast and especially the supporting ones.  Sure made some names for themselves.  When one left, they made no effort to recreate the character, but brought in a new person with their own identity.  And, I liked the way the characters used names of real home towns, of course, there was Clinger's Toledo and the time they got the order from Tony Packo's.

Probably the funniest, if you can pick one, was the arrival of Winchester when we learned he would be a worthy opponent of the two others in the Swamp.  And, of course, the time Hawkeye wasn't going to fall for the practical trick which led to him sleeping out in the compound surrounded by barbed wire and in full battle attire.

And who didn't shed a tear when McLean Stevenson died?

My second favorite sitcom ever, after WKRP.

Thanks for Coming My Way.  --RoadDog

No comments: