If you were a writer for the TV series M.A.S.H how would you of changed it?

Talk about all things M*A*S*H -- the novel, the film, the television series, even the play. Not to mention the spin-offs, merchandise, cast, crew and anything else you can think of to talk about.
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Nanoose
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If you were a writer for the TV series M.A.S.H how would you of changed it?

Post by Nanoose »

I would of wrote an episode were someone gave the doctors a piece of their mind for referring to Jones as - Spear Chucker Jones. I know back in the 50's it was a common phrase but there must of been people who didn't like hearing it. One of my favorite episodes was when Klinger got Winchester to say - Olive skin makes good kin. M.A.S.H was full of food for thought so changing the way Jones was looked at might of been good. Cheers!
The rain falls on the rivers and trees and we live by the Golden rule. But a hard road can bring us all to our knees and we can die by our own point of view.
BeccaLeo1972
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Re: If you were a writer for the TV series M.A.S.H how would you of changed it?

Post by BeccaLeo1972 »

Kept the series a comedy with undertones of drama. The show worked best when their was a balance with that also Frank staying the way he was in Seasons 1 thru 3. Henry getting home safely to his family in Illinois. Hawkeye leaving instead of Trapper. I think Trapper had more complexity that needed to be explored. Hawk didn't belong in the war and needed to go home to his family. B.J. arriving married to Peg with 3 kids who were 4,6, and 8 thus leaving out him missing all the earliest moments of their lives. Radar having a touch of naivete and staying closer to the balance he had in Season 2 in his personality. Potter coming in Season 4 with the same quiet transition.
Nanoose
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Re: If you were a writer for the TV series M.A.S.H how would you of changed it?

Post by Nanoose »

Well if Burns stayed would you still have had major Winchester (he replaces Burns). An episode were Blake made it safely home would of been nice for sure - Pottor could of still showed up - think I liked him more then Black. Cheers and happy weekend!
The rain falls on the rivers and trees and we live by the Golden rule. But a hard road can bring us all to our knees and we can die by our own point of view.
BeccaLeo1972
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Re: If you were a writer for the TV series M.A.S.H how would you of changed it?

Post by BeccaLeo1972 »

Yes, I'd still have Frank leave in Season 5 just with a regular discharge. Charles brought new opportunities for stories along with his being a good person underneath the snobbish behavior.
kkt
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Re: If you were a writer for the TV series M.A.S.H how would you of changed it?

Post by kkt »

Henry dying is essential to the show. If nobody ever dies, you're not telling a war story, you're telling a summer camp story or something. It's Gomer Pyle, not MASH.

Likewise, in a war, they take people they need, and they needed surgeons, and it didn't matter if they weren't the military type or if they were unhappy about it. Hawkeye stayed. Historically very few surgeons were send home from Korea before the armistice unless they were wounded or on a Section 8.


One thing I might have done differently is make the replacements as gritty and flawed characters as they characters they replaced. Here's the score: Potter replaces Blake, Potter is just as good a surgeon and a whole lot better CO and doesn't play around on his wife like Blake. BJ replaces Trapper, they're both good surgeons and pretty good guys, but BJ is less of a rebel and doesn't cheat on his wife like Trapper. Charles replaces Frank, Charles is an amazing surgeon while Frank was lousy, Charles is quick-witted, intelligent, while Frank was so dumb it's not credible that he made it through med school. I like all the replacement characters, yet the cumulative effect is a much cleaner, santitized version of the war.
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