I’m reviewing every episode of AfterMASH, in original broadcast order, and asking fans to add their memories and opinions.
“All About Christmas Eve” (#13, 1×13)
Originally Broadcast: Monday, December 19th, 1983 from 9-9:30PM ET
Written by Dennis Koenig
Directed by Burt Metcalfe
TV Guide Summary
Santa sprinkles a few surprises among his gifts to the staff and patients at General Pershing Hospital.
The Hartford Courant Summary
An unexpected present brings added joy to Klinger, as he, Col. Potter and Father Mulcahy celebrate their first stateside Christmas together since the Korean War. As Gen. Pershing Hospital bustles with holiday activities, Dr. Pfeiffer chooses to remain cheerless while Alma seeks out Mike D’Angelo to help put some spirit in her holiday.
Review
What’s this? Another solid episode of AfterMASH? That’s three in a row. Could the show finally be hitting its stride midway through the first season? Of course, “All About Christmas Eve” is not without flaws. Like most episodes, there’s a lot going on with too many characters to service and several storylines that go nowhere. Still, it’s nice to have all the characters together in one episode. More importantly, the episode reveals a big development for the Klingers: they’re having a baby.
With the exception of Alma Cox and Dr. Pfeiffer, nearly everyone is happy in this episode. Alma, who is in love with Mike D’Angelo, thinks she’s going to spend a nice evening alone with her boss. Sadly, she’s mistaken. D’Angelo invited her to an office party and can’t understand why she’d ever think they’d spend time alone. He even asks her to drive someone home. After drinking too much eggnog, Alma decides to make herself feel better by getting Klinger fired.
Klinger, overjoyed to learn he’s going to be a father, finds himself in the position to get Alma in big trouble–maybe even get her fired. He considers it. How could he not? Earlier in the episode, Alma made her hatred for Klinger very, very clear. Ultimately, Klinger does the right thing and forges her signature so an important report will get submitted on time.
Why is Dr. Pfeiffer unhappy? Because he grew up poor and hated getting gifts without being able to give gifts in return. So, he doesn’t have anything to do with gifts. He even refuses to accept a cheap bottle of aftershave from Father Mulchay. Dr. Pfeiffer meets a patient who comes to General General every Christmas with an ulcer. Everyone loves him–except Dr. Pfeiffer. But after the man helps Dr. Pfeiffer save a patient who collapses in an elevator, Dr. Pfeiffer apparently changes his mind about Christmas. He plays guitar and sings “Silver Bells” for the patients.
There’s also a minor storyline in which Father Mulcahy meets a bitter patient who thinks his wife is cheating on him. Later, after Father Mulcahy unveils a new TV set, everyone is gathered around enjoying a movie. The patient who thinks his wife is having an affair walks by just as a character in the movie admits she’s having an affair. In a bizarre and unbelievable twist, the patient shoots the television set. Yet there are no repercussions, nor any follow up, aside from a shot of Bob Scannell looking through the busted set.
Potter, Klinger and Father Mulcahy share a nice moment at the end of the episode. They toast to family, home, and life. Potter gives Father Mulcahy buttermilk rather than eggnog, a reminder that Father Mulcahy is a recovering alcoholic.
Notes
If the Internet Movie Database is correct, this marks the final appearance of Wendy Schaal as Bonnie Hornback on AfterMASH.
References to the 4077th
There’s a vague reference to the Korean War when Soon-Loo asks Potter to deliver her baby. “Well, this is kind of special,” Potter says. “And Lord knows, the past couple of years I’ve seen enough lives end. I guess I owe myself a beginning.”
Klinger also refers to his history of wearing dresses at the 4077th. “You’ve been like a father to me,” he tells Potter, “even when I was like a daughter to you.”
M*A*S*H Connections
This is the fifth of 13 episodes directed by Burt Metcalfe.
This is the fourth of 12 episodes written or co-written by Dennis Koenig.
Lois Foraker shows up as Nurse Coleman in this episode.
Guest star Alan Fudge played Captain Chandler in the M*A*S*H episode “Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler” during Season 4.
In all the episodes of “M*A*S*H”, I never heard any mention of Father Mulcahy being an alcoholic. I guess they wanted to make him seem more human after Korea.
Fr. Mulcahy’s alcoholism developed between M*A*S*H and AfterM*A*S*H, as he was trying to adjust (less than successfully) to his hearing-impaired life in Philadelphia.
It’ll get another mention a couple of episodes down the line.