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Henry or Frank

Posted: Sat Oct 17, 2020 1:59 pm
by Keith1980
We all know how Henry Blake’s death was shocking. I’ve oftentimes wondered had Henry lived and they killed off Frank instead how that would of been dealt with. As much as that character wasn’t liked by the other characters how would that news affect them. What are your thoughts?

Re: Henry or Frank

Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2020 8:20 pm
by MashFan81
I don't think killing off Frank wold have been a good move. Especially after they brought him to the edge of mental mania as it was. And if I'm not mistaken (and I might be without looking it up) the studio DIDN'T want to kill of anyone let alone Blake. They did that for the shock factor alone and to be "outside the box". Famously the other actors and most of the crew had no idea it was coming either. They literally got set up for the final scene and someone gave Gary Burghoff the last page of script and said "go read this" and he started sobbing even before he went in the O.R.

Had they spared Henry and off'd Burns later, I think it would have been taken as seen in bad taste. Frank was a complicated character in a lot of ways and even though Blake was the "fun loving lt. colonel"... he was in a way a lot simpler of a character and I don't think the series writers had nearly as much invested in his character.

Now Potter... they had a LOT more invested in his character. But again, I think that was by design. They were also trying to grow the show and it's now apparent from McLean Stevenson's departure that he proabably wasn't part of that overall plan. There was a lot of politics going on in the background too. That much has been said already. But I don't think they had any intention of taking the Henry Blake character very far in the series once they knew it was a hit.

Re: Henry or Frank

Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 1:54 am
by kkt
I could see some characters, especially Margaret, feeling some guilt at how little effect his death would have on them. I can see them making a really awkward episode where they sit around trying to find something decent to say about Frank and not coming up with much.

In the longer term, depending on who his replacement was and how he was handled by the writers and directors, it could be a good thing. I thought Frank was pretty played out within 2-3 seasons. He was a 2-dimensional character. Name a human characteristic and if it was bad Frank had it and if it was good Frank didn't have it. The last few years his only purpose was to be the butt of every joke.