(01x19) 019 - The Long-John Flap

Talk about individual episodes here. Every episode has its own discussion thread and there are also threads for each season.
Post Reply

Rate This Episode

Best of the best
1
25%
Above average
3
75%
Average
0
No votes
Below average
0
No votes
Worst of the worst
0
No votes
 
Total votes: 4

User avatar
Big Daddy O'Reilly
Colonel
Posts: 543
Joined: Mon May 23, 2011 10:57 am
Location: The Swamp
Contact:

(01x19) 019 - The Long-John Flap

Post by Big Daddy O'Reilly »

This is one of my favorite cold snap episodes... actually, it may actually be my favorite cold snap episode... it's certainly a very funny and entertaining, and it's interesting to note that this was the first episode that Alan Alda wrote, and I understand from what Burt Metcalfe had once said, he was incredibly excited about writing his first episode for the show, since Alan always had a knack for being a writer.

One thing I can't quite understand about this episode... how is it that everybody just happened to be exactly the same size as Hawkeye? Were those long-johns somehow one-size-fits-all or something? Considering that Radar is considerably shorter than Hawkeye, and Henry is a bit taller (and slightly heavier since he's got middle-aged spread). And did anyone else also notice by the time the long-johns were in Henry's possession there were doody stains on them? *Insert sickened smiley*

I think one of my favorite exchanges came from this episode...

HAWKEYE: Is Henry in?
RADAR: Uh, most of him is, but a lot of him's still hangin' out.

It's also interesting for a laugh track nerd like myself that this episode included a certain laugh that was heard very heavily from the mid 60s up to 1970, then was mostly retired by then. This laugh sounds like someone in the audience is exclaiming, "WHAT?" It can be heard a few times throughout this episode, including when Hawkeye and Trapper see Nurse Bedos is having lunch with Radar, the cook offering the long-johns to Frank, Mulcahy telling Klinger he'd bless him "But you're holding down the hand I do that with", and as Hawkeye and Trapper first bring Henry into O.R. for his appendectomy. The only other episode Mr. WHAT is heard in is "The Colonel's Horse" (5x12), again, it was mostly retired in the 70s but was heard very heavily in the 60s.
Ferret Face
First Lieutenant
Posts: 101
Joined: Tue Jul 11, 2017 3:11 pm

Re: (01x19) 019 - The Long-John Flap

Post by Ferret Face »

I really like this one as well. I love the idea of following the long johns from one person to another, giving each character their own time to shine. I loved Hawkeye's reaction every time he finds out they're going to (or have gone to) someone new. My favorite parts were Radar planning to use them to get a date, only to get a lamb instead, Margaret finding out about them and telling Frank off for hiding them from her, and Henry's attempt to not find the owner and keeping them for himself.

Also, we never see Radar with them on, and same with the cook, Margaret, Klinger, and Mulcahy (though we are told he wore them before he gave them to Henry). It is a bit strange that it fits so many people though.
Mr Kwong
Corporal
Posts: 49
Joined: Mon Jul 30, 2018 2:48 pm

Re: (01x19) 019 - The Long-John Flap

Post by Mr Kwong »

The story itself is pretty good, although the comedy seems pretty pedestrian; it's obvious that Alan Alda is no Larry Gelbart. still a step ahead of episodes like "Cowboy", and "Edwina"
Post Reply