Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
100 of 106 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A team that's become a family, October 7, 2005
A lot of people like to complain about the later years of M*A*S*H, saying it got too "serious" and that Alan Alda was too full of himself and the show got this whole "anti-war" attitude behind it. The original movie was perceived to have that same attitude by many to this day. I don't think I could do the work the characters in this Army hospital did on a daily (and sometimes more often) basis and NOT hate the war. By season three, we'd lost Henry Blake to a plane crash, and Trapper went home. A couple seasons down the road, Frank Burns went AWOL and that was the end of him. During season eight, Radar went home to take care of the family farm. Those are all realities of war, folks. M*A*S*H was a reflection of that. The war was not a funny place to be. The fact that these people could crack wise when they were up to their elbows in wounded soldiers was merely a reflection of how the human spirit can allow us to do things we never expected to be able to do, even in the face of huge adversity. I never found Col. Potter, Capt. Hunnicutt or Major Winchester inferior to Blake, Trapper and Frank in the least. Different, yes, but definitely not any less funny or less vital to the series' development. ER, now in its 13th season (I think), carries on with just about no one from the first season. People come and people go. I thought Season Nine of M*A*S*H was every bit as valid and as vital as the very first season...maybe for different reasons...but the show worked from strength to strength. I felt Col. Potter was a much more believeable than Henry Blake, not to say Blake wasn't funny. He was. But Harry Morgan brought something else to M*A*S*H that I don't think anyone else could have. Even Charles Emerson Winchester, as different as you could ask for form Frank Burns realized this was a family, not just a team of surgeons stuck in Hell's kitchen, and lo and behold, had his moments of downright nobility. Those who stuck with the show through its entire run saw that. M*A*S*H Season Nine will be a welcome addition to my M*A*S*H collection. Every single season of M*A*S*H had classic episodes...not very many series can claim that. The show still fascinates me and makes me laugh 22 years after it departed first-run network TV. I have them all to this point, and I'll gladly buy the rest!
|
|
|
99 of 113 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The first full M*A*S*H since Radar left the show, September 8, 2005
Season 9 is the first time when we see Corporal Klinger do his duties for the departed O'Reilly back at the beginning of season 8. Anyway the episodes on the DVD with the summary are as follows.
Note: episode guide courtesy of tvtome.com
195. The Best of Enemies
First aired: 11/17/1980
On his way to some R&R in Tokyo, Hawkeye is forced by a North Korean soldier to perform an emergency roadside operation on his buddy.
196. Letters
First aired: 11/24/1980
Members of the 4077th share their impressions of war in response to letters from fourth graders in Hawkeye's hometown. Margaret writes about how there are some patients she will never forget, whilst the Colonel tells of his days as 'Hoops' Potter. Hawkeye: "Dear Ronnie, it's a shame to let the love you have for your brother turn to hate for others. Hate makes war, and war is what killed Keith. I understand how you feel. Sometimes I hate myself for being here. But sometimes in the midst of all this insanity, the smallest thing can make my being here seems worthwhile. Maybe the best answer I have for you is that you look for good wherever you can find it."
197. Cementing Relationships
First aired: 12/1/1980
A jilted Italian soldier, Corpsman Ignazio De Simone, is smitten by Margaret; and Klinger pours a cement floor in the operating room to fight the spread of germs. Charles: "My good man, I have better things to do than listen to someone make no sense in two languages."
198. Father's Day
First aired: 12/8/1980
Margaret has trouble pretending she's a chip off the old block when her dad, blood and guts "Howitzer" Al Houlihan, arrives for a visit.
199. Death Takes a Holiday
First aired: 12/15/1980
Meanwhile, Winchester fulfills a family Christmas tradition but has trouble maintaining the anonymity required to keep it a truly charitable act. Even Klinger lends a hand. Be sure to stay till the end, there are some great moments in this one.
200. A War for all Seasons
First aired: 12/29/1980
On New Year's Eve, the staff looks back on the highlights of 1951: The doctors invent an artificial kidney machine; Mulcahy plants a garden; Margaret takes up knitting; and Klinger and Winchester bet on which baseball team will win the pennant.
201. Your Retention Please
First aired: 1/5/1981
Klinger is so depressed by news that his ex-wife plans to remarry, he reenlists for an additional six-year hitch. Meanwhile, a male nurse has a gripe against the army.
202. Tell it To the Marines
First aired: 1/12/1981
Winchester takes command during Potter's absence; and B.J. and Hawkeye try to convince the Marines to grant a hardship discharge to an immigrant soldier, Private Jost Van Liter.
203. Taking the Fifth
First aired: 1/19/1981
Hawkeye uses a bottle of vintage wine to lure unsuspecting nurses into his den; and Potter tries to secure a different sort of anesthetic when the army threatens to ban a painkiller.
204. Operation Friendship
First aired: 1/26/1981
Klinger saves Winchester's life when an explosion rocks the operating room; and B.J. is reluctant to reveal the extent of his injuries after the blast. Hawkeye: Charles is fine, but Klinger has damage to over fifty percent of his body. His nose is broken.
205. No Sweat
First aired: 2/2/1981
Margaret develops a case of prickly heat, Charles does his tax returns, and Klinger takes the P.A. apart - just some of the events, which occur during another unendurably, hot night at the 4077th.
206. Depressing News
First aired: 2/9/1981
Klinger's army newspaper reports on Hawkeye's monument to military stupidity; a giant tower made from a half million erroneously shipped tongue depressors.
207. No Laughing Matter
First aired: 2/16/1981
Hawkeye wagers that he can go a full day without a wisecrack, and Winchester finally confronts the major who exiled him to the 4077th. Charles: "I will not, even for a return to that pearl of the Orient, Tokyo, lie to protect you while destroying a friend's career."
208. Oh, How We Danced
First aired: 2/23/1981
Winchester is sent to inspect sanitary conditions on the frontlines, while the rest of the camp plans a surprise anniversary party for B.J.
209. Bottoms Up
First aired: 3/2/1981
One of Margaret's nurses tries to hide her severe drinking problem, and Hawkeye is scorned after a practical joke he plays on Winchester backfires.
210. The Red/White Blues
First aired: 3/9/1981
Colonel Potter nearly blows his stack when his well-intentioned colleagues mollycoddle him in order to lower his blood pressure.
211. Bless You, Hawkeye
First aired: 3/16/1981
When Hawkeye can't stop a sneezing fit that has no apparent cause, psychiatrist Sidney Freedman digs into the surgeon's past for a clue to this unusual malady.
212. Blood Brothers
First aired: 4/6/1981
Hawkeye is overcome by the devotion of a terminally ill G.I., who has leukemia, for his critically wounded buddy, but he has trouble coming to terms with the fact that he can't cure the man. Meanwhile, Father Mulcahy is worried about the impending visit of a Cardinal.
213. The Foresight Saga
First aired: 4/13/1981
The 4077th is given a gift of fresh-grown vegetables by a grateful Korean; and Potter questions the veracity of an upbeat letter from Radar.
214. The Life You Save
First aired: 5/4/1981
After Charles is nearly felled by a sniper's bullet, he develops a philosophical obsession with death. Meanwhile, the officers have all been assigned new responsibilities.
|
|
|
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Still Pleasing afer all these years., September 14, 2005
Season 9 didn't disappoint. Yet another great set of episodes. This is certainly one of the greatest ninth seasons of any show in history. not one weak episode. This didn't hurt the series at all.
Just a few:
Best Of Enemies - Not only do we get to see Hawkeye forced to operate under severe emotional strain, we also get to see Bridge played With Marquis De Sade rules. Colonel Potter gets a letter with a winning bridge hand that his wife, Mildred, won with. This gets the whole camp going for a bridge match. Ends up with Potter, Charles, Margaret, and B.J playing in numerous line-ups, and the good Father winning a bet on who wins.
Father's Day. Hawkeye is working on a patient whose face is seriously damaged, but he's glad to be alive. In return he sends Hawkeye an entire side of beef. This leads to serious problems as Margaret's ultra-military father comes to visit. Classic episode.
War For All Seasons - This episode covers one entire year. Included is Father Mulcahy showing off his green thumb. There's the project of B.J and Hawkeye's that takes a while to build a piece of equipment. Then, finally, there's the baseball bet made between Klinger and Potter, which gets Charles interested, and then the whole camp.
Your Retention Please - A duplicious retention officer comes in just as Klinger gets bad news about his ex getting re-married. A male nurse, who's not an officer, takes issue with the retention officer. This is where we get to see Klinger as Lady Godiva on Potter's horse Sophie. He thought that he'd just re-inlisted for six more years when the retention officer tricked him. Potter made him read off an oath. Fortunately, for Klinger, it was the oath for President of the U.S. Of A!
No Sweat - it's a hot hot night. Margaret has a rash in an embarassing spot, leading to comedic actions in the O.R. Klinger takes the P.A system apart. Charles has tax issue. Potter can't get any sleep because Margaret needs some meds for her rash. Charles needs carbon paper, and such. Great ending, everyone gets a good laugh.
Depressing News - I.Corp. sends the 4077th 50K tongue depressors by mistake. Hawkeye creates a tower with them. He lists every patient that ever went through the unit on the tongue depressors.
Bottoms up - Practical jokes get out of hand, which lands Hawkeye in hot water.
The Red/White Blues - A routine check-up by Hawkeye finds that Potter's blood pressure is just too high. Everyone babies him, and Klinger's actions are totally mis-construed.
The Foresght Saga - A happy letter from Radar is belied when Potter, with the whole gang in the office, calls Ottumwa and finds things are rough. This leads B.J, and the rest to solve the problem with a Korean who gives them vegetables.
The Life You Save - With the camp being peppered with sniper fire during Pre-op, Charles takes a whole new look at life, and death. Hawkeye takes over the kitchen, Mulcahy is the garabage officer, and so forth. Sadness, and light comedy highlight his episode. This is where Charles really becomes a much more down-to earth person. He becomes more humane, and caring after this episode. He's also not as fast to jump on others for things that happen.
In the end the loss of Radar may have hurt the show a bit. However, MASH recovered. It went on for another 4 seasons. It still won awards, triggered emotions, and tugged at heart strings. No other show in history can claim that kind of endurance, while losing key stars throughout it's run.
|
|
|
Most Recent Customer Reviews
|
DVD ~ Alan Alda
DVD ~ Alan Alda
DVD ~ Alan Alda
DVD ~ Alan Alda
DVD ~ Alan Alda
