M*A*S*H: Final Thoughts

I first saw M*A*S*H as a relatively young kid at my grandmother’s house.  It was a rerun on television, on one of those channels that only runs classic television.  I remembered very little about it, I honestly don’t think I was paying attention.  Either way, I certainly didn’t ‘get it’.

As I got older, I heard about the show occasionally from my parents, and by the time I was twelve, I knew that Henry Blake had died in his chopper on the way home, and I had no concept whatsoever of who Henry Blake even was, much less what he looked like.  I knew a few names, I’d seen a few references in various other television shows, but I didn’t have much of a concept, or much interest.  I figured I wouldn’t like it.  I had heard from my parents that it was a big deal, and I knew it must have been, but I had no concept of anything about it, whatsoever.

When I was thirteen or so, I tried the pilot episode, just to see what the fuss was about, and I wasn’t impressed.  I didn’t like the characters, I didn’t get much of the jokes, and so, I quit.

Until I started this blog.

“What TV shows will you be doing?” Dad asked.

“Well, I dunno.  I suppose I have to do M*A*S*H though,” I replied.

“Yeah, you really do.”

So I did.  In preparation for this very blog, I began M*A*S*H some time last year, and, at the age of eighteen, five years after I’d last tried the show, I fell in love with it.

And it probably shows, honestly.

Early on in this study, I asked how and why this show changed television.  I asked how it was that this show still had an audience that loved the show, over forty years after it’s original airing.  And hopefully, I’ve answered that question, but now I’m going to sum it up a little.

Honestly, it speaks to people.

M*A*S*H is as sharp and funny as the day it first started, due in no small part to its characters.  It spent less time making stories and scripts funny than it did making characters funny, and in time, making characters heartfelt, and real.  It was one of the first television shows that let it’s audience get to know it’s cast intimately, figuring out quirks, history, favorite foods and pet peeves.  The characters interacted realistically, whether in laughter or tears, and the content and level of realism for the time made it a grittier show than a lot of contemporaries.  It was groundbreaking, codifying the dramedy as a genre and inventing a lot of conventions that would be used by television later.  The content is still a talking-point.  The characters are still written as people.  In the end, it is that which enables M*A*S*H to withstand the test of time.

Is it a little dated?  Yeah.  Especially early on.

But it holds up.

M*A*S*H has stood the test of time by being smart, passionate, and just plain funny, a show that can be enjoyed even as the satiric ‘100 years ago’ gets closer to becoming accurate.  It’s a genuine story about found family, sticking together through the worst of human experiences, and because of that, we as humans can recognize that.

Final verdict?  

I get it now.  I know why M*A*S*H was a big deal.  It really was a groundbreaker, a great and entertaining television show that’s full of iconic and memorable moments, characters, and stories that managed to surpass both of its predecessors, becoming a juggernaut of a show that remains popular and well-loved, even to this day.

And considering that Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen is still the most-watched finale of all time, it will probably continue to be so for quite a long time.

Favorite Character: Radar O’Reilly!  Though it got tougher to choose as time went on.

Favorite Episode: After eleven seasons, it’s hard to pick a favorite, but if I had to, I’d say it’s Movie Tonight, an episode full of the comedy and character interactions that made the show a standout.

Ranking: Objective 9/10.  Subjective 8/10.  
Side note: Please check out Lightning in a Bottle – a M*A*S*H* Video Essay by Ladyknightthebrave on YouTube if you’re interested in hearing more!