M*A*S*H

[watervole]

 At several points in my life, I've had a love affair with M*A*S*H.  For those who aren't already familiar with it, it's a sitcom set in a mobile army surgical hospital.  The doctors, who have mostly been drafted, do not want to be there, but do the best they can for the wounded.

It's about 40 years old now and set 60 years ago during the Korean War (which allowed the writers to comment on the Vietnam War without being too blatant about it)

It's not the ultimate drama - nothing that runs for 11 seasons with half hour episodes is likely to achieve that, but what it does achieve (especially if you switch the laugh track off ) is a lot of black humour and a real sense of humanity.  (and it doesn't make me cringe - I can't watch most sitcoms)

When I'm tired and in pain (which has been the case for the last few months), then it's exactly what the doctor ordered.  It engages me, without requiring too much concentration, but without insulting my intelligence either.  It lifts the spirits - and that's a big plus.

Henry managed to acquire two of the seasons as second hand DVDs a while back.

I thought about getting the rest, found the normal price was at least  £80, then, found a full set in a damaged box for £18!  It's in the post on its way right now...

Meanwhile, for those who may have wondered what the lyrics to the theme tune are - here's the sung version of 'Suicide is Painless' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-BtquTKw78&list=AL94UKMTqg-9Cv-gndTbM6NFCwjusej4X_  (there isn't an embed option)

Comments

[kerravonsen]

I think the reason that M*A*S*H worked for me (especially in later seasons) was because it was a mix of comedy and drama. I heard a rumour that Alan Alda had it put in his contract that there would be at least one surgery scene in each episode, which I think was a brilliant idea, because it meant that TPTB weren't allowed to gloss over the fact that this was in fact a *hospital* with *wounded*.

[watervole]

I gather they used a lot of incidents reported to them by real medics who had served in the Korean war.

[ranunculus]

I didn't see much of M*A*S*H during it's original run, but I LOVED the episodes I did see. I was youngm and so isolated that I had no idea that they were talking about the Korean War, not the Vietnam War we were living through, so I just saw those episodes as applying to Vietnam.

[watervole]

I didn't see any of the original run - came to it later in life.

[davidwake.livejournal.com]

I read once that it's credited for being the first series to mix drama with comedy. I can't quite believe that, but maybe it was the first to perfect it. It certainly did have an extraordinary ability to switch between the two from one line to the next. The series lasted longer than the Korean War too.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

That's a terrific price - I've thought about getting it, but it's so long the price tends to be... even worse over here :(

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

It had it's moments of intense drama. When the first Colonel in charge of the Mash died when his plane was shot down as he was going home had me in tears.

[rockwell-666.livejournal.com]

I used to wach M*A*S*H years ago and although later on in the series it did rather get a bit weak at times and a bit mawkish, it still was, overall, a very enjoyable programme.

[sweetheartwhale.livejournal.com]

My father always watched it - he was in the Korean war -and he seemed to find it both accurate and entertaining, except as you say for the later ones.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

I fell in love with the movie and the book by Richard Hooker before the TV series. I think I read the book first, but I certainly engaged with both several times over. A|nd then came the TV series - which I also loved, though Alan Alda was not as off-the-wall as Donald Sutherland.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I've never had the opportunity to see the movie. I really ought to keep my eyes open for it.

[birdsedge.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's well worth it. And the suicide song features as part of the story.

[vicarage.livejournal.com]

The movie was on last weekend, its what I thought triggered your post :-(

I watched lots of them in the late 90's in the 6pm home-from-work slot. I did enjoy them.

[j-lj.livejournal.com]

I loved this show. Hate the re-runs with the laughter track as when it was origonaly broadcast by the BBC in the UK it was shown without one.
Always found it funny how Radar posted a jeep home. Part by part, week by week.

The final episode is very moving. It was a shame AfterMASH was not vey good then trying to follow up the 4077th was a very hard act to follow.

[watervole.livejournal.com]

I was so glad that the DVDs have the option to turn off the laugh track.