Explaining Single-Episode Character Absences
hf...@schools.nyc.gov
wasn't in roughly half of the episodes of Seasons 5, 6 and 7. But
there was seldom any acknowledgement of Radar's absence, and Klinger
basically assumed Radar's role as 4077th wheeler-dealer (which makes
Klinger's initial ineptitude in "Period of Adjustment" rather
baffling). Obviously, Klinger's unique antics were somewhat magnified
in Radar-less episodes, especially "Hawkeye Get Your Gun" and
"Souvenirs"- an inordinate amount of attention is given to his
flagpole-sitting record attempt as compared to any of his schemes in
episodes WITH Radar. And in "Patent 4077", it seems that his doleful
speech to Margaret about her lack of gratitude for his effort in
finding the lost ring seems like it was written for Burghoff. (Of
course, concession to Klinger was given in his speech detailing said
efforts: "I'm tired, I'm hungry and I burnt my nose.")
Actually, the first Radar-less episode was "The Late Captain Pierce",
early in Season 4. It was explained by dint of Klinger waking Hawk and
BJ with the midnight phone call ("Where's Radar?" "On R&R. He was
putting carbon paper in the latrine.") But beyond that, the only hint
that Radar was still a member of the 4077 in episodes without him was
Season 7's "Ain't Love Grand": After Hawk and BJ's domestic spat, the
former asks a nurse if Radar is back from R&R yet. After being told
the negative, Hawk moves into his office- which leads to him getting
the late-night call about BJ's kidney patient. ("M*A*S*H something
something, and you've got some nerve calling in the middle of the
night.")
Burghoff's absence was quite noticeable, and implausible, in episodes
that focused on a group camp activity ("The M*A*S*H Olympics") or
crisis ("C*A*V*E"). "Olympics" instead gave us a one-shot camp regular
trying to overcome a weight problem and the second/last appearance of
Donald Penobscot. *C*A*V*E" makes one wonder just how Radar, assuming
he was still on R&R, would find where everyone went upon his return.
It seems that when Stevenson or Swit were absent from an episode, they
were usually "in Tokyo"- as well as "Saint Frank" in the very early
"The Moose", which basically replaced him with Spearchucker.
Linville's absence from "Adam's Ribs" isn't explained at all; maybe
Gelbart, Reynolds and writer Laurence Marks felt Ferret-Face wouldn't
fit in the episode. (I thought he would put up some amusing resistance/
interference to Hawk's mess-tent tantrum, and the entire scheme in
general.) But the late-night scenes in the Swamp seem awkward with
just Hawk, Trap and an empty bunk.
Also strange is that the third episode of Season 6, "Impractical
Joker", lacks newcomer Stiers altogether. Generally speaking, the
first few episodes of a season featuring a new character would feature
that character rather prominently. But there's no Charles at all in
this one, which begs the compelling question of what pranks Leo
Bardanaro might have pulled on HIM- and how he would have reacted. Any
speculation that this episode was somehow left over from a Season 5
script is dashed by the subplot of Margaret's desparate attempts to
get to Tokyo to see Donald, to whom it is clearly stated she's already
married.
But somehow, Burghoff's absence didn't really diminish the quality of
those episodes. particularly "Change Day", "Patent 4077", "The Smell
of Music" and "Dear Comrade". This raised false hopes that Season 8
and beyond would carry on the series' high writing standards.
Needless to say, this seldom happened.
Vince
<hf...@schools.nyc.gov> wrote in message
news:ea90f7a5-5ba5-493f...@25g2000hsx.googlegroups.com...
I guess they feel they don't have to explain every absence, another show
where Hawk went blind
Margaret was there for two scenes and thats it. Now in a few cases maybe she
was doing the
Cagney & Lacey pilot.
Another show STAR TREK had lots of EPs with no Sulu and no explainations, I
know at one point he
was filming "The Green Barets"
Eddie
> wasn't in roughly half of the episodes of Seasons 5, 6 and 7.
He was in a lot more than half. He missed about 3 episodes in S 5, about 8
in S 6, and 6 in S 7.
> Linville's absence from "Adam's Ribs" isn't explained at all; maybe
> Gelbart, Reynolds and writer Laurence Marks felt Ferret-Face wouldn't
> fit in the episode.
Not likely. Frank Burns not fitting in an episode where spare ribs are
ordered from Chicago? Radar waking Hawkeye and Trapper in the middle of the
night would surely have gotten Frank's attention. If that didn't do it, then
Hawkeye and Trapper going to get the stuff would have. If Linville was
contracted for every episode, they would have found a spot for him. Of this,
I have no doubt.
Keep in mind that some cast members were only contracted for a certain
number of episodes.
> Also strange is that the third episode of Season 6, "Impractical
> Joker",
"Last Laugh."
<Any
> speculation that this episode was somehow left over from a Season 5
> script is dashed
There was never, at least to my knoweledge, any speculation that it was left
over from S 5. Different production codes, which doesn't necessarily mean
anything. However, this did happen later on.
This raised false hopes that Season 8
> and beyond would carry on the series' high writing standards.
>
> Needless to say, this seldom happened.
This is a matter of perspective. As I've said here many times before, I
prefer the early seasons. There are many who prefer the later ones, and
there are several episodes from the later seasons that are quite good. Two
that come to mind are, "Are You Now, Margaret?" and "Guerilla My Dreams." To
me, these were both written well and acted well, and they challenged
sensative material. The scene with Mako and his guards holding rifles on
Hawkeye and B.J. has quite an impact, even after all these years. (Boy, that
Mako is something else in this episode) Another excellent scene is in "Sons
and Bowlers." While the bowling part of this episode leaves a lot to be
desired, the scene with Hawkeye and Charles remains one of my favorite
between the two. There are others as well. Then, of course, there are some
serious klunkers.
MarkO
> there are several episodes from the later seasons that are quite good. Two
> that come to mind are, "Are You Now, Margaret?"
...Though I have a few problems with some aspects of this episode, I
do enjoy BJ asking Klinger if he'd seen anyone in the closet, and
Klinger replies that he'd been in there 20 minutes and hadn't seen
anyone.
> and "Guerilla My Dreams."
...If you turned the sound down for this episode, except for when
Charles is talking, I'd really like it. The choreography harkens back
to the early episodes. Aside from that, I believe the characters took
the enemy's side to a preposterous degree.
>To
> me, these were both written well and acted well, and they challenged
> sensative material. The scene with Mako and his guards holding rifles on
> Hawkeye and B.J. has quite an impact,
...not as much as when Mako sees Frank's "mini" gun in Rainbow Bridge
and saying "What the hell is that??"
> Another excellent scene is in "Sons
> and Bowlers." While the bowling part of this episode leaves a lot to be
> desired, the scene with Hawkeye and Charles remains one of my favorite
> between the two.
...In my view, it suffers from a common malady of some latter
episodes, that earlier ones did not suffer from; Overly long, dramatic
scenes with not even the slightest bit of humor interjected, and
characters falling slightly out of character. Is it me, or doesn't
Stiers almost completely change his voice for this scene?
MarkO
they were not in (Stevenson in Alcoholics Unanimous, Frank in Adam's
Rib....). I've read speculations about Stevenson being on the Tonight
Show, but I still wonder.
Eddie
"MarkO" <mar...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:0ffc9925-fac6-44b8...@8g2000hse.googlegroups.com...
> There are many who prefer the later ones, and
>> there are several episodes from the later seasons that are quite good.
>> Two
>> that come to mind are, "Are You Now, Margaret?"
>
> ...Though I have a few problems with some aspects of this episode, I
> do enjoy BJ asking Klinger if he'd seen anyone in the closet, and
> Klinger replies that he'd been in there 20 minutes and hadn't seen
> anyone.
That's a great scene.
>> and "Guerilla My Dreams."
>
> ...If you turned the sound down for this episode, except for when
> Charles is talking, I'd really like it. The choreography harkens back
> to the early episodes. Aside from that, I believe the characters took
> the enemy's side to a preposterous degree.
>
I'll go along with that. They did take it too far, but the rifles bring it
back to where it should be.
Mako, as in the other episodes he's in, does a terrific job.
Eddie
You would have to find out the dates episodes were filmed and then try to
match them up. That might be tricky, since parts of episodes were filmed at
different times. A tall order.
Eddie
"Eddie" <Pba...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:48ab3bca$0$29526$607e...@cv.net...
Now that you've got me thinking, which by all accounts is dangerous, while
you and I would act differently towards someone who wouldn't think twice
about killing us given the opportunity, a doctor thinks along different
lines, taking an oath to never do harm. Nor do they stand around watching
others do it. This goes against all their training, thus giving them a
different outlook. Even in capital punishment, they'll verify that the task
was carried out, but they won't be a witness to it. As Hawkeye said in this
ep, "I don't care if she's Lizzie Borden." It's somewhat understandable the
position they took.
George
> I'll go along with that. They did take it too far, but the rifles bring
> it back to where it should be.
> Mako, as in the other episodes he's in, does a terrific job.
When the role calls for a tough ass Asian type guy, better get Mako.
Eddie
"George" <ge...@shaw.ca> wrote in message
news:9AKqk.97301$nD.63865@pd7urf1no...
He does paint a pretty picture as a tough ass Asian with a menacing look
about him.
That was a good one, George.
Cory
Maybe it's 'cuz it's almost four in the AM here, and I'm tired, but...
Ha... Ha...
http://www.maaco.com/ (pronounced "mayco", FTR)
--- Cory
--
"Life without liberty is like a body without spirit." --- Kahlil Gibran
Cory
says...
Maybe this was covered elsewhere in the thread, and I've missed it, but
there was a chunk of episodes... I forget from which season... where
Margaret is completely AWOL, if you will.
Loretta Swit, it turned out, was on Broadway, IIRC, performing in a play
or musical. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I've forgotten how they
explained Margaret's absence during that time.
Brad
"Cory"
>
> Maybe this was covered elsewhere in the thread, and I've missed it, but
> there was a chunk of episodes... I forget from which season... where
> Margaret is completely AWOL, if you will.
>
> Loretta Swit, it turned out, was on Broadway, IIRC, performing in a play
> or musical. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I've forgotten how they
> explained Margaret's absence during that time.
>
> --- Cory
I don't think the absence was explained. It was the end of season 4. I think
she even missed "The Interview".
--
Brad
Vince
"Cory" <my_whe...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.2316e5dcd...@nntp.motzarella.org...
If I recall the show was the two role play, "Same Time Next Year" where she
took over from
Ellen Burshen sp Ellen played the role again in the film with another MASH
Alum
Alan Alda.
ansermetniac
Now,the late Mako
Abbedd