Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.

With the popular (ratings-wise) and critical success of M*A*S*H's second season, it came as no surprise when the "suits" in CBS's programming division announced that the surgeons, medics and nurses of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital would be back for another tour of duty for the 1974-1975 season.

The series, set during the Korean War, was a toned-down for network television adaptation of Robert Altman's hit 1970 feature film, and in 1974, its second season's episodes had earned it no less than four Emmy Awards (out of 11 nominations), including two for the undisputed lead actor, Alan Alda, one for director Jackie Cooper (who helmed "Carry On, Hawkeye"), and the big prize, Outstanding Comedy Series.

Frank Burns: I have got oak leaves on my shoulders.
Henry Blake: And I've got dimples on my butt.

M*A*S*H's third season is known best for its 24th episode, "Abyssnia, Henry," in which McLean Stevenson's character, Lt. Col. Henry Blake, is notified that he has been discharged from the Army based on "rotation points," then is killed (off-screen) when his plane is shot down over the Sea of Japan. The short scene when Radar (Gary Burghoff) stumbles into the 4077th's Operating Room and announces that the plane "spun in...there were no survivors," is still one of the most heart-rending moments of the series.

Henry's death was the result of very strained relations between Stevenson - who never had a hit show in his post-M*A*S*H career - and 20th Century Fox over various issues, including the actor's salary and working conditions. After months of arguing fruitlessly with 20th Century Fox Television's chief, Bill Self, Stevenson asked to be released from the cast. He was, but rumor has it that the producers killed Henry off so Stevenson couldn't somehow return as a guest star.

Henry Blake: [Henry's final line, as he says good-bye to Radar] You behave yourself, or I'm gonna come back and kick your butt!


Wayne Rogers, who as the second lead was the guy who doesn't win the girl, the glory, but does get some of the blows life often tosses at everyone, also famously departed the series at the end of the season. As in Stevenson's case, differences between the studio and Rogers caused the actor to part company with his fellow cast members, but at least his fictional character, Trapper John McIntyre, survived Korea and was later given a spinoff show titled Trapper John, M.D., with Pernell Roberts as an older version of Rogers' Korean War counterpart.

Trapper: [after being asked to report to surgery] Doesn't Henry know today is a holiday? Its Aaron Burr's birthday.
Radar: Who's Aaron Burr?
Trapper: Aaron Burr, the guy who shot John Wilkes Booth.


But before the audience dealt with these changes in the cast, M*A*S*H carried on, still overseen by Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds. Gelbart continued to write scripts along with Laurence Marks, but more talent was brought in, and episodes penned by Linda Bloodworth, Mary Kay Place, John Regier, Jim Fritzell, Everett Greenbaum, and Arthur Julian added more insights into the characters and created a variety of serio-comic situations for the gang at the 4077th.

My favorite episode of the third season is "Adam's Rib," one of those unfulfilled quest episodes in which a character wants/needs something and a chain of events forms, but ends up chaotically. In this one, Hawkeye is fed up with the awful food from the 4077th's mess tent and becomes obsessed with ordering barbecue spare ribs from his favorite Chicago restaurant, Adam's Ribs. It builds and builds in serio-comedic tension as the process of acquiring the ribs and side orders progresses, and the denouement is classic M*A*S*H



M*A*S*H: The Complete Third Season presents all 24 episodes in their original, uncut (before syndication) versions, with eight episodes per disk.


Episode List for Season Three, 1974-1975

1. The General Flipped at Dawn
2. Rainbow Bridge
3. Officer of the Day
4. Iron Guts Kelly
5. O.R.
6. Springtime
7. Check-Up
8. Life with Father
9. Alcoholics Unanimous
10. There Is Nothing Like a Nurse
11. Adam's Ribs
12. A Full Rich Day
13. Mad Dogs and Servicemen
14. Private Charles Lamb
15. Bombed
16. Bulletin Board
17: The Consultant
18. House Arrest
19. Aid Station
20. Love and Marriage
21. Big Mac
22. Payday
23. White Gold
24. Abyssinia, Henry





DVD Features:
Available Subtitles: English, Spanish
Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)


Recommended: Yes

Viewing Format: DVD
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Suitable for Children Age 13 and Older

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