User reviews

I've read several recent (2019) reviews of MASH here on IMDB. Many of them take a political slant, calling the show "anti-war", "left-wing", or (and this is my favorite) an "Evil Mockery of all good things and American Values". Frankly, every word of those comments is partisan hooey, colored by the divisive political landscape we live in at present.

I'm a 19 year, career military member and am currently deployed to Iraq. I just watched the entire-run of this show at a rate of 2 episodes per night and thoroughly enjoyed it. You can want some of the topics it presents to be political, but they're not. The overwhelming majority of them are simply the musings of people who seem to have an incisive and witty understanding of what it means to be deployed far away from home.

Those insights are what keep the show watchable. Being critical of war doesn't make the show liberal. It makes it rationale. Broaching progressive subjects doesn't make it left-wing. It bases it in reality. Arguing that war should be the absolute last means of persuasion doesn't make it a mockery of American values. It makes it a commentary on what those American values have historically been.

The years have been rough on MASH insomuch as portrayals of sexism and alcoholism are concerned. Outside of that, the show holds up as a commentary on war at large-be it in Korea, Vietnam, or Iraq. Simply put, it's still funny.

That is, this series started out in 1972 to capitalize on the antipathy people had towards the Vietnam War, plus it blended well with the anti-establishment theme of the CBS prime time lineup as well. Then something horrible happened - that is for those financially backing the show - four months into production the Vietnam War effectively ended. Also, it was announced the draft would end. Poof. There goes the show's reason for existence. This is where the show "rolled with the punches". Rather than just dry up and blow away as an artifact of a time that had come and gone, it explored new avenues and ways to stay relevant. It explored friendship, maintaining family ties when far from home, and the shock of sudden death. At the end of eleven years, when the show called it a day, you had two characters that loathed each other in the beginning of the series practically declaring their love for one another, although they knew in peacetime it could never be.

If you ever decide to go whole hog and buy the complete series, have patience with it. The first three episodes are not that good - the humor is very forced and were it not for the laugh track you might not get that a joke had just been told. But it does get much better rather quickly. Back in 1972 network shows were allowed time to get better. Now some network bean counter just pulls the plug and drags out some reality show replacement.

MASH is a truly unique series, with both the seriousness of war and yet laugh out loud humor. The parallels are undeniable, where heartbreaking moments are mixed with goofy guys making jokes. The acting is great, the characters have depth and are well developed. The cast have great chemistry during both during the serious times and riffing off each other's banter. A timeless classic.

I've found many of the comments about this series to be quite amusing, particularly the ones bashing it for "shoving" a liberal agenda down viewers throats. Given it's success for 11 years, I don't think the audience seemed to agree with that assessment. Quite simply, the show was one of the best written, best acted, and most entertaining shows in television history. Yes, it wore out its welcome in the end; but, it is a masterpiece that later shows rarely measured up to.

I have no great preference for one season's cast over another. Each character was unique and had something to contribute. When we lost the bumbling, but loveable Henry Blake, we got the stern but loving Sherman Potter. Both were the C.O., but each was a different person, a smart move by the creators. The same is true for Frank Burns and Charles Emerson Winchester III. Burns was a neurotic, vindictive, childish fool; while Winchester was an arrogant blowhard, but one who could hold his own with Hawkeye. Burns was incompetent, while Winchester was an outstanding surgeon; just ask him. Characters were missed when they left; but, they were not replaced with doppelgangers. That is part of the reason this show lasted so long.

The show did take on a more serious tone in the later seasons, but not entirely. There are plenty of laughs right up to the end. Those serious shows were often some of the most memorable, and they kept the series from becoming stale. With that said, they did tend to resort to Hawkeye's mental problems a bit too much, especially in the farewell. You can argue that a character like Hawkeye, with his passion for preserving life, was ripe for mental breakdowns; but, in reality, he probably would have been shipped home by the second breakdown.

The show is not perfect (it lasted 8 years longer than the actual war) but it comes far closer than most. It seems to be fashionable to bash popular shows and movies after their days is over. Part of this is a new generation trying to establish their own identity and dominance. Well, I didn't like my parent's movies, shows and music when I was younger; until I actually watched them and listened to them. Some of it turned out to be quite good, some not. Real quality stands the test of time. MASH will be around far longer than most of what I see on tv today.

M*A*S*H is a TV series I never tire of watching and there are numerous episodes that stand out (e.g. Dreams, Point of View, The Joker is Wild, Letters). I must admit, I prefer the era of Hunnicut, Potter, Winchester than the Trapper John, Blake, Burns era. M*A*S*H lives on, and I love the podcast co-hosted by Jeff Maxwell, famous for playing Igor that reflects on M*A*S*H. Each time I watch M*A*S*H, I learn something new about the series.

This show, MASH, is one of television greatest sitcoms. Based about life in the Korean War, the medical unit with a stellar cast like Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, Mike Farrell, Maclean Stevenson, David Ogden Stiers, Jamie Farr, and others maintained a show that would last a decade and be more popular than the original film. In fact, I can't imagine seeing the film because it would be something else to me entirely. The gang at 4077 maintained a great sense of humor in time of war. There weren't silly, ridiculous, and insensitive. Rather they were the complete opposite. This show should be studied for students of sitcom production to show how a good show can be done with a stellar cast, writing, and directing. Sometimes, this show can be addictive to watch and makes you long for those days of Grade A golden age of television where sitcoms were of the finest caliber. A show like MASH today would never survive the harshness of Hollywood's war against quality sitcoms.

I discovered "M*A*S*H" about 5 years ago, when I was 17. My local library had the first season on DVD, and recalling that my mother liked the show, I decided to hire it out for her. It sat at home gathering dust for about a week, so I decided to pop it into the player and take a look - and I was instantly hooked.

After watching only a few episodes, I found myself becoming immersed in the characters and the surroundings of the show. Even though I had never seen it before, I felt as if I had been watching it my entire life. The show had this kind of "classic" feel to it, which I really dug.

What I liked most about "M*A*S*H" is that, while most of the episodes were episodic in nature, the overall storyline and atmosphere of the show progressed along a realistic track. I came to know each character inside and out, like they were part of my own family. I have never experienced that in any other show.

I've read a lot of comments from people saying that the show got worse over the years, as it became overly sentimental. The show did become a lot more emotional during its final years, but I think it was for the better. The slapstick and hijinks of the first three seasons is classic, but I find myself partial to the latter seasons, as they really showed what the horrors of war was like and the impact it had upon everyone's lives.

If for some reason you have never watched "M*A*S*H", I urge you to. It is a brilliant show that will endure for all time.

The first seasons were great with Trapper, Henry, et al. When they left, weaker (and generally less-funny) characters were added - Potter (OK), BJ (blah!), and Alda's self-righteous tripe started to dominate the show. Then the capper, Winchester (ugh) replaced Burns (funny). At the end, it was simply a sappy, self-engrandizing, overwrought tub of goo.

M*A*S*H turned to M*U*S*H.

Without any doubt, this is the best show ever made. The writing is incredible, and the plots are very relevant to any society. Showing the worst of man to the very best of man, this show very well described the human condition. With deep drama, and good comedy, this show takes the audience through the ups and downs of life, while showing us the horror of war, yet leaving us with hope, knowing that there is good in humanity after all. The interaction between the characters is amazing, everyone becoming a family, and something wonderful being birthed in the midst of something horrible: war. Yet, even with the anti-war message, they refrain from bashing on soldiers (as most anti-war people tend to do) and they express pride in the bravery of them, while hating the need to fight.

All in all, this is the best show ever made, and I am deeply sorry that it did not run a few years longer.

It doesn't get funnier than this show, particularly the early episodes. An integration of intense drama and bone numbing humor, MASH is one of a handful of gems that came out of the seventies, when sitcoms were mastered. Larry Linville, God rest his soul, does such an excellent job at Frank Burns he has become one of my favorite comedians of all time. the early episodes in particular seemed to be full of wit. An entire series dedicated to making fun of people like Frank Burns. One line burners and vibrant personalities made this show so funny I would tape them on the old Betamax so I could see them over and over. They don't make them like this anymore. Now we are suffocated with mindless crap like Everybody loves that Jerk Raymond, Mad About You, Malcolm in the Middle, Friends and other stupid shows for stupid people. I miss the seventies. Bring back MASH, Good Times, All in the Family, The Jeffersons, Taxi, shows that integrated substance and humor and made you proud to be living in America.

Everything had already been said. BRILLIANT! Will never be matched. Fantastic actors that have a genuine on screen connection that comes through in every episode. Favorite episodes are The Smell of Music, Tuttle, The General cracked at Dawn and the ones that showed Charles' humanity. I really just wanted to say a huge thank you to Alan Alda and the rest of the cast and crew for making something that I'll treasure until the day I die. You all feel like old friends and sometime's it's so great to come home to those old, comfortable friends. It probably sounds ridiculous but M*A*S*H has really been a form of therapy for me throughout my life and I'm just grateful for it. Thanks!

Absolutely brilliant show. I like the bits where the captains and lieutenants make fun of and act insubordinate to people several ranks above them. They should make a thing of this.

This series lasted an amazing 11 years, the Korean war (that is the main theme of the series) lasted only 3 years, so you can imagine how popular this series was and still is.

The cast was top-notch, Alan Alda who played the main character 'Hawkeye' accepted the role only hours before filming and he was the star of the cast, alongside Wayne Rogers, Loretta Swit, Mclean Stevenson, Larry Linville, Jamie Farr, Gary Burghoff (who played 'Radar' also in the film) and the replacements that arrived later in the series. (David Ogden Stiers, Harry Morgan and Mike Farrel) and Edwar Winter, who featured in some episodes.

The characters were very different, Frank Burns and Maj.Houlihan were army fanatics, then there was Klinger, a psycho who wanted to get out of the army by wearing woman's clothes and pretending to be crazy. 'Hawkeye, 'Trapper' and 'BJ' were top-notch surgeons, who tried to cope with the whole situation the best they could and with some humor.

Henry Blake was a leader but actually he wasn't a leader, but just 'one of the guys' from a Poker game to a lecture, everyone loved Henry for the way he was. Col. Potter was a regular commander who was a skilled leader with good humor.

'Radar' was the company Clerk who knew when Choppers were coming and he knew what someone needed before they asked him for it.

Charles was someone from the upper class who slowly became part of the M*A*S*H outfit.

Col. Flagg; a great psycho who saw a conspiracy when there wasn't one.

It is difficult to tell what M*A*S*H is all about, there are so many episodes, but the main thing is that people try to cope with difficult circumstances and they try to make the best out of it.

There is humor and drama portrayed in the whole series, there are classic episodes, like 'The Interview', 'Life Time', 'Abbysinia Henry' and the last episode 'Goodbye, Farewell and Amen' that had the best TV viewers rating in history. But also some funny episodes, like The Joker Is Wild...

...The scriptwriters had brought Hawkeye's misogyny down with an almighty crash and made Radar evolve from an infantile 20 year-old to a manly 20 year-old who's voice had finally changed. I must say I liked everything about this other than Hawkeyes on going view that everyone loved him and Radar's infantile voice and behaviours. The other characters added the spice that made this show stand out from the usual manufactured Hollywooden sitcoms. Each episode was unique and in some, it had a social message for us all that racism and prejudice against the disabled were very wrong. Even the final episode sent it's own messages. A really unique series, proving that Hollywood can make quality sitcoms when it wants to.

M*A*S*H is the epitome of greatness and one of the best series in the history of television. A dramedy before the word was even invented, the comedic-drama pulls at your heartstrings one minute and hits your funny bone the next. The series is better than the film, which is due to the expanded storylines, allowing for better character development, and it has a better cast. A poignant commentary on war, with plenty of comedic catharsis, which delivers a series finale to be admired and noted by all future showrunners.

This supposed "comedy" lacks both humor and heart, and instead relies on cheap jokes and tasteless humor that has not aged well.

The characters in this show are completely one-dimensional and uninspired. The cast is quite forgettable, with their personalities consisting of little more than stereotypes. They all feel like caricatures instead of fully fleshed-out characters.

The show's attempts at humor are cringe-worthy at best and downright offensive at worst. The writers seem to think that racist and sexist jokes are the height of comedy, with numerous gags about the Korean people and women being inferior to men. Even when the show tries to tackle serious issues, such as the horrors of war and the effects it has on soldiers, it falls short. The show's attempts at drama often come across as shallow and insincere, with the characters quickly bouncing back from even the most traumatic experiences.

The laugh track feels forced and artificial, with the audience seemingly laughing at every single thing, regardless of how unfunny it actually is. Furthermore, the show's pacing is incredibly slow, with long stretches of dialogue that feel like filler. Full of tasteless humor and nothing else.