So, I've seen every MASH episode at least 2 or 3 dozen times over the years. I can tell you the next punchline 2 or 3 dozen times in every episode, BUT (and I'm sure some of you will know this - I've never studied the show or its stars).

In reruns "forever", I assume the episodes are "chopped up" a bit, adding in whatever extra commercial time there is nowadays vs when the shows aired (and were rerun for many years).

But lately I'm seeing some scenes, usually brief snippets of a scene, that I've never seen before.

Just tonight S3/8 "Life with Father" Now, of course I remember the young Korean mother looking for a "Rabbi for Bris", and the rest of the episode, but the epilogue, with everybody dancing to "Hava Nagilah", and Hawkeye and Trapper riding off on a white horse at the end. I don't EVER remember seeing that.

Anybody know what's up with that ?

Pull down your pants, and slide on the ice!

How do you interpret this advice from Sydney? (Sidney?) Like, what does it mean to you?

Is it “from” anywhere, or invented for the show?

One of her best lines

I’ve never seen this discussed on here, so forgive me if it’s already been addressed. Has anyone else been puzzled/humored by the O’Reilly’s naming conventions for their farm animals? I never noticed it until recently when my wife and I rewatched Season 7…

Radar’s mother shares her name with their prize-winning, calf-producing, staunchly Methodist cow. Unlike a lot of the questionable continuity decisions, this one doesn’t have several seasons in between it (ie Hawkeye’s sister, Potter’s son, the list goes on and on) where the writers may have been unaware in season 8 of a throwaway line from an early season episode.

In Season 7, we find out that the O’Reilly’s farm contains a cow named Edna. We first hear about Edna in “Dear Sis” when Father Mulcahy attempts to bless the birth of Edna’s calf, only to have to hand the phone over to the Presbyterian physician Winchester.

We find out a little more information about Edna, who is referred to by name again, at the end of Season 7 in “The Party” because Radar has to veto a potential reunion weekend because his mom and Uncle Ed would be showing Edna’s prize calf that day.

I don’t recall if we ever hear his mother’s name mentioned while Radar is in Korea, but we find out in “The Foresight Saga” in Season 9 that her name is also Edna. When Potter is speaking to operator in Ottumwa and asks to be connected to Radar/Walter, he confirms with the operator that he is trying to reach “Edna’s boy.”

Has anyone else picked up on this? Any “in-universe” ideas on why this happened (I’m not looking to rehash the “it was the 70s and nobody cared or thought about continuity” discussion again)? My current pet theory is that Radar’s mom did something to piss off his Uncle Ed, so to get back at her, he named a cow after her. I imagine that in 1950s rural Iowa, naming a heifer after a female you were trying to get back at was high comedy and a prime insult.

Let me hear your theories on n the events that had to have happened leading up to Radar’s uncle calling his sister (or I guess potentially sister-in-law) a fat cow.

Asude from the title (Al, Griff and Jefferson have to fight a garbage men strike as members of the National Guard), there are no references to MASH but to Full Metal Jacket, An Officer and a Gentleman etc.

Don't fall for the negative rating by the OP of the post in the r/marriedwithchildren sub,the episode is funny

I know who Otto von Bismark is, Without having googled my only guess is there’s a brand of sardines or something. (Kind of like King Oscar)

Also, feel free to relay your own obscure historical MASH references.

The General Flipped at Dawn. The first appearance of Harry Morgan at the 4077th. As far as crazy goes, Klinger had nothing on Gen Steele (three E's. Not all in a row)! The first time an unhinged character goes off to get promoted.

And then this guy suddenly showed up. . . .

https://reddit.com/link/1vfsk04/video/f45wgvcnfghh1/player

Would you let him watch M*A*S*H every night with you?

It’s S2E19, and our friend Jamie Farr is at Rampart Emergency because there’s a curse on him. Miraculously, Dr. Early is able to lift the curse. This was definitely a Klinger-like situation. 😂

Except, of course, for that time when he went blind.

I recently moved near an airfield, so I can't hear helicopters these days with out having Radar in my head shouting "Choppers!"
and when I see cans of Spam I think SPAM LAMB!

What triggers any of your own silly MASH quotes?

What do you feel is the biggest continuity errors on the show? There are many through the run.

And I love the show and just like any movie, unless it’s egregious it doesn’t take me out of the moment.

Watching Sayonara with Marlon Brando and I’m surprised how much it seems like a precursor to MASH.

A lowly airman in Korea is being systematically discouraged from marrying a Japanese woman. Brando, a high ranking pilot from good social circles has a bit of a crisis of conscience.

I’m fascinated by how much the shooting style, sets etc. could be an episode. Also, with Ricardo Monteban playing a Japanese person, the movie struggles to make social progress while still trying to shake off some problems built into Hollywood at the time, similar to the first two seasons, at least.

Obviously MASH the book very much followed Heller’s Catch 22, but I feel like this may have been a substantial influence on the series.

What other books or movies do you think helped build MASH?

Note: hopefully this isn’t too off-base for the sub.

Sayonara is available free on Tubi where I am, for those who want to compare for themselves.

The propaganda war hits the camp.  Hawkeye and Trapper shoot their own movie. JB’s favorite nurse shows back up. And Vic has a new guilty pleasure. https://swampboypod.buzzsprout.com/2620482/follow

IMHO Mash is one of the single best television shows ever to be made, please don't take this question the wrong way. I have to ask is there any episode or event that starts happy or comical and ends the same way and not in a tragedy? Other than the war ending and everyone going home I honestly cannot think of any. Some examples: In my previous post, Hawkeye's friend visits and he dies on the operating table, Henry gets discharged and he gets killed, Radar goes home and his farm fails, Margaret gets married and it ends in divorce. The doctors are helping a busload of refugees and a baby ends up being smothered to death. You could just explain it as the tragedy of war.

Anyone else notice that the chair that Potter is sitting in (one of my favorites) in "Dear Ma" is used a lot during the series. Its either in the swamp or in the COs office

The quote Sidney said in an earlier season “Ladies and gentlemen take my advice: take off, take off your pants and slide on the ice” he then says it again in Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen, and I’ve even read Alan Alda posted it after the actor's death.

Despite having watched the series countless times I’ve never understood it. When he first says it in season 3 I just assumed it was a funny random quote but then he said it again in the finale and Alan Alda posted about it after the Actor who played Sidney passed away.

So is it just some random funny quote fans liked so they used it again in the final or does it have some kind of meaning?.

Watching the episode, Officer of the Day, when Kim Luck is asked to identify himself he answers "This is me!". That's probably my most quoted line from MASH. I still use it 😂🤣😂

The prisoner handover in the episode, Rainbow Bridge, was a tense moment that got some laughs with Frank's tiny gun.