Plot: Rumors start flying that Col. Potter will be taken from the 4077th to head up a new M*A*S*H. Hawkeye and B.J. conspire to make Potter look a bit incompetent, while Charles does what he can to ensure that he will be called on to replace Potter. Instead, he is offered the job at the new M*A*S*H--closer to the front. The Army, in a rare display of common sense, (at least on this show) does not want to break up a M*A*S*H that works together so well.
I think that the author of the book I took the synopses from messed up a bit on this one. Actually, Hawkeye thought that HE would be taken to be head surgeon at the new M*A*S*H. B.J. thought it would be simpler if they left Hawkeye as chief surgeon of the 4077th and had B.J. become the new one. Not wanting to split up, they made Charles think that Major Nathaniel Burnham was out scouting for a personal physician for Gen. Torgeson, and Charles, of course tried his best to get the job. It was Margaret who decided that Col. Potter was going to be taken away, and conspired with Father Mulcahy to make him look a little incompetent. (Mulcahy got Potter out of the way by requesting that his portrait be painted.) Klinger, thinking that they would be grabbing him for being such a great company clerk, started acting like a religious fanatic. All bets were off when the call came in for incoming wounded, and everyone hopped to.
This episode had a rarity in television. Charles, in trying for the job of personal physician, claims that surgery is his secondary specialty. He said something like "My real FORTE is ailments of the aging but not yet retired." He very properly pronounced "forte" as "Fort". Virtually everyone mispronounces it as "Fortay", said pronunciation being the Italian and musical term for loud. That's the first time I've ever heard someone pronounce it correctly on television.
This episode has a couple great moments. When Charles walks into the Swamp to find Hawkeye holding the dog, he does a double take with a look of total shock, and then a beat later goes on with what he was saying, obviously by this time used to Hawk acting a little strange. It's really brief, but classic Charles.
Klinger flipping over the tray -- "Spam! Tis the devil's work!" -- and praising Shaboom or whomever, is hilarious in itself, but the way Charles acts as if nothing out of the ordinary has happened really makes the scene.
Living in Montana myself, though only a recent transplant, I found Charles' comments about the state particularly funny. I've actually been asked if it has any cities.
I am unclear on exactly how Margaret got the idea that Colonel Potter was going to be taken for the new M*A*S*H. Charles goes in to get information on General Torgeson from her, thinking that he's looking for a personal physician, and next thing we see Margaret talking to Mulcahy. Did she come up with the idea of a new M*A*S*H on her own? Is there a scene missing?
Someone like Charles would probably be surprised to find that you have television out there in Montana--not to mention computers. Progress is wonderful, isn't it?
I loved the scene with the Spam, too. It's similar to the bar scene in "Welcome to Korea," where fighting soldiers smash the table where Hawkeye, B.J, and Radar are sitting. As B.J. looks on, aghast, Radar smoothly steps away, and Hawkeye lifts up his drink, saying "Please, I'm with friends."
I missed the part with the dog--until Hawkeye had the collar on his mess tray. I did notice that at the end, Hawkeye referred to the dog as "Leo." This is the same dog that played "Jack" on the show "Tales of the Gold Monkey" and I remember reading that his real name was, in fact, Leo. (At the time, he was also known as the oldest dog actor in the business.)
Why does Klinger try to requisition surgical gowns over the phone? I'd think he'd have to fill out some forms, not just call up HQ as he does here.
Huh...the dictionary has it as:
_
forte1 (fôrt, fort, fôrt)
n.
1.Something in which a person excels.
2.The strong part of a sword blade, between the middle and the hilt.
NOTE: in the middle pronounciation there should be a line over the O...like this:
_
o
As far as I know, this is the episode that establishes Philadelphia as Father Mulcahy's hometown.
I just noticed, Colonel Potter apparently never signs his paintings. I don't remember seeing a signature on any of his paintings. I'm pretty sure there wasn't one on his painting of the Padre.
Khaja, ...I am unclear on exactly how Margaret got the idea that Colonel Potter was going to be taken for the new M*A*S*H. Charles goes in to get information on General Torgeson from her, thinking that he's looking for a personal physician, and next thing we see Margaret talking to Mulcahy. Did she come up with the idea of a new M*A*S*H on her own? Is there a scene missing?
klinger came up first with the idea of a new MASH, because he heard about the major coming to inspect and thought that HQ didn't want to give out supplies because they wanted to start a new MASH (during the bar scene he develops his theory to hawkeye, who scoffs it off, and tells klinger to cool down, only to tell it excitedly to BJ in the showers next moment). So probably Margaret heard the rumor about the new MASH elsewhere, and when Charles confirmed the arrival of the inspecting major, she believed the rumor, too.
So Truman is still the President of the U.S. as of this ep? That means the latest this ep can be placed is January of 1953. Just saying.
As Klinger and Hawkeye are discussing Torgeson in the Officers Club, Pierce asks for "Another shower for my olive." Max's hands are on a tray. In the next shot, when Klinger says, "Just a minute sir", the positions of his hands have changed. The hands will change position again a couple more times during the conversation.
So, if Klinger really did say, "Sounds like you've got enough stuff there to start another MASH unit", we didn't hear it.
Okay. When did Margaret get a desk in her tent? And who's in that picture behind her? (The picture first appeared in "That's Show Biz", where I thought it might have been something Brandy Doyle hung up. Now that I see it in this ep, I know it's not.)
According to this ep, Henry was one of the first people at the 4077th. At any rate, he predates Margaret and Father Mulcahy. (Which is something I've long suspected. I kinda have my own idea of who arrived at the 4077th first of the original cast members.)
You know, considering much of a fuss Father Mulcahy made about not wanting to lie, he sure seems to have lost his reluctance about it when he was trying to distract Colonel Potter.
As Margaret escorts Major Burnham to the Swamp, we see someone getting a haircut. Did anyone ever get their hair cut at the camp's barbershop?
Just for the record, Klinger's serial number is US 19571782.
The position of Leo the dog changes between the shots where Hawkeye is just about to grab him and where Pierce actually picks up Leo.
As B.J. introduces himself, the position of his dogtags changes in subsequent shots.
Y'know, it just occured to me, but isn't this episode a retread of "Divided We Stand"?
When Igor steps into the scrubroom to announce, "We've lost him", Hawkeye has his hands in his scrub top. In the next shot, the hands are at his sides. Then again, I'm also wondering what happened to the blood on the scrubs?
Between the time Hawkeye says, "We're not responsible" and when B.J. says, "Igor, this is on your head", Captain Pierce's scrub pants are miraculously lower.
In the long shot during the unveiling of the Mulcahy painting, the Padre has his right hand lowered. In the close up shot, it's at his chin.
"The undrinkable chasing the inedible."