Plot: Col. Potter is stunned to find out that someone from inside the 4077th has been filing complaints about his command, and plans to retire after proving that the 4077th is up to snuff. Hawkeye, B.J, and Radar search for the guilty party, and find that Corporal (Lt.) Benson had been sent in by a disgruntled colonel to deliberately turn in bad reports.

Is this the first time Hawkeye calls Colonel Potter by his first name (Sherm)?

What was the point of Klinger dressing as an MP? This is probably the one Section 8 attempt I don't get. Perhaps something was cut for syndication?

Couldn't Hawkeye and B.J. get in trouble for opening Benson's letter to the Inspector General? While the Captains do not outright tell Benson they opened it, they certainly do imply it.

Zale is among the characters to sing "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" to Colonel Potter at the end of the show. I mention this because Zale was such a minor character. He was rarely shown as a part of the main cast.

This episode takes place during the Kentucky
Derby and the subplot as everyone prepping for
the Derby in their own way,including an argument
between Hot Lips and Benson over the color for
the frosting on the cake.

Klinger's scheme in joining the MPs is as he
tells Colonel Potter to accompany a subspect
Stateside,where Klinger would of course vanish
in the course of time.A much better idea than
the ep.where he tried to pass as being Nordic!!!!LOL!!!!

The scene where everyone is in the Mess tent decorating for the party is extended a bit--there's a longer discussion between Margaret and the "chef"--where it is explained that Hawkeye and B.J. had held him back for the purpose of baking the cake. Klinger comes in with a fancy horseshoe wreath made with toilet paper (donated by those who "gave from the heart" apparently), and B.J. calls Hawkeye back to re-sample the punch, having put a real kick into it. This is apparently the point where everyone decided to gather around and sample it, shortly before Potter burst in on them.

The pre-race party is also extended a bit, with people making comments here and there.

At one point in the Swamp, when Hawkeye and B.J. were snooping in Charles' things, B.J. wraps a long white scarf around his neck. As you watch the scene, you'll notice that the draping of the scarf changes back and forth.

A clipped scene in the O.R. has Margaret commenting admiringly on Potter's surgical technique, which he had read up on in a Mayo clinic several months previously.

It's been commented on up above, but it still seems odd that Zale was included in "the gang" in at the end of the show.

The Derby Day party has just started in the Mess Tent and Colonel Potter has returned from Seoul. He angrily enters the tent. To his left is Margaret, her arms at her side. As Potter says, "I thought this party wasn't supposed to leave the starting gate until 1:30 a.m.", you can see Margaret lowering her left arm, a glass of the "mint julep" in her hand.

1:30 a.m.!?! That's awfully late for the MASHers to be starting a party isn't it? (The time is probably to coincide with the actual Kentucky Derby. But then, why doesn't the Armed Forces radio rebroadcast the game at a more suitable time?)

Pointing to an article in a magazine, Charles informs Potter that the "first open heart surgery in medical history has just been performed." So, this ep takes place in 1914, when Dr. Alexis Carrel performed a successful open heart operation on a dog? (Well, Winchester does not specify human open heart surgery. He specifically states the first in "medical history". For the record, according to this site, the first successful human open heart surgery was performed on September 2, 1952 - before Colonel Potter, much less Charles Winchester, was assignd to the 4077^th.)

What makes Charles think he'd be working in a real hospital if he hadn't been assigned to the 4077^th? Before arriving at the MASH unit, he was assigned to Tokyo. Admittedly, the Tokyo facility was far superior to the 4077^th, but that still doesn't mean he'd be doing the first open heart surgery if he hadn't been assigned to the 4077.

Pierce and Hunnicutt had some pretty good luck in that Benson had just written a letter to "I" Corp just when they were looking for one. Otherwise they'd've never found out who was ratting out Colonel Potter.

"Gentlemen, please. Mozart."

>But then, why doesn't the Armed Forces radio rebroadcast the game at a more suitable time?>

With all the gambeling at the 4077th, everybody would know who won at the Sunday afternoon airing. (The 4077th and The Kentucky Derby both have a longand well-established tradition of gambeling.)

With all the gambeling at the 4077th, everybody would know who won at the Sunday afternoon airing. (The 4077th and The Kentucky Derby both have a longand well-established tradition of gambeling.) - ccabe

If I understand what you're getting at, remember they busted Frank for swindling the enlisted men for doing the same thing in "Out of Sight, Out of Mind". So for Hawkeye and B.J. (at least) to take the info from the earlier broadcast to provide them with the results of the Kentucky Derby and later to win a few bets when the race is rebroadcast would be somewhat hypocritical of them, doncha think?

"Gentlemen, please. Mozart."

Radar says that Joe Benson has been at the 4077th since June. The Ky. Derby is in May. Benson has been there for 11 months?

Benson tells Potter that the General was at the 4077th a couple of months ago. That would be late Feb or early March.

A slight timing problem here.