Plot: Hawkeye's second letter home, detailing various antics, including Radar's high school diploma correspondence course, and a cooling between Frank and Hot Lips.
They don't show much of the cooling in the syndicated version. All we really see are is a soundless argument between Frank and Hot Lips, then Frank comes into the Swamp, demands a drink, gulps it down and asks for another. In the credits, you can see a shot of (presumably) a late-night conversation between Frank and a sleepy Trapper John.
Some of the other antics are a new captain doctor who is neither a captain or a doctor, Hawkeye's classic nude stroll to the mess tent ("now that's tasteful without being gaudy."), and the charity No Talent Night.
I suspect that "Captain" Casey was based on an actual person. I recall reading somewhere (funny how I can always remember the trivia but never the source) of a soldier who took on various roles, including that of a doctor. I believe it was during WWII, but I'm not certain.
Notice how close Hawkeye came to winning his bet? If it wasn't for Goldman (who's reaction seemed very stilted) I think he might have got away with it.
Radar was supposed to be nineteen, which is (usually) a year past high school. I wouldn't have thought that Mrs. O'Reilly would let him get away with failing to graduate.
I find it very strange that Father Mulcahy would aid Casey/Shwartz in impersonating a priest. If he really regards his office as a sacred duty (as he appears to at all other times) he shouldn't take kindly to someone making light of it.
Perhaps he simply didn't notice the change of pin. I didn't understand why Radar told Hawkeye about the provost marshall's report. Why didn't he tell Henry, who is (sort of) the commander of the unit? Perhaps Hawkeye, as chief surgeon, needed to know, but Henry should have been told first.
This episode marks the third appearance of Klinger.
The lights in the OR are knocked out by a bomb. Flashlights are used to replace the regular OR lights. I've mentioned this before, but in "Goodbye Radar" the camp generators are knocked out (or stolen). Instead of using the flashlights, the doctors perform surgery using the lights from the jeeps. Using flashlights makes more sense.
I wonder why Captain Casey confesses to Father Mulcahy? Does he really feel guilty for impersonating a surgeon? If so, why does he continue the impersonation after his confession?
Henry's dartboard has been moved. Originally it was on Henry's right hand side. Now it's on his left, underneath his office windows.
"They don't show much of the cooling in the syndicated version. All we really see are is a soundless argument between Frank and Hot Lips, then Frank comes into the Swamp, demands a drink, gulps it down and asks for another. In the credits, you can see a shot of (presumably) a late-night conversation between Frank and a sleepy Trapper John." - D.K. Henderson
What's missing is Frank singing. Among the songs he sings is "(I've Got a Gal) In Kalamazoo", a Glenn Miller song. Burns must have been a Miller fan. In "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet", Frank says "Pennsylvania 6-5000" gives him goose pimples.
My favorite line in this deleted scene occurs after Hawkeye tells Frank to close his eyes. Frank responds, "If I shut my eyes, my brain won't get any air."
The deleted scene also contains a reference to Frank's brother (was he ever mentioned again?), His brother is the one who first called Major Burns "Ferret Face".
Merat, it is in this episode that Hawkeye writes to his Father, "Kiss Mom and Sis for me."
Captain Casey/Sgt. Schwartz (alliterative names, eh?) was played by Alex Henteloff. Henteloff was most famous for playing ambulance chaser/lawyer Arnold Ripner on Barney Miller. Henteloff also appeared in STAR TREK IV The Voyage Home as Nichols.
Captain Casey/Sgt. Schwartz (alliterative names, eh?) was played by Alex Henteloff.
In the last scene, when Schwartz was showing Hawkeye his new "specialty", namely chaplain, his eyeglasses are different in the forward and reverse angle shots.