Plot A: The Marines have been beating the 4077th in every sport you can think of, the latest debacle being a softball game. Margaret is blamed for losing the softball match, so no one wants her around when they decide to try a bowling tournament. When they discover that the Marines are ringing in a pro bowler, Col. Potter wants Margaret to...er..."entertain" the man and get his mind off bowling. Margaret is outraged, but reconsiders, using her time with Marty Ubancic to learn the finer points of bowling. The doctors also pitch in with a little "pick-me-up" for the hung-over Ubancic--Methylene Blue, which creates the interesting symptom of blue urine. Margaret and the bluing save the day.
Plot B: Hawkeye has just found out that his dad is going in for some surgery, and is desperately trying to get more information. Charles, finding this out, quietly offers support.

This is an interesting episode, having one utterly pointless plot, and one that is very moving. The parts with Charles offering support to Hawkeye are wonderful, and really show the friendship that has developed between the two in spite of their best efforts. I love the way Charles uses Hawkeye's nickname, "Actually...Hawkeye, I've never told you anything before," and the discussion about their respective fathers. You just don't get character development like this on today's shows.

Charles makes a reference that practically anyone would recognize. "...whereas I have a father...you have a dad." Simple phrasing, yet so utterly clear.

I loved Margaret's line: "{they} might have a pro, but YOU DON'T!"

In 1952 there was no Pro bowlers tour. Just travelling teams (like Dick Weber's "Budweisers")

It's amazing how they were able to acquire 10 pins and the balls drilled to fit everybody.
Especially Fr. Mulchahy/Hawkeye/Margaret when Hawk & Margaret were not in the original lineup.

Also Marty just happens to be carrying his ball and bag with him in Korea????

And the lane gets awfully beaten up during the surgery break.

And there is no mention of any lane oil or lacquer that would be required. Note the varnish is not the lacquer.

Also after Marty discovers his urine is blue and B.J./Charles tell him he can not bend down he still should be able to throw a better shot than he did, given that he WAS a ringer. You would not be able to bend much if your back was in pain, and an assupmtion has to be made that if he bowled in touraments at times he would be bowling while injured and could adjust.

The opening theme is quite different this ep. Instead of starting with the strum of a guitar, the theme starts with the horn section. Very abrupt and jarring. It sounds like it's the end theme that's being played.

Potter expresses his desire to "whup those (Marine) weenies". B.J. has just finished taking a drink of his beer and is putting the beer back on the table. In the next shot, the beer is no longer in his hand. For that matter, Hunnicutt's hand is no longer near the table.

Interesting. Potter's wearing a Toledo Mudhens baseball cap throughout this ep. Wonder if Klinger got it for him?

And there is no mention of any lane oil or lacquer that would be required. Note the varnish is not the lacquer. - Joseph J. Coppola

Well, just after Potter tests the lane he created, the Colonel ordered Goldman to coat the lane with 12 coats of wax. So it had some sort of protective coating on it.

Amazing. Pierce had all that time in Klinger's office to himself. Hours. Did Klinger and Potter get all of their work done that early in the day so Pierce could have the run of the Company Clerk's office?

It's amazing how they were able to acquire 10 pins and the balls drilled to fit everybody.
Especially Fr. Mulchahy/Hawkeye/Margaret when Hawk & Margaret were not in the original lineup. - Joseph J. Coppola, part II

I dunno. I mean bowling alleys do it all the time. But then, other than Hawkeye and Margaret, the players were already lined up, so having balls with the right hole size could easily have been ordered. With a couple of extra balls of different sizes lying around.

When Margaret is preparing to bowl, she has both hands on the ball. In the next shot, her left hand is off to her side.

When Potter asks Margaret where she learned to bowl so well, the Major says Marty taught her everything he knew the night before. But Margaret apparently at least thought she was a good bowler. Why else would she have kept asking the Colonel to put her on the team?

I love Charles and Hawkeye's interaction in this ep. It's a shame we couldn't see more of it in the series, not to mention have seen it earlier in the series. It's a relationship I would have liked to have seen develop more.

"The undrinkable chasing the inedible."