Plot A: The camp is planning a "surprise" birthday party for Hawkeye--purely as a means to ease their boredom, since it's nowhere near his birthday. Annoyed, Hawkeye quickly volunteers to go to an aid station with a wounded surgeon, and becomes even more annoyed when Dr. Borelli, a visiting consultant, insists on going with him.
Plot B: Hawkeye having foiled their plans, the camp keeps switching around to find another excuse for a party.

The first time Dr. Borelli visited the 4077th, he was following up a friendly invitation from Hawkeye and Trapper. He offered to demonstrate the new arterial grafting technique on a patient, then proceeded to get drunk. Hawkeye ended up doing the operation, and was full of contempt for Borelli, until Borelli quietly pointed out that Hawkeye was not exactly a temperance advocate himself.
For this second episode, absolutely no mention is made of drinking or drunkenness. Hawkeye does not display contempt, but out and out dislike, and the reason seems to be that Borelli is a pushy man who thinks that he's always right.
This Borelli only seems to share his name with the first Borelli. What happened to his character? I got the distinct impression that I had missed a second episode somewhere, and that this was supposed to be the third or even fourth episode with Borelli.

Alan Alda's younger brother is really cute.

The attempts to have a party gives me a great deal of problems. Surely someone would know it wasn't Hawkeye's birthday (after all, he is a popular person in camp... over the two plus years he has been at the 4077, surely someone heard about his birthday).

Also, them trying to have a party for BJ will really mess up next season's (a month or so later in MASH time) "O How We Danced" whose whole theme was celebrating this occasion.

Thirdly, the Sargent who comes in that BJ claims is his birthday becomes problematic in the fact that partygoers would find something strange in changing the honored guest of the party in the middle.

Finally, if they want a party, why do they need a fake reason. Between the birthday's of the upto 200 people assigned to the 4077, Christmas, New Years, Halloween, Easter, Derby Day, Changes of Command, Visiting Dignitaries, and the spontanious parties that just happen during movies and such, who needs a reason to have a party. Just say "we are having our weekly party" and be done with it.

I agree with you on all accounts, Steve. That has started bothering me, too.

If all else failed, they could have held another company "Sock Wash." Or a wienie roast in the latrine.

This is what, the fifth time this season there's been a lull in the fighting? The war sure died down considerably this season.

The attempts to have a party gives me a great deal of problems. Surely someone would know it wasn't Hawkeye's birthday (after all, he is a popular person in camp... over the two plus years he has been at the 4077, surely someone heard about his birthday). - stevegoad

Let's amplify this a bit. Father Mulcahy, Klinger and Margaret, along with Igor and Nurse Kellye, have served with Pierce almost the entire time he's been in Korea. Of all people, they should have celebrated his birthday a time or time prior to this ep. Moreover, they should know about when it is. So why do they fall for the fake birthday?

The first time Dr. Borelli visited the 4077th, he was following up a friendly invitation from Hawkeye and Trapper. He offered to demonstrate the new arterial grafting technique on a patient, then proceeded to get drunk. Hawkeye ended up doing the operation, and was full of contempt for Borelli, until Borelli quietly pointed out that Hawkeye was not exactly a temperance advocate himself.
For this second episode, absolutely no mention is made of drinking or drunkenness. Hawkeye does not display contempt, but out and out dislike, and the reason seems to be that Borelli is a pushy man who thinks that he's always right.
This Borelli only seems to share his name with the first Borelli. What happened to his character? I got the distinct impression that I had missed a second episode somewhere, and that this was supposed to be the third or even fourth episode with Borelli. - D.K. Henderson

If Borelli has visited the unit before this ep, but after "The Consultant", it has to happen before Colonel Potter, BJ and Charles arrive. Borelli does not know those people.

When Margaret says Hawkeye's "birthday party" should have a theme, Charles' right arm is at his side. In the next shot, it's in front of Major Houlihan.

Klinger and Charles are working on Hawkeye's "birthhday" cake. Father Mulcahy walks in, takes a taste of the icing. He then looks at the cake and tells Klinger to get "the aich out of there". He then dips his finger into the icing again and leaves the room. Exactly why did the Father come in anyway? To taste the icing?

Borelli reserved a spot for Colonel Potter at the lecture? Really? When he steps into the CO office, the chairs are in random order. So when exactly did Major Borelli decide the seating arrangement for the lecture?

Let me get this straight, the "birthday" presents meant for Hawkeye were in all likelihood going to be given to B.J. for his "wedding anniversary". They were finally given to Sgt. Herbert for his "birthday". I guess what was in those packages were really so inconsequential that it doesn't who got 'em.

Waitaminute. I was under the impression that Captain Kramer, the battalion aide station doc Pierce and Borelli was operating on, was in serious condition and needed medical attention immediately. As a matter of fact, just before Drs. Pierce and Borelli had their arms broken, they were in the middle of operating on Kramer. Yet, they took the time to have their arms put into casts? Was that wise seeing that they had just started surgery? Could Kramer afford to wait long enough for the casts to be made?

Instead of trying to figure out how to tie a knot with two people, why don't Hawkeye and Borelli let Jarvis the medic do it? You'd think after being at the battalion aide station for 8 months, Jarvis would know how to close a wound. He'd certainly be able to it a lot more swiftly than the two doctors.

BTW, the woolhat Charles has on earlier in the ep, is that the same one Radar had Winchester's parents send? Nice continuity touch if it is.

"I'm so conservative, I make you look like a New Dealer."

Borelli's annoying habits seem to be aimed mainly at Hawkeye. He seems very solicitous of him, even getting Col. Potter to move out of the way so that Hawkeye can have the best place by the stove.

It's only after they reach the aid station that it seems to dawn on Borelli that Hawkeye doesn't like him. Prior to that, he seems cheerfully oblivious to Hawkeye's annoyance, and very concerned for Hawkeye's safety (driving while eating) and well-being (if you're going to eat while driving, then eat something good for you, and if you must eat cheese, then you really have to try this great mustard).

Once Borelli has had his revelation, he jumps into an all-out sniping match with Hawkeye, until the young medic has to sharply direct them to the matter at hand.

BTW, the medic may not be a trained surgeon, but surely he could have done some of the work for them--at least the stitching job at the end. Of course, that probably would have left Hawkeye and Borelli still growling and snapping at each other.

Hawkeye made it very clear to B.J. that he did not want a faux birthday party. When he came upon the party planners in the Swamp, I'm surprised he didn't flatly tell them that he knew what they had really been talking about, and informed them that it was not his birthday.

B.J. once again comes across as really obnoxious. Blithely shrugging off Hawkeye's anger at the unwanted party, he becomes upset when Hawkeye neatly turns the tables on him. Not unlike episodes where practical joker B.J. gets bent out of shape when the joke is on him.

Can Margaret really be that dense? B.J. has been heavily involved in the plans for the party, yet when it gets switched over for him, she acts as if B.J. couldn't possibly have had an inkling of the surprise.