"You can cut me off from the civilized world. You can incarcerate me with two moronic cell mates. You can torture me with your thrice-daily swill. But you cannot break the spirit of a Winchester. My voice shall be heard from this wilderness, and I shall be delivered from this fetid and festering sewer."
With those words, the TV series M*A*S*H took a turn for the better. The arrival of Charles Emerson Winchester III, played to perfection by David Ogden Stiers, revitalized the show. Not that it was suffering all that much. But it's safe to say that the Frank Burns character had run his course. Larry Linville was wise to go when he did.
The sixth season of M*A*S*H was released today to the delight of many who spend copious amounts of their hard-earned cash on DVD TV box sets. I don't buy too many, mostly because the flow where my cash is concerned does a great quicksand imitation. But this series is a must have.
I grew up watching this show, and it's fair to say that my ever-so slightly warped sense of humor was somewhat inspired by the zaniness from Doctors Pierce and Hunnicut. They would get their jollies torturing the doltish Burns. But with the arrival of the ever-so pompous Winchester, whose nose was forever aimed at the heavens, they met their match.
This season had some classic episodes, including "Fade In, Fade Out" (Winchester's debut), "The Smell of Music" (Pierce and Hunnicutt give up bathing in protest of Winchester's terrible French horn playing), and "Dr. Winchester and Mr. Hyde" (Winchester experiments with speed and gets burned).
M*A*S*H was also known for its guest stars, many of which were relative unknowns who went on to bigger gigs. Episodes from the first five seasons included visits from Ron Howard, John Ritter, Teri Garr, Brian Dennehy, Pat Hingle, Larry Wilcox and Ned Beatty. The sixth saw appearances from James Cromwell, John Ashton, Michael O'Keefe, Peter Reigert, and Jerry Hauser. The amiable Allan Arbus makes another appearance as psychiatrist Sidney Freedman.
All in all, a good 24 episodes. It was the hump year for the show (it ran for 11), and it ranks among the series' best seasons. If you've seen M*A*S*H, and you didn't like it, well, nobody's perfect. If you haven't seen M*A*S*H, you don't know what you missed. Go to your nearest DVD retailer and find out what the fuss was all about.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Very nice job Kevin, thanks! I had forgotten the arc of the series and that first year with Winchester was a breath of fresh air - probably my favorite seasons were somewhere in the 2,3, 4 range with the original cast but before it got stale. It was consistently funny and made you think from time to time.
2 - Josh
First thing's first - MASH is the single greatest television show to ever hit the air. Plain and simple. No questions asked.
Anyway, Kevin, I like Winchester too. But I think you underestimate Frank Burns. He was a vital part of that show's success and a very talented person. But I do like Winchester slightly better. He was supposed to be from England, right? His accent sounds like it but they never really said if he was or not.
Anyway, I'm glad the 6th season is finally out. The 7th season is supposedly scheduled for release in December.
Oh, one more thing, I want Margaret's panties for lunch.
3 - bhw
Winchester was from NEW England. Boston, I do believe. That is a Hahvahhhd accent he affected.
4 - Kevin
I don't think I underestimated Frank Burns, at all. I agree that he was a vital part of the show. But after 5 seasons, there was nothing more to do with the character. As for being talented, um, nope. He WAS shallow, superficial and bigoted. But his surgical skills were so mediocre, in one episode he was told by a superior officer that if he hadn't been drafted as a Doctor, he would have been assigned as a pastry chef.
5 - Josh
Kevin,
I understand what you mean, but Larry Linville WAS a very talented person. I sincerely doubt that MASH would've been the bombshell it was without Frank. He was like the final piece of the puzzle that made everything fit perfectly. Without that final piece, the puzzle isn't complete.
Anyway, I don't wanna sound like I'm lecturing you. After all, it's your poll, not mine. Although Winchester definitely added more to the show, Frank was hands down funnier. Who could forget the classic episode where he gets a hernia and Hawkeye operates on him? Frank gets a shot of morphine (I think) and gets zoned out of his head. Classic!
Don't you think Frank was funny as hell?
6 - Kevin
Yes, I think Frank was very funny. But my point is that the writers had done all that could be done with the character. As for the reference to talent, I refer to Frank Burns' surgical skills, not Larry Linville's acting. Mr. Linville was a terrific actor, and brought a certain weaselness (is that a word?) to the role of Burns, that you couldn't help but love to hate the guy.
7 - Josh
Kevin,
Point taken.
Anyway, what is your favorite episode? And how is the picture/sound quality on the DVD's? I hope to get one soon.
8 - Kevin
Josh,
Some of my favourite episodes:
Tuttle, Five O'Clock Charlie, Crisis, The General Flipped At Dawn, Abyssinia Henry, The Novocaine Mutiny, Dear Sigmund, Movie Tonight, The Smell of Music, April Fools, Death Takes A Holiday, A War For All Seasons, The Joker Is Wild, Goodbye Farewell and Amen
As for the picture quality, it's pretty clean considering how old the material is. They cleaned the masters up in the early nineties. The sound is nothing special, but the show was never known for its sound, anyway. All of the DVD's allow you to shut off the annoying laugh track. No special features, otherwise. Some commentaries would have been nice.
9 - Anthony G
Whats up Josh my old freind. Remember me?
GUITARS SUCK!