# Does anybody else here watch M\*A\*S\*H\* re-runs? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 25, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128 "2000-12-25T01:19:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/1 "2000-12-25T01:19:27Z")
I feel like this is a confession. I’m 22 years old and I just saw MASH for the first time on T.V. when I was sick about 2 months ago. I’ve been watching it pretty regularly since then. It helps that it comes on for 5 1/2 hours everyday where I live, including cable T.V. Pretty much, if I’m home, it’s on or will be in an hour so it’s easy to watch an episode. 🙂 I feel like a person who just rented Star Wars by myself and realized how good it is. A little late to the party. This show is seriously good. And its goodly serious sometimes, which is absent from modern sitcoms, don’t you agree? Does anybody else watch this and if so, what are your favourite characters and episodes and why? I think I like Frank Burns(I’m very sympathetic) and the best episode(other than the last one) is this one that is in real-time, where the staff of the 4077 save the life of a patient while this little clock in the corner ticks away. Truly brilliant. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/2 "2000-12-25T01:22:07Z")
Yep. If there’s nothing else on and MASH is on, I’ll watch MASH. Always entertaining. I like Frank, too. Especially the few eps where he and Colonel Flagg get together. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/3 "2000-12-25T02:18:25Z")
M_A_S\*H is the best show ever on TV, IMO. [interestingaside]The fire in the last episode was a real brush fire (i.e. not set for the show). The production team simply incorporated it into the show. It burned about two miles or so away from my house.[/interestingaside] Robin ---
**Author:** ![FEotU](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@FEotU](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FEotU)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/4 "2000-12-25T06:23:58Z")
I enjoy watching the reruns when I can, both for the original humour and to watch for scripting and prop mistakes. For instance: several times Radar is shown reading comicbooks with covers I recognize as being from the late sixties or early seventies. In 2 different episodes, Hawkeye mentions the monster Godzilla ( a neat trick when you consider that the first Godzilla film was made in 1956). Col. Blake mentions a Saturday night double feature: The Blob (1958) and The Thing (1951). Granted, (if I remember my history), it is within the realm of possibillity that The Thing may have made an appearance in Korea before the war ended, but I find it highly unlikely. Anyone else out there notice any other similar errors? ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/5 "2000-12-25T06:34:12Z")
I hadn’t really watched it since I was a kid and either nothing else was on or my parents were watching it. It’s a good show, but the laugh track always annoys me (as it always does on shows where it’s obvious there could be no live audience). Since moving in with my wife I have been seeing it more as it’s higher on her priority list of things to watch (it’s below ‘turn off the TV and play computer games’ for me) and my opinion of it really hasn’t changed much. ---
**Author:** ![wyldelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/4491bb/32.png) [@wyldelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wyldelf)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/6 "2000-12-25T08:51:20Z")
I am a huge M_A_S\*H fan!!! Especially Hawkeye - I used to have the hugest crush on him. I am rather partial to Clinger as well. I haven’t watched it in ages though - now I will have to check and see if we have reruns on tv. Thanks for dragging up good memories ---
**Author:** ![Snark\_Hunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snark\_Hunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snark_Hunter)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/7 "2000-12-25T16:18:25Z")
Here in Utah, one of the local tv stations played M_A_S\*H every day at 5:00 and 10:35 PM every single day of the year for a long time. I must have seen every episode at least 10 times, but I still like it. I modeled my way of talking after Hawkeye’s mannerisms for a few years. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/8 "2000-12-25T20:00:29Z")
I honestly love them. Very funny, with interesting plotlines that don’t always fall back on the same old formulas. M_A_S\*H was a great series, and its reruns haven’t lost anything of what made them funny (i.e., the scriptwriters didn’t rely on anything too period-specific to get laughs). Does anyone else have the famous Last Episode on tape? Bonus points if you have the original commercials, for historical flavor (I’m a diehard archivist :)). I hope DVD-RWs accept VHS-format input when they finally come out. ---
**Author:** ![PlanMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/2bfe46/32.png) [@PlanMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlanMan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2000, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/9 "2000-12-25T20:14:54Z")
Great show, always try to watch when I can. One of my favorite episodes is the one done in newsreel style - black-and-white with a reporter interviewing the folks of the 4-0 double 7. I seem to recall that only the questions were scripted, and everyone responded in character. On the funny side, Col. Flagg was always good for laffs. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/10 "2000-12-26T01:30:12Z")
“Suicide is painless, it brings on many changes, And I can take or leave it if I please” Yep, another fan here. ---
**Author:** ![Skelji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Skelji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skelji)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/11 "2000-12-26T01:45:23Z")
I loved M_A_S\*H, and I never missed an episode when it was on in first runs. Mahaloth, now that you’re getting into it, you absolutely must see the final episode at some point. If you ever hear that it will be broadcast, do yourself a favor and watch or tape it, or both. I’ve seen most of the episodes 2 or 3 times already, but I’ll still watch a bit of one if I catch it while flipping channels. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/12 "2000-12-26T04:25:37Z")
I will watch M_A_S_H_ when there are sports games on with teams I like. If that doesn’t speak for my preference for the show . . . ---
**Author:** ![Wanderlust](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9fc29f/32.png) [@Wanderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wanderlust)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/13 "2000-12-26T04:52:01Z")
I’ll always watch the MASH movie, all the sly give and take is fun. One of the real gems about the war. But the TV show has a lot less charm. The first season was good, but I’ve seen all of those so often. I kind of lost interest when it stopped being fun and started being preachy in every episode. ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/14 "2000-12-26T10:48:55Z")
I watch it occasionally… I’m up late, and network TV has it on. However, I usually have the TV off, so I don’t always get a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Wandering\_Pilgrim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@Wandering\_Pilgrim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wandering_Pilgrim)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/15 "2000-12-26T12:58:13Z")
I used to watch M_A_S\*H all the time it was on…Sitcoms now a days aren’t the same anymore. One of my favourite episodes would have to be the last episode. Great ending to a great series. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2000, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/16 "2000-12-26T14:09:44Z")
FX shows them quite often, scheduling the Final Episode every so often. I love the later ones, ironically, when they got out of the S\*itcom mold and wern’t afraid to do shows that had a point. ---
**Author:** ![Kakkerlak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bb73d2/32.png) [@Kakkerlak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kakkerlak)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2000, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-else-here-watch-m-a-s-h-re-runs/47128/17 "2000-12-27T02:09:05Z")
I recall watching M_A_S_H and Quincy in a row every day before dinner when I was in junior high school. I watch M_A_S_H whenever I have the time and run across an episode, but I never look for it on the schedule and make time for it. And it’s the funniest thing… I’ve never seen the same episode twice! I mean, I have a very good memory and I just can’t say I’ve ever seen the same one more than once. Wierd. I even took a long detour during a business trip to Cleveland to go out to Toledo and have a hot dog at Klinger’s favorite joint, Tony Packo’s. I recall that one of the reasons M_A_S\*H was so successful in syndication was some screwball contract 20th Century Fox brewed up that gave away the (much larger) syndication rights for some upfront cash during production. Couldn’t find backup for that easily on the web…