# Things that bother me about M asterisk A asterisk S asterisk H (the TV show)
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** tv-shows-scripted
**Created:** [June 4, 2021, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583 "2021-06-04T02:10:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 10
### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/181 "2021-06-08T21:06:32Z")
> [@Jophiel](#):
>
> “Dean the Dream” (never seen, from what I remember) had the afternoon drive time shift.
Yes, now that you mention Dean, I recall him being talked about once or twice. Thank you!
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/182 "2021-06-08T21:33:20Z")
Huge fan of the show, but I can probably join this thread pretty actively.
I hated that Radar was a pretty cool, weasley guy at the start of the show. Smoked, drank some of the liquor, and so forth.
By the time he left, he was a little boy. Naive, only drank his grape nehi, never been with a girl. None of those things are wrong, but his decent backwards into childhood was strange and unnecessary.
He should have started off childish and innocent and matured and became a mature adult while there. Burghoff aging in real time while his character regressed was noticeable.
I kind of hate late-Radar as a character.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/183 "2021-06-08T21:36:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> I hated that Radar was a pretty cool, weasley guy at the start of the show. Smoked, drank some of the liquor, and so forth.
>
> By the time he left, he was a little boy. Naive, only drank his grape nehi, never been with a girl. None of those things are wrong, but his decent backwards into childhood was strange and unnecessary.
Indeed. Even back in the '70s and '80s, when I was watching the first run of the show, the difference between first-season Radar (who was much like how the character was portrayed in the film, where he was also played by Burghoff) and the much more naive, boyish Radar, in the later seasons, struck me as weird.
Edit: i had forgotten about the first-season episode, in which Radar is sending a Jeep home to Iowa, in the mail, one piece at a time, something that the “naive Radar” in later seasons would have never even contemplated doing.
> **[Dear Dad (TV series episode)](https://mash.fandom.com/wiki/Dear_Dad_(TV_series_episode))**
>
> "Dear Dad" was the 12th episode of Season 1 of the TV series M\*A\*S\*H. Written by Larry Gelbart and directed by Gene Reynolds, the episode originally aired on December 17, 1972 and was repeated on May 20, 1973. It was the 13th episode by production...
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### Author:  [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/184 "2021-06-08T21:39:27Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> By the time he left, he was a little boy. Naive, only drank his grape nehi, never been with a girl.
And preferred rescuing animals to eating them. Seems to me that this regression into childhood primarily started with conning Henry into discharging the Greek’s main course for Easter dinner.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/185 "2021-06-08T21:44:52Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#):
>
> Indeed. Even back in the '70s and '80s, when I was watching the first run of the show, the difference between first-season Radar (who was much like how the character was portrayed in the film, where he was also played by Burghoff) and the much more naive, boyish Radar, in the later seasons, struck me as weird.
I think Radar maintaining his overall “goodness”, but becoming more mature and battle-hardened, would have been a great story-line for him.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/186 "2021-06-08T21:48:18Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#):
>
> Seems to me that this regression into childhood primarily started with conning Henry into discharging the Greek’s main course for Easter dinner.
Private Charles Lamb!
Spam Lamb!
[ ](https://www.mash4077tv.com/images/misc/spotlight/062_private_charles_lamb.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/187 "2021-06-08T23:06:54Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#):
>
> > [@kenobi\_65](#):
> >
> > Indeed. Even back in the '70s and '80s, when I was watching the first run of the show, the difference between first-season Radar (who was much like how the character was portrayed in the film, where he was also played by Burghoff) and the much more naive, boyish Radar, in the later seasons, struck me as weird.
>
> I think Radar maintaining his overall “goodness”, but becoming more mature and battle-hardened, would have been a great story-line for him.
I never really thought of it that why but it’s true. They painted Frank into a corner so they had to get rid of him. Every other character was able to grow and mature. Radar did the opposite. I don’t know, maybe Burghoff didn’t have the talent to pull it off?
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### Author:  [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/188 "2021-06-08T23:23:38Z")
> [@Skywatcher](#):
>
> And preferred rescuing animals to eating them.
You reminded me of how much I hated the episode where Radar almost had to sacrifice his rabbit so Margaret couild get a pregnancy test.
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [June 8, 2021, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/189 "2021-06-08T23:37:03Z")
> [@Loach](#):
>
> Radar did the opposite. I don’t know, maybe Burghoff didn’t have the talent to pull it off?
Mike Farrell suggested that Gary Burghoff was one of the more talented actors in the cast. Unfortunately, he just didn’t get along well with other people. He criticized others, but cold not take criticism.
It is no coincidence he has not had much of a career since. People don’t much like him.
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/190 "2021-06-09T00:09:53Z")
Ironically Burgoff is the same age as Stiers, who in playing a character 2 decades older (or so)
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### Author:  [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/191 "2021-06-09T00:12:08Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#):
>
> Ironically Burgoff is the same age as Stiers, who in playing a character 2 decades older…
I have no idea how old Radar is supposed to be. Did they say? By the end, he’s playing a 18-20 kid who never left the farm. He was about 36 when he was done filming it.
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### Author:  [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/192 "2021-06-09T01:15:54Z")
I don’t know either - he seems to be about 18 or 20, as you say and permanently stuck there (while Charles seems to be past 40).
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### Author:  [@MrAtoz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrAtoz)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/193 "2021-06-09T01:17:04Z")
In the episode “The Gun,” in which Radar is accused of stealing a General’s revolver (it was really Frank who took it), they say that if he’s found guilty, he would go to prison for 15 years. Radar is horrified: “I’ll be in my thirties. That’s almost dead!” So he must be in his early 20s at the oldest.
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### Author:  [@Cugel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cugel)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/194 "2021-06-09T09:03:46Z")
Watching as a kid, and being unfamiliar with the Boston (or whatever it was) accent of Maj. Winchester, I was bothered why no one ever mentioned why a Briton was in a US army hospital.
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### Author:  [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/195 "2021-06-09T10:30:18Z")
I enjoyed MASH at the first viewing, but then I noticed that the show became formulaic along the lines of: We’re the good guys who are smart and caring and they’re the bad guys who are dumb unfeeling hypocrites. So we get all of the smart lines, and they’re exposed for being dumb. Wash, rinse, repeat - repeat - repeat - repeat.
Now for an example, remember the episode where Hawkeye wanders around dazed asking why the army is fighting in the war? And Frank Burns comes up with the statement “They want our toilets.” Stupid. A soldier in Korea (or Vietnam) would have received at least basic indoctrination as to why the army was fighting communism and would be able to give a better reason. But the statement allowed the show to demonstrate how virtuous Hawkeye was - eventually offering to send toilets to North Korea in exchange for peace.
The show eventually grew out of this. Major Winchester was allowed to show some virtues. And the commanding officer was changed from a buffoon to a professional who at the same time cared for the people under his command.
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### Author:  [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/196 "2021-06-09T10:37:58Z")
And - MASH should have had a few episodes from the viewpoint of the enlisted men in the unit (other than Klinger and Radar). What would it have been like to serve under the officers while trying to keep the camp running?
Instead the enlisted were mostly kept in the background - throwing army chow into mess kits and so forth.
The one episode that did show some interaction was the one where one of the enlisted men tried to help Hawkeye by developing a new surgical clamp. Unfortunately, the plot demanded that his efforts fail.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/197 "2021-06-09T11:53:26Z")
Igor and Rizzo occasionally had a C plot.
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### Author:  [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/198 "2021-06-09T15:01:17Z")
And there was the (lame) episode where the officers and enlisted folks traded duties for a day.
mmm
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### Author:  [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/200 "2021-06-09T18:22:12Z")
Thank you for the responses. I will have to try and find those episodes that featured the enlisted men.
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### Author:  [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)
#### Post date: [June 9, 2021, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-bother-me-about-m-asterisk-a-asterisk-s-asterisk-h-the-tv-show/943583/201 "2021-06-09T18:27:32Z")
> [@Bonum\_Legatum](#):
>
> I will have to try and find those episodes that featured the enlisted men.
The MASH Wiki entries for [Igor](https://mash.fandom.com/wiki/Igor_Straminsky) and [Rizzo](https://mash.fandom.com/wiki/Sergeant_Luther_Rizzo) have a few mentions of such episodes for each, where they were more than just background characters. (But, note, even in those episodes, they weren’t usually the primary characters, just featured in a subplot.)
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