M*A*S*H was so usually thought of forward of its time throughout its run from 1972-1983. The present adopted a forged of characters stationed at an American M*A*S*H unit in the course of the Korean Warfare. All through its run, the collection dealt with many tough topics, like racism, homophobia and sexism within the army, PTSD and substance use problems, and the general devastating results of conflict. Whereas the collection was a comedy, it by no means shied away from showcasing these tough topics in a approach that was usually revolutionary for its time.
Whereas a lot of M*A*S*H holds up in a contemporary context, there are sadly parts of the collection that had been problematic even when the collection was on the air. For instance, there was a notable lack of Korean illustration all through the collection, although it was set in Korea. Moreover, there was a noticeable lack of range even though many POC served within the American army, together with the Korean Warfare. These points had been evident in real-time, and had been typically even addressed by the collection itself.
10 The Snigger Monitor Undercut the Critical Moments on the Sequence
Even Although it Was the Norm on the Time
Within the early days of M*A*S*H, the collection relied closely on the giggle monitor because it featured primarily comedic tales. Nonetheless, because the collection continued, the giggle monitor was used much less and fewer. M*A*S*H by no means used the giggle monitor in any scenes that had been set within the working room, even when jokes had been being made. Ultimately, the collection moved away from utilizing the giggle monitor in any respect in the direction of the tip of its run because it dealt with extra severe storylines.
Whereas many comedies from the identical period as M*A*S*H and past used giggle monitor usually, it was notably misplaced on this collection. Whereas there have been loads of comedic moments, the comedy was usually of a darker nature contemplating the truth that M*A*S*H was set throughout a conflict. The elimination of the giggle monitor earlier within the collection might have made M*A*S*H much more noteworthy than it will definitely turned as it will have set a precedent.
9 Timeline Points Had been Usually Obviously Apparent
It Did not Assist That the Sequence Exceeded the Runtime of the Korean Warfare
In M*A*S*H‘s early seasons, timelines and continuity had been pretty straightforward to comply with. Nonetheless, because the collection itself ran longer than the precise Korean Warfare, the collection’ timeline turned progressively messier. Whereas this usually wasn’t a difficulty when it got here to the precise tales that had been featured on M*A*S*H, at a sure level, it turned a distraction. Small continuity indicators, like calendars with the month and 12 months or references to battles that came about in the course of the Korean Warfare, finally meant little or no within the context of the collection’ general timeline.
Specifically, M*A*S*H Season 9, Episode 6, “A Warfare for All Seasons”, threw a curveball when it got here to the timeline of the collection. Whereas this episode was modern and well-regarded as a result of it came about over a whole 12 months, it utterly disrupts any semblance of continuity that the collection had established up thus far. Due to this, it’s tough to totally admire the truth that M*A*S*H really came about throughout a three-year conflict that was so damaging in such a brief period of time.
8 The Sequence Was Usually Riddled With Sexist Portrayals of Ladies
There Had been Many Feminine Characters That Deserved the Highlight
M*A*S*H established itself as a male-centric collection from the start. Whereas this is sensible on a logistical stage since most individuals preventing the Korean Warfare had been males, it is vital to keep in mind that many ladies had been additionally concerned within the Korean Warfare, as members of the army and as civilians. All through the collection, girls had been usually handled as intercourse objects for his or her male friends. Male characters regularly didn’t take “no” for a solution and jokes about sexual assault had been jarringly widespread.
The collection’ sexism was sadly illustrated by means of one in every of its protagonists, Main Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit). Whereas she finally had probably the most character improvement of all the feminine characters featured within the collection, she is demeaned and dismissed regardless of her rank within the early seasons. Margaret’s improvement in later seasons arguably illustrates the truth that the powers that be realized that the ladies on the present wanted to be proven in a extra three-dimensional approach.
7 Alcohol Use Dysfunction is Handled Flippantly
Many Characters Self-Medicated With Alcohol
Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) assemble a home made gin distillery of their tent close to the start of the collection. It is a supply of humor all through the collection, and B.J. (Mike Farrell) merely stepped into Trapper’s sneakers to maintain the makeshift distillery up and working. All through the collection, many different characters use alcohol, usually to extra, whereas spending infinite hours on the unit the place nothing occurs between moments of chaos.
Whereas M*A*S*H ultimately options storylines emphasizing the seriousness of alcohol use dysfunction, there have been few to no penalties ever proven. These storylines hardly ever reckoned with how unsettling it was to have surgeons ingesting so constantly whereas needing to be on name in a conflict zone. Within the later seasons, there have been characters, together with Helen (Gail Strickland), a good friend of Margaret’s who needed to reckon with the consequences of alcohol use dysfunction. Hawkeye additionally needed to study his personal alcohol use ultimately.
6 Marital Infidelity is Joked About and Normalized
Trapper John, Henry Blake, and Frank Burns Had been the Prime Offenders
The married males of M*A*S*H had been usually overtly dishonest on their wives within the early seasons. Trapper John made no secret of the truth that he slept with many nurses regardless of having a spouse in the US. Frank Burns (Lary Linville) was married however was overtly in a relationship with Margaret in the course of the early seasons. Even Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson), the 4077’s first beloved chief, overtly cheated on his spouse with nurses as effectively. None of those males ever severely reckoned with the potential penalties of their actions.
M*A*S*H ultimately addressed this difficulty in later seasons by firming down storylines involving dishonest. Moreover, B.J. instantly feels regret when sleeping with a nurse who had just lately been divorced in Season 5, Episode 6, “Hanky Panky”. Whereas the episode revolves round B.J. feeling dangerous about his actions, he nonetheless is not proven to really inform his spouse about his second of infidelity and face any actual penalties past his emotions. General, infidelity was handled as an inevitability of conflict somewhat than a deliberate alternative.
5 The Sequence Was Extraordinarily American-Centric
The Korean Warfare Concerned UN Member Nations
The Korean Warfare concerned troopers from many countries converging onto the Korean Peninsula. Whereas M*A*S*H featured the occasional look by a soldier from one other nation, many of the collection revolved round American characters completely. Even secondary characters are virtually all American. M*A*S*H‘s lack of tales that includes troopers from different international locations positioned the members of the 4077 in a field as they solely had their very own experiences to depend on.
As a M*A*S*H unit, it will have made sense for the medical workers to come across troopers from all backgrounds. Medical items handled enemy combatants and allies alike. Subsequently, it will have made way more sense for the members of the 4077 to no less than briefly work together with extra troopers from completely different international locations. By not showcasing troopers from completely different international locations, it was exhausting to reveal the members of the 4077, and viewers by extension, to completely different views concerning the conflict.
4 The Sequence Notably Lacked Range
There Was Solely One POC within the Major Forged
M*A*S*H’s lack of range in its most important forged is obvious from its early days. Capt. Oliver Harmon ‘Spearchucker’ Jones (Timothy Brown) was initially meant to be part of the interior swamp, earlier than the character was written off within the identify of sustaining historic accuracy. Other than Klinger (Jamie Farr), the principle forged featured solely white actors. The dearth of POC in most important roles is one thing that remained the identical all through the collection.
Although many M*A*S*H episodes and storylines tackled racism, the collection by no means took the chance to showcase any POC as a outstanding member of the principle forged. Whereas range in tv could have been in its early days in the US, many collection, like Good Occasions and The Jeffersons, already highlighted Black ensemble casts. Additional again, Hogan’s Heroes featured a Black character, Sergeant James “Kinch” Kinchloe (Ivan Dixon) as a member of an ensemble forged that includes the US Army.
3 M*A*S*H Did an Ineffective Job at Portraying Koreans Themselves
Regardless of the Truth the Warfare was on Their Peninsula
Whereas M*A*S*H came about in the course of the Korean Warfare, it hardly ever featured tales about precise Koreans. Whereas Korean civilians had been most impacted by the conflict of their residence, M*A*S*H featured few of their tales. The Koreans that had been featured all through the collection had been usually not Korean. Oftentimes, Koreans had been performed by Chinese language or Japanese actors. Quickly-Tek Oh and Phillip Ahn had been two notable exceptions. Each actors had been born in Korea and later immigrated to the US, and each performed a number of roles in M*A*S*H.
The truth that Korean storylines had been hardly ever part of M*A*S*H made it potential for characters to be constructed as charicatures of Korean folks. Many characters usually spoke in exaggerated accents and spoke the Korean language inaccurately. Whereas it would not be correct to say that actors themselves deliberately portrayed Koreans disrespectfully, the dearth of effort to forged Korean actors stays evident. There have been alternatives for M*A*S*H to showcase simply how devastating the Korean Warfare was for Koreans themselves.
2 Klinger’s Part 8 Gag Would not Age Nicely
A Part 8 was One thing Critical
One hallmark of M*A*S*H was Klinger constantly attempting to get himself discharged with a “Part 8”. Part 8 was a World Warfare II-era United States Military regulation that was used to discharge servicemembers who had been declared mentally unfit for army service. This kind of discharge was usually used in opposition to members of the LGBTQ+ neighborhood. All through his tenure on M*A*S*H, Klinger usually dressed as a lady to realize his objective of being discharged on this approach.
Whereas Klinger’s makes an attempt to get discharged from the military by sporting clothes are nonetheless fairly humorous, it must be stated to be discharged below Part 8 usually carried penalties. Individuals who had been discharged below a Part 8 might face penalties of their civilian lives. M*A*S*H doesn’t reckon with this chance. Ultimately, Klinger stopped his makes an attempt to get discharged below this provision, so it’s potential his character thought of these potential penalties off-screen.
1 The Portrayal of the Nursing Occupation Ages Poorly
Nurses are Hardly ever Given Their Correct Respect
For the primary few seasons of M*A*S*H, nurses are proven to be little greater than decorations for the unit’s medical doctors and different male medical workers. It isn’t till M*A*S*H discovered its stride that it started to discover the roles that nurses would realistically have taken on in a M*A*S*H unit in the course of the Korean Warfare. Other than Margaret, there are only some nurses featured all through the collection who get an opportunity within the highlight. Due to this, nursing usually appears extremely straightforward in M*A*S*H, and infrequently entails little greater than standing round.
Within the later seasons, M*A*S*H rectified this drawback by typically turning the highlight to the nurses. Every time the nurses on M*A*S*H obtained an opportunity at character improvement, it was clear that not solely had been these girls dynamic in their very own proper, however that they performed expert medical professionals. M*A*S*H ultimately showcased tales of nurses who had a wide range of ambitions, and who confronted simply as a lot hazard as their male colleagues. Sadly, these tales had been too few and much between.