M*A*S*H

[brettdale]

Do you think any network would ever do a brillant programme like M*A*S*H again?

I think its too antiwar for today.

[coloradodem2005]

1. doubtful.

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. I don't think it would be well-received

in today's political climate. Too many doves, and it made fun of the hawks.

[disgruntled_goat]

3. well,

no shortage of people in america today for the role of Frank Burns


btw larry linville was fscking brilliant in that role.

[brettdale]

4. Old Ferret Face

He was so so funny.

[Bunny]

6. Yes - he was indeed brilliant.

Very underrated too. His acting was superb. The show just wasn't the same after he left.

[peekaloo]

13. The Lipless Wonder. I liked DuVall's movie portrayal of Burns.

Right wing Fundie nutcase supreme.

[Az]

5. Not in the US, but

There are a lot of shows that have the depth and sensitivity from other nations.

I am in particular a fan of Anime (Japanese Animation). And you can find shows that explore real ideas and concepts.

Go rent the movie Graveyard of the Fireflies or any of they Miyazaki films Disney brought over to get a taste of the range Anime is capable of. Its not just kiddie cartoons.

[praxiz]

7. Oooh, Graveyard of the Fireflies

That's one of the best animes I've ever seen, right after Akira.

[liberal N proud]

8. There are shows on with an anti war message

West Wing quite often confronts issues that are subtle but anti war and definite political shots at todays regime.
Jack & Bobby on the WB has time and time again confronted political issues.
24 is occasionally politically charged.

There are shows and messages, I think they are subtle enough though that the repukes don't get it, simply because they don't want to.

[cmkramer]

9. I had a professor in college who had been a "draft dodger"

He was one of the ones who went to Canada although he later ended up teaching in Iran. Anyway, he came back to the States after Carter granted amnesty to the draft resisters. He was really weird about anything to do with war. He'd get really nutty -- just yelling and hollering if there were any kind of "war" show on the television. Even something like "MASH" would set him off.

I read Jackie Cooper (he was a famous child star of the 1930's for those who don't recognize the name) who later became a director and ended up doing many episodes of MASH. He wrote that he once got into a huge argument with Alan Alda who refused to wear a rifle in an episode where Hawkeye was away from the unit even though in reality a person in his situation would have been armed. Alda's reasoning was that as a pacifist he was against weapons and he wasn't going to compromise his principles. Cooper felt that for the character not to have a rifle was completely unrealistic.

[Bunny]

10. Re: Hawkeye and the rifle:

I remember an episode where Hawkeye and Colonel Potter had to go somewhere, and Col. Potter MADE Hawkeye bring his sidearm. They ended up under enemy fire, and Pierce fired his gun into the air several times. Then he and the Colonel got drunk, and were found by an American unit. But Pierce often made a big stink on that show about how he wouldn't carry a gun.

[The_Mule]

12. I remember that one - hilarious!

Paraphrasing:

Colonel Potter: "I order you to fire that sidearm!"
Hawkeye: (Looking at pistol) "You're fired!"

[Cooley Hurd]

14. Not the same episode, but here's another Hawkeye quote, re: guns...

"I will not carry a gun, Frank. ... I'll carry your books, I'll carry a torch, I'll carry a tune, I'll carry on, carry over, carry forward, Cary Grant, cash and carry, carry me back to Old Virginia, I'll even hari-kari if you show me how, but I will not carry a gun!"
-"Hawkeye" Pierce

[tom_paine]

11. Never. M*A*S*H was a show for a Free Nation

NOT the current Imperial Amerika.

Not in a million years.

[Skittles]

16. you are correct, tom_paine

it won't happen again

[Oeditpus Rex]

15. For the sake of accuracy

They ended up under enemy fire, and Pierce fired his gun into the air several times. Then he and the Colonel got drunk, and were found by an American unit.

...and because I'm an anal-retentive M*A*S*H geek, they were already drunk when they came under attack. Remember? They were weaving down the road, drinking to everybody and their nose...

Potter: "To Klinger!"

Pierce: "To Klinger's nose!"

Potter: "That's a double."

And as we veer even farther off-topic, here's a bit o' trivia about that episode: They had to shoot the scene several times where Klinger as the gypsy Zoltan was reading Hunnicutt's fortune with cards. Jamie Farr got stuck on the line "Concentrate with me, sir," and kept breaking up after he said it. If you see the episode, note that Klinger takes a deep, nasal breath right after he says the line; that was to keep himself from laughing. (You can see just a hint of a grin at the corners of his mouth.)

[underpants]

17. See anything wrong with this photo?

http://www.mash4077.co.uk/goofs.html