M*A*S*H

This is still one of the funniest shows on television, especially the first four seasons when they still had a broad sense of humor. To me the glory days of M*A*S*H ended with the departure of Larry Linville (Major Frank Burns). After his departure, especially in the final three years, the show became more and more issue oriented and pretty much lost me until the classic finale. Other than that, it was still a great show.

MASH is still remarkable - funny, poignant, moving, occasionally schmaltzy - but always well scripted, acted and often directed by the actors who really know the players. Alan Alda at his best, with a magnificent equal billing cast. Watch MASH often!!

I've found many of the comments about this series to be quite amusing, particularly the ones bashing it for "shoving" a liberal agenda down viewers throats. Given it's success for 11 years, I don't think the audience seemed to agree with that assessment. Quite simply, the show was one of the best written, best acted, and most entertaining shows in television history. Yes, it wore out its welcome in the end; but, it is a masterpiece that later shows rarely measured up to.

I have no great preference for one season's cast over another. Each character was unique and had something to contribute. When we lost the bumbling, but loveable Henry Blake, we got the stern but loving Sherman Potter. Both were the C.O., but each was a different person, a smart move by the creators. The same is true for Frank Burns and Charles Emerson Winchester III. Burns was a neurotic, vindictive, childish fool; while Winchester was an arrogant blowhard, but one who could hold his own with Hawkeye. Burns was incompetent, while Winchester was an outstanding surgeon; just ask him. Characters were missed when they left; but, they were not replaced with doppelgangers. That is part of the reason this show lasted so long.

The show did take on a more serious tone in the later seasons, but not entirely. There are plenty of laughs right up to the end. Those serious shows were often some of the most memorable, and they kept the series from becoming stale. With that said, they did tend to resort to Hawkeye's mental problems a bit too much, especially in the farewell. You can argue that a character like Hawkeye, with his passion for preserving life, was ripe for mental breakdowns; but, in reality, he probably would have been shipped home by the second breakdown.

The show is not perfect (it lasted 8 years longer than the actual war) but it comes far closer than most. It seems to be fashionable to bash popular shows and movies after their days is over. Part of this is a new generation trying to establish their own identity and dominance. Well, I didn't like my parent's movies, shows and music when I was younger; until I actually watched them and listened to them. Some of it turned out to be quite good, some not. Real quality stands the test of time. MASH will be around far longer than most of what I see on tv today.

M*A*S*H is the best TV series ever made, it has really made an impression. Using black humour must have been the only way to get through the day for most soldiers, and it gave me an idea of how awful the war must have been. Definitely a great TV series filled with humour and jokes that makes you laugh every time.

In the UK the MASH series has been released on DVD.

I know that this is just opionon but I think that the show was and still is just amazing. So many times people in the UK think that Amercian comedy is to sweet and syrupy.

If that is the case MASH is the one that proves them all wrong. I used to watch the show as a teenager and loved it. At the end of series 3 Henry leaves and that is just so well written and well acted. That is one of the best testaments I could ever give to a TV show, you grow to love the character and personally I cried the first time and I cried again when I say it today.

It is a totaly fantastic show and it is clear why it ran for so long. I doubt that anything like this will ever be seen again.