Which seasons did you like better? - M*A*S*H (1972) Discussion

[–] randbanks 8 years ago

later ones. Always a huge Winchester fan.

the first three years got old fast. Slapstick can only last so long before it gets old. Yes it did get preachy, and full of itself, but I really liked the fact that they did break molds, like "Point of View" where we finally see how it is to be a patient from arrival to departure. "Life Time" where the majority of the episode is contained in about half an hour.

Constantly teasing Frank and Radar also got old.

Destroying an empire to win a war is no victory and ending a battle to save an empire is no defeat

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[–] iamtherealbg 8 years ago

The later years. It always seemed like the Hawkeye-B.J.-Winchester situation was warmer than the Hawkeye-Trapper-Burns situation. They got along so much better with Charles and always seemed to constantly only want to mess with Burns. Plus Wayne Roger's heart just wasn't in it at the end of his run.

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[–] knight523-383-350235 8 years ago

The early ones especially season 3, there was a better balance of comedy & drama, and the acting was better

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[–] bogeybob1 8 years ago

The later ones, because of Winchester and Colonel Potter.
Winchester was a much more interesting and complex character than Frank Burns, and he could hold his own with Hawkeye. Seeing Hawkeye and Trapper continuously pick on Frank (who admittedly was not likable) was almost painful to watch after a while - like watching someone kick a person in a wheelchair.
Colonel Potter also seemed a more complex character than Henry Blake, who was sort of a one-note, good-natured buffoon. Potter was an interesting mix of stubbornness, gruffness and kindness.

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[–] desmet1879 8 years ago

I agree 100% with bogeybob1 and pchrp.
While I agree a bit with those who thought the later seasons got a bit preachy and repetitive, and seasons 1-3 were funny, the depth of character and complexity of the storytelling in the later years were far preferable, in my opinion. Trapper, Henry and Frank were just too one-note for me. Colonel Potter and Charles (my favorite) brought so much more to the show. They also benefitted from fleshing out Father Mulcahy's part.

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[–] nosidak-434-909833 8 years ago

The first three seasons are all I would watch.

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[–] GoBroncos42 8 years ago

The first three seasons are all I would watch.

My favorite as well. You can't beat Henry.

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[–] Whistling_Pete 8 years ago

I couldn't agree more. Once the show turned into Alda's soapbox, it really went downhill.

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[–] michaelward15 8 years ago

The first three seasons are all I would watch.

Same here, but the last few times I've caught an episode, I've noticed that even the first three seasons aren't as good as I remember. I'd like to watch a few episodes from just the very first season some time to see if maybe it is as good as I remember. Maybe I'd still like the first season, and maybe it just went down hill sooner than I remember.

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[–] Doug-Oh 8 years ago

While I love Winchester, I personally prefer the first 5 seasons or so.
The writing was far better as was the comedy.

Same with Law & Order, I prefer the first 8 seasons of that great drama, the seasons which had better writing.

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[–] pchrp 8 years ago

Henry Blake was a clueless buffoon, while Sherman Potter was more than competent.

Frank Burns became a pathetic punching bag, while Winchester could dish it out as well as he could take it.

Later Margaret became a woman who deserved respect, early Margaret was insufferable.

Getting Klinger back into his fatigues and out of the dresses ended a schtick that was funny at first but eventually wore out its welcome.

Definitely later seasons.

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[–] woodhouse-85051 8 years ago

Can't really answer this one until I've seen more of the first three seasons. I've only just recently got into M*A*S*H. Over here in the UK they're showing at least two episodes nightly on True Entertainment (Freeview Ch.61) and I was too young to catch the series first time around.

They're heavily playing the later stuff plus, for some reason, frequent weekend four-ep chunks of seasons 4/5 on rotation; but neglecting the Trapper/Henry years, with only one repeat showing of this era so far as I'm aware.

I was going to start a new thread of "what's the best mix of characters?" So far it's S.4/5: Frank to represent the early years, plus we've already got Potter & BJ on board, and Radar hasn't faded from the scene yet.

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[–] sheila_schumacher 8 years ago

I love the later ones. The ones without Radar. I think I have seen every episode. LOVE Winchester. My favorite episode is "Who Knew?"

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[–] aco_lojd 8 years ago

Season 1-3

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[–] indy_go_blue44 8 years ago

1-4 and 6.

When I'm watching my disks those are the seasons I usually watch, though maybe once a year my wife and I will marathon the entire series.

I liked S-4 when BJ and Potter first came onboard and S-6 when Charles comes aboard.

I probably like S-5 least; Frank is on his own. Margaret is insufferable with her "Donald Penobscot" bs and Frank is so spiteful and humorless that I was really happy to see him go.

It's more of a personal thing, but when S-7 started I had graduated nursing school and was working 3-11pm so I saw very little of the last 5 seasons until years later; they just never grew on me like the earlier years.

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