Here’s today’s image. Can you name the episode it’s from? Feel free to post guesses in the comments section. As always, the winner gets bragging rights.

And the Winner Is: Eye of the Hawk, who correctly identified “Love Story.”

Name That Episode

Here’s today’s image. Can you name the episode it’s from? Feel free to post guesses in the comments section. As always, the winner gets bragging rights.

And the Winner Is: Eye of the Hawk, who correctly identified “The Light That Failed.”

Name That Episode

Here’s today’s image. Can you name the episode it’s from? Feel free to post guesses in the comments section. As always, the winner gets bragging rights.

And the Winner Is: Eye of the Hawk, who correctly identified “Hey, Look Me Over.”

Name That Episode

I wrote about the three “Dear Dad” episodes on Monday and that prompted a spirited discussion so today I’ll discuss the three “Mail Call” episodes. Unlike the “Dear Dad” episodes, which were broadcast during the first two seasons, the “Mail Call” episodes were spread out. One aired in Season Two, another in Season Four and the third in Season Six. So that means that every member of the cast — Trapper, Henry, Frank and Charles — got a chance to read their mail.

Letters from home bring all manner of news in “Mail Call” (originally broadcast February 23rd, 1974) including the “death” of Klinger’s father. Trapper gets homesick after reading letters from his family and decides to desert. He even knocks Hawkeye aside with his duffel bag. He only stops when Frank shows up and Hawkeye reveals that Pioneer Aviation — a company Frank thought was the next big thing — doesn’t exist. Hawkeye made it all up and Frank bought it hook, line and sinker.

“Mail Call”

In “Mail Call, Again” (originally broadcast December 9th, 1975) a heartbroken Klinger applies for a hardship discharge after his “older brothers” Maurice and Hakim are killed in an explosion at the Toledo Harmonica Company. Frank learns that his wife Laverne wants a divorce and tries desperately to convince her to stay with him. Colonel Potter, meanwhile, receives the news that he’s going to be a grandfather and attempts to get through to the States.

“Mail Call, Again”

Also: Margaret gets a package from Frederick’s of Hollywood; Radar gets some home movies; Father Mulcahy gets a letter from his sister (the sister) who is coaching girls’ basketball; Hawkeye gets the latest issue of Crapabble Cove Courier; and B.J. gets three letters from his wife and one from his dog, Waggle.

Finally, in “Mail Call Three” (originally broadcast February 6th, 1978) Hawkeye gets love letters destined for another Benjamin Franklin Pierce as well as the bonus issue of Nudes Week with the All-Star Volleyball Team. Father Mulcahy gets a Nun-o-gram. Klinger learns his wife wants a divorce and Radar learns his mother has a boyfriend. B.J. is disturbed to learn that someone made a pass at his wife (she found it amusing). Margaret gets a letter from her mother-in-law who still won’t accept her son’s marriage. And Charles is thrilled to hear that Missouri sorghum crop was destroyed; he’s invested in Canadian sorghum.

In the end, just about everyone gets drunk at the Officer’s Club.

“Mail Call Three”

It’s tough to pick a favorite. I will say that I have never liked Radar’s home movie in “Mail Call, Again.” It just doesn’t work for me. Jamie Farr in a dress is funny. Gary Burghoff in a dress isn’t. “Mail Call” has the following hilarious exchange between Henry and Klinger in its favorite:

Henry: “Here you go. The Father dying, right?
Klinger: “Yes, sir.”
Henry: “Father dying last year. Mother dying last year. Mother and father dying. Mother, father and older sister dying. Mother dying and older sister pregnant. older sister dying and mother pregnant. Younger sister pregnant and older sister dying. Here’s an oldie, but a goodie. Half of the family dying, other half pregnant. Klinger, aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”
Klinger: “Yes, sir, I don’t deserve to be in the Army.”

But “Mail Call Three” has this:

Hawkeye: “People wiped out and all you can think of is yourself.”
Charles: “They have their interests. I have mine.”

Charles and his insensitivity to others always makes for a good episode. Still, it’s really a toss-up. If I had to choose the weakest of the three it would be “Mail Call, Again” but that still leaves the other two episodes vying for the top spot.

So what’s your favorite “Mail Call” episode?”

Here’s today’s image. Can you name the episode it’s from? Feel free to post guesses in the comments section. As always, the winner gets bragging rights.

Name That Episode

I’m not sure why but late last night I found myself thinking about the “Dear Dad” trilogy of episodes, broadcast during the first two seasons of M*A*S*H. Each of these episodes had Hawkeye writing a letter to his father describing the various goings-on at the 4077th. The letter home was used often by writers as a way to frame episodes, but these three episodes (and the three “Mail Call” episodes) are unique in that they share the same title and nothing else.

The first two of these episodes were part of Season One. In “Dear Dad” (originally broadcast December 17th, 1972) Hawkeye recounts the following events: Radar’s attempt to mail a jeep home; the camp’s Christmas celebrations; Henry and his struggle to get through a lecture on sex; Father Mulcahy dealing with a brawl between Frank and Klinger; Margaret’s tent being collapsed by Hawkeye and Trapper; and Hawkeye (dressed as Santa Claus) flying to the Hill 28 to operate on a wounded corporal. The episode ends up with a quick recap of the cast.

“Dear Dad”

Then, in “Dear Dad, Again” (originally broadcast February 4th, 1973) Hawkeye tells his father about all manner of things: Klinger trying to get out of the Army; his bet with Trapper that he could walk naked to the Mess Tent without anyone noticing (he lost); Radar cheating on his final exam for a correspondence course from the Triple A High School Diploma Company; a round of bad jokes in the Swamp; a depressed Frank getting drunk; the shocking revelation that Captain Adam Casey, a talented doctor, isn’t really a doctor or a captain; and the camp’s No Talent night, complete with a four piece band (Trapper, Hawkeye, Radar and another man) conducted by Henry with Margaret singing lead vocals.

“Dear Dad, Again”

Finally, during Season Two came Dear Dad Three (originally broadcast November 17th, 1973) and its own mix of hilarity and horror: a soldier is brought in with a live grenade embedded in his body; the camp throws a Happy Hour party; Trapper and Hawkeye paint the skin of a patient, who is afraid he’ll get the wrong colored blood, with tincture of iodine; watching movies of Henry’s daughters (sad) and Henry himself (hilarious); Frank and Margaret get into an argument and then make up; the monthly staff meeting; and another Happy Hour party.

Dear Dad…Three

So which “Dear Dad” episode is your favorite? I’m torn between “Dear Dad Three” simply for the inclusion of the lovely Sivi Aberg as Anna Lindstrom and “Dear Dad, Again” because of No Talent night and the scene in which Hawkeye tells Trapper hilariously awful jokes:

Hawkeye: “Knock, knock.”
Trapper: “Who’s there?”
Hawkeye: “Abe Lincoln.”
Trapper: “Abe Lincoln who?”
Hawkeye: “Don’t you know me?”
Trapper: “That’s awful.”
Hawkeye: “Okay, can I do another one?”
Trapper: “No!”
Hawkeye: “Knock, knock.”
Trapper: “Who’s there?”
Hawkeye: “Thomas Jefferson.”
Trapper: “Thomas Jefferson who!”
Hawkeye: “Was Abe Lincoln just here?”
Trapper: “Hawkeye, I never liked you.”

Talk about your favorite “Dear Dad” episode in the comments.