Template:Infobox M*A*S*H episode V2
Dear Dad...Again, the 18th episode of Season 1 of the M*A*S*H TV series, was also the 18th overall series episode in broadcast order. In terms of production order, it was the 17th episode. Written by Sheldon Keller and Larry Gelbart, it was directed by Jackie Cooper, and originally aired on CBS-TV on February 4, 1973.
Synopsis
Hawkeye again writes his father about the happenings at the 4077th, including Frank getting drunk, Margaret attempting to sing "My Blue Heaven" and the discovery of a fraud passing himself off as a doctor.
Full episode summary
In Hawkeye's latest letter to this father, the following happens: there's a new guy called Captain Adam Casey (Alex Henteloff) who's really helpful all round. Klinger's attempts to get out have led him to mail order a new wedding dress, which Hawkeye says is tasteful without being gaudy (but needs a slip). Father Mulcahy is planting a garden when his back starts to hurt, and after fixing it, Captain Casey admits to the Father that he's not really a doctor. The boys have a bet that results in Hawkeye walking into the mess tent naked. It nearly works - nobody notices til one guy does and drops his tray, leading to a large round of applause for Hawk.
Meanwhile, Henry's very dependent on Radar's powers. Radar takes a correspondence high school diploma (and cheats, although Henry can't be bothered making him go through it properly). Burns and Hot Lips have had a fight and are temporarily no longer dating; Burns gets drunk and hangs out with the boys instead, driving them mad. Eventually Casey is caught; it appears that he's an unqualified sergeant called Schwartz, who has also been a teacher, a lawyer, an engineer and a whole bunch of other stuff, all unqualified--he has the talent for anything but doesn't have the patience to pursue a formal qualification. Hawkeye tells Casey he will not report him if he promises not to touch a patient again without a license, but to call Hawkeye the moment he gets one. He tells Casey to try for a formal qualification as he has a genuine talent.
Finally, Hawkeye thanks his dad for the loan of his tuxedo - he wore it at the camp's No-Talent night, a fundraiser for the Korean refugee fund. At the end of the episode, Casey comes to say goodbye just as Hawkeye finishes his letter; this time, Casey has become a priest!
Research notes/Fun facts
- The character of Captain Casey was inspired by the life of Ferdinand Waldo Demara[1] who impersonated a ship's doctor on board a Canadian destroyer during the Korean War. He performed surgery successfully on a number of casualties, including one with a serious chest wound. But he was exposed when his life-saving exploit was published in the Canadian newspapers. His life story was fictionalized in the Tony Curtis Movie "The Great Impostor".
- You can clearly see Hawkeye is wearing GI issue underwear in several shots during the scene where he goes to lunch nude. In some shots you can even see he is wearing trousers with a belt if his lower legs didn't need to be seen.
- Hawkeye ends his letter to his dad with "Kiss Mom and Sis ". In later episodes, his mother died when he was a child and he never mentioned siblings again.
Guest stars/Recurring cast
- Alex Henteloff as Captain Casey
- Jamie Farr as Klinger
- William Christopher as Father Mulcahy
- Odessa Cleveland as Ginger
- Gail Bowman as Nurse (identified in a later episode as Nurse Powell)
Memorable quotes
(Radar getting Henry to sign some forms)
- Radar: You can sign here, and initial the carbon copies. Or initial here, and sign the carbon copies, and then sign this form that says you initialed what you should have signed.
(Hawkeye describing the 4077th MASH)
- Hawkeye: I don't want you to think this is a madhouse, Dad. We're nowhere near that organized.
(In the O.R.)
- Trapper: Oh, wow, what a mess. Stomach, kidney, liver...
- Hawkeye: What is this, an organ recital?
(Henry is testing Radar for a high school certificate)
- Henry: What is a three-sided object with two equal sides?
- Radar: The Gettysburg Address.
- Henry: For what speech is Abraham Lincoln most remembered?
- Radar: The isosceles triangle. (Henry turns and looks at him) Something wrong?
- Henry: No, no, no. No, your answers are right.
- Radar: Oh.
- Henry: You just memorized them in the wrong order.