None Like It Hot (TV series episode)

Template:Infobox M*A*S*H episode V2 None Like It Hot, was the seventh episode of Season 7 of the M*A*S*H TV series, also the 154th overall series episode. The episode, which was written by Ken Levine, David Isaacs & Johnny Bonaduce, was directed by Tony Mordente. The episode originally aired on CBS-TV on October 23, 1978.

Synopsis

A bath tub Hawkeye and B.J. purchase during a heat wave instantly becomes the ultimate hot spot.

Full episode summary

A killer heat wave is driving everyone at the 4077th nuts! Except for Klinger, who is using the heat as the basis for his newest Section 8 scam: he's wrapped himself in thick clothes and a fur, trying to prove to Col. Potter that he's nuts.

Hawkeye and B.J. are also handling it well, because of the delivery of a canvas bath tub from Abercrombie & Fitch. Being the only relief from the heat, they are desperate to use it as much as possible. They are equally desperate to keep the tub's existence from the rest of the camp, knowing everyone would want to use it.

Winchester works his way into the deal by threatening to tell everyone else about it, and Hawkeye and B.J. give in. Later, they are dismayed when they find out that Winchester has included Margaret into the deal, as well, when she agrees to trade him some bubble bath. Father Mulcahy also gets in on it when he stumbles across Hawkeye using in the scrub room.

They manage to keep the secret for a while, until Hawkeye offers its use to Radar, who is suffering from tonsillitis. Some nurses overhear the conversation, and while Radar is enjoying a bath, they all come in splashing the water on themselves, to Radar's horror and embarrassment.

Now that the tub is company property, it becomes, as Potter says, "A big wet elephant"--the long lines to use it cause arguments among the staff.

The only happy member of the camp is Klinger, who Potter says he will grant a Section 8 if he can stand 24 hours in the skintight rubber suit he ordered from home. Klinger is thrilled--in just one day, he'll be a free man!

After a fist fight breaks out over use of the tub, Potter demands the tub be closed down and shipped out, in any way possible. Hawkeye and B.J. trade with a Sgt. Rhoden (Ted Gehring), who calls himself The Scrounger.

At first they plan to trade it for some vintage scotch, but after seeing how miserable Radar is after his tonsillectomy, they drive a hard bargain and get a couple of gallons of ice cream. Potter is thrilled with his two doctors--"Hot damn! That was not only obedient, but damn nice."

Just before the tub is removed, Klinger breaks down and simply can't stand the heat anymore. He rips off his heavy clothes, and jumps into the tub--unaware that Margaret is in it! Potter incredulously quips, "Aw, it's a crying shame. He only had an hour to go!"

Later, The Scrounger delivers the ice cream, and its wheeled into Post Op for Radar, who is touched at the gesture. A few seconds later, everyone else in camp storms in, demanding some ice cream too. Radar kindly agrees to dish out the ice cream, and Klinger makes nice with Margaret by delivering some to her tent as a peace offering which she accepts. In addition, he also asks what she is doing that weekend, much to her horror.

Research notes/Fun facts

Ted Gehring had appeared as a bureaucratic Supply officer in "The Incubator" (Season 1).

BJ remarks that he has been waiting six months for the bathtub; as he came to MASH in September 1952 it is now February 1953!

The title is a spoof of the movie "Some Like It Hot"

In the queue for the bath, Margaret uses as a bathrobe the gown with Chinese motifs which Lieutenant Dish wore at the party in the Pilot episode.

When Klinger jumps into Margaret's tub, she runs out wrapped in a towel but flees straight into the mess tent instead of her own tent which is nearby. She was probably too frantic to know where she was going.