Rating: 
Summary: A classic season for a great show
Review: I must say that this is a great season of M*A*S*H. FX takes a long time to get to each episode and cuts out for time. Harry Morgan and Mike Farrel come into this season and both rank in my top 5 characters. Season 3 is great and has put me into excitement for season 4. "Trapper" John (Wayne Rogers) and Col.Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) made the show seem more like a fakey cheesier comedy but Hunnicut and Potter make it seem more realistic. This season is worth double the retail price. The only thing I regret is that BJ does not have that funny looking Mustache!
Rating: 
Summary: Season Four on DVD.
Review: I have bought all three DVD packs preceding this one, and they are all superb from every technical and artistic angle but thats where my collection will end. For me the show finished with the exit of Henry Blake and I would not want to relive its slow demise with the introduction of tearjerking scripts, less emphasis on comedy and a few excruciating new characters. BJ the family man, Charles the pompous 'straight man' and 'grandad' Col. Potter. From a brash new rule-breaking show to formula-driven banality, it all started with Season Four!
Rating: 
Summary: The countdown to Season 4 begins
Review: I didn't really get into MASH until my senior year at Susquehanna University when I caught the reruns on FX. It was the final episode of Season five when Margaret/Hotlips got married and the first (hour-long) episode of season six where Frank Burns left (Larry Linville, according to rumors, didn't want to be casttyped as a whiney by-the-book villain) and Charles Winchester came in. From then on, I was hooked.Don't get me wrong, though. I liked the first three seasons of MASH, but it was the characters of BJ and Col. Potter that helped win me over along with Radar, Hawkeye, and Klinger. Now with the fourth season weeks away from coming to DVD, I'm still counting the days to see more of MASH, uncut (for obvious reasons, FX cuts out certain parts of the episodes for time).
Rating:
Summary: a new beginning?
Review: Season four of MASH had it rough. Two of its major actors left the series after season three.
Wayne Rodgers (who played Trapper John), was tired of Alan Alda's Hawkeye character getting all the spotlight. I read that Wayne made a deal with the creators of the show, during the first season, that this wouldn't happen, but it did.
McLean Stevenson (who played Col. Blake), wanted to quit the show for various rumored reasons. After his character got his discharge in the final episode of season three, his character was killed off, on his way home, over the Sea of Japan. In this box set, season four, we are introduced to two new characters, who stayed with the show until the end. First, there's Trapper's replacement: BJ Hunnicut. A married man, who stays true to his wife, back home. That was heavily emphasized, different than Trapper. BJ sure had some corny humor.
Then there's Col. Blake's replacement: Col. Sherman Potter (played by Harry Morgan). Harry Morgan appeared in a season three episode, as a different charactor. That of a crazy general...it's been said that because of that role, he was asked to play Col. Potter. Due to some trouble back home, Gary Burghoff who plays Radar, wasn't in as many episodes than before. This family problem continued, until finally, he quit the show at the beginning of season eight. There are some great episodes in this box set. "The Late Captain Pierce", where Hawkeye's dad is notified that he's dead, when he hasn't. "The Bus", where the characters are on a bus ride, and get lost, and the bus stalls. "Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler", where a wounded man claims that he's Jesus Christ. "The Interview", where a TV reporter interviews the characters at the MASH 4077th. This episode is fimed in black and white.
Rating:
Summary: this is the best tv show Ever!!!!!!!
Review: get the forth season of mash now it is the best of the season so far that i have seen the acting is great BUY Buy Buy NOw NOw NOw !!!!!!!!!!
Rating:
Summary: Ahhh Memories!
Review: I'm one of the die-hards who liked Trapper and Henry better than B.J. and Potter. I suppose that, in my opinion, they were nearer to portraying the insanity of the movie. Potter was more like a real officer than Henry (who was more like the Colonel in the movie) and B.J. lacked the slap-stick of Trapper. Remember, MASH was a stab at the military and was never meant to be taken seriously. Still, this has to rank up there as one of the best series ever produced. Henry Morgan was great, and irreplaceable, in Dragnet; but comes in a distant second to McLean Stevenson (again, this is my opinion) in MASH. Trapper John was such a major part of the movie that it makes no sense to abandon him in the series without so much as a good-bye to Hawkeye (yet they did). Oh well, I'm not a politically-correct person so I guess this shouldn't make sense to me.
Rating:
Summary: MASH goes in a new direction.
Review: I loved this -- some of the best episodes are on this S*M.A.S.H hit TV series. It has the new Colonel starting out and BJ arriving - brings back memories of afternoons after school in the winter with the smell of mum's best on the stove.
A highlight episode is called "Jesus Christ" if anything this
is the reason to buy the Set. I had never seen the episode before and lays down the reasons that I would like to buy the complete series as they are released.
It is amazing that these are available, there is amazing acting and character portrayls that go beyond the "norm" this may be responsible for Mash's success.
BRING EM' ON - just release them quicker in Australia! LOL's
GS.
Rating:
Summary: the beginning of the end
Review: As everyone knows season 4 saw the departure of wayne rogers
and mclean stevenson, and the arrival of harry morgan and
mike farrell. morgan is not a total disaster replacing
stevenson (although I still prefer stevenson) but, mike farrell
may be the least funny actor I've ever seen. I don't ever
remember laughing at anything he's ever said. The show seemed
to turn more to preaching and away from comedy during season
4.It stayed like that to the end. stay with seasons 1 to 3.
Rating:
Summary: Good bye Trapper and Blake. Hello Honeycutt and Potter.
Review: This year was the beginning of many changes on the show. Unlike most other shows I personally think that MASH got better. More in depth shows. More emphasis on the characters, their families, and their reactions to the war.
Hawkeye's cohort Trapper John left the show at the end of season 3. They had to write him out without him actually being there. B.J more than apply filled the role as Hawkeye's ally against the war.
Colonel Blake also left after season three. Colonel Potter(excellently played by Harry Morgan) was the total opposite of Henry Blake. Blake was an Illinois doctor who was put in charge of Mash. Potter was a veteran of both world wars, and a former cavalry man.
Welcome To Korea - Hawkeye returns from R&R&R&R. Frank is in charge. Hawkeye gives him a box, and says. "It's a McArthur doll. Wind him up and he returns from anywhere!" He heads straight for the showers and Radar informs him that Trapper left. Hawkeye, against Frank's orders, heads to Kimpo to try and catch Trapper. He runs a checkpoint, lies to an M.P, but still misses Trapper by 15 minutes. He does, however, get to meet Dr. B.J Honeycutt. Honeycutt is, like Potter to Blake, the total opposite of Trapper John McIntyre. He's a straight laced family man with a good sense of humor. They get involved in several surgical incidents on the way back to camp. They stop at Rosie's Bar. "We need to get him started on his ulcer" is the reason that Hawkeye gives. The first thing that B.J says upon reaching the 4077th is "How's it going Ferrett Face" to Frank. Hawkeye falls down grabbing onto Margaret.
Change Of Command -Mail Call Brings some great news. The 4077th is getting a new commander. Hawkeye and B.J are overjoyed until they find that the new guy is a regular army veteran who's not been in surgery for two years. When Potter arrives everyone is on pins and needles. Frank, having not gotten the command, is AWOL. After a night of surgery Hawkeye asks what time it is. B.J tells him and Potter says "I can use a belt!" B.J and Hawkeye smile, and invite Potter to the swamp for a few drinks from the still. Their earlier worries were without merit. Potter is fine.
The Late Captain Pierce - Klinger wakes up B.J with a phone call from Hawkeye's father. All B.J can get from Hawkeye's father is "How and Why?" This leads to confusion, and Hawkeye stays in the office all night. That next morning, as Hawkeye is heading to the showers, a bus shows up. It's the morgue detail searching for a body. "I believe Corporal Klinger can assist you in this undertaking" is Hawkeye's responce. Turns out that the body is Pierce, who's been reported dead. Hawkeye finally gets a hold of his father after having a wake is his honor.
The Bus - The doctors, and Radar, are lost after the bus that they are in breaks down. Frnak, on a 2 way radio continuously talks into it, even though everyone tells him that it's mate is at the camp, miles away, way out range, and broken. Frank tries to talk to a fighter, thousands of feet up, moving very fast. A Korean gives up to them, Frank watches him gun at the ready. Eventually, after Frank gets some sleep, the Korean fixes the bus and they head back to camp.
Dear Mildred. Potter writes his wife for their 27th anniversay. He tells of how he's adjusting to life at the camp. Meanwhile, Radar talks to B.J and Hawkeye about how he can't get comfortable around Potter. They both assure Radar that Potter is O.K. their conversation is interupted by a chopper bringing mail. The pilot also says that there is a horse that he wants to put out of his misery. Radar, ever the animal lover, convinces Hawkeye and B.J to get the horse. They save the horse which turns out to be the anniversary gift that Radar gives to Potter. Potter an old Cavalry hand is overwhelmed. Potter slips in manure and Frank says that's gross. Potter however says "To me that's a tiptoe through the tulips.
Dear Peggy - B.J writes home, for the third time that week. "It's the only way I can keep my sanity" is his reason. He writes about Klinger's many attempts to escape, which include a huge raft, dressing up like an older Korean woman, and dressing like a bush. He also talks about the taskmaster chaplain that is visiting the camp, much to the dismay of Father Mulcahy.
Of Moose And Men - B.J writes a letter for Zale, and fixes his broken hand when he punches a stove. Hawkeye gets the ire of a colonel. Frank's paranoia is at an all time high. He thinks that someone is trying to blow up the camp. He checks his toothpaste for explosives. Classic Frank Burns.
Mail Call Again - Frank gets a letter saying that his wife wants a divorce because she knows about Margaret. He calls her and tells her that Houllihan is "an old war horse" and "an army mule with bossoms. Potter finds that he's going to be a grandfather and a pool is set up for guessing the day the child is born.
Der Tag - Margaret is on R&R which makes Frank impossible. To appease him Hawkeye and B.J treat him like a friend. He ends up at the front with a dog tag on his feet that Hawkeye and B.J put there. "Emotionally exhausted and Morally Bankrupt" is what is on the dog tag. Hawkeye and B.J are ordered by Potter to go up and get him. They end up in the middle of a huge push and B.J gets a rude introduction to an aid station.
Some 38th Parallels - Frank tries to sell the camp's garabage for profit. Hawkeye, going through some personaly issues, buys it all. A Colonel visit the camp. He's famous for sending troops in, no matter the cost, to retrieve bodies of American soldiers. He's proud of how he got all the bodies and kills "reds" even though he lost several other American soldires in doing so. Hawkeye has the garbage that he bought, dropped on this colonel.
The Novacaine Mutiny - An attempt to court-martial Hawkeye leads to two very different views of O.R, a poker game, which Frank banned, and a hunt for $300 that was lost in that poker game. "Gambling has been banned from this camp, therefore the money was stolen." Frank gets Radar to help him. He searches Mulcahy's tent, Klinger's dresses, of course the swamp, and Radar's belongings. He never finds if of course, but never accepts that it was lost in a poker game. After the guy overseeing the tribunal to see if charges are warranted says that Hawkeye won't face charges, frank asks him what he thinks of his medical skills. "If you hadn't been drafted as a doctor, I think you would have been assigned as a pastry chef. The end, which has been cut from many showings, is classic. Must see.
Two new members of MASH 4077th didn't change anything except for the role call. Some ways it got a heck of a lot better. I've always thought that the slapstick of the first three years got to be too old.
Rating: 
Summary: Are You Familiar with "Jumping the Shark?"
Review: If you are, then you should know that M*A*S*H - Season 4 is exactly where the shark was jumped for this series.
In Season 4, M*A*S*H goes from being an often riotously funny comedy to a preachy, politically correct (in a time when political correctness did not yet exist), and virtually humourless sit-com.
I remember reading a critic (I cannot remember his name at the moment) who referred to the series (after the departure of McClean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers) as becoming, "Alan Alda's weekly morality play." I could not have said it better and I could not agree more!
If that's your cup of tea, fine. For me, I purchased Seasons 1-3 as soon as they became available. I also have the motion picture DVD and the novel by Richard Hooker. I love them all!
However, I have no intention of purchasing the remaining seasons. I get enough political correctness in my every day life in 21st century America.
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