I like this episode. It has a nice tension to it. Despite having their butts handed to them if they goof up, the characters in this drama can't resist falling back on old habits. Because Frank and Margaret reported Henry's incompetence, General Clayton has sent a rather gung-ho psychologist to evaluate the camp. If he finds them to be what the two majors say, he will split up the camp. Of course, Henry immediately blabs even though he is supposed to be hush hush. This starts a string of mishaps and strained relations. Hawkeye can't resist shooting his mouth off. They tell the psychologist that when the war is over, they are going to start their own clinic. Hawkeye adds that Frank will be parking the cars. Of course, things always get back to the surgeons and their work.
6 Reviews
If it Ain't Broke, Don't Fix it.
ExplorerDS678916 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
General Clayton feels the pressures of war are starting to take their toll on the staff of the 4077th, so he decides to send a psychiatrist, Captain Hildebrand, to see for himself if the unit is fine the way it is or if he would recommend the staff be broken up and sent to other units. Before the captain is sent about his task, the general fills him in on just what he'll be dealing with, or rather, whom. He talks about Colonel Henry Blake and how he's not the best commander, but his people still like him, especially a little filly named Leslie who does his laundry, and we will thankfully never see her again. His clerk, Radar, practically runs the whole outfit and all Henry has to do is sign. Majors Houlihan and Burns are hell-spawn who... well, not very many good things are said about them. Finally, Hawkeye and Trapper, mischief makers by night, brilliant surgeons by day. Has Hildebrand got his work cut out for him or what? When the captain arrives at the 4077th, he tells Henry about why he's there and suggests keeping it on the QT. Henry agrees, however when he finds out Frank and Margaret are the real reason Hildebrand is there, as they so smugly tell him. Henry warns them to shape up, lest they be split up and moved to other units. He tells the same thing to Hawkeye and Trapper in the shower... no, they don't all take showers together, Henry brought them into the shower tent for a hush-hush meeting.
There's one member of the unit General Clayton never bothered to mention: Corporal Klinger. You remember him, right? The kook who wears dresses to get out on a Section 8? Despite his outward appearance, Klinger is very professional with his work, as are the others in camp. Under the threat of possibly splitting up, Hawkeye and Trapper attempt to be buddy-buddy with Frank, but Hildebrand saw right through them. Eventually, Hildebrand makes his report, gathering everybody into Henry's office. Then the bickering ensues, and the pointing of fingers, and the childishness. He said, she said, he said, no he didn't, and so on. Suddenly, Radar appears at the window to announce incoming wounded, and the gang runs off as if nothing had been happening. Hildebrand observes the gang in the O.R., seeing them to be professional and highly skilled at their jobs. They just act like jackasses to stave off boredom, something the high-end officers can't seem to grasp. This is General Clayton's case as the old man pays a visit to Captain Hildebrand, who was knocking back one in the Swamp and concludes that while this crew is indeed cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, it would be borderline psychotic to split them up. Therefore, the entire 4077th staff will stay exactly as it is...until Season 4. Stay tuned for the obnoxious P.A. announcer to recite a line from the 1970 MASH movie and name off the cast roster.
The premise of the 4077th being split up is repeated in Season 10, but that one is much worse, because they knew they were recycling an old plot, but decided to go with it nonetheless. Anyway, Divided We Stand is actually a pretty decent episode. It was written like a second pilot to re-introduce all the characters. The show wasn't exactly a ratings darling during the first season and it was almost canceled. Thank goodness William Paley is pussy-whipped, because he listened to his wife and kept M*A*S*H on the air. So if you want to be reintroduced to these memorable characters and see that the key to maintaining sanity in war is to play pranks and be a smart-ass, then check out Divided We Stand. Season 2 seems to be off to a good start.
There's one member of the unit General Clayton never bothered to mention: Corporal Klinger. You remember him, right? The kook who wears dresses to get out on a Section 8? Despite his outward appearance, Klinger is very professional with his work, as are the others in camp. Under the threat of possibly splitting up, Hawkeye and Trapper attempt to be buddy-buddy with Frank, but Hildebrand saw right through them. Eventually, Hildebrand makes his report, gathering everybody into Henry's office. Then the bickering ensues, and the pointing of fingers, and the childishness. He said, she said, he said, no he didn't, and so on. Suddenly, Radar appears at the window to announce incoming wounded, and the gang runs off as if nothing had been happening. Hildebrand observes the gang in the O.R., seeing them to be professional and highly skilled at their jobs. They just act like jackasses to stave off boredom, something the high-end officers can't seem to grasp. This is General Clayton's case as the old man pays a visit to Captain Hildebrand, who was knocking back one in the Swamp and concludes that while this crew is indeed cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs, it would be borderline psychotic to split them up. Therefore, the entire 4077th staff will stay exactly as it is...until Season 4. Stay tuned for the obnoxious P.A. announcer to recite a line from the 1970 MASH movie and name off the cast roster.
The premise of the 4077th being split up is repeated in Season 10, but that one is much worse, because they knew they were recycling an old plot, but decided to go with it nonetheless. Anyway, Divided We Stand is actually a pretty decent episode. It was written like a second pilot to re-introduce all the characters. The show wasn't exactly a ratings darling during the first season and it was almost canceled. Thank goodness William Paley is pussy-whipped, because he listened to his wife and kept M*A*S*H on the air. So if you want to be reintroduced to these memorable characters and see that the key to maintaining sanity in war is to play pranks and be a smart-ass, then check out Divided We Stand. Season 2 seems to be off to a good start.
Despite differences, a powerful team
cashbacher5 April 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Having received reports questioning the stability and effectiveness of the 4077 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), General Clayton sends a psychiatrist to the unit to examine and report on their operational status. While Henry Blake is instructed to keep the psychiatrist's mission secret, he meets with his surgical people and implores them to be on their best behavior. There is the real threat that General Clayton will order the unit to be broken up and the members transferred to other units.
This works for a short time, but the plan quickly falls apart and the psychiatrist observes some of the usual antics of the team members. However, when the wounded start rolling in and the surgical teams go to work, the psychiatrist realizes how good they are and reports that they should remain as they are. In true MASH fashion, the recommendation comes over a round of swamp martinis.
This episode illustrates one of the major premises of the show. Despite having major differences in personality, style and temperament to the point where they don't like each other, when the wounded arrive, they work together. The jokes in this episode are not the greatest, but that is really not the point of this one.
Incredible writing to recap and bring forward
tomwins115 January 2023
M*A*S*H didn't find all it's audience the first season (as many great shows don't). But in re-runs in the summer, they found more lovers. In order to re-cap and catch-up, move forward the characters, and bring in viewers - Larry Gelbart wrote S2 E1. It does an incredible job of entertaining while summing up the characters. I've seen every episode of M*A*S*H many times and if I were to recommend a 1st episode to someone it would be this. By the end you'll be hooked. Then go back to the beginning and after you watch the first season you'll love watching this episode again and enjoy as much, if not more, than you did the first time.
The one where the unit may be broken up
jarrodmcdonald-19 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is the first episode of the second season of M*A*S*H. It was a bit surprising to realize that Larry Gelbart wrote this episode, because I felt it had some inconsistencies. First, the previous episode at the end of season one had Henry worried about his wife back home going into labor without him. He seemed to be considerate of his wife and focused on the separation their marriage is enduring. Larry Gelbart co-wrote that episode.
But here we are in the very next story with Henry kissing another woman, multiple times, who obviously spent the night with him. I guess Henry has already forgotten about his wife and newborn son. So much for him being a family man!
Also, it is said that General Clayton (Herb Voland) is deciding whether to break up the unit. He is supposedly worried about the pressures they are all under, which he iterates to a psychiatrist (Anthony Holland) whom he is sending to the camp to observe, then report back.
In past episodes from the previous season, Clayton took special pride in the 4077th. He seemed to have utmost confidence in their abilities to do well in a nearly impossible situation. So it seems out of character for him to suddenly have these concerns about the men and women under Henry's command.
Of course, all of this gives Gelbart an excuse to put the main and recurring characters under the microscope, and for us to re-examine them. In some ways, this might have worked better as a pilot episode, to help the audience become familiar with the individual characters in a single introductory episode, and set up the themes and weekly stories. But at this point, the 25th episode of the series, the audience should already be well-versed about various M*A*S*H personnel and their antics.
Trivia note: this episode marked the first of Kellye Nakahura's 169 episodes as Nurse Kellye Yamato.
But here we are in the very next story with Henry kissing another woman, multiple times, who obviously spent the night with him. I guess Henry has already forgotten about his wife and newborn son. So much for him being a family man!
Also, it is said that General Clayton (Herb Voland) is deciding whether to break up the unit. He is supposedly worried about the pressures they are all under, which he iterates to a psychiatrist (Anthony Holland) whom he is sending to the camp to observe, then report back.
In past episodes from the previous season, Clayton took special pride in the 4077th. He seemed to have utmost confidence in their abilities to do well in a nearly impossible situation. So it seems out of character for him to suddenly have these concerns about the men and women under Henry's command.
Of course, all of this gives Gelbart an excuse to put the main and recurring characters under the microscope, and for us to re-examine them. In some ways, this might have worked better as a pilot episode, to help the audience become familiar with the individual characters in a single introductory episode, and set up the themes and weekly stories. But at this point, the 25th episode of the series, the audience should already be well-versed about various M*A*S*H personnel and their antics.
Trivia note: this episode marked the first of Kellye Nakahura's 169 episodes as Nurse Kellye Yamato.
Introducing Kellye Nakahara as Lt. Kellye Yamato, RN
safenoe11 March 2024
Warning: Spoilers
In my earlier review of season one, which I saw ages and ages ago, I thought that Odessa Cleveland didn't return after season one, but I was most certainly wrong, because she did return for seasons two and three and one episode in season four. Also, Divided We Stand sees the debut of Kellye Nakahara, and she becomes a valuable part of the 4077th. In fact, the M*A*S*H Matters podcast, hosted by superfan Ryan Patrick and Jeff Maxwell, famous for playing Igor, interviewed Kellye. I'd love for Ryan and Jeff to also interview Odessa, along with Patrick Adiarte (who played Ho Jon in season one) init.
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