Legendary actor Jackie Cooper directed Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde from the second season of M*A*S*H. Interestingly, the M*A*S*H Matters podcast, hosted by superfan Ryan Patrick and Jeff Maxwell, famous for playing Igor (he started playing this role in early season two) talked about Jackie Cooper's directing style, and whilst he didn't make many friends on the set, he was respected as an accomplished director. Odessa Cleveland continues her role as Ginger, and I would love for Ryan and Jeff to bring Ginger on as a guest for the podcast. Roy Goldman also appears in the episode, and his son gave an entertaining and informative interview on M*A*S*H Matters.
7 Reviews
First time we see Hawkeye's mental health
superfox_88820 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Most people know of, or remember, the final episodes/movie of this show. Hawkeye suffers a severe mental breakdown triggered by an extremely traumatic experience.
Although other reviews diss this episode, it's the first time we really see Hawkeye having a mental health episode.
At the time of airing, America was involved in the Vietnam War, and the topic of mental health wasn't a well-talked about thing, nor was it researched. No doubt an episode like this brought up conversations about mental health which the army probably didn't want to hear.
In any case, as a narrative over the series, this episode is important because we see a glimpse into the mental health of not soldiers, but regular people who found themselves in the middle of a war. Especially Hawkeye, whom we know has a breakdown in the finale.
Although other reviews diss this episode, it's the first time we really see Hawkeye having a mental health episode.
At the time of airing, America was involved in the Vietnam War, and the topic of mental health wasn't a well-talked about thing, nor was it researched. No doubt an episode like this brought up conversations about mental health which the army probably didn't want to hear.
In any case, as a narrative over the series, this episode is important because we see a glimpse into the mental health of not soldiers, but regular people who found themselves in the middle of a war. Especially Hawkeye, whom we know has a breakdown in the finale.
Casulties of war.
steveknightvoice7 February 2022
It's no secret that Alan Alda more or less "took over" the show in the later seasons, but you can see hints of whats to come in episodes like this.
Everyone is putting in long hours in the O. R. but only Hawkeye, like always seems to suffer ill effects. He wanders around the camp. Babbling semi coherently, & being a general nuisance, while an entire hospital staff seems to be unable to sedate him.
This episode almost seems like a precursor to the much maligned "Hawkeye" in season 4, with Alda's stream of conciousness blathering & scenery chewing. As we'll find out in the next few episodes, MASH is at it's best as an ensemble show.
Everyone is putting in long hours in the O. R. but only Hawkeye, like always seems to suffer ill effects. He wanders around the camp. Babbling semi coherently, & being a general nuisance, while an entire hospital staff seems to be unable to sedate him.
This episode almost seems like a precursor to the much maligned "Hawkeye" in season 4, with Alda's stream of conciousness blathering & scenery chewing. As we'll find out in the next few episodes, MASH is at it's best as an ensemble show.
Insomnia, Anyone?
Hitchcoc25 February 2015
This is one of those far fetched episodes that could never happen. The premise is that Pierce has been pulling so many shifts in the OR that he becomes a kind of zombie. He talks irrationally and continues to walk around in a stupor. Nothing anyone does has any affect. When the operating starts he becomes completely rational. The fact he is allowed to do any of this pushes the limits of even sitcom reality. He keeps going around asking how he war started as if he were a three-year-old. If you like to watch Alan Alda do almost anything, this is a chance to watch him. For me, not worth the time. On numerous occasions he has challenged his authority. In this one he is basically unconscious, but so cute.
Insomnia is a Strange Bedfellow.
ExplorerDS678918 September 2014
Warning: Spoilers
A deluge of wounded have been pouring into the 4077th for the last three days, and as you can imagine, a man can get pretty tired operating non- stop for 72 hours. However, for reasons unknown, Hawkeye can't seem to sleep. He just wanders around, half asleep, making asinine comments and jumps at the sound of an approaching chopper. Despite being under orders from Henry to stand down and get some rest, Hawkeye still joins them all in the O.R. That night, he takes a stroll around the camp, then wakes Trapper out of a sound sleep to inform him of his findings: there's a war going on. But Hawkeye wants to know who started it, so he has Radar send a telegram to President Truman. Yes, he does that without question while Hawkeye sings Christmas carols. Still his groggy, impetuous self, he next tries to stop a chopper pilot from doing his duty, because he thinks if no more wounded are brought in, the war will stop. I should like to remind everybody that he's half conscious at this point and isn't thinking with all 10% of his brain.
Still curious as to why we're fighting this war, Hawkeye attends one of Frank's tedious lectures to the men about why we're fighting the Commies. The long and the short of it is that he mentions bathrooms being the key offensive, as we have them and they do not. Figuring sending a bathroom to North Korea will solve their war problem, Hawkeye gets right on it, while Henry gets word that General Clayton found out about the telegram to Truman and he's on his way to the 4077th to let the fur fly. It's at this time, Hawkeye has tied a rope to the officers' latrine and the other end to an ambulance, intent on going about his foolhardy plan. Trapper attempts to sedate him, but in a stupid moment of slapstick, Frank moves in front of Hawkeye and takes the shot instead. So now the fat general arrives and has to stop in the latrine and take a leak, despite Radar's warnings, for all of a sudden, the moron has started towing the latrine to the north! Eventually they get him to come down by way of slipping a mickey in his martini, and I guess everything that happened was deemed inconsequential.
No real plot to this episode, and no real effort either. It's stupid. This might have sounded good on paper, but I can't figure out why they green-lit this "script." It's poorly written and it's poorly directed, and poorly acted. Hawkeye sleepwalks around camp, comes up with a stupid reason for why we're fighting a war and tows off a latrine. Could it be the writers were experiencing insomnia when they came up with this crap? Hawkeye is beyond annoying. More so than usual. The things he says and does are not funny, not poignant, not deep, just the ramblings of a near-crazy man. No, wait, there's no near about it, he definitely is a loony. I suggest skipping Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde. It's really, really stupid and not funny in the least. Oh, and this is General Clayton's last appearance in the series. Good, I never liked him anyway.
Still curious as to why we're fighting this war, Hawkeye attends one of Frank's tedious lectures to the men about why we're fighting the Commies. The long and the short of it is that he mentions bathrooms being the key offensive, as we have them and they do not. Figuring sending a bathroom to North Korea will solve their war problem, Hawkeye gets right on it, while Henry gets word that General Clayton found out about the telegram to Truman and he's on his way to the 4077th to let the fur fly. It's at this time, Hawkeye has tied a rope to the officers' latrine and the other end to an ambulance, intent on going about his foolhardy plan. Trapper attempts to sedate him, but in a stupid moment of slapstick, Frank moves in front of Hawkeye and takes the shot instead. So now the fat general arrives and has to stop in the latrine and take a leak, despite Radar's warnings, for all of a sudden, the moron has started towing the latrine to the north! Eventually they get him to come down by way of slipping a mickey in his martini, and I guess everything that happened was deemed inconsequential.
No real plot to this episode, and no real effort either. It's stupid. This might have sounded good on paper, but I can't figure out why they green-lit this "script." It's poorly written and it's poorly directed, and poorly acted. Hawkeye sleepwalks around camp, comes up with a stupid reason for why we're fighting a war and tows off a latrine. Could it be the writers were experiencing insomnia when they came up with this crap? Hawkeye is beyond annoying. More so than usual. The things he says and does are not funny, not poignant, not deep, just the ramblings of a near-crazy man. No, wait, there's no near about it, he definitely is a loony. I suggest skipping Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde. It's really, really stupid and not funny in the least. Oh, and this is General Clayton's last appearance in the series. Good, I never liked him anyway.
The one where Hawkeye is sleep deprived
jarrodmcdonald-111 April 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This was the second episode that Alan Alda wrote for the show, though he shares a collaborating credit with Robert Klane. Episodes like this help make Hawkeye a more prominent character, because Alda never seems to write stories that make Trapper the main focus. I wonder what would have happened if Wayne Rogers had started writing episodes and didn't quit at the end of the third season, frustrated with how Trapper was becoming a supporting player to Hawkeye. But that's another issue. (Note: Rogers did write two episodes of his subsequent series, House Calls, in 1981 and 1982.)
The basic story for this one involves Hawkeye's need for sleep. A nonstop flow of incoming wounded means he and the others are performing more hours of meatballs surgery than they would like. The lack of sleep is affecting Hawkeye psychologically, and he's becoming moodier than usual. Hence the title's allusion to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
In his frustration, Hawkeye decides to go after the person or persons responsible for the war. This is because he needs someone to blame for his ongoing insomnia. In terms of a narrative concept, this is a funny scenario. Imagine if we could blame big brother or some government bigwigs for our inability to get a much-needed rest each night. It's amusing to see Hawkeye take the situation personally and for him to go so far as to have Radar help send a letter to Truman about his concerns.
The fallout from this is predictable, in terms of M*A*S*H comedy. Hawkeye's crusade causes a domino effect in the military hierarchy, which involves General Clayton (Herb Voland) contacting Henry to straighten out the matter and basically get Hawkeye under control. Or at least help him catch a few Z's before the next set of wounded arrive. Sweet dreams, Hawkeye!
The basic story for this one involves Hawkeye's need for sleep. A nonstop flow of incoming wounded means he and the others are performing more hours of meatballs surgery than they would like. The lack of sleep is affecting Hawkeye psychologically, and he's becoming moodier than usual. Hence the title's allusion to Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
In his frustration, Hawkeye decides to go after the person or persons responsible for the war. This is because he needs someone to blame for his ongoing insomnia. In terms of a narrative concept, this is a funny scenario. Imagine if we could blame big brother or some government bigwigs for our inability to get a much-needed rest each night. It's amusing to see Hawkeye take the situation personally and for him to go so far as to have Radar help send a letter to Truman about his concerns.
The fallout from this is predictable, in terms of M*A*S*H comedy. Hawkeye's crusade causes a domino effect in the military hierarchy, which involves General Clayton (Herb Voland) contacting Henry to straighten out the matter and basically get Hawkeye under control. Or at least help him catch a few Z's before the next set of wounded arrive. Sweet dreams, Hawkeye!
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