M*A*S*H (TV Series) Good-Bye Radar: Part 2 (1979) User Reviews

The End of an Era

[Hitchcoc · 8/10 · 17 April 2015]

This is Gary Burghoff's last episode. After receiving news of his uncle's death, Radar must pass the torch to Klinger, who is amazingly incompetent. The key issue is getting a generator, the loss of which is having a profound effect on the camp. At one point, Radar tells everyone that the camp needs him and he has changed his mind about leaving. This forces Klinger to finally get off the mark and start to use his abilities. Klinger ends up at a supply unit and has to use elements of his past to pull off a switcheroo. This has an ending that will stay with you if you haven't seen it before. Like so many good series, this one managed to continue, despite the loss of significant characters.

Radar becomes a man, Klinger remains a man.

[safenoe · 10/10 · 8 October 2020]

Goodbye Radar. Radar, who with his extraordinary mind-reading abilities brought a touch of the supernatural to the 4077th, bids farewell. It's very emotional, with the core cast saying goodbye amidst incoming patients. Hawkeye's salute to Radar at the end was incredibly moving.

Klinger steps up to company clerk sans dresses.

Radar becomes a man. Klinger remains a man.

So Long Radar, Well Deserved

[lorenjrudd · 10/10 · 25 January 2018]

This goodbye was as good as anything the show ever did. I'll agree that the show sort of (pardon the use of another show's demise catch phrase) jumped the shark near here. I think the first 5 seasons were the best, although Charles' first year was damn good too. My favorite was probably season 5, when Frank was at his overly-neurotic best. Excellent episodes followed but not every one.

Don't know and don't care if Gary was difficult to work with because he was one of the finest characters on the show. He deserved a great send off like this. Too bad he didn't listen to Mike Farrell who apparently tried to remind him of McLean Stevenson and Larry Linville.

Lovely send off

[garp-02621 · 10/10 · 5 March 2024]

Noone can say "Choppers" like Radar.

Love the way Klinger found a way to get the hang of things. The heartfelt goodbye by the bunch. At least Col potter is still living at time of Radar goodbye considering how sad it was that Col Blade didn't make it.

Love that winchester called Radar "Walter" considered how rarely you hear his name mentioned.

Also fasinating that the choppers arrive to "spoil" the going away party showing that War goes on without him.

Hawkeyes sad look at salute while radar saluts him back was fitting. He's a man now.

Radars memory carries over into the next episode and mike farrell gives an awesome perforance to show the pain and distance of war on those seperated from their loved ones but so glad Walter got home.

I had heard the spinoff never got off the ground but this episode was a fitting ending to his character. Any more would have ruined it.

Gd bless you Radar Walter O' reily.

I wish I'd skipped this one

[bernadettedens-23561 · 3/10 · 6 March 2023]

I don't understand all the high ratings for this episode unless perhaps many diehard fans of the MASH series just couldn't bring themselves to give any episode a low rating? Completely understandable. I recently decided to watch this sitcom from beginning to end as I'd basically stopped watching it decades ago after the seventh season. I wish I'd skipped over this two parter where Radar O'Reilly goes home.

The character of Radar was like a different person! Gary Burghoff looked different, his voice sounded different, and he seemed angry throughout the entire episode. It was jarring, like they'd brought in a different actor in order to bring some closure to Radar's character. Again, I wish I'd skipped over this one but the ratings were so high. I appreciate fan loyalty but this episode is not good.

Goodbye Gary Burghoff, not Goodbye Radar

[tac1055 · 4/10 · 8 February 2023]

I have to say I did not care for this 2-part goodbye send off to Radar. For seven seasons the character of Radar was established as an innocent, easy going, all around nice guy. In these last two episodes, he was a different character altogether. He was an angry, resentful, not so nice of a guy. If they were trying to show how he had matured into being more "adult" due to his experience in Korea, they could've done it without turning him into a totally "unlikeable" character. The same could be said if they were simply trying to show Gary could play a different type of character with a different/broader range of emotions. To me, this was more of a Goodbye Gary, rather than Goodbye Radar.

Gary just seems so ticked off

[wildbilly0690 · 5/10 · 8 April 2022]

I understand the need for Gary to quit the show, we've all heard various stories about that. But what I didn't like what how mad Radar was throughout the entire show. Every line he spoke was harsh and deep voiced. I liked his soft, child like voice in every episode before this. He also kept his hat off showing his full head of curly hair instead of his softer, thinner hair. My other peeve was all the "Radarisms" being said like "I'll say hello to your sister the sister" and lots others.

I am rather pleased that Klinger got promoted to Clerk instead of Camp Drag Queen however, I find it difficult to believe that Klinger suddenly wanted to stay in Korea instead of pushing for his Section 8 to go home, it just didn't make sense.

Overall, I say the episode was pretty well written, it was certainly needed to say Goodbye to Radar, I just wish Gary was more into the spirit of things when it was filmed. I just feel like Gary resented being forced on the set to make one last appearance and everyone just had to put up with him just one last time.