M*A*S*HCast #12 – Dear Dad

M*A*S*HCast -  Season 1, Episode 12: Dear Dad

Special Guest Star: Cory Drew

Air Date: December 17, 1972

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9 responses to “M*A*S*HCast #12 – Dear Dad

  1. Dear Rob & Cory,

    Another fine episode. You really went in-depth while discussing this one. I appreciate the insight you both brought to one of my favorite first season episodes. Cory’s suggestion that Hot-Lips didn’t know about Frank’s wife until this episode has me curious to re-watch the previous 11 to see if I can spot any prior references to Mrs. Burns. It just goes to prove that no matter how many times you watch M*A*S*H (and I’ve seen it all the way through twice since Rob began the podcast) there’s always another layer to explore.

    I’m a big fan of Christmas episodes of my favorite TV shows and M*A*S*H did some really great ones. I will definitely be listening to this episode again when I do my annual Christmas show marathon in December.

    Sincerely yours,
    “Groovy” Mike Decker

  2. Nice episode! If you ever need a guest to “defend” Frank Burns let me know! I totally understand Cory’s ambivalence toward the character. His combination of ineptitude, pettiness, and arrogance provided a nice foil to Hawkeye and the “good guys.” I don’t think he could have sustained over 11 seasons as did Margaret (when they dropped Hot Lips) but he was a good villain during the early years. Unfortunately, the world is filled with Frank Burns’ who get a little power and use it to shore up their own sense of inadequacy.

    My take has always been if you’re wondering who the “Frank Burns” is at your workplace – be careful because it may be you!

  3. This is one of my favorite episodes of Season 1. MASH wasn’t afraid to slow things down a bit to build characters.

    I like the Santa Claus moment for the same reason I like the Sherlock Holmes moment in “Everyone Hates a Mystery” – it shows the absurdism of war by inserting something equally as absurd.

    Great show as always!

  4. Great review and fun comments as always!
    I don’t remember this episode too well, which makes me want to go back and re-watch it again immediately!
    I DO remember the “Dear Dad” motive and I always wished that there had been Frank Burns and Margaret Hoolihan episodes. I always wished Margaret had written Donald about MASH. Probably we couldn’t get through a whole Burns letter but it would have been nice to see.
    I ALSO remember the episode where Radar is promoted and then has to teach Klinger how to make PA announcements. THAT episode always threw me for a loop!!

  5. Delightful discussion, gentlemen. I’ll have to pay attention to “Mrs Burns” references. As stated, the show is still figuring out these characters, and doesn’t stay beholden in continuity with the first seasons, so she might be silently written out. Time will tell.

    Oh, that PA announcer. It also reminds me of “Carlton your doorman” from Rhoda, which started a couple of years after MASH, but still a contemporary. But unlike Carlton and the other examples that interact with the cast or drive the plot, the PA guy is just sidebars and non sequiturs, an invisible presence above it all. Whoa, just like … Santa!! (mind. blown.)

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