M*A*S*HCast #5 – The Moose

M*A*S*HCast #1 -  Season 1, Episode 5: The Moose

Special Guest Star: Nicholas Prom

Air Date: October 15, 1972

Have a question or comment?

E-MAIL: firewaterpodcast@comcast.net

Theme music by Johnny Mandel

Subscribe to M*A*S*HCast on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/m-a-s-hcast/id1329304951

Follow M*A*S*HCast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/MASH4077Cast

This podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK:

That is all!

12 responses to “M*A*S*HCast #5 – The Moose

  1. Fun episode! Always nice to hear Nicholas on the network, and on his own shows of course!

    I’m a firm believer that these types of stories resonate with kids and help build their worldview. From something real-world relatable like this, to pleas for tolerance in outright fantasies like Superman and the Mole Men, it definitely helps develop a moral core of right and wrong.

    If MASH were streaming I would definitely follow along with the show. I still catch random episodes on MeTV, but It would be fun to watch the featured episode, then listen to the commentary track you are providing!

    Glad to hear the show is going twice weekly (even though I already knew it). Your love for this show comes through in every episode.

    Chris

  2. Wait, cartoons lack substance?! My whole world is crumbling around me.

    Seriously though, thank you for another great episode. A couple of random thoughts I have on The Moose:

    I like this episode, because it tackles a weightier topic than the previous ones. I like to think that the cast and creators are starting to flex their muscles, and experiment with where they can go in this series.

    I’ve been thinking more about the eventual change in Radar’s character from schemer to naive farmboy, and wonder if that wasn’t done to create more “diversity” in the cast. As a schemer, Radar is basically a pint-sized version of Hawkeye and Trapper. As the innocent farmboy, he has his own unique place within the cast. From a practical standpoint, Radar’s naivety leads him to ask questions, which allows other characters to deliver exposition to the audience. I think Ho-Jon kind of filled this role in some of the early episodes, though he is the one giving the exposition in this particular episode.

    Regarding the lack of cleanliness in the Swamp. I’ve always assumed that the mess was a form of protest against the war. A clean tent would be too GI for Hawkeye and Trapper. Not to mention that the mess annoys Frank.

    I also love the wisecracking kid, a character type that shows up at least once more in the series. I recall a later episode where a Korean boy comes into camp looking for someone to perform surgery on him to make him look more “American.” There were some great scenes in that one between Margret and the boy.

    I’m looking forward to the next episode.

      1. I agree that farmboy Radar is sometimes portrayed as so innocent and naive that he strays into the realm of caricature.

  3. Loved the shout-out to SNEAKERS. My missus and I also saw it years ago when it first came out but haven’t seen it since.

  4. Hey Nicholas! It’s good to hear my fellow Snapper Carr apologist hanging with Rob at the ol’ 4077th.

    I’m going through the series for the second time since I bought the DVDs and I just finished watching “The Moose”. As I mentioned before the first season is my least favorite due to its uneven tone. They were still working the bugs out of the formula and it doesn’t quite feel ‘right’ until near the end of the season. However I still enjoy the early episodes for what they are and this one was particularly good.

    My favorite bit was Hawkeye trying to compose a “Dear Dad” letter in his head explaining how he just won a person in a poker game.

    I also really liked the way Spearchucker seemed more like a real character and less of a hanger-on this time out. I know it became necessary to pare down the cast a bit, and I didn’t miss Ugly John or Ho-Jon at all, but I think Spearchucker had the potential to become a worthwhile character if he’d stuck around another season.

    Rob, I’m glad you decided to increase the frequency of episodes. I look forward to hearing the final show sometime in 2029. 😉

    “Groovy” Mike Decker

  5. Another great episode, both the source and the podcast. This was always one of my favorites because of its strong moral tone, and because Spearchucker was there. I do agree with Nicholas, though, if Frank and Margaret had been there would the episode have been a bit different? It would have been hard to come out in favor of slavery, but racism sure…..interesting idea. Also how about Father Mulcahy? If this story had happened in later seasons you know he would have become involved.
    Great to hear that the podcast frequency is increasing. Hooray!

  6. Thought to myself: “Lobby Rob to do a Film and Water on Sneakers.”

    Later: “Oh, Rob’s thinking it too. That’s good.”

    Later-er: “Still should lobby Rob to a Film and Water on Sneakers.”

    Hooray for the fortnightly podcast schedule! Keep ’em coming!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *