M*A*S*HCast #53 – O.R.

5 responses to “M*A*S*HCast #53 – O.R.”

1. That little ‘Trap’ line that has McIntyre go and check on Frank feels very much real.

   In the ED, we have certain used for the most critically ill patients. When someone is put in there, doctors other than those providing primary care usually wander by to make sure the physicians in the room don’t need extra help. In those times there is visual/oral shorthand. The doc in the room can usually give a look that let’s you know you aren’t needed. But other times there is a glance, or a calling out of your last name, that let’s you know you need to get in there and help. That sort of teamwork only comes with time. But when you get there it is incredibly potent.

   Liked this episode for all the reasons you say. I am not comparing my job to a surgeon’s in a MASH unit. But sometimes you have the intern who wants to do research in with you with in a serious case (like Sidney at the bedside) and you are talking them through something just because you need another set of hands. Sometimes you have to say ‘we’ve done all we can here’. I have come to appreciate MASH a lot more in my later years with the wisdom of my career for showing that.

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2. Enjoying the long awaited return of the podcast! This episode hit me especially well. Last year I had surgery to remove a kidney and did a heavy MASH re-watch/binge as part of the recovery. Frank almost taking the guy’s one good kidney kind of freaked me out! And it made me realize that after having an actual operation for the first time, actually having someone cut into me and mess with my insides, all the surgical scenes seemed to have an edge that they never had before. And not only the scenes in the OR, but the lines about cutting into people, all were suddenly so much more visceral. It spoke volumes about the quality of the show, both the writing and the integrity the characters had regarding what they did. I was able to more fully realize the seriousness of what they did and how precarious life could be. So yeah, I definitely wouldn’t want Frank to take my kidney if he’s not gonna bother checking if I have another one!!! 😀 Keep up the amazing work, Rob!

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3. Great episode.

   I remember watching this with my mom as a kid. She was a nurse and said some people are just born with one kidney. I don’t know what kind of medical screenings they do when you join the army, do they not do X-Rays or the like that might detect this?

   Hope you are doing well, Stan. That sounds rough. I have had surgery on one side of my body like that before and they always put marks on the side being worked on so they don’t do the wrong one. I would imagine your doctor did as well.

   Alan Arbus’ ex-wife committed suicide in 1971. They had been separated for years, but were still close friends. So maybe his experience dealing with her and her struggles gave him some insight into the human psyche that helped him in playing Sydney.

   I liked seeing another side of Frank. Trapper didn’t seem to hate Frank as much as Hawkeye and BJ did. I am the oddball who liked Frank. I wish they had done more with him. Maybe an episode where he and another doctor go to an aid station and he has a cathartic moment.

   They had no choice but to let the patient die. Sucks for him but if he can’t be saved they can’t afford to waste resources on him.

   The line about Henry dying in Bloomington was sad. I wonder if McClean had already given notice and this was foreshadowing on Gelbart’s part.

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4. It’s funny to see an episode where the cast spends so much time masked, when that’s also what I see out in public. Suddenly, being masked is the norm. Strange times, indeed.

   I’ve always liked this episode for all of those wonderful character moments. Hawkeye/Sydney and Trapper/Frank were my favorites. So amazing.

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5. I finally finished up the series on MeTV last month and it was the first time my wife and I had seen the complete series. Needless to say I haven’t listened to many of the podcasts because I didn’t want any spoilers (So I have not heard this one yet).

   On the latest podcast (The Bus) Rob mentioned the series was on Hulu and I wanted to see OR again so I checked it out on Hulu. Man, it looks greats compared to MeTV (which for some reason we do not have in HD, it is on a regular channel).

   One thing I noticed is that when Henry and Hawkeye are talking about arthritis it appears McLean Stevenson has a black eye! Watch it again, let me know what you think. Or maybe it was makeup to make him look tired?

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