Season 7, Episode 21: Rally ‘Round The Flagg, Boys
Special Guest Star: Bob Cesca
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I’ve always seen the return of Flagg in this as the show’s kiss-off to its previous incarnation. Whereas Flagg fit into the lunacy of the earlier seasons, the show had by this point evolved enough that Flagg seems like a veritable cartoon character. Indeed, they could have animated him for this episode, and it would have seemed no more outlandish than it already is.
No matter how many times I’ve seen it, I’m always a bit surprised when at the end, the MPs are so openly dismissive of Flagg. That’s pretty brassy, considering they’re probably just corporals or sergeants. But my guess is that Col. Flagg is such a well-known screw-up, the MPs know they won’t get in any trouble for blatantly insulting him.
And I love that we get another step in the personal growth of Charles, as his sense of morality overcomes his disdain for Hawkeye, not to mention his desire to return home.
And picture this for the Fall 1983 schedule: Post-war, Flagg and Freedman team up to fight crime as PSY-OPS! From the people who brought you “Simon & Simon”!
Another all-time great S7 episode and a super fun discussion. You know the episode is good when just listening to the summary is secondhand joy. Bob was a wonderful first time guest with yet another entertaining MASH backstory – one of the best parts of the podcast is getting to hear everyone’s various takes on the show as a whole and what stage in its evolution appeals the most to them, etc! Never gets old. Happy MASHCast Saturday!
ok maybe we can get a Flag series that ALSO EXPLAINS why Donald cheats so much
It was great seeing Colonel Flagg one last time. He and Frank were the two funniest characters from the early years of the show. I agree with Gene Popa’s comment. This episode is sort of the last remnant of the early seasons of the show. Flagg fit in well with the zaniness of the early years and the authoritarianism of Frank and Margaret in that era. But by this point in the series, with Frank gone and Margaret having evolved, Flagg is almost operating in a different reality than all of the other characters. And at certain points he comes off as more sinister, in a less comedic way, than he used to, like when he is about to cut off the wounded North Korean soldier’s IV tube.
I’m fascinated by all the spinoff/backdoor pilot/movie ideas. I hope to find his AfterMASH appearance somewhere. I look forward to your covering that on AfterMASH Cast!
Great discussion of a truly fantastic episode!! Bob’s story about drinking water out of martini glasses was so hilarilous and adorable. I loved the description of Flagg as a ‘fully realised cartoon character’. I think that’s what saves him from ever possibly becoming one-note or tiresome.
And, listen, sorry to make it all about BJ in what is basically not a BJ episode at all, but im BeejMomence and that’s what I’m here for. So can we talk about BJ’s insane mini-arc in this episode ive been dying to talk about BJ’s insane mini-arc in this episode. Telling Hawk so smugly ‘my thermostat’s set lower than yours’ and ‘you want me to apologise for being more rational than you are?’ and then snapping instantly when he sees Basgall attacking Hawk with that manic ‘i oughta break your NECK’ and Hawk having to pull him away, like………. beyond just the delicious idea of Hawkeye being a huge obvious weak spot in BJ’s cool exterior armour, the switch from ‘better let me talk to him for you’ to ‘i oughta break your neck’ is just nuts. i love the moments where that ‘volcano’ he’s got bubbling away under there explodes and in this episode where it’s paired with him singing the praises of his own rationality, there’s an extra spicy added layer to it. Like, BJ’s got this thing where he tells himself something and then believes it, like the saying makes it true. But the question remains if he reeaaally believes it or is just acting like he does, you know what i mean? and i honestly dont know whats better, the idea that he has NO idea at all that he really is not a totally chill normal man, moving through life batting away every bad situation with a laugh and a cheesy grin OR if he knows he’s not that guy at all and is holding that mask in place with all his strength because he doesnt wanna know what’ll happen if it slips. The button on this episode being him destroying Mulcahy’s punching bag is hilarious when you bring this idea into it. Does he even know the anger hes got? The rage?? The fear??? Does he know?? Would he want to know?? Would you want to tell him???? sorry no thats season 9. Anyway, the slow slide (or in this case breakneck (badum tsst) speed descent) into the less-than-chill BJ who we come to know in the later seasons is one of the most tragic and compelling character arcs of the whole show and this episode is, i think, a key part of that slow unravelling. And thats how BeejMomence sees it.
Well, I think I’m about to write the most controversial thing I have ever written in this comment section, so sit down and grab a friend.
I can’t stand Flagg. Can’t. Stand. Flagg. No, actually, that’s not entirely true, I do like the glimpses of a darker Flagg that we get to see on a couple of occasions, but Flagg as “the wind” or Flagg hiding in a trash can. No. No sir, I don’t like it at all. I understand what they were going for with Flagg as a character, but I just feel that he is at a level ten of wackiness all the time (except for those darker glimpses), and for me that represents the early seasons of the show, and those seasons aren’t for me.
No shadow should fall on Edward Winter, though, I think he did tremendously with what he was given.
So “Rally ’round…” is not a favorite episode of mine, but I really enjoyed hearing you two talk about it. Every time I hear someone enjoying something that doesn’t work for me – not gonna lie, I get very jealous – but most of all I love getting a new perspective on things. So, while I’m not gonna buy a ticket for the Flagg-movie, I hade a great time listening to this.
There are a couple of things I like about “Rally ’round…” though. I like how it feels like the early era of the show, represented by Flagg, hands over the torch to the new era, represented by Charles. Edward Winter and David Ogden Stiers are great together too, and I like how Flagg is trying to figure Charles out, while Charles is just in charge 🙂 🙂 🙂 That very thing, the cleverness of Charles, is so representative for the later era, there are just so many places they could go with Charles they never could with Frank. And I love the layers of him as a character, and that even when we see his softer sides, he still is quite selfishly motivated a lot of the time. Like it isn’t until he gets his red cap, and realizes Father Mulcahy has done something nice for him, that he is willing to donate money to the orpahanage in Dear Sis. I really like that the writers kept him like that, he never just turned soft and cuddly, there is always that edge to him. Just beautiful writing and acting.
I also like BJ’s anger here. His whole journey through the show is so interesting. How he comes in as this clean shaved young man with a kind of positive outlook on things. He doesn’t want to be in Korea, sure, but he still has this level of optimism to him, even tries to talk sense into Frank on a couple of occasions. And as time goes by, his anger keeps rising to the surface and he just turns sour. He is like a pressure cooker, and it’s always interesting to see when this angry steam comes pouring out. Mike Farrell has a way of delivering many of his lines with undercurrents of anger, even if the word he says are just mundane or jokey, and I truly appreciate that.
So, not a favorite MASH-episode, but I enjoyed listening to people who enjoy it 🙂
Since the holidays are right around the corner, I wanna say Merry Christmas to everyone! How lucky are we to have this little corner of the World Wide Web where we get to dig deep and analyze, and averyone is kind, sweet and smart! I hope everyone will have a white, lovely Christmas. Or green, depending on where you are.
Where I live, we have 50 shades of gray/brown going on. The temperature keep shifting back and forth, snow one day and rain the next, and everything is mud and/or ice out there. But good thing I’m a MASH-fan and have heard Sidney’s ice-advice, so I know what to do! No, actually, don’t do that, it’s terrible advice. I did it a couple of weeks ago, and now I’m no longer welcome at the local ice skating rink. It was all “My god, Marie, pull your pants back up, there are children present!” and “Aaaahh, my eyes! MY EYES!” Bunch of Franks, every one of them 😀 😉 😀
Christmas kisses to all!
Great episode, which really shows both the comedic strength of Charles’ character, and his moral backbone. I’m glad Charles could get one over on Flagg, and their interactions were a lot of fun. And as mentioned here, the line “Don’t play dumb, you’re not not as good at it as I am,” is a great one, and probably my favorite Flagg line overall.
I will say, I’ve actually come to agree with the writers’ decision to phase Flagg out after this, because there’s only so much you can do with the character. This one allowed him to go out on a strong note, and the ending is as fitting of an end for the character as anything IMO.
Great discussion on this episode. I love the payoff for Winchester at the end. The other cast realize that he pulled a scam on COL Flagg. I always enjoy when Winchester becomes one of the guys.
This is my favorite “what-if” story concept come to life. How would Trapper interact with Potter? How would BJ and Charles deal with Col. Blake? I always associate Flagg with a completely different generation of the show and remember thinking oh, by Season 7 he would never fit in. For some reason, I really liked Flagg with this cast and thought everyone meshed together just fine. Charles never broke character and evolved yet again into a person that Hawkeye wouldn’t hesitate to call “all right.”
Sure, Flagg is persona non grata by the next season and MASH became more grounded in a dramatic reality. The quintessential MASH episode of my youth was “The Best of Enemies.” You bring Flagg into that MASH and well, bye bye yuks and chuckles.
Great podcast episode and great new guest, Iron Guts! This is my least favorite Flagg episode of M*A*S*H, although it has its charms. He’s always been a caricature. Every good caricature is just an extreme, but recognizable exaggeration. I agree with some of the previous comments. The show is more true to life now, and Flagg doesn’t fit in. The interaction with Charles and the MPs at the end were perfect, though, because they’re real, and they’re reacting to the caricature appropriately. Jack Kirby said you can make anything happen in your story, as long as people react realistically.
While on active duty, I said that every full colonel I met had some quality that I was sure the promotion board saw — something at which they excelled. Of course, some have other negative qualities that make them a bad bet on net. Flagg, despite his ridiculousness, exemplifies this. There are some aspects of the job he’s genuinely good at. By this point, though, the huge negatives can no longer be hidden or ignored. It’s satisfying to know that consequences were coming, and he’d not be seen again until AfterMASH.