Season 8, Episode 19: Morale Victory
Special Guest Star: Kellan
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Crows, Rob? CROWS?! Heckle and Jeckle were magpies, sir. Clearly the strain of producing 188 episodes of MASHcast has taken its toll. Or, y’know, there are more important pieces of trivia than the details of two cartoon birds who haven’t been culturally relevant in nearly 50 years. Whatever.
Did Heckle and Jeckle speak with British accents or did I imagine that? It’s probably been 60 years since I’ve seen them.
After hearing about eating cereal at Rosie’s, the phrase “Hunnicutt Cheerios” is now buzzing around my head. And I’m sure I’ve seen that bee mascot wearing Army fatigues.
A bowl of that drenched in powdered milk after school watching MASH reruns sounds like a party to me!
“It’s a honey of an oat. It’s Hunnicutt Cheerios”
Going through this season with all the wonderful guests has made me appreciate both Season 8 and Charles a lot more than I had previously. This episode has my second favorite Charles scene (with Private Sheridan at the piano). My all-time favorite is in “Dear Sis” with the toboggan cap. Charles shows so much humanity, even if most of the time it is hidden from others. I know that David Ogden Stiers was huge supporter and lover of music, guest conducting many symphonies even though he didn’t have any formal training. This episode was absolutely perfect for him.
Klinger has to go to Seoul, do Potter’s errand, find dinner, go to the drugstore, go to the library and then return. And after all of that he cannot enjoy the beach party because he has to be the cook? I think that’s called abuse.
And speaking of the beach party, wouldn’t one footlocker filled with sand make a pretty crumby beach?
I agree with Winchester. I took piano lessons when I was 10(I’m 73) and I can play the notes but not the music. Jack Benny told a story about violin virtuoso Isaac Stern being asked how well he thought Benny played. His answer of “well enough for his purpose” I believe that this describes my piano playing. My purpose is for self-enjoyment and enrichment. Even with all of the mistakes I make, my playing is “well enough for (my) purpose.”
And I final note — this is the first time I have really heard how out of tune the O Club’s piano is. When I first started taking lessons all my folks could afford was a sixty year old upright. Cost about $100. When David plays the first note of the composition the sound took me back to that out of tune upright.
A great episode of the show and the podcast!
Me, I was always enamored of ice skating, but I happened to live somewhere without ice, so I have never been on ice skates.
If I recall correctly Sooni in Ain’t Love Grand wanted Charles to buy her a burger at Rosie’s.
On The Pitt, the character who says “Pros from Dover” is Dr. Langdon, who would be born in the early 90s, so he could have seen MASH on old-fashioned TV, or rented the film from a video store.
Loved the story about Loretta Swit (what a terrific person) and, as always, to hear your thoughts about one of my favourite episodes. I can’t blame Potter for getting angry. It is so damn easy to simply complain about things without offering any sort of solutions. Hawkeye especially complains all the time about things that are mostly outside of their control – the food, the war, the casualties, the injustices, the weather, the boredom – that Potter, as a veteran, simply has learned to accept as conditions of war. And now, both he and B.J. starts complaining about the entertainment available to them (something that might be considered a luxury in and of itself) and makes a mockery of a movie that is dear to Potter’s heart, it is no wonder he finally snaps. Also, Hawkeye and B.J. are well-liked by most of the 4077, and (as we see) their opinions hold a lot of weight and they do have the power to rile up the camp which is not something Potter can allow.
Appointing Hawkeye and B.J. as the new morality officers is the perfect “punishment”, and it is good that they see for themselves how hard it is to keep people happy in such conditions and what it feels like to have the same crowd, that they were happy fire up earlier, turn against them.
Of course, the plot with Charles and the injured pianist is the best part of the episode. It sounded very strange to hear Hawkeye’s words come out of Charles’ mouth, but I love that he is making an effort to try and connect more with his patients – something he was most certainly not used to before arriving at the 4077. On the other hand, since we humans subconsciously tend to mimic gestures of people we like, it could also be a sign that Charles (in some ways, at least) likes Hawkeye. Though he would never openly admit to that.
Perhaps it is a bit of both. Regardless, I like it very much. Re-watching the series recently, I’ve come to see that Charles functions as a kind of “shadow self” for Hawkeye by personifying qualities that Hawkeye either rejects, suppresses, or refuses to acknowledge in himself like arrogance, self-righteousness, greed, and a sense of superiority. But they also share many positive qualities: both are intelligent and quick-witted. Both value and strive for excellence in their field. On certain points, they share strong moral convictions. And both care very deeply about their patients (though at this point, it is an aspect Charles has only just begun to discover about himself). Charles is what Hawkeye could have been, had he not been born a Pierce – and vice-versa. They are, in many ways, two sides of the same coin, something I think they both come to realise on some level in another great episode, “Sons and Bowlers”. It is why, IMO, the “Hawkeye and Charles”-dynamic is much more interesting than the “Hawkeye and Frank”-dynamic ever was because while both Frank and Charles exist to show us who Hawkeye is – it is only Charles that questions who Hawkeye could be.
I think the conversation between Mulcahy and Charles is the best scene they have together in the show because they are mostly at odds with each other (Charles in general seems at odds with the entire camp), and seeing Charles not only seek help but also openly admit that he views his inability to show compassion and provide comfort as a personal failing is a very rare treat for me as the viewer. It is also my impression that he went to Mulcahy because he’s recognized that he’s reached the end of his ropes and now it is Mulcahy’s turn to give it a go (“I work my wonders on flesh and bone. I perform no miracle surgery on the soul. That’s – That’s your department”). Fortunately, Mulcahy is experienced enough to recognize that Charles does have the capacity to reach David and doesn’t let him give up.
Also, James Stephens does a great job with his facial expression in the piano scene: firstly, I completely buy he’s the one playing the piano, and secondly the subtle way it changes as he “awakens” while he plays. And David Ogden Stiers is always a pleasure to watch.
1. oh boy love hate with this as a one handed harmonica player With two genuine musical genuises in my family. I love one-handed musician
2 but but WHAT IN BLUE HELL is a concert pianist doing in a COMBAT UNIT?
3. As for potter he was a caverly doctor in World war 1 he looks at the fact that they HAVE MOVIES as a mircle
PS i should clarify both hands move but on one hand only one my index finger and thumb works I can hold the harmonica just the orthodox way. SO it’s not THAT BAD
Great episode. And I think the stories sort of resonate – the camp needs some sort of morale boost and the pianist needs a similar morale boost/hope but on a far more existential level. It just works. And Ogden Stiers is great here. That name switch to ‘David’ in the end scene is notable and powerful.
My favorite fake movie is the one about STDs called ‘Hansel and Regrettal’ – too perfect.
Heckle and Jeckle were a staple on repeat cartoons in my afternoon. But no one … no one … remembers them these days. More’s the pity.
If I could go back, I might try theater/acting. But can;t imagine doing anything other than what I am doing.
Glad you are enjoying the Pitt Rob. The medicine is pretty true to life although those are rough shifts. The interactions between characters is 100% real though.
Loved hearing from Kellan! Thank you so much for sharing the Loretta-story, I had no idea Morale Victory came to be in that way! Just when I thought I couldn’t love her more. What an absolute gem of a person, I don’t know if I would had been so generous and just given an episode away like that.
Now, I wish even more that they would have done more with Charles and Margaret on the show, the characters are so interesting together, and David and Loretta would have absolutely killed anything they got to work on together.
Charles’s line about being able to play the notes but not truly make music is so beautiful, and I started to think about how that’s exactly how I feel about the actors on the show, why it’s my favorite cast ever. Other actors would have been able to play these characters. Say the lines with a certain amount of dedication, and done it well enough, but no other group of actors could ever have made the “music” the cast of MASH create together. It’s just a truly unique, lightning in a bottle occurance, and I am so happy we get to take part of it to this day.
Charles is such a fascinating character to me, part of my golden trio of favorite characters, along with Hawkeye and Margaret (she of course reigns supreme).
I find it so interesting how so many of his actions are selfishly motivated, really. If he gets something out of it, he can do something nice. It’s like when he gets his red cap – up until then, he’s not willing to donate to the orphans, but then he gets a gift, is reminded of his own childhood, and realizes father Mulcahy has done something nice for him. You have a lot, Charles, why can’t you just help out to begin with? We see several times that it’s his home and family that softens him.
We will see this in upcoming epiosdes, he’s reminded of home, or someone dear to him, and that is the reason he is nice to someone else. Or he wants to continue a tradition. Or he is applauded for doing the bare minimum. Absolutely love him as a character, there’s so much to dig into and analyze with him.
I think Charles and Hawkeye are so fascination together too, and in this episode their storylines really are the opposite of each other, when you think about Hawkeye’s ability to talk himself out of any situation, and Charles that isn’t sure of what to say to his patient to make him feel joy again.
I agree, it feels like something is missing between Charles and the patient. We only see David being upset over his injury, but not him losing his joy for life, and that would have been so intersting to see Charles try and handle more.
I think both Hawkeye and BJ are such fascinating characters too, but had I known people in like them in real life, I would have wanted to strangle them. Sirs, just sit down and watch the movie. Yes, you’ve seen it before, but not every second of life in camp is a chance for the two of you to put on a little show. It’s just something about how smug they are, so very impressed with themselves and their great comedic duo, ugh, I would stay so far away from them. And their whole rebellious act, can’t even sit in chairs properly, like we see in so many episodes, they have to throw their dirty boots up on something. And BJ chewing on a toothpick because he’s just oh so cool.
Again – super interesting characters, but oh how they can annoy me if I had met people like them.
I think it’s such a nice detail that Margaret is so keen on getting cosmetics for her nurses. We see her interact with them so little outside of work, and I really like the thought that she’s still trying to bond with them, but is being very awkward about it because she still can’t quite figure out the balance between major and friend. A stern leader that makes sure everyone is living up to their potential, but also a soft shulder to lean on. And makeup is something they have in common, so it becames sort of her love langauge in a way.
It reminds me of when Bigelow is hurt, and Margaret blames herself for putting her in that situation. She isn’t able to sit down at her bedside and say “Hey, I’m really sorry you got hurt, I feel responsible, and I hope you get better soon because you’re a great nurse and I’m proud of the work you do.” Instead, she gets Bigelow’s makeup bag, tells her to get better quickly and walks away, afraid of getting stuck in a swamp (ha ha) of emotions, That’s not the kind of leader her father taught her to be.
It’s like when she gets engaged to Donald (yuck) too, and is ever so giddy and chatty about it. It’s like she thinks that now she has this thing in common with the nurses, a real fiancé to talk about, and tries to make that her way into the group.
And here, it’s makeup that they have in common, if she can supply them with that, maybe they will open up to her, and she’ll be invited in more.
An alternate path for me in life would have been acting. I was pretty serious about being an actor once upon a time, but I realized I didn’t have the dedication it takes. I have been able to do some amateur things locally every now and then, though, which I have absolutely loved.
Oh, and also – I’m a complete indoor eater! Outside is where all the scary bugs live, and they keep invading my personal space. Not cool, bugs, not cool at all.
I really should have paid more attention to the episodes in this season, because I would have lobbied to be on this episode. It’s possibly in my top 5 M*A*S*H episodes. Winchester’s story here lives rent-free in my head. It’s a big reason I enjoy Winchester, and lots of credit to the writers making this a situation that would utterly humble and motivate him to help Sheridan. If the private had been a carpenter or a plumber or a stenographer, the nerve damage in his hand wouldn’t have moved Winchester, because Charles just wouldn’t see the value in it. He might have been forced to step up, but the motivation would have changed. But a musician or a painter or a sculptor or the like, Charles is passionate about. Even without knowing Charles wanted to be a pianist himself, this was a believable dilemma for him, and he gives it his all. And hearing the left-handed music is the capper, where I’m right with Charles in awe of the performance. It’s so good.
On the other hand, you and Kellan did a wonderful job discussing this one, and I’m always in favor of hearing from MASHblrs. Thumbs up!
Great show Kellan & Mr Kelly.
Rob I’d like to congratulate you for not only standing up for the newest and younger MASH fans, but for welcoming so many to the show. People sometimes forget how important it is for something we love to get new fans. It’s what truly keeps our beloved shows and media alive. These fans must be welcomed into the gold. The toxic gatekeepers need to be pushed aside. We must celebrate and share so the community will grow and MASH will remain available to all through physical media and streaming.
Thanks for this, Matt!