by Aprille Hanson-Spivey & Julian Spivey September 17 marks the 50th anniversary of the premiere of "M*A*S*H," one of the greatest TV shows of all-time, on CBS. For 11 seasons the series that focused on doctors and nurses saving American soldiers at a medical hospital near the frontlines of the Korean War was among the most popular shows on television. To this day "M*A*S*H" can still be seen somewhere on your television programming guide, a testament to its lasting popularity and importance to the TV medium. In celebration of the milestone 50th anniversary of "M*A*S*H" we have ranked the characters of this classic TV series. 1. Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) Hawkeye Pierce is the heart and soul of “M*A*S*H.” He’s also the greatest character in television history. His strong moral code is truly the center of the show. You can count on Hawkeye to do what’s right – especially as the series goes on and his womanizing antics fall by the wayside. I’ve always appreciated how the show managed to show Hawkeye’s moral code, while also letting him be a total goofball. It’s a mixture you wouldn’t necessarily believe would work, but the show realized almost from the start it was one actor Alan Alda could bring out in the character. No comedy has ever provided so many laughs, while also making eyes well with tears as “M*A*S*H” did during its run and Hawkeye Pierce was the one delivering both of those in spades, often in the span of one 23-minute episode. JS 2. B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell) Capt. B.J. Hunnicut had the tough task of replacing a beloved character in Capt. Trapper John McIntyre. This was right after fans already had to say goodbye to Col. Blake and get hit with the sad news he was killed. Then, top of season four, Hawkeye misses saying goodbye to his best friend Trapper after going on R&R. Instead, he’s greeted by B.J. in “Welcome to Korea.” It’s a credit to Farrell’s acting skills to slide into that role. In fact, his depth was always more than Trapper’s and their friendship was one of the best ever on TV. A devoted doctor, husband and father, he was a different kind of friend for Hawkeye, one he needed. One of the show’s classic episodes “Death Takes a Holiday” in season nine, shows him doing everything he can to save a soldier and ultimately changing his death time to make sure his children didn’t have to grow up knowing their father died on Christmas. AHS 3. Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit) Head nurse Maj. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan could have easily been written as a stereotype – a blonde, bumbling nurse, the comic relief in a war zone. Even though Houlihan could be infuriating with her no-nonsense attitude and affair with Frank Burns – ew – her character was one of the most important on the show. She was a strong, smart woman, doing her part in the war effort and doing it well. While M*A*S*H premiered in 1972, a time when women were gaining more respect in the world, the show itself takes place in the early 1950s during the Korean War. Having “Hot Lips” written as a tough nurse rather than meek was a smart move by the writers. Her character evolved throughout the show, especially after Burns left. Her frenemy relationship with Hawkeye was one of the best on the show, particularly in the episode “Comrades in Arms: Part 1,” when the two kiss while trapped behind enemy lines. AHS 4. Sherman T. Potter (Harry Morgan) Lt. Col. Sherman Potter had massive shoes to fill. As fans were left stunned by the death of beloved Lt. Col. Henry Blake in the final episode of season three “Abyssinia, Henry,” Col. Potter leads the unit in the second episode of season four, “Change of Command.” Potter marked the beginning of a new age of M*A*S*H, along with Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt. Potter never tried to be Blake – no one could replace him. So, the unit instead got an experienced war horse, who wound up having a heart and profound respect for his fellow comrades. Where Blake was more of a friend, Potter became a father figure to everyone and it was an important role to fill, especially for Hawkeye. He wound up being the glue that kept everyone sane, while also having a compassionate streak that was frankly unexpected. AHS 5. Radar O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) Cpl. Radar O’Reilly is one of the sweetest characters to ever grace television. His sweet demeanor represented a large portion of young men sent off to war that were completely naïve and really had no business in a war zone. Between caring for his rabbits to bringing along his teddy bear to Korea, Radar provided innocence in the backdrop of war. His most heartbreaking moment was without a doubt informing the unit while they are busy operating on the wounded that Col. Blake had died in a helicopter crash on his way home. It’s one of the most memorable moments in TV history, and Radar delivered the news with heart and bravery. AHS 6. Father Francis Mulcahy (William Christopher) Father Francis Mulcahy took on the role of the show’s moral compass. As the resident priest, he helped spiritually guide the Army doctors and nurses in a way that was never heavy-handed, knowing what kind of moral dilemmas they faced each day. His character was so important because he played a priest as a real person instead of a judgmental stereotype. He wasn’t afraid to be goofy, knowing they needed that break in the madness. But all the while, he sprinkled in bits of religious wisdom, like “Look on the bright side: When they tell us to serve our time in Purgatory, we can say, “No thanks, I've done mine.” AHS 7. Charles Emerson Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) The addition of Charles Emerson Winchester III in season six of the series continued the show’s incredible knack for replacing original characters with even better characters (has any other show ever accomplished this with such success?) Winchester steps into the role as a foil for Hawkeye and B.J., but you never really hate him like you did Frank Burns. He’s pompous. He’s egotistical. He thinks he’s better than his peers. But he also finds a way to be lovable – probably because unlike Frank he’s able to match wits with Hawkeye and the others and he’s humane, intelligent and a skilled surgeon, qualities his predecessor lacked. He also wants to be anywhere other than Korea, like his comrades at the camp. In many ways, Charles Winchester is a TV antecedent to Frasier Crane. JS 8. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) Henry Blake may now be known more for the most devastating departure of a character in television history, especially for a comedy series, but let’s remember him at his best as the over-his-head, but friendly commander of the M*A*S*H Unit 4077. Blake knew he wasn’t much of a leader, he didn’t want to be in Korea any more than Hawkeye and Trapper, but he always had his people’s backs and gave us what might be the most memorable line in the show’s history when he says to a heartbroken Hawkeye, “All I know is what they taught me in command school. There are certain rules about a war, and rule number one is that young men die. And rule number two is doctors can’t change rule number one.” Actor McLean Stevenson’s decision to leave the show at the end of season three would also give us potentially the most memorable moment in the show’s legendary history. JS 9. Trapper John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers) If there was one character who kind of got the short shrift on “M*A*S*H” it was Trapper John McIntyre. When the series began in 1972 he was meant to be a co-lead with Hawkeye Pierce, as the character had been in Robert Altman’s 1970 film and Richard Hooker’s 1968 novel, but it didn’t take long for Trapper to become overshadowed by Hawkeye in the TV series, whether this was through the star-power of Alan Alda or being shortsighted by the writing staff. Wayne Rogers, believing the writers has made Trapper into nothing more than the straight man for Hawkeye, decided to leave the show abruptly after the third season. The show had no other means to write his character off than by saying he’d been discharged. JS 10. Maxwell Klinger (Jamie Farr) Corporal Maxwell Klinger could wear a feathered boa better than anyone in the U.S. Army. The Lebanese American from Toledo, Ohio, had an important role in "M*A*S*H" as not only comic relief, but to show off the reality of how badly some wanted to get out of the military. His cross-dressing was a running joke – it may be viewed as problematic today, but let’s hope not – but it was also giving him a sense of control in an uncontrollable environment. He wanted out, and the only way out was to convince the higher-ups he was crazy. But his role was filled with hilarious one-liners and once Cpl. Radar O’Reilly left in season eight, Klinger ditched the dresses and filled that hole. Because of that, he wound up being a more versatile character than was probably ever intended. AHS 11. Frank Burns (Larry Linville) Frank Burns is the character you’re supposed to hate. He’s uppity, he’s bigoted, and he’s the gung-ho military man in a setting where you see the worst of what war has to offer. But even though he’s a doctor – and as the show reminds us of time and time again, not a great one – he merely sees soldiers as a means to victory. Even though you never love Frank Burns, he’s important to the show's early years because he gives Hawkeye and Trapper John (and later B.J. Hunnicutt) a foil to play off of, a means to many punchlines. It was probably a good thing for the series that actor Larry Linville decided to leave after five seasons because it’s truly the departure of Frank Burns that gives Margaret Houlihan, his love interest, the opportunity to blossom into something more. JS
2 Comments
Ferret Face
7/9/2023 06:32:25 pm
My ranking is:
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Marc L Watts
8/6/2023 03:41:45 pm
The Ten Most Important Characters From 'M*A*S*H', in Order of Descension: 1) Hawkeye Pierce 2) Trapper John McIntyre 3) Margaret Houlihan 4) Radar O'Reilly 5) Colonel Henry Blake 6) BJ Hunneycutt 7) Major Sydney Freeman 8) Colonel Sherman Potter 9) Father F.J. Mulcahy 10) Max Klinger Runner ups: Colonel Sam Flagg, and Major Charles Emerson Winchester. Word!
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