More Thoughts on M*A*S*H
I’ve been trying to figure out why I can watch this show and not any other war-related TV or movies (although I would give Band of Brothers a try — more on that in a minute). It doesn’t make me antsy because of the violence (some war movies make me nervous because my imagination runs away with me), or give me a bad taste in my mouth about Hollywood’s view on war (see previous post for comment on Over There — which is now out on DVD, by the way. May its sales fail miserably).
Maybe it’s the interaction, or the jokes, or the fact that they’re making soldiers better. Or it’s a different kind of war in a different time. I don’t know.
For some reason, I have this belief that I could also watch Band of Brothers, but that could be my curiosity talking. I might have a different reaction if I actually watched it. Usually, when my husband is soldiering, I have a hard time watching war movies or TV shows. I guess M*A*S*H is easier to take, because you don’t often see the soldier being hurt or killed, only the aftermath when the surgeons take over.
I wish I could feel as comforted about the Navy Hospital staff — but I bet none of them were civilian doctors first, like Hawkeye and Hunnicut. 
March 25th, 2006 at 9:29 pm
Several of the doctors at our local HMO were Navy doctors first, then civilian doctors at the HMO, then opened their own practices. Reverse order of MASH doctors….hmmm….
March 28th, 2006 at 9:58 am
I remember when it first came out, my wife got really hooked on “Over There” for a while. She used to have me watch it with her. Since she’s usually not into war flicks of any kind (she admits that some may have good stories overall, but I think she’s a bit squeamish about it all and can’t identify well with characters who willingly kill people – whatever the reason), I saw it as an opportunity to share some of that with her.
For the first couple episodes, everything was all right. I pointed out which things were obvious Hollywood influences and which were somewhat accurate (or even the few things that were nail & head – like the depictions of the marital unfaithfulness that goes on. We had countless broken marriages over that when we came home last time [some recovered] – it turns my stomach though – ok, tangent done). For the most part it sat ok with me – at first.
I can’t remember how far into it I got – maybe six episodes. That last one I watched made me vehemently angry and I stood up from the couch cussing and screaming at the TV. I remember feeling a great urge to rip it from the TV stand and hurl it into the nearest solid object I could find. Needless to say, I didn’t come back. I ended up going to bed instead of staying up to watch it since I had to wake up for PT in the morning anyway. She stayed up to watch it some more after that (I’m not sure when she finally lost ineterest) and never really understood why I got so upset (despite explaining it to her later).
PS – I have always loved M*A*S*H and watched it religiously throughout high school and college (where I was finally introduced to the movie that started it all). I still catch it whenever Fox has them running, although I’m seldom home from work or awake while they’re playing these days.
March 28th, 2006 at 10:08 am
One last thing. I personally believe Band of Brothers to be the single greatest anthology of any war ever put into film. It covers all aspects of warfare very well, from the fighting to the humanity. All the characters are very well “drawn”, deeply interesting, and most of all real. It’s very submersive. I also particularly like the veterans’ accounts from the real men of Easy Company as given at the start of each episode. I read the book in college and when the miniseries came out, I was thankful that I actually had HBO at the time.
PS – I’m trying to put a bug in my wife’s ear. It would make a great welcome home present (been begging her for about two years now).