From the M*A*S*H Library 26: M*A*S*H: When Television Changed Forever (Documentary)

What is it?

Osborne, Brad. M*A*S*H: When Television Changed Forever. AMS Pictures, 2022.

Why should M*A*S*H fans care?

This is the latest M*A*S*H documentary, and the most recent one made since the 30th anniversary cast reunion in 2002. It features all new interviews with members of the cast and production staff, and it includes additional context that about the Robert Altman film, original novel, and the Korean War.

As a M*A*S*H fan, what part(s) should I watch?

All of it! All 45 minutes of the documentary and the bonus features!

TL;DR Review

For the 50th anniversary of M*A*S*H, Reelz aired the first documentary to made about the series since the 30th anniversary special in 2002. The documentary features new interviews, behind the scenes stories, and a history of the series. This DVD is a must own for any M*A*S*H fan as it not only includes the 45 minute documentary, but it also includes an additional 51 minute of extended interview and bonus features.

Full Review

For the 50th Anniversary of M*A*S*H in 2022, Reelz channel aired a documentary about the series called M*A*S*H: When Television Changed Forever. Produced by AMS Pictures, the documentary told the story of M*A*S*H, its origins, its cast, its production crew, and its place in history. After airing in September 2022, the documentary is now available on DVD, and it not only includes the full length documentary but several bonus features and additional material that didn’t make it into the documentary. Until its release last year, this was the first documentary to be produced about the series since the 30th anniversary of M*A*S*H in 2003. Let’s take a look at the documentary and the bonus features that make up this new DVD.

The documentary tells the story of M*A*S*H beginning with the original novel and Robert Altman film, then spends the majority of the time discussing the series from its inception to modern syndication. This is achieved with new interviews with William Hornberger, the son of the original novel author, Dr. Richard Hornberger, and surgeon at the 8055th MASH unit in Korea. He discusses the novel and how his father’s book was rejected by 17 publishers before being published in 1968. Elliot Gould, who played Captain John McIntyre in the Robert Altman film, is interviewed about the original MASH film which was released in 1970. This is important context because it was Fox’s decision to purchase the rights to the novel that led to the film, and eventually, the series we all know and love.

The series began in 1972, and the story is told by television executive Dan Harrison and M*A*S*H Matters podcast co-host Ryan Patrick. They provide historical and character context throughout the documentary and fill in the details from a different perspective. There are plenty of behind the scenes discussions as there are interviews with actors Jamie Farr, Jeff Maxwell, and Mike Farrell. Further context is provided by M*A*S*H writers Ken Levine and Gary Markowitz. This documentary also marked the final interview by executive producer Burt Metcalfe before he passed away in 2022 (and it is dedicated in his memory). These new interviews, recorded in the lead-up to the documentary’s release in September 2022, are the heart of the story. While some of the stories told are familiar to diehard M*A*S*H fans, hearing them again brought a smile to my face.

The documentary narrator and interviewees discuss the history of the series from the pilot episode to the epic finale. They discuss the show’s success due to the balance between comedy and the truth of war. The challenges faced by M*A*S*H are discussed in depth, including the challenges from the network and censors, the near cancellation of the show due to poor early ratings, and cast changes in later seasons. Metcalfe made an interesting point about the cast changes that hadn’t occurred to me before. The 4077th was a military unit which would have seen doctors and nurses transferred in and out on regular basis. So new characters in a real MASH unit wouldn’t have been uncommon. While that that was true for the military, that was not how network television typically worked. However, the show’s writers and cast were able to make it work while sticking the ethos of the series. Telling the story of MASH units was important from the beginning and carried through season eleven.

The documentary concludes by discussing the record breaking finale and the legacy of the series today. However, the 45 minute documentary isn’t the only thing on the DVD for M*A*S*H fans to look forward to. There is an additional 51 minutes of materials on the DVD including:

• Extended interviews with Burt Metcalfe, Mike Farrell, and Jamie Farr
• “Frozen in Time: The M*A*S*H Filming Location”
• “M*A*S*H Goes to Auction” (Alan Alda’s boots and dog tags)
• “Frontline Healing: The True Story of MASH Units in Korea”
• “The Man Behind M*A*S*H: The Richard Hornberger Story”

The interviews and short documentaries run between three to thirteen minutes, but each one contributes more to the story. The mini-documentaries included tell the story of the real MASH units in Korea and the backstory of Dr. Hornberger. While he didn’t care for the series M*A*S*H, Hornberger’s novel is what made it possible.

For the 50th anniversary of the series, M*A*S*H: When Television Changed Forever honors the series in the best way possible. It tells the story of the people who made it possible and its effect on society. The ultimate compliment to a television show or movie is that fans still want to watch and learn about it 50 years later. M*A*S*H is not only still a favorite of its original fans, it continues to gain fans today as new generations are introduced to it. The documentary discussed why the series still works today, aside from the human element, and its the structure of each episode. I’ve never thought about it before, but M*A*S*H was one of the first shows to feature two or more storylines per episode. There was typically an “A story” and a “B story,” something is that very common in today’s television. That means that M*A*S*H doesn’t feel as dated as other shows from the era since they largely focused on one storyline for the full 25 minutes. The M*A*S*H cast could carry two storylines at once. This revelation and more are what makes this documentary a must own for M*A*S*H fans. You can order a copy of the DVD directly from AMS Pictures.