M*A*S*H Rewatch: Season 4

Throughout 2025, I will rewatch M*A*S*H and review each season on the final day of each month. I am rewatching the episodes in broadcast order using the DVDs from the 2000s with the laugh track left on. You can find an archive of these rewatch posts here.

In February, I proclaimed that M*A*S*H season two was my favorite season of the series. I expected some pushback from my fellow fans, and the community delivered! In the replies I got, I was surprised by how many people said that season four was their favorite. Thankfully, I wouldn’t have to wait long to find out why. After rewatching season four over the last month, I can certainly understand why season four is a fan favorite. There were two new characters to develop, new relationships to explore, more character development for the existing characters, and the writers took risks by experimenting with some episodes. Season two felt well developed to me, but it was pretty episodic with each episode being a unique story. With season four, I feel like there are several story arcs that develop throughout the season, and I have to admit, that makes season four stronger for me.

Season 4 Episode List

Episodes are listed in broadcast order. Hyperlinks direct to “Script Spotlight” posts for that episode.

Episode #	Season X Episode	Episode Title
73	04×01	Welcome to Korea (One Hour Episode)
74	04×02	Change of Command
75	04×03	It Happened One Night
76	04×04	The Late Captain Pierce
77	04×05	Hey, Doc
78	04×06	The Bus
79	04×07	Dear Mildred
80	04×08	The Kids
81	04×09	Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler
82	04×10	Dear Peggy
83	04×11	Of Moose and Men
84	04×12	Soldier of the Month
85	04×13	The Gun
86	04×14	Mail Call, Again
87	04×15	The Price of Tomato Juice
88	04×16	Dear Ma
89	04×17	Der Tag
90	04×18	Hawkeye
91	04×19	Some 38th Parallels
92	04×20	The Novocaine Mutiny
93	04×21	Smilin’ Jack
94	04×22	The More I See You
95	04×23	Deluge
96	04×24	The Interview

Favorite Episodes

These are the top episodes of the season that I believe contribute something important to the series as a whole. The episodes are listed in the order in which they aired.

• “Welcome to Korea” (04×01) – This is the first hour long episode of the series, and I really appreciate that it is an hour long. It allows time for Hawkeye to process the fact that Trapper is gone, and it also gives plenty of time for B.J. to be properly introduced. And what an introduction it was! B.J. was thrown right in to the chaos of Korea.
• “Change of Command” (04×02) – Introducing new characters is hard, and M*A*S*H introduced two in season four. I am glad they separated the introductions. I really like how the writers showed the characters’ skepticism of Col. Potter because it would have matched how the audience felt. I feel like that, by the end of the episode, Potter won everyone over.
• “Dear Mildred” (04×07) – I really like all of the “Dear…” episodes, and I think having one for each of the new characters this season gave the audience insight into how they think. This one is Potter’s, and we learn more about how he feels about life at the 4077th. One of the best scenes in the season is in this episode, when Radar gives Potter the horse. It’s the perfect gift for a cavalry man.
• “Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler” (04×09) – There is a lot to like in this episode. The illustration that anyone can suffer invisible wounds as a result of trauma is a theme that runs throughout the series. It is well handled by the writers and the acting of Alan Fudge. I also really like seeing the interactions between Col. Flagg and Sidney. Sidney is brilliant as usual, and Flagg is as crazy as ever. Flagg provides some comic relief for what could have been a darker episode.
• “Dear Peggy” (04×10) – As I mentioned with “Dear Mildred,” I like this episode because we learn more about B.J. Another episode focused on one of the new characters would help the audience learn more about him. This episode feeds Ito the “meet B.J.” story arc throughout the season. I also like the Father Mulcahy storyline, and you can never go wrong with “Frank Burns eats worms.”
• “Mail Call, Again” (04×14) – I would argue that this is a pretty important episode for multiple reasons. We see what each character gets in the mail, which builds on each of the characters. The storyline with Frank’s wife wanting a divorce continues the trend toward the impending end of the Margaret/Frank relationship. The relationship had been going downhill since Frank proposed in the episode “Bombed” (03×15) and took it back. Margaret realizes that Frank’s marriage is never going to end, so there is no future for them. Plus, the film from Radar’s mom is great (he really does look a lot like his mom)!
• “Dear Ma” (04×16) – After learning that Radar’s name is “Walter” in “Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler,” and seeing his mom’s film in “Mail Call, Again,” Radar deserved a “Dear…” episode of his own. Radar’s character changed pretty dramatically from season one when we saw him drinking, smoking, and having a stack of forged document. This episode really solidified the naive Radar that we would see until he left in season eight.
• “The Interview” (04×24) – When I was younger, I did not like this episode because it wasn’t funny. Now, I appreciate it for what it is supposed to be: a documentary. The episode highlights the characters’ true feelings about being in Korea, their thoughts about each other, and how the war has changed them. There are some classic quotes in this episode, and I have grown to love this episode more each time I rewatch it.

Least Favorite Episodes

Liking or disliking an episode is subjective, so I have tried to be fair in my criticism of why certain episodes are not my favorites. The episodes are listed in the order in which they aired.

• “Of Moose and Men” (04×11) – The storyline with Zale having a “moose” is a callback to season one. It is also something that we never hear about again. The other storyline in the episode with Hawkeye vs. the ungrateful colonel is fine, but the Zale storyline kind of ruins the episode for me.
• “The Price of Tomato Juice” (04×15) – This feels like a repeat of “For Want of a Boot” (02×17), and I really didn’t like that episode either. The gesture of getting the juice for Col. Potter is nice, but I agree with Potter’s final remark of checking with him first before they want to do something nice!
• “Der Tag” (04×17) – I think season four is pretty hard on Frank (and I never thought I’d feel sorry for Frank Burns), and this episode pushes things to the absurd. Pretending to be nice to Frank to only put a toe tag on him at the end of the night proved how fake it all was.
• “Hawkeye” (04×18) – I know this is a divisive episode in the M*A*S*H community, and I fall on the “not my favorite” side of the debate. M*A*S*H had an ensemble cast, and I think that was its greatest strength. So to have an episode that is one long monologue from a single character feels out of place. The “Dear…” episodes may contain voice over from one character, but we see the cast together in the cut away scenes.

Continuity Errors

There are minor issues in every episode that have been well documented, so I am choosing to focus on ones that really stood out to me.

• Welcome to Korea (04×01) – Hawkeye has been at the 4077th for over a year in September 1952? If that is the case, he should not have been in Korea for the end of the war in July 1953 since doctors were rotated every 18 months.
• Change of Command (04×02) – Col. Potter says that Mrs. Potter’s picture is always on the right side of his desk, but in future episodes, the picture is always on the left side of the desk. It was likely moved to it didn’t block the camera angle and so it could be seen on camera.
• Change of Command (04×02) – Igor is a sergeant?
• It Happened One Night (04×03) – This may have been there in previous seasons, but it is weird that Margaret’s tent has plywood walls on the inside. It might be for privacy, but it would make the tent very difficult to move.
• “Hey, Doc” (04×05) – Right before Frank drives through the Swamp, you can see that the tent is virtually empty so they didn’t damage any of the props. And in the scene right before he hit the Swamp, he was actually driving away from it!
• “The Bus” (04×06) – B.J. says that Frank only lived under Frank’s command for a week, so was there only a week between B.J. being assigned and Frank being replaced by Col. Potter?
• “Dear Mildred” (04×08) – Col. Potter never writes to his wife about Hawkeye, B.J., or Klinger? Usually, they write about each character.
• “Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler” (04×09) – Hawkeye operates on Chandler in the O.R. scene, then later in post-op, he tells Chandler that his wounds are superficial?
• “Quo Vadis, Captain Chandler” (04×09) – M*A*S*H timeline: Marines landing on Inchon took place in September 1950, so two years before this episode took place.
• “Dear Peggy” (04×10) – Richard Nixon is Vice President? President Eisenhower was not sworn in until January 20, 1953. Nixon might have been Vice President-elect.
• “Soldier of the Month” (04×12) – When Mulcahy gets back to camp, he is really dirty. More dirty than we ever see anyone from just driving. Was there a scene cut that showed why Mulcahy was so dirty?
• “The Gun” (04×13) – The quote Radar says is from John Wayne, “You better believe it, mister, or you’re dead where you stand,” is often attributed to Wayne, but it is not a line from any of his movies.
• “The Gun” (04×13) – Margaret’s father lives again!
• “The Price of Tomato Juice” (04×15) – Igor says his last name is Maxwell, which was true for the actor who played him, Jeff Maxwell.
• “Dear Ma” (04×16) – Radar tells his mom that he “finally” got a pet, but he had a miniature farm of animals in season three!
• “The Novocain Mutiny” (04×20) – Why would the 4077th have a giant walk-in freezer? How did they move that?
• “Deluge” (04×23) – There are several timeline issues in this episode. They talk about the Chinese breaking the UN lines, but then Frank says he was glad the Chinese entered the war. The Chinese spring offensive in the spring of 1951 did break through the lines. But if they are referring to the Chinese entering the war, that happened in late 1950. Either way, the timeline is off.
• “Deluge” (04×23) – The film clips are from the early 1950s, but not from the 1952 timeframe of season four. For example, the speech they show President Truman giving was from May 9, 1950. The ticker tape parade for General MacArthur was held on April 20, 1951. They may have just been showing random clips, but this episode is all over the M*A*S*H timeline!

Season 4 Wrap-Up

Looking back at my notes, I think I took more notes for season four than any so far. That isn’t a bad thing, but I made a lot of observations, and I found what I believe are the three main themes for season four: introducing two new characters, developing some characters, and devolving one character. The season began by introducing two new characters. In the season four opener, which is the first one-hour episode of M*A*S*H, we meet Captain B.J. Hunnicutt. He was there to replace Trapper, who we learned in the episode was sent home. Introducing any new character is hard, but explaining one character’s absence AND bringing in their replacement at the same time is risky. The writers handled it very well. Hawkeye and B.J. connect immediately, and we see their relationship develop throughout the season, and B.J.’s character become “one of the gang.” Then, we meet Col. Sherman Potter in the second episode of the season. That adds another level of uncertainty, but once again, the writers handle it very well by allowing the audience and characters to be skeptical of Potter. By the end of the episode, we feel like Potter is going to fit in. They allow Potter to connect to connect with the characters throughout the season as well. We weren’t just left to assume that B.J. and Potter just immediately fit in. We see them develop relationships throughout the season.

You might think that the dynamic of the M*A*S*H ensemble changed drastically with the two new characters, but it felt like the same show with new faces (for me, at least). I believe there are several reasons this worked: we are still at the 4077th, there is still a war, and their mission has not changed. For the most part, things are not different other than the two new surgeons. The writers, however, developed the new characters while allowing the existing characters to develop. Radar get’s a name (Walter), and he gets a letter home episode (“Dear Ma”). We see Radar develop into the naive character that he would portray until he left the series (except maybe for his final two episodes). Jamie Farr was added as a permanent member of the cast, and we see him in more episodes. This allows us to learn more about him as a character. We see that while Klinger may wear dresses, he takes his job seriously. Father Mulcahy seems to be more involved as well. All of the characters grew in some way in season four either through the arc of adding two new characters, or organically. I like that both Potter and B.J. get a letter home episode fairly early in the season to help establish their characters (“Dear Mildred” and “Dear Peggy”). We also see several of the background actors come to the foreground more often. There are more storylines involving Igor, Zale, and Kellye. So while M*A*S*H gained two new characters, the series grew more as an ensemble.

There is one notable exception to this growth, however: Frank Burns. I didn’t realize how obvious Frank’s slide was until this rewatch. Frank is very paranoid in this season, and the more paranoid he gets, the more his personality and surgical skills suffer. That leads to more ridicule from Hawkeye and B.J. By the end of the season, I actually felt sorry for Frank. Margaret isn’t as defensive of Frank in season four, and they aren’t seen together as much. I think this left the writers struggling with what to do with Frank, and they sent him down a dark path. Margaret doesn’t get engaged until next season, but I believe we watched their relationship end this season. Ever since Frank proposed to Margaret and then took it back (“Bombed” (03×15)) and wouldn’t give her a loan (“Bulletin Board” (03×16)), their relationship suffered. I think we see the final nail in the coffin this season in “Mail Call…Again” when Frank begs his wife not leave him and doesn’t paint Margaret in the best light. That is the moment when Margaret realized they don’t have a future. Frank is alone. No one is there to support him, and by the time we get to the end of the season, I even feel a little sorry for him. Episodes like “Der Tag” feel mean. I know Frank is far from a perfect character, but I think by the end of season four, he was acting overly defensive because he was alone. As a result, there really wasn’t a path to redeem his character.

There are some great highlights of season four though. We see the beginning of the Klinger vs. Zale disagreements that will continue for the next season or two. There are several episodes that stand out for their unique setting or style. “The Bus” takes place entirely away from the 4077th, and it can feel a little claustrophobic after a little while, but that must have been how those characters felt as well being lost and confined to the bus. The episode “Soldier of the Month” ends on a funny note with Radar getting really drunk and disorderly. They make it seem like it is his first time being drunk, but he was shown drinking in the first season. This is another reminder that this is no longer season one Radar. For “Hawkeye,” it is not my favorite, but it was a unique experiment to have one character give a 26-minute monologue. I am not going to judge whether it succeeded for failed, but I think there is probably a reason they only did it once. We met a former, serious girlfriend of Hawkeye’s in “The More I See You,” which worked really well. I think it did a great job of showing the complexity of Hawkeye, and it confirmed something that we might have known: his medical ego gets in the way of him having a life outside of work. The clips cut in “Deluge” was a great idea, and I love “The Interview.” Getting to hear how the characters truly felt about where they were and what they are doing in an unfiltered interview-style episode was a great idea! They also managed to get the words “crap,” “shit,” and “son of a bitch” on CBS in 1976, although the last two words were beeped!

I have often said that one of the reasons M*A*S*H was successful for eleven seasons is because of the cast changes. I believe season four is proof that the series successfully replaced two actors and still felt like the same show. It helps that they had two great actors in Harry Morgan and Mike Farrell to step in to the roles. I also appreciate that they didn’t recast Trapper or try to create a “Henry Blake type” character to be the new commanding officer. Col. Potter and B.J. are unique characters, and two that I quickly learned to like. Col. Potter’s experience is more relaxing because you have confidence in his command style, and I really like this version of B.J. (we all know he changes once the mustache is grown). Col. Potter and B.J. weren’t the central focus of season four, and I would argue that Hawkeye wasn’t either. I feel like the writers elevated more characters and did a better job of making the characters more of an ensemble and more cohesive. That made M*A*S*H stronger. I guess that only leaves one question. Does season two still hold up as my favorite season? My honest answer is…I don’t know. I am questioning my preferences, and I think I need to watch the rest of the show before I can honestly say which season is my favorite.