M*A*S*H Rewatch: Season 6

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.

After completing season six in June, I am now more than halfway through my M*A*S*H rewatch, and we are halfway through 2025. I have really enjoyed watching the series with more attention to detail. I have been taking notes and noticing more than I had before. As I have mentioned, I am used to today’s television series that have continuing storylines and season ending cliffhangers to keep you coming back. M*A*S*H really doesn’t have that as it was from an era of television where shows were episodic, and the primary conflict was resolved within the half hour of television it was allotted (or, if we were lucky, maybe a part two of an episode). Season six is no different. There are a few themes throughout the season, but the primary theme is “meet Major Charles Emerson Winchester.” After being introduced in the hour-long season opener, the first half the season is introducing Charles and seeing how he interacts with the other members of the 4077th. He is an instant adversary for Hawkeye and B.J., but in a very different way from Major Frank Burns. Charles is a skilled surgeon with an ego to match, so he is a worthy opponent to the other Swamp Rats. Being the middle of the series, I would rank season six in the middle of the other M*A*S*H seasons as well.

Season 6 Episode List

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

Episode #	Season X Episode	Episode Title
121	06×01	Fade Out, Fade In (One Hour Show)
122	06×02	Fallen Idol
123	06×03	Last Laugh
124	06×04	War of Nerves
125	06×05	The Winchester Tapes
126	06×06	The Light That Failed
127	06×07	In Love and War
128	06×08	Change Day
129	06×09	Images
130	06×10	The M*A*S*H Olympics
131	06×11	The Grim Reaper
132	06×12	Comrades in Arms (Part 1)
133	06×13	Comrades in Arms (Part 2)
134	06×14	The Merchant of Korea
135	06×15	The Smell of Music
136	06×16	Patent 4077
137	06×17	Tea and Empathy
138	06×18	Your Hit Parade
139	06×19	What’s Up, Doc?
140	06×20	Mail Call Three
141	06×21	Temporary Duty
142	06×22	Potter’s Retirement
143	06×23	Dr. Winchester and Mr. Hyde
144	06×24	Major Topper

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.

• “Fade Out, Fade In” (06×01) – Yet another hour season premiere, and the introduction of a major new character. From the first time we first see him, we know who Major Charles Emerson Winchester III is. His surgical skill is evident, and that makes him a more equal adversary for Hawkeye and B.J. Their sendoff of Frank Burns is well handled, but it would have been nice to see Larry Linville. Even if they just showed him on the other end of the phone when he talked to B.J. and Hawkeye.
• “War of Nerves” (06×04) – What can I say? This is another great episode with Sidney! He is great in this episode with each of the characters, and we get the beginning of the “did Charles touch his nose” debate.
• “The Winchester Tapes” (06×05) – This is Charles’ “dear home” episode, and I really like all of the episodes in that series. We see more of how Charles thinks and how he interacts with each member of the 4077th. The final scene where he pulls the rubber chicken out the teapot is one of my favorites in the entire series!
• “The Light that Failed” (06×06) – I really like the episodes where the camp is under adverse conditions. Episodes like “Crisis” (02×21) come to mind. Being low on supplies and losing the final page of the book, it is fun to see how the characters react in difficult situations.
• “Your Hit Parade” (06×18) – As one of the only episodes of the season to heavily feature Radar, it does not disappoint. Radar becomes a disc jockey playing music over the PA during a deluge of wounded. “Big Daddy O’Reilly” comes through for the 4077th, and this is one of those later season episodes that leads more into comedy.
• “Mail Call Three” (06×20) – The opposite of the “dear home” episodes are the mail call episodes. In each, we learn more about each of the characters because of the mail they get, and each character has a storyline in this episode. I really like Radar dealing with his mother dating another man, Margaret’s continued hostile letters from her mother-in-law, and Klinger struggling while facing divorce. It’s a great example of how the characters grew as the series progressed.

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.

• “Fallen Idol” (06×02) – I have a hard time with this episode because we see the characters drink before going into the O.R. on a fairly regular basis. They are called to operate at a moment’s notice, so they are bound to get called at a bad time. B.J. tried to keep Hawkeye from operating, but it was Charles who pushed the matter. Should Hawkeye have snapped at Radar? No. But this version of Radar is nothing like the early seasons’ Radar. His idol worship of Hawkeye was taken too far.
• “In Love and War” (06×07) – I know this another popular episode to dislike, but it’s an easy one to have issues with because the ending of the love story for Hawkeye is too predicable. They can’t have Hawkeye in a relationship, and it is clear that his love interest is going to move. The storyline regarding the new nurse and Margaret’s husband starts a downward trend for her marriage, and that is important for the series, but it can’t make up for the main storyline.
• “The Grim Reaper” (06×11) – I don’t understand Hawkeye’s attitude in this episode, and even B.J. points out that Hawkeye takes things too far. Col. Bloodworth may not be the most likable character, but he is doing a very important job. By calculating the predicted casualties, they can be sure that the 4077th is prepared. I would think the chief surgeon would want to have this information available to him.
• “Temporary Duty” (06×21) – I am torn on this episode. I love the storyline with Lt. Anderson and Margaret. We learn that Margaret was once more open and friendly. But Captain Roy DuPree (played very well by George Lindsey) is annoying as hell!

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.

• “Fade Out, Fade In” (06×01) – Radar gets sick after smoking a cigar, but he smoked cigars in the early seasons.
• “Fade Out, Fade In” (06×01) – Major Charles Emerson Winchester is not yet “Major Charles Emerson Winchester III.” When does he become a “third?”
• “Fade Out, Fade In” (06×01) – Igor has a family?
• “Last Laugh” (06×03) – In “Fallen Idol” (06×02), everyone is upset with Hawkeye for yelling at Radar, including Margaret. but in this episode, she literally kicks him!
• “War of Nerves” (06×04) – The VIP tent set looks a lot like the Margaret’s tent.
• “The Winchester Tapes” (06×05) – Charles immediately touches the painting after it is completed by Col. Potter. Wouldn’t the paint still be wet?
• “The Winchester Tapes” (06×05) – Why isn’t the Grape Nehi purple?
• “The Light that Failed” (06×06) – M*A*S*H Timeline: The driver of the supply truck says that summer is “only six months away.” Does that make this January 1953?
• “The Light that Failed” (06×06) – The solution to a mystery novel is rarely on the last page. It would have made more sense if the last chapter was missing and not just the final page.
• “Change Day” (06×08) – This error has stumped me for years. They change blue military script for red. And in most of the episode, they say “blue for red.” However, Potter’s PA announcement is incorrect, and he says “red for blue.” Charles’ tailer also says “red for blue.” I actually kept track of who said which script for which as I rewatched this episode!
• “The M*A*S*H Olympics” (06×10) – M*A*S*H Timeline: The Helsinki Olympics were held from July 19 – August 3, 1952. Potter didn’t arrive at the 4077th until September 1952. It is possible that they are getting newsreels later.
• “The M*A*S*H Olympics” (06×10) – In the Mess Tent, when Potter is speaking to the camp, you can see the edge of the Mess Tent roof and on to Stage 9.
• “The M*A*S*H Olympics” (06×10) – When Col. Penobscott arrives at the 4077th, Col. Potter tells him that he is just in time for the “last two events.” However, the final event held (the obstacle course) was a tie breaker, so Potter couldn’t have known that there were two events left.
• “The Grim Reaper” (06×11) – Charles passes out while operating, so why isn’t Radar offended? (Not really a mistake, but I really have a problem with “Fallen Idol!”)
• “Comrades in Arms (Part 1) (06×12) – Margaret comments on Hawkeye’s Hawaiian shirt not being regulation, but she is wearing a black turtleneck that most certainly isn’t regulation.
• “Comrades in Arms (Part 2) (06×13) – Margaret mentions at the 8063rd that Hawkeye is using a clamp invented at the 4077th. This clamp isn’t invented until episode 16, “Patent 4077.”
• “The Smell of Music” (06×15) – For all the talk about the terrible food, where did they get pancakes and syrup?
• “Patent 4077” (06×16) – Margaret is listing words that begin with the letter “N,” and she lists “knucklehead.”
• “What’s Up, Doc?” (06×19) – If Margaret thinks she is pregnant, why is Margaret drinking with Col. Potter and Hawkeye?
• “Mail Call Three” (06×20) – Did they forget that Klinger got married over the radio in the episode “Springtime” (03×06)?
• “Temporary Duty” (06×21) – In order for Dupree to transfer to the 4077th, wouldn’t they have to trade a surgeon with the 8063rd?
• “Potter’s Retirement” (06×22) – M*A*S*H Timeline: Charles tells Potter that the first open heart surgery has been performed. That was done on May 6, 1953. So it must be close to the end of the war. Charles says he has been there for six months, so that would mean he was transferred there in December 1952? Radar says that Benson has been at the 4077th since June, so that would be nearly a year? There are so many timeline issues with this single episode!
• “Dr. Winchester and Mr. Hyde” (06×23) – Col. Potter has a younger sister?
• “Dr. Winchester and Mr. Hyde” (06×23) – Charles talked about his sister being married to a farmer, and being disowned. Then she left the farmer for a shoe clerk? This is the first mention of his sister Honoria, but she isn’t married later.
• “Major Topper” (06×24) – Another mention of Charles’ sister being married.

Season 6 Wrap-Up

For each season so far, I have tried to find a theme to tie the episodes together. For season four, that was the introduction of two new characters: B.J. and Col. Potter. With season six kicking off with an episode that quickly removed Frank Burns and introduced Major Charles Emerson Winchester, it would be easy to think that the theme of the season is “meet the new character.” However, I discovered a theme that fits the season better: changing relationships. Throughout the season, we see relationships between major characters evolve, new relationships develop, and relationships end. M*A*S*H focused on the human element within a war, and relationships were a key component of that. Not only the relationships between members of the 4077th, but the relationships that the members of the 4077th have with their own loved ones back home. That has always been a theme of M*A*S*H, but I would argue that there was more of a focus on several relationships in this season.

The best example of an evolving relationship in season six is between Hawkeye and Margaret. Their stance towards each other had softened over the past few seasons, but this season we saw them briefly as a couple in “Comrades in Arms (Part 1)” (06×12) and “Comrades in Arms (Part 2)” (06×13). Neither of them got what they expected out of taking their relationship to a different level, but they ended up respecting and appreciating each other more. Margaret confides in Hawkeye, and there is a trust between the two. We also saw new relationships form. The most obvious is the relationship between Charles and just about everyone at the 4077th. In “Fade Out, Fade In,” he is quickly humbled by the speed with which he is expected to operate. Charles has to adapt, and Hawkeye and B.J. don’t make things much easier. They play jokes on Charles, but they aren’t cruel like the pranks they played on Frank. There is a different level of respect for Charles’ surgical skills that no one at the 4077th had for Frank. I much prefer this over the last two season of Hawkeye and B.J. kicking Frank while he was down. Finally, we see two relationships suffer. Klinger’s wife leaves him, (after marrying him in “Springtime” (03×06)), and the cracks begin to show in the marriage between Margaret and Donald Penobscott. There are several examples of Donald not being faithful to Margaret, and then in “The Merchant of Korea” (06×14), they have a disagreement over money. The cracks were showing, so their eventual divorce is not surprising.

There are some other sub-plots that I noted as I watched season six. There were two instances of drug addition this season. In “Tea and Empathy” (06×17), B.J. helps a patient who was addicted to morphine. Then, in “Dr. Winchester and Mr. Hyde” (06×23) Charles becomes addicted to amphetamines. Another interesting trend this season was Klinger’s Section 8 gags backfiring in an unexpected way. When he had a real problem, no one believed him. This was especially true in “Mail Call Three” (06×20) when he gets a letter from his wife saying that she wants a divorce. No one believes him, and he suffers from “the boy who cried wolf syndrome” a few times this season. I have always said that Klinger, despite his Section 8 attempts, was good at his job as a corpsman and then as company clerk. And finally, speaking of company clerks, there was a noticeable absence of Radar this season. I keep track of which characters don’t appear in each episode, and out of 24 episodes this season, Radar only appeared in 11. In later seasons, there are excuses for Radar’s absence, but this season, there is very little explanation for Klinger or other random members of the 4077th carrying out Radar’s duties. Oh, and there were four instances where Margaret was called “Hot Lips” (“Last Laugh,” “Images,” “Comrades in Arms” (Part 2), and “Patent 4077”). I thought the nickname was gone by now.

As I have rewatched M*A*S*H throughout the first half of 2025, I have a new appreciation for the series. I can tell a profound difference between season one M*A*S*H and season six M*A*S*H, but I don’t think that is a bad thing. I know there are fans of either the “early years” or the “later years” of the series, but I have an appreciation for both. In life, we have to adapt to survive, and M*A*S*H started in 1972, near the end of the Vietnam War, and ended in 1983. The world changed in that eleven years, and M*A*S*H either had to adapt or end. There are some who might argue that M*A*S*H should have ended sooner than it did, but I admire what the writers, producers, and cast did for eleven years. They met new challenges, tried new things, and pushed through several cast changes successfully. There aren’t many shows in the history of television that have done that.