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your thoughts on "MASH"

mandrewmandrew 2,720 Posts
edited November 2005 in Strut Central
i've never seen an episode, but i've heard that the show was revolutionary at its time - both its style of humor and the fact that they were portraying/commenting on a war that was in the midst of taking place.thoughts?

  Comments

  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    good show, but I like the movie better.
  • peacefulrotationpeacefulrotation 3,481 Posts
    Loved it as a kid, kinda bores me now.

    I guess hot lips just wasn't that timeless for my tastes...
  • spaceghostspaceghost 605 Posts
    the show is awesome. m***a and i recieved the movie from net flix this weekend. but it was broken. (i know i know wrong use of the graemlin)



  • DJ_NevilleCDJ_NevilleC 1,922 Posts
    Great the first few years (and I do prefer the movie as well) but in the later years Alan Alda seemed to be writing more and more of the scripts and the show got sappier and suckier and eventually I stopped watching.


  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
    My parents watched it religiously; I wanted more stuff getting blowed up real good.
  • grandpa_shiggrandpa_shig 5,799 Posts
    i have somewhat typical asian parents. i had to go to bed by 730 on school nights until i was in the 4th grade. shit sucked. mash came on as reruns from 7-730 every week night and that was the 1/2 hr countdown to bedtime. god that show sucked, but i watched every last second of it. man that sucks.






    note to self: slap dad on thanksgiving
  • edith headedith head 5,106 Posts
    good show, but I like the movie better.
  • The_NonThe_Non 5,691 Posts
    That show is like Little House on the Prairie for me, as soon as I see that little girl roll down the hill or that chopper come flying in, I turn that shit. I hate that shit. Oh, dude dresses like a woman, Alan Alda is delivering biting social commentary in "funny" form. Fuck that. That shit is tired. Hella overrated.
  • youngEINSTEINyoungEINSTEIN 2,443 Posts
    when the music comes on its my cue to turn the channel. peace, stein. . .
  • GambleGamble 844 Posts
    the fact that they were portraying/commenting on a war that was in the midst of taking place.
    thoughts?

    Please allow me a "Comic Book Guy" moment -


    Actually, while it aired during the "Vietnam Era", it was set in/about the conflict in Korea. Parrelels to the Vietnam war were very evident in the show, however, and obviously meant as a social-commentary.

    The theme song is one of my favorites of all time. Im not even talking about the version on Jamalca (which is great), but the straight up OG tv version. Ive watched the opening credits of that show about 2 million times in my life.
  • motown67motown67 4,513 Posts
    Loved it as a kid, kinda bores me now.

    I guess hot lips just wasn't that timeless for my tastes...

    Agreed. It was played every weekday on re-runs on local Ch. 2. Watched it every single time. It was just one of those many shows you grew up with during my age like other re-runs of the Odd Couple, etc.
  • VagabondVagabond 417 Posts
    the fact that they were portraying/commenting on a war that was in the midst of taking place.
    thoughts?

    Please allow me a "Comic Book Guy" moment -


    Actually, while it aired during the "Vietnam Era", it was set in/about the conflict in Korea. Parrelels to the Vietnam war were very evident in the show, however, and obviously meant as a social-commentary.

    The theme song is one of my favorites of all time. Im not even talking about the version on Jamalca (which is great), but the straight up OG tv version. Ive watched the opening credits of that show about 2 million times in my life.

    Co-Sign on the Suicide is Painless Theme. I have the record with the lyrics. I play it quite frequently this time of year.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    i've never seen an episode, but i've heard that the show was revolutionary at its time - both its style of humor and the fact that they were portraying/commenting on a war that was in the midst of taking place.
    thoughts?

    They were protraying the Korean war, which was long over.

    Commentary on the Viet Nam war went little beyond war is hell, the army is stupid.

    I don't remember anyone saying it was revolutionary back in the day.

    It was very popular, but it was a sit-com. The social import of sit-coms may be overrated. Often there is a sit-com that reflects aspects of socity that have not been reflect on a sit-com before. I don't think any of them are that important. Did the Cosby Show or All In The Family or MASH do anything to change the world. I doubt it.

    Sesame Street, Mr Rogers, Star Trek, now those shows had a real social impact.

    Dan
  • GambleGamble 844 Posts
    Sesame Street,Mr Rogers[/b] , Star Trek, now those shows had a real social impact.

    The most obvious impact, presumably, was on the fashion sensibilites of a young faux rillz...


    These underground Poptarts fail to realize their overwhelming disconnect from the streets.. isnt that right, King Friday?

  • parsecparsec 5,087 Posts
    Worst show ever! So boring. Can't believe reruns are STILL on the air. Fuck M.A.S.H.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts
    Sesame Street,Mr Rogers[/b] , Star Trek, now those shows had a real social impact.

    The most obvious impact, presumably, was on the fashion sensibilites of a young faux rillz...


    These underground Poptarts fail to realize their overwhelming disconnect from the streets.. isnt that right, King Friday?


    I've watched it 100s of time in rerun. Never thought it was great, but esaier than changing the channel. What I remember is that it was very uneven. I remember when it went off the air, the last episode was the most watched show ever. I couldn't understand why. When it was over Alan Alda was some kind of sensitve guy superstar. I never seem to understand popular culture.

    Dan
  • Funky_MimizuFunky_Mimizu 631 Posts
    Damn... I was hoping this was a post about my favorite game...



    Definitely prefer the game over the TV show.















    Peace...

    FNM



  • pointmanpointman 1,042 Posts
    To hell with the show just watch the damn movie.
  • Phill_MostPhill_Most 4,594 Posts
    when the music comes on its my cue to turn the channel. peace, stein. . .

    Yep. Never got that damn show. But Bob Newhart... now, THAT was a sitcom!
  • nrichnrich 932 Posts
    Damn... I was hoping this was a post about my favorite game...

    Definitely prefer the game over the TV show.







    Peace...
    FNM


    ha! i haven't thought about that for years.
  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    when the music comes on its my cue to turn the channel. peace, stein. . .

    Yep. Never got that damn show. But Bob Newhart... now, THAT was a sitcom!

    skinny Elvis, or fat Elvis era Newhart. I'm strongly for the former.
  • DrWuDrWu 4,021 Posts
    Probably one of the funniest and intelligent things ever done in prime time. My favorite was Colonel Flagg. Tbeir send up of overly patriotic numbskulls who run our government today. I agree that after Trapper and Frank left the show got a little maudlin. MASH's sexuality and criticism of war were a totally new phenomenon on TV. Sad to see that it's not translating to the younger generation.
  • canonicalcanonical 2,100 Posts

    It was very popular, but it was a sit-com. The social import of sit-coms may be overrated. Often there is a sit-com that reflects aspects of socity that have not been reflect on a sit-com before. I don't think any of them are that important. Did the Cosby Show or All In The Family or MASH do anything to change the world. I doubt it.
    On the DVD's you can watch the show without the laugh track. It really changes the atmosphere of the show. It becomes much more of a depressing satire than a sit-com.
  • LaserWolfLaserWolf Portland Oregon 11,517 Posts

    It was very popular, but it was a sit-com. The social import of sit-coms may be overrated. Often there is a sit-com that reflects aspects of socity that have not been reflect on a sit-com before. I don't think any of them are that important. Did the Cosby Show or All In The Family or MASH do anything to change the world. I doubt it.
    On the DVD's you can watch the show without the laugh track. It really changes the atmosphere of the show. It becomes much more of a depressing satire than a sit-com.

    No laugh track is a great feature. Do they do that on other sit-com dvds? Sienfeld?

    Dan
  • canonicalcanonical 2,100 Posts
    I don't think they have that ability on the Seinfeld DVD's (I own them, but never looked into it). It would be interesting to see Seinfeld like that, actually.
  • Funky_MimizuFunky_Mimizu 631 Posts
    I don't think they have that ability on the Seinfeld DVD's (I own them, but never looked into it). It would be interesting to see Seinfeld like that, actually.

    Seinfeld ended up dropping the laugh track after a few seasons I thought...

    Only have the first season on DVD now...

    But I believe later ones had no laugh track... Or am I thinking of a different show?

    Peace...
    FNM
  • flunkflunk 230 Posts
    Probably one of the funniest and intelligent things ever done in prime time. My favorite was Colonel Flagg. Tbeir send up of overly patriotic numbskulls who run our government today. I agree that after Trapper and Frank left the show got a little maudlin. MASH's sexuality and criticism of war were a totally new phenomenon on TV. Sad to see that it's not translating to the younger generation.

    Co-sign

    "Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice, pull down your pants and slide on the ice"

    Sidney Freedman

  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    Probably one of the funniest and intelligent things ever done in prime time. My favorite was Colonel Flagg. Tbeir send up of overly patriotic numbskulls who run our government today. I agree that after Trapper and Frank left the show got a little maudlin. MASH's sexuality and criticism of war were a totally new phenomenon on TV. Sad to see that it's not translating to the younger generation.

    The first few years of MASH were fantastic (before Frank Burns left).
  • knewjakknewjak 1,231 Posts
    hum the M*A*S*H theme song and sing....




    Through early morning fog I see

    visions of the things to be

    the pains that are withheld for me

    I realize and I can see...

    [REFRAIN]:

    that suicide is painless

    It brings on many changes

    and I can take or leave it if I please.

    I try to find a way to make

    all our little joys relate

    without that ever-present hate

    but now I know that it's too late, and...

    [REFRAIN]

    The game of life is hard to play

    I'm gonna lose it anyway

    The losing card I'll someday lay

    so this is all I have to say.

    [REFRAIN]

    The only way to win is cheat

    And lay it down before I'm beat

    and to another give my seat

    for that's the only painless feat.

    [REFRAIN]

    The sword of time will pierce our skins

    It doesn't hurt when it begins

    But as it works its way on in

    The pain grows stronger...watch it grin, but...

    [REFRAIN]

    A brave man once requested me

    to answer questions that are key

    is it to be or not to be

    and I replied 'oh why ask me?'

    [REFRAIN]

    'Cause suicide is painless

    it brings on many changes

    and I can take or leave it if I please.

    ...and you can do the same thing if you please.
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