M*A*S*H series finale
The series finale of *M*A*S*H*, titled "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen," marked the conclusion of the long-running television show that aired from 1972 to 1983. Set against the backdrop of the Korean War, the series focused on the staff of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, blending comedy and drama to reflect the realities of war. The finale, which ran for two and a half hours, is notable for its dramatic tone and deeper exploration of the characters' experiences, particularly through the journey of Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce as he confronts a traumatic memory from his past.
The episode is rich with emotional depth, showcasing various character arcs, including Chaplain Mulcahy's hearing loss and Klinger’s search for his fiancée’s family. It also incorporates significant social commentary, presenting statistics on the impact of the Korean War. "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen" became a cultural milestone, achieving the highest viewership for a television episode in history, with a Nielsen rating that reflected its massive popularity. This finale encapsulates the series' evolution from light-hearted satire to serious reflections on the consequences of conflict, resonating with audiences and leaving a lasting legacy in television history.
M*A*S*H series finale
The Event The last episode of a long-running dramatic comedy is aired
Date February 28, 1983
The finale of M*A*S*H was seen by over 100 million viewers, making it the most-watched television episode in U.S. history.
M*A*S*H followed the exploits of the staff of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (M*A*S*H), a fictional unit stationed near the front lines of the Korean War from 1950 to 1953. Produced by Twentieth Century-Fox, the thirty-minute weekly series premiered September 17, 1972. M*A*S*H was based in part on a 1968 novel by Richard Hooker (a pseudonym of former Army doctor H. Richard Hornberger) but more directly on Robert Altman’s 1970 motion picture adaptation of the novel. Like the film, the initial series coincided with the growing unpopularity of the Vietnam War among Americans, and its Korean setting was interpreted by many as a stand-in for Vietnam.
Four original cast members remained with the series for its entire eleven-year run: Alan Alda as chief surgeon Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce; William Christopher as Chaplain Francis John Patrick Mulcahy; Loretta Swit as head nurse Major Margaret Houlihan; and Jamie Farr as company clerk Maxwell Q. Klinger. The ensemble decided to end the series after ten seasons, but the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) and Twentieth Century-Fox persuaded them to participate in an abbreviated eleventh season. The finale followed 250 half-hour episodes, which were produced over a time span almost four times as long as that of the Korean War. As the series progressed, it tempered its early comedic satire with quite serious and dramatic story lines. In particular, star Alan Alda, who directed the finale, used his character to espouse liberal political views and address more serious topics during the latter years of the series.
The two-and-a-half-hour finale reflects the series’ evolving tone and focus. Titled “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen,” it begins in familiar fashion. A helicopter bringing wounded to the unit is met by dedicated M*A*S*H personnel rushing to the landing pad. (The show’s opening theme music remained the same for eleven years, “Suicide Is Painless,” which had been performed in the 1970 movie.) Through a series of flashbacks, viewers learn that Hawkeye is being treated at a psychiatric facility after suffering a breakdown in response to witnessing a terrible event. Through conversations with recurring character Sydney Freedman, an Army psychiatrist, Hawkeye remembers the event in stages: He was on a bus full of people that had to hide from an enemy patrol. One of his fellow passengers killed a chicken she was carrying in order to keep it quiet so they would not be found. Finally, Hawkeye remembers that she killed, not her chicken, but her infant. The emergence of the suppressed memory allows him to regain a modicum of sanity.
The entire episode is full of such drama. Klinger futilely searches for his fiancée’s displaced parents. Chaplain Mulcahy suffers hearing loss. A forest fire causes the unit to dismantle its camp and relocate. Major Charles Emerson Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) works with a five-piece Chinese orchestra, which is subsequently killed in a truck bombing as they leave for an anticipated prisoner exchange.
Impact
M*A*S*H’s finale was the most-viewed episode of a regular television series in history. It enjoyed a Nielsen share of 77, meaning that 77 percent of the televisions that were switched on at the time it was broadcast were tuned to the program. The finale was seen by more than 60 percent of American households. Not willing to squander this soapbox on fictional drama alone, the show’s producers included statistics on the Korean War as part of the episode. As the cease-fire took effect, the camp’s public address system announced that 2 million people were killed or wounded in a war that cost $22 billion. It also listed U.S. military casualties and missing-in-action totals.
Bibliography
Hooker, Richard. M*A*S*H. New York: William Morrow, 1968.
Kalter, Suzy. The Complete Book of M*A*S*H. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 1988.