Category: TV Series

SUMMARY:                               RUNNING TIME: 25 Min.

First televised on CBS on January 14, 1973, William Wiard directed this early installment.  Covertly passing needed supplies to Sister Theresa’s orphanage, Hawkeye & Trapper deceptively credit a fictitious ‘Captain Tuttle’ as the project’s supposed benefactor.  Hawkeye’s invisible childhood friend, ‘Tuttle,’ inadvertently becomes the talk of the 4077^th.  Margaret dreamily falls in love with him … a jealous Frank fears a new rival … Henry thinks he just had breakfast with him the other day.  Hawkeye & Trapper’s wacky charade hits the fan when the U.S. Army seeks out the literally selfless Tuttle to present a good conduct medal for going above and beyond the call of duty.

Capt. “Hawkeye” Pierce: Alan Alda          

Capt. “Trapper” John McIntyre: Wayne Rogers

Lt. Col. Henry Blake: McLean Stevenson                                            

Cpl. “Radar” O’Reilly: Gary Burghoff

Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan: Loretta Swit                            

Major Frank Burns: Larry Linville

(Lt.) Father Francis Mulcahy: William Christopher                            

Sister Theresa: Mary-Robin Todd

Finance Officer: James Sikking                                                          

General Crandell Clayton: Herb Voland

Sgt. “Sparky” Pryor: Dennis Fimple                                                   

Captain Tuttle: (See Review)

REVIEW:

Exuding absurdism, “Tuttle” is timeless. Stick around and watch the closing credits, as there’s a wordplay gag (it’s likely one of the best in TV credits history).  Among its early seasons, “Tuttle” absolutely merits re-discovery as a sitcom MASH-erpiece.      

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                 9 Stars

SUMMARY:                                RUNNING TIME: 25 Min.

First televised on CBS on October 8, 1972, E.W. Swackhamer directs this early episode.  Frank’s incessant whining forces Henry to assign a bemused Hawkeye as the 4077^th’s official Chief Surgeon.  While the camp holds an outlandish party inaugurating Hawkeye, Frank & Margaret scheme to compel a gruff General Barker into making a late-night investigation — personally.  Visiting the 4077^th  during its graveyard shift,  Barker gets more than he bargained for, including a cross-dressing overnight sentry.    

Capt. “Hawkeye” Pierce: Alan Alda                                                    

Capt. “Trapper” John McIntyre: Wayne Rogers

Lt. Col. Henry Blake: McLean Stevenson                                            

Cpl. “Radar” O’Reilly: Gary Burghoff

Major Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan: Loretta Swit                            

Major Frank Burns: Larry Linville

(Lt.) Father Francis Mulcahy: William Christopher                            

Cpl. Max Klinger: Jamie Farr

Lt. Ginger Bayliss: Odessa Cleveland                                                  

General Wilson Barker: Sorrell Booke

Capt. “Ugly” John Black: John Orchard                                             

Capt. Kaplan: Jack Riley

Capt. Oliver “Spearchucker” Jones: Timothy Jones                            

Lt. Leslie Scorch: Linda Meiklejohn

REVIEW:

Through repeat viewings, “Chief Surgeon Who?” sports several LOL moments.  While Jamie Farr’s debuting Klinger steals the show, its most underrated contributor is a pre-‘Boss Hogg’ himself: guest star Sorrell Booke (whose only other appearance as General Barker was in the previous episode: “Requiem for a Lightweight”). 

Sporting a bushy moustache (which makes him near-unrecognizable to Dukes of Hazzard fans), Booke’s blustery General Barker delivers some hilarious scenes stumbling upon the 4077^th’s after-hours hijinks.  It’s unfortunate that Barker isn’t in any more episodes, as he is by far the funniest straight-man of MASH’s various generals.  Though the party sequence is excessive and Trapper has far too little to do, this early MASH deserves its place as a golden (or, at least, silver) TV re-run.     

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:          8 Stars

SUMMARY:                      RUNNING TIME: 48 Min.

Appropriately televised on NBC on October 31, 1987, this Dennis Dugan-directed installment conjures up some chilling plot twists reminiscent of Agatha Christie.  Wealthy businessman George Edelton is assassinated in the family’s corporate office, just like his murdered father the year before. Yet, could the killer be the father’s ghost?  

With two unsolved murders implicating the Edelton family, L.A. police detectives, Sgts. Rick Hunter & Dee Dee McCall, interrogate the remaining Edeltons and their two servants at the family’s remote Bald Mountain mansion.  A blizzard traps everyone together for at least two days, as a disguised serial killer pursues a personal vendetta.

Sgt. Rick Hunter: Fred Dryer                                                              

Sgt. Dee Dee McCall: Stepfanie Kramer                                              

John Edelton: Dann Florek

David Edelton: John O’Connell

Capt. Charlie Devane: Charles Hallahan                                            

Michael Edelton: Richard Kline

Sylvia Brand: Tricia O’Neil                                                                

Clara: Mary Jackson

Carl Brand: Frank Ashmore                                                               

Bert: Parley Baer

Elaine Farmer: Carolyn Ann Clark                                                     

George Edelton: Robert Frank Telfer

REVIEW:

As a conventional “And Then There Were None”-style whodunnit, this episode is solid, in spite of some broad hints re: the culprit.  Even if its clichéd mystery moments (i.e. a spooky eye spying through a wall’s hidden hole) aren’t too scary, there’s still sufficient suspense.  Hunter & McCall’s platonic banter makes for some great fun, especially as they trade off on who’s more creeped out by the sniping Edelton clan.  Packed with reliable guest stars portraying the Edeltons (i.e. they plausibly resemble siblings), Three Company’s Richard Kline steals this episode with nonchalant sarcasm.      

However, the ‘logic police’ should have arrested the scriptwriters for some blatant contrivances.  For instance, why would an ingenious killer, no matter how deranged, risk targeting more victims when there are already two armed cops on the premises?  There isn’t any rationale as to why this culprit wouldn’t (or couldn’t) wait for a safer opportunity.  For that matter, in classic whodunnit logic, even if the determined murderer succeeds in gunning down the Edeltons, wouldn’t Hunter & McCall automatically deduce their culprit by process of elimination? 

Unfortunately, the script settles for Hunter & McCall’s guesswork rather than satisfactory revelations.  Another ‘it only happens on TV’ gaffe occurs when the two detectives are shown all too eagerly departing/escaping the Edelton crime scene before the forensics/coroner squad even shows up to deal with the corpses. 

The finish itself is a mixed bag, as one last ghoulish plot thread is resolved (sort of).  Again, too much (i.e. the real motive/culprit behind the dad’s murder) is left to inference.  In all fairness, the cast’s chemistry (particularly Kramer & Dryer) makes up most of the difference hiding this entertaining episode’s gaping plot holes.   

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:            6½ Stars

SUMMARY:                                 RUNNING TIME: 23 Min.

Televised on the Fox network on March 6, 1988, this Linda Day-directed installment parodies daytime game shows.  Sorely needing a new washer-dryer, boorish Al & Peggy Bundy brazenly impersonate their naïve neighbors, Steve & Marcy Rhoades, as contestants on a sadistic game show, How Do I Love Thee?.  The gaudy program pits newlywed couples against one another in cartoonish fashion to win mostly cheap household goods.  The game’s really afoot for the phony Steve & Marcy … once the real Steve & Marcy show up for the show’s grand prize challenge posing as Al & Peggy Bundy!

Al Bundy: Ed O’Neill                                                              

Bud Bundy: David Faustino               

Peggy Bundy: Katey Sagal                                                      

Bink Winkleman: David Leisure

Steve Rhoades: David Garrison                                                

Mona Squab: Catherine Rusoff

Kelly Bundy: Christina Applegate                                            

Roland Squab: Geoff Pierson

Marcy Rhoades: Amanda Bearse                                            

The Lovely Zelda: Jessie Scott

Note: Catherine Rusoff is Ed O’Neill’s real-life spouse.

REVIEW:

Unlike much of the first two seasons, this wacky episode depicts the blue-collar Bundy clan in full-on caricature mode (as fans of later seasons will easily recognize).  With its crass slapstick humor in vintage form, this early episode is gut-busting hilarious!  The regular ensemble cast’s chemistry is spot-on, especially when an incensed Steve & Marcy finally catch up to the shameless Al & Peggy.  Also, the competition between the naive Squabs and the far more mercenary Bundys (as ‘Steve’ & Marcy’) is simply a hoot to watch.  Guest star David Leisure gleefully steals this episode as the ultra-smarmy game show host.  Spoofing Vanna White, lookalike actress Jessie Scott’s silly airhead ‘The Lovely Zelda’ adds some extra adult-friendly chuckles.  Definitely recommended! 

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:                    9 Stars

SUMMARY:                          RUNNING TIME: 23 Min.

Televised by ABC on November 6, 1979, this Dave Powers-directed installment has a sleep-deprived Jack reluctantly taking up Larry’s offer for a quiet weekend in the woods.  His main objectives are evading love-starved neighbor Lana and desperately catching up on some shut-eye.  Larry, of course, has a sleazy ulterior motive – namely, he is wooing naïve actress Laura.    Realizing that Larry’s hyped deluxe ‘chalet’ is an undersized dump of a cabin, Jack’s close quarters gets even closer when Janet, Chrissy, Lana, Laura, and Mr. Furley all show up.  A wild series of misunderstandings and schemes impacting Jack’s exhaustion make for unforgettable fun in the great outdoors. 

Notes: A syndicated version omits the last scene (which is available in the episode on the Season 2 DVD set).  Back at their apartment, Jack, Chrissy, & Janet receive one last unpleasant souvenir from their disastrous camping trip.  The predictable gag is an afterthought, so viewers aren’t missing much.  Also, guest star Louise Williams’ likely best-known credit is voicing The Wonder Twins’ Jayna on the animated Super-Friends TV series.   

Jack Tripper: John Ritter                                                                    

Larry Dallas: Richard Kline                

Janet Wood: Joyce DeWitt                                                                  

Ralph Furley: Don Knotts

Chrissy Snow: Suzanne Somers                                                           

Lana Shields: Ann Wedgeworth

Laura: Louise Williams                                                                      

REVIEW:

Overcoming the ultra-clichéd TV camping trip-gone-awry premise, this episode’s raunchy humor is an absolute gem!  Aside from a few over-exaggerated facial reactions, John Ritter’s slapstick (including his hammock and sleeping bag gags) is dynamite.  In particular, Ritter’s chemistry with Don Knotts, Richard Kline, and guest star Louise Williams proves spot-on hilarious.  This episode is also one of those instances where Knotts’ randy ‘Mr. Furley’ is just as funny as the Ropers once were.  His mildly risqué scenes with Ritter and Ann Wedgeworth are delightful, as far as endearing the gang’s new castmates.  Of note, this episode is Wedgeworth’s best appearance before she was abruptly dropped from the cast.     

Among the uninvited guests, an exasperated ‘Janet” and airhead ‘Chrissy’ contribute the least to this episode, but Joyce DeWitt tries her best.  Still, Richard Kline’s smarmy sub-plot with guest star Louise Williams is a hoot.  In particular, the awkward chemistry Williams sparks with Ritter’s incredulous ‘Jack’ belongs on the season’s highlight reel.  When one throws in the ridiculous Lana-Jack-Furley ‘love triangle,’ this episode showcases Three’s Company at its best during the Don Knotts era.  As almost everything magically clicks, “A-Camping We Will Go” makes for an inspired laugh-fest.    

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:              9 Stars

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