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MASH: KIM (Season 2, Episode 6)

SUMMARY:                    RUNNING TIME: 25:00 Min.

First televised by CBS-TV on October 20, 1973, William Wiard directed this early Season 2 episode.  Displaying a fatherly bond, Trapper becomes emotionally attached to a young Korean orphan.  Having convinced his family to adopt young Kim, Trapper must risk his life to rescue his surrogate son, who mistakenly plays in a live minefield outside the 4077th. 

Capt. “Hawkeye” Pierce: Alan Alda                                                    

Capt. “Trapper” John McIntyre: Wayne Rogers

Lt. Col. Henry Blake: MacLean 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. Maxwell Klinger: Jamie Farr

Kim: Edgar Miller

Kim’s Mother: Momo Yashima

Lt. Kellye Yamato, R.N.: Kellye Nakahara

Nurse: Lesley Evans

Private Igor Straminsky: Jeff Maxwell

Note: The actress portraying Sister Theresa isn’t the same as the one who appears as her in, for instance, Season One’s “Tuttle.”  That actress is Mary-Robin Redd. 

REVIEW:

Exploring the welcome poignancy of Trapper’s paternal instinct to have a son, Wayne Rogers makes the most of this dramatic opportunity.  Considering that Rogers, as the show’s second-billed star, had so few chances (oddly enough) to escape Alan Alda’s considerable shadow, “Kim” delivers a minor gem for his acting resumé.  Yet, any genuine character growth boosting Trapper’s presence is conveniently wiped out at the last minute, which means Kim is completely forgotten by the next episode. 

“Kim,” at least, hints at what MASH scriptwriters might have done with Trapper to keep a disgruntled Rogers from abruptly departing between Seasons 3 and 4.  Specifically, writing episodes more like this one would have evolved Rogers’ Trapper to better contrast/mature his personality from Hawkeye’s, i.e. as later done with Mike Farrell’s BJ Honeycutt. 

As far as watchability, “Kim” isn’t one that will come to mind, but it represents Rogers’ finest MASH performance.

BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING:              6½ Stars

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BDC
October 2020