Season 3

Summary

A general arrives to inspect the 4077th. It is quickly made obvious that he is off of his rocker.

Thoughts

Harry Morgan's first appearance. He is delightful. There are a lot of really great gags in this episode. Hilarious stuff. The thing that saves the crew this time around is the panel of judges realizing that the general is racist. And then he's gone! Yay!

Summary

Henry has to send some people to a trade of prisoners. Frank almost fucks it all up. Margaret.

Thoughts

Just an important episode? Not really sure why. There's just this feel to it? When they have a conversation with Dr. Tan, it's just so clear that no one here is here by choice. It's just a very good episode. Margaret! IS! A! FREAK! AND THAT GUITAR GUY SHOWS UP AGAIN??????

Summary

Frank is put in charge with Henry away. Hawkeye is the one actually running things. Colonel Flagg shows up!

Thoughts

Radar O'Reilly! Tired tired sleepy Hawkeye. Frank Burns eats worms. Trapper buys a pinstripe suit!

Summary

Margaret fucks a general to death. The general's aide tries to cover it up to make him seem heroic.

Thoughts

Margaret teaming up with Hawkeye and Trapper!! YAS! It's such a 'hey when the cards are down I am on your side' moment. I love those. Also funny! And crazy!

Summary

The O.R.. We are in the O.R. Sidney Freedman arrives.

Thoughts

Sidney Freedman my beloved. NO LAUGHTRACK!!!! YEEAHHHHHH!!!! O.R. Episode is fantastic. That one soldier Hawkeye helps is so so so sweet. What a good episode.

Summary

Klinger gets married. Hawkeye accidentally gets a bodyguard. Radar falls in love again. There's a soldier with a cat.

Thoughts

Frank Burns eats worms. Klinger's marriage!!!! Wedding!!!!

Summary

Trapper gets an ulcer, which means he can be sent home.

Thoughts

They're in love, your honor. The goodbye that Trapper and Hawkeye deserve. More than episodes where folks are convinced the war is going to end, this episode really gets the characters' hopes up. They all take it completely seriously. Hawkeye weeps. Trapper's choice at the end of the episode feels significant and well-earned. It's very sad and very sweet.

Summary

Father Mulcahy is called upon to conduct a bris ceremony. Henry's wife is cheating on him. Hawkeye and Trapper ride a horse.

Thoughts

The most memorable part of the episode is Hawkeye and Trapper inexplicably riding off on a white horse into the sunset together. And the scene where Mulcahy and Henry "give each other advice."

Summary

Frank bans alcohol at the 4077th. Chaos ensues.

Thoughts

Very fun episode! Fun Mulcahy scenes, Klinger moments, Trapper and Hawkeye interactions, and MARGARET being GREAT! Frank Burns Eats Worms!! :D Also, very funny when Hawkeye takes sobriety seriously for a Very Special Episode in later seasons.

Summary

The nurses are evacuated from the unit. The men are terrible.

Thoughts

A lot of really iconic and fun stuff happens in this episode, and also it sucks a little. Franks's wedding video is shown! The return of 5 O'Clock Charlie! Klinger Escapade! That random guitar guy? He's here too. Weird episode, all in all. Important to canon to see Margaret giving her nurses hell.

Summary

Hawkeye orders ribs.

Thoughts

Transcendent media. Excellent. Hawkeye needs to be locked up.

Summary

A Dear Dad episode in disguise.

Thoughts

Really violent patients in this one. This is the one where a dead soldier's body disappears and then re-appears alive and well. Not my favorite, and by and large forgettable, but otherwise, totally fine.

Summary

Hawkeye is an utter dick to a patient, but it's for the best. Trapper makes a breakthrough. Radar gets bit by a dog.

Thoughts

I like that Hawkeye calls Sidney for this one. Love to see a role reversal where Margaret and Frank are trying to be nice while Hawkeye is mean. Love a good Trapper moment. Radar sick. I think this is the one where Margaret reads a letter to Radar. Super lovely.

Summary

Radar tries to save a lamb from being slaughtered.

Thoughts

Spam Lamb.

Summary

The 4077th is being shelled. Margaret and Trapper get trapped. Radar is pissed and on the phone.

Thoughts

CLASSIC Trapper and Margaret scenes. Frank proposes to Margaret and then takes it back. Hawkeye is present in the episode, but doesn't do much thank god. I love it when Radar is pissed and also totally stupid.

Summary

Camp recreational activities are partaken in. Henry gives another sex lecture. Frank and Margaret. Trapper writes a letter to his daughter.

Thoughts

Klinger's kissing booth happens in this episode. Also Trapper saves a patient with hypothermia who Frank thought was dead. Margaret asks Frank for 240 dollars, which he denies, and they fight about it. I really dislike the last like five minutes of this episode, which is just extended footage of the 4077 crew playing games. It can be fun though? I dunno, I gotta be looking for an episode where everyone has a good time for a while in order to enjoy it.

Summary

An older surgeon arrives to assist, but is quickly revealed to have a drinking problem.

Thoughts

Crazy ass casting. The alcoholic doctor is played by Alan Alda's dad, and is set up to be potential foreshadowing to what may happen to Hawkeye down the road. Very fun. This is the first episode to really imply that Hawkeye is going to have a negative character arc, or that he is, even when not in active breakdown, not mentally well.

Summary

Hawkeye punches Frank in the kisser. Trapper works to discredit Frank. There's a visiting Head Nurse who Margaret is nervous about. The nurse comes on to Frank. Radar tries to fix being short.

Thoughts

My problem here is that I love the subplot a lot. And I love that Hawkeye finally gets to punch Frank. I don't like much of the rest of the episode. It's not blatantly terrible, just makes me uncomfortable to have someone claim to be raped, and literally no one thinks it's true because it's Frank. It's played for jokes that someone would call rape on Frank, and a likely situation that someone would falsely accuse someone of rape. It wouldn't be as bad if I wasn't aware of the frequent theme of women, and specifically margaret, being the brunt of a joke where the joke is she was scared she was going to be assaulted. Also, Frank is clearly uncomfortable with the nurse's advances? I like the implication that if Frank were capable of sleeping to the top, he would at the very least be very tempted, but jesus christ. Just would have been better if the nurse had accused hom of literally anything else, or if Frank had been the one lying or something. I don't know. Anyways, the famous Radar short morale boost is in this episode. And Frank gets punched.

Summary

Klinger, Hawkeye, and Margaret provide assistance at an aid station.

Thoughts

Another win for Margaret. Another step in the right direction for her. Klinger is lovely, as always. First time we see an Aid Station. It's a great time.

Summary

Hawkeye and Trapper try and stop a couple from getting married. They also try to reunite a husband and wife. A baby is delivered, much to Radar's horror.

Thoughts

Radar acting his heart out as being horrified of childbirth. Frank Burns eats worms. Overall pretty forgettable. Any episodes that feature korean characters make me nervous on this show, but aside from Frank Burns, this one feels okay?

Summary

General MacArthur is going to visit the 4077th. Chaos ensues.

Thoughts

Klinger's infamous statue of liberty stunt. Radar dressed as MacArthur is hilarious. Always funny, also, that MacArthur was not at all involved in the Korean war, though he did visit, I believe. ALSO THE FUCKING GUITAR GUY????? FINAL APPEARANCE!!!

Summary

There's a poker game. Hawkeye demands the army pay him for profits he would have earned in civilian practice.

Thoughts

Trapper and Hawkeye marital toils! Also the pay day happens. It's fine. It's another not super memorable one, although, again, Trapper gets some moments to shine.

Summary

Colonel Flagg returns. Trapper and Hawkeye give him an appendectomy for funsies. Also penicilin is going missing? But then it's not.

Thoughts

CLASSIC Flagg episode. Oh yeah baby. This is the one where he just trashes a room for no reason. Also! The appendectomy is a fun hallmark to remember in future episodes.

Summary

Show-defining episode.

Thoughts

The only thing I'll say here is that this episode should only be shown to newbies after they've formed an emotional attachment to Hawkeye, Radar, and/or Henry, and must immediately be followed up by Welcome to Korea. And also the scene where they're all drunk goes on way too long.