RE: I loved the show MASH... BUT....
April 30, 2019 at 11:17 am
(This post was last modified: April 30, 2019 at 11:23 am by Brian37.)
(April 30, 2019 at 11:06 am)Jackalope Wrote: Our family used to watch the show when it first aired. The episode where Henry Blake was sent home was one of the most sobering, poignant moments in television before or since.
Outside all the religious crap they interjected into it sometimes, I really loved the compassion in that show. I think the reason I loved it so much was because I was bullied as a kid. And all the characters besides Frank and Colonel Flag saw war as hell, and your fellow human as just that.
I loved how the doctors treated the locals as equals, and even when they had to care for NK captured, they did the same.
I know I am hard on religion, and blunt about religion. But unless you are literally trying to kill me in the moment, the worst you are going to get out of me is a "bullshit".
The world has enough violence and war. M.A.S.H. Is one of those shows that shaped me. Not that I could be a doctor, or serve in the military. But in knowing we are ultimately all the same species.
Just the other day, I saw a repeat, where Hawkeye got stuck with NK soldier who's buddy was dying. Neither of them spoke the same language and the NK soldier was was suspect of Hawkeye being an American. But somehow Hawkeye through his voice and body language convinced the NK soldier that he was going to try to save his buddy. Unfortunately the guy dies in the episode. The NK soldier is upset, starts shouting to motion Hawkeye to leave, so he starts to walk away. The NK soldier starts to dig a grave with his helmet, Hawkeye turns back to see this, walks back, and starts digging with his hands to help him.
I cried when I watched that. Of course it is just a show. But I am quite sure despite conflict, in real war, there are still acts of empathy like that.
