The Good
This is one of those shows that was just meant to work.
The Bad
No extras.
I think it would be very hard for someone in their early 30s and up to have not at least seen an episode of M*A*S*H. I have never really watched this show with any regularity, but I am very familiar with it and I am a huge fan of Alan Alda. There is something about his cadence and his tone of speech that I could listen to forever.
In this M*A*S*H: Season 10 three disc set we see the effects of war on the Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), their bonds as well as the bureaucracy of war. The comedic rapport between Hawkeye (Alan Alda), Trapper John (Wayne Rogers), Radar (Gary Burghoff) and everyone else on this show is pitch perfect. However, what helps to underscore it is the fact that all of the actors bring a real human element to every situation.
We are currently at war today and a show like M*A*S*H shows just how much times haven't changed.
Features
No extras came with this three disc set.
Video
Full Frame - 1.33:1. Even though this show is from the 1980s, it still very much retains it's washed out look that most of the shows from the 1970s have. Also, even though I know that a lot of this was filmed on a Fox backlot, this show has a worn look to it that I think speaks volumes about not only war but the overall world that has been created on screen. People always talk about M*A*S*H, but the reality that it created has never really been highlighted, and I think that's a shame because it really is a part of what makes this show great.
Audio
Dolby Digital. English, Spanish and French Mono. Subtitled in English and Spanish. Close Captioned. This show plays like Howard Hawk's His Girl Friday. Characters are spitting out words in rapid fire succession as they constantly come in and out of scenes. The sound design is pretty solidly put together even though there really isn't anything too special happening within it.
Package
The front cover features a shot of Hawkeye, Trapper John and Hot Lips. I am not sure but I think this was a promo picture taken for this show. The back features two shots from the various episodes, a small description of the show, a technical specs listing and a cast list. This three disc set packaging (while a little wide) has all the discs in a book like layout as one piece. Overall, even though I wish this was smaller I very much like how each disc has it's own tray.
Final Word
A thought hit me as I was watching M*A*S*H: Season 10. The reason why a show like Over There: Season 1 probably didn't do as well as it could have is because maybe it was too serious. I am not saying that people want to laugh out loud at the Iraq war, but I think that maybe they sensed the show was trying to be too noble. I think a show like M*A*S*H worked for eleven years because the writers showed us the characters warts and all.
With this, it's 10th season, I feel that M*A*S*H fans and newbies (like myself) are going to be quite happy to own it.
M*A*S*H was released .