Review of "M*A*S*H: Divided We Stand," season two episode

Review of

M*A*S*H: Divided We Stand, season two episode


Four out of five stars

Despite differences, a powerful team

 Having received reports questioning the stability and effectiveness of the 4077 Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH), General Clayton sends a psychiatrist to the unit to examine and report on their operational status. While Henry Blake is instructed to keep the psychiatrist’s mission secret, he meets with his surgical people and implores them to be on their best behavior. There is the real threat that General Clayton will order the unit to be broken up and the members transferred to other units.

 This works for a short time, but the plan quickly falls apart and the psychiatrist observes some of the usual antics of the team members. However, when the wounded start rolling in and the surgical teams go to work, the psychiatrist realizes how good they are and reports that they should remain as they are. In true MASH fashion, the recommendation comes over a round of swamp martinis.

 This episode illustrates one of the major premises of the show. Despite having major differences in personality, style and temperament to the point where they don’t like each other, when the wounded arrive, they work together. The jokes in this episode are not the greatest, but that is really not the point of this one.