Thus is spoken one of the last phrases uttered by Lt. Colonel Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) to the pompous Maj. Frank Marion 'Ferret Face' Burns (Larry Linville) as the company from the 4077th M*A*S*H assembles to see Henry off when he asks, "Does the Colonel wish to review his troops?" M*A*S*H, made for television from September 1972-February 1983 post an eponymous 1970 Robert Altman black comedy film and 1968 book 'MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors' by H. Richard Hornberger (Richard Hooker's pseudonym) was an endearing half-hour program, carrying both emotionality and entertainment for saving the sake of sanity of the world surrounding our main characters in 1940s Korea. The title of the episode uses the word "Abyssinia" as a comic corruption of the phrase "I'll be seeing you", specifically in what follows thereafter. In Korea, death was always a certainty, but it specifically had someone else in mind that day. Not a soldier nor the enemy, but a particular Lt. Colonel from the 4077th precinct with his warm smile and trademark fishing hat, also meaning that the innocent Radar O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) would lose one of his closest and dearest friends in that short amount of time as well.
Opening in the operating room, the surgeons and medical staff (with the exception of Frank Burns) participate in a game of "Name That Tune". Radar enters the O.R. shortly after shut-ups arise between Frank, who requests silence, and the other doctors has reached its peak. He then informs Blake of his discharge back to the States, confirming he has received all of the Army service points to be rotated back home. Upon completion of the surgical session, Henry is overjoyed and begins planning for his upcoming trip home, first placing a telephone call to Bloomington, Illinois to inform his wife and family of the good news. As he is making the call, we see a skeleton on his right-hand side as he continues his conversation. The camera then holds on him as he is sitting and speaking, insinuating to us that his demise is near, unbeknownst to him or us. The skeleton, however, had always been in his working quarters all this time, but here it has an unsettling and chilling significance that Blake will never see America and that he is tragically doomed.
Meanwhile Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit) and Burns are eagerly awaiting the upcoming transfer of the 4077th M*A*S*H: upon Blake's departure, Burns will become the new unit commander. Cleaning out the main office, a sentimental moment emerges when Radar tells Blake of his meaning to him in his life. As a token of appreciation, Radar gives him an inscribed Winchester cartridge; a surprised Henry returns the favor by spontaneously giving Radar a rectal thermometer that once belonged to his father.
On the night of his departure, Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce (the always wisecracking Alan Alda), his comrade in comedic caper crimes Trapper McIntyre (Wayne Rogers) and Radar throw Henry a drawn-out going-away party at Rosie's Bar and Grill. The foursome, inebriated from the sake, share pleasant memories, reminiscing times of old before Blake has to find a lavatory. While absent, the rest of the party decide to prepare a comedic ceremony to "drum him out of the Army", presenting him with a brand-new suit upon his return as a parting gift.
After saying his initial goodbyes the next morning, and the first day with Frank Burns in charge (with no less respect for him than before from the other surgeons) and laying a long kiss on "Hot Lips" from Blake after a whisper from Radar convincing him to do so, Blake then leaves the camp and walks towards the chopper pad with Hawkeye, Trapper, Margaret and Frank. Guest starring were soon-to-be famous characters on the show such as the Reverend Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) and the constantly cross-dressing Corporal Klinger (Jamie Farr). They then all sing him out with "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow". What followed thereafter shocked, even outraged, many viewers at the time.
"Abyssinia, Henry" aired on May 18, 1975 in the US on CBS-TV. It was the twenty-forth episode of the third season, the final episode for that season and the seventy-second episode overall. It was written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, directed by Larry Gelbart, and produced by Gene Reynolds, who said of the episode, "We didn't want Henry Blake going back to Bloomington, Illinois and going back to the country club and the brown and white shoes, because a lot of guys didn't get back to Bloomington." Disregarding though understandably receiving letters of feedback from viewers showing the intensity about it's condemnation, it is estimated that the producers received over one thousand letters regarding the episode; "some were from people who understood. Many were from people that didn't." The cast did not even know about Henry's death off-screen or on until when Radar comes into the O.R. announcing Henry's plane being shot down, spinning, and finally crashing over the sea of Japan with no survivors. All of their reactions when the camera was rolling were completely genuine. Rogers quit during that summer break between seasons. An upset 20th Century Fox sued for breach of contract, but the suit collapsed. Producer Reynolds continues: "Not everybody, not every kid gets to go back to Bloomington, Illinois. Fifty thousand – we left fifty thousand boys in Korea – and we realized it was right for the show, because the premise of our show was the wastefulness of the war."
Forty years later, "Abyssinia, Henry" still packs the power from its dark, unexpected turn to stay in viewer's minds long afterwards, even after the light-hearted montage of Blake with clips from past episodes, playing an "affectionate and reluctant farewell", reminding us all that the haunting M*A*S*H theme song title could possibly be true after all.
Opening in the operating room, the surgeons and medical staff (with the exception of Frank Burns) participate in a game of "Name That Tune". Radar enters the O.R. shortly after shut-ups arise between Frank, who requests silence, and the other doctors has reached its peak. He then informs Blake of his discharge back to the States, confirming he has received all of the Army service points to be rotated back home. Upon completion of the surgical session, Henry is overjoyed and begins planning for his upcoming trip home, first placing a telephone call to Bloomington, Illinois to inform his wife and family of the good news. As he is making the call, we see a skeleton on his right-hand side as he continues his conversation. The camera then holds on him as he is sitting and speaking, insinuating to us that his demise is near, unbeknownst to him or us. The skeleton, however, had always been in his working quarters all this time, but here it has an unsettling and chilling significance that Blake will never see America and that he is tragically doomed.
Meanwhile Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit) and Burns are eagerly awaiting the upcoming transfer of the 4077th M*A*S*H: upon Blake's departure, Burns will become the new unit commander. Cleaning out the main office, a sentimental moment emerges when Radar tells Blake of his meaning to him in his life. As a token of appreciation, Radar gives him an inscribed Winchester cartridge; a surprised Henry returns the favor by spontaneously giving Radar a rectal thermometer that once belonged to his father.
On the night of his departure, Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce (the always wisecracking Alan Alda), his comrade in comedic caper crimes Trapper McIntyre (Wayne Rogers) and Radar throw Henry a drawn-out going-away party at Rosie's Bar and Grill. The foursome, inebriated from the sake, share pleasant memories, reminiscing times of old before Blake has to find a lavatory. While absent, the rest of the party decide to prepare a comedic ceremony to "drum him out of the Army", presenting him with a brand-new suit upon his return as a parting gift.
After saying his initial goodbyes the next morning, and the first day with Frank Burns in charge (with no less respect for him than before from the other surgeons) and laying a long kiss on "Hot Lips" from Blake after a whisper from Radar convincing him to do so, Blake then leaves the camp and walks towards the chopper pad with Hawkeye, Trapper, Margaret and Frank. Guest starring were soon-to-be famous characters on the show such as the Reverend Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) and the constantly cross-dressing Corporal Klinger (Jamie Farr). They then all sing him out with "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow". What followed thereafter shocked, even outraged, many viewers at the time.
"Abyssinia, Henry" aired on May 18, 1975 in the US on CBS-TV. It was the twenty-forth episode of the third season, the final episode for that season and the seventy-second episode overall. It was written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, directed by Larry Gelbart, and produced by Gene Reynolds, who said of the episode, "We didn't want Henry Blake going back to Bloomington, Illinois and going back to the country club and the brown and white shoes, because a lot of guys didn't get back to Bloomington." Disregarding though understandably receiving letters of feedback from viewers showing the intensity about it's condemnation, it is estimated that the producers received over one thousand letters regarding the episode; "some were from people who understood. Many were from people that didn't." The cast did not even know about Henry's death off-screen or on until when Radar comes into the O.R. announcing Henry's plane being shot down, spinning, and finally crashing over the sea of Japan with no survivors. All of their reactions when the camera was rolling were completely genuine. Rogers quit during that summer break between seasons. An upset 20th Century Fox sued for breach of contract, but the suit collapsed. Producer Reynolds continues: "Not everybody, not every kid gets to go back to Bloomington, Illinois. Fifty thousand – we left fifty thousand boys in Korea – and we realized it was right for the show, because the premise of our show was the wastefulness of the war."
Forty years later, "Abyssinia, Henry" still packs the power from its dark, unexpected turn to stay in viewer's minds long afterwards, even after the light-hearted montage of Blake with clips from past episodes, playing an "affectionate and reluctant farewell", reminding us all that the haunting M*A*S*H theme song title could possibly be true after all.