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mrjoegrennon
Reviews
M*A*S*H: Strange Bedfellows (1983)
Deconstructing Harry
This episode is Terrible!
Anyone who was alive in 1983 remembers the series finale of M*A*S*H* as one of the best-written television shows in history.....Strange Bedfellows is a bump in the road to that amazing moment. Writer Karen Hall wrote some of the most poignant moments created for television, and this melodrama might actually have worked if it wasn't in a program that had ten years worth of material at this point.
This series is notorious for it's inconsistencies, factual errors and botched timelines, however, I take umbrage when a writer thumbs their nose at probability. For example, I found it too impossible that Potter's son-in-law Bobby would drop by to spend a couple days at a field army hospital during his business trip to war torn Korea. For Pete's sake, just writing that idiot plot in my REVIEW is appalling to me! But the chances of the Colonel finding out that Bob was being unfaithful to his wife is....as Potter would say, "Horse pucky!"
I was more annoyed that Colonel Potter reveals something about himself that is contrary to character. I suppose that this is what you do when you're out of ideas....you begin to deconstruct.
The subplot regarding Winchester's snoring is not bad, but I feel its the sort of thing that should have been explored when Charles first arrived at the 4077th..season six, or at latest seven.
M*A*S*H: The Nurses (1976)
The First Great Episode of M*A*S*H
For me there are about a dozen truly great episodes of M*A*S*H, and though I was sorry to see Trapper John and Henry Blake leave the series at the end of season three, the show didn't start to cook until season five.
"The Nurses" is a pivotal moment in the development of Margaret Houlihan and for the first time we are offered insight into the Major's motivations. Swit's soliloquy towards the end of act three is delivered with such passion, it's clear that the actor herself is moved to tears by her own words. This is an impassioned monologue that not only hoists the character to a new level of respectability, it pays homage to the brave women who served their country then and now.
Houlihan's nurses in this episode are terrific, however I was disappointed that Nurse Kellye was not available, but more so that the series failed to develop more than a stark handful of female characters....in fact, it's this episode that begins M*A*S*H's long crawl back from an atrociously misogynistic history.
M*A*S*H: Hot Lips and Empty Arms (1973)
Margaret Deserves Better
By the 11th season of M*A*S*H, Margaret Houlihan is a feminist icon...strong, independent and respectable. In this episode however the Major is still merely cannon-fodder for Hawkeye's and Trapper John's misogynistic abuse.
When Houlihan receives word that Tricia Spaulding, a woman who she'd known in basic-training, had married a doctor and was now living in luxurious comfort she begins to have regrets about her life choices. Frustrated by insubordinate nurses and the constant harrassment, both physical and sexual, by Pierce and McIntyre she decides that she's had enough of the 4077th and requests a tranfer.
At no point do the doctors express their gratitude for her hard work, they instead make jokes and express joy at her imminent departure. At one point Hawk and Trap offer the Major a truce and an offering of what they claim to be champagne, only to serve her something that "eats away" the inside of the nose. It is at this point that Margaret lists some of the offences that the pair of jokers have committed against her....none of which I found interesting or funny. The show ends with Houlihan thanking her persecutors and brushing off Frank Burns....however the pair are chummy again by the next episode.
Subsequently the nickname "Hot Lips" is dropped altogether in reference to the tough-as-nails nurse as the writers of the show realized that by disrespecting Major Houlihan they were thumbing their noses at the brave women who had served in field hospitals, heroically risking their lives to save the lives of others.
When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
When Harry Met Woody
I don't like this movie...if you do then don't worry, it's not because you're unintelligent. Chances are that the things that you enjoyed about it are the elements that were shamelessly lifted from Woody Allen films, Annie Hall, Manhattan and Play It Again Sam.
So why was this movie so successful? The one word answer is nepotism. Almost every one of the major players involved with this project were offspring of show-biz legends...Reiner, Ephron, Crystal, Fisher, Kirby...all but poor, adorable Meg Ryan who had to make it in the business using her...(meh)...talent.
I recommend seeing the movie's source material, Woody Allen's films have what family connections cannot provide....heart.
Just Shoot Me!: Blush Gets Some Therapy (2002)
Out of Good Ideas
The sixth season of Just Shoot Me is a huge disappointment to me. I feel that writers have run out of ideas and had started to undo character development from previous years. Blush Gets Some Therapy gives us another in a slew of cameos from the cast of News Radio, this time it's Stephen Root. Root plays a corporate therapist who's been hired to restore camaraderie to the group, but instead he sews distrust and jealousy. If the Staff of Blush Magazine haven't formed resilient bonds at this point of the series, than why the heck am I still watching? They all seem petulant and mean spirited, and I'm doubtful things improve before the end.
Skeleton Key (1978)
As good as it's remake
If you enjoy the 2002 remake of this wannabe gothic horror story, you'll find the original interesting. I watched this on a rainy Sunday in November and found it to be adequately entertaining. Creepy 1970's fare...