90. Hawkeye

January 13, 1976 (G-520)

Written by: Larry Gelbart and Simon Muntner
Directed by: Larry Gelbart
Guest Stars: Philip Ahn as the farmer. Shizuko Hoshi as the mother. June Kim as the pregnant girl. Susan Sakimoto as the oldest child. Jeff Osaka and Jayleen Sun as the younger children.

Plot: Hawkeye is injured in a jeep accident, and, afraid that he has a concussion, babbles to a Korean family to keep himself awake. His topics include the nature of a concussion; the white fish he used to eat at Saul and Saul's delicatessen; his childhood; seeing South Pacific in Boston; the miracle that is life; some strippers he used to know; the opposable thumb. Eventually Radar turns up to rescue him, and he recovers.

Glitches: Hawkeye talking to the kids in the beginning is very poor dubbing.
There is something rather odd which I can't quite make out reflected in the window (which probably shouldn't be a window) behind Hawkeye and the farmer when they are drinking the moonshine.

AWOL: Everyone but Hawkeye.

Great Lines: Hawkeye, to the children 'Go outside and play where there's plenty of fresh air and landmines.'

Continuity is for Wimps: Hawkeye's sister has vanished by this episode - apparently his parents decided not to sibble after they had him. Maybe his concussion affected the 'I have a sister' part of his brain.

They All Look the Same to Me: Philip Ahn gets another one, as does Shizuko Hoshi. As far as I'm aware, the others are all in their only M*A*S*H appearances.

Je ne parle Korean...do I? Hawkeye speaks enough Korean to get his face slapped.

Notes: Hawkeye had a practice in Boston before he joined up. Alan Alda (and hence Hawkeye) can juggle quite nicely.

Comments: I can never work out if this is one of the best or one of the worst episodes of the season. The script, which is basically a monologue, is stunning, with some marvelous word-play. But, at the same time, not a lot happens. The jury is still out, I'm afraid.

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