95. Deluge

February 17, 1976 (G-516)

Written by: Larry Gelbart and Simon Muntner
Directed by: William Jurgensen
Guest Stars: Kario Salem, as The Youngster. Anthony Palmer, as the Sergeant. Lois Foraker, as Nurse Able. Albert Hall, as a Corporal. Tom Ruben, as PFC. Lynne Marie Stewart, as Nurse Plummer.
Semi-regulars: William Christopher, as Father Mulcahy.

Plot: A helluva lot of casualties show up at the camp. It is getting hard to deal with. A soldier has phosphorus burns, which have to be treated in the company kitchen sink. While BJ is losing patients and Hawkeye is losing sponges in his patients, the weather is setting off mines and the wounded keep rolling in. Plasma is short, the wounded are everywhere, and Radar's glasses have been broken. It starts raining, Radar tries to wheel and deal some plasma, the Chinese are attacking, the nurses are close to being evacuated, there are no more gloves, and to top it all off, a cigar sets the linen hamper on fire. When Klinger tries to douse it, he accidentally uses alcohol, and the whole hamper goes up. And then, the wall gets blown up. After everything happens, the unit gets a commendation for being meritorious. Whoop-de-doo, I'm sure.

Great Lines: Potter, about his meal: 'This is surplus!' Radar: 'Yes, sir.' Potter: 'Take it away. I sent this dinner back in World War II!'
Hot Lips, bursting in on the Colonel in the shower: 'Colonel, I want to see you!' Potter: 'One step closer, you'll get the whole picture!'
Hawkeye, to Father Mulcahy: 'You know, Father, looking at you there, with the light hitting you like that, you look just like a B-girl I knew in San Diego.' Mulcahy: 'It's quite possible. I worked my way through Divinity school as a B-girl in San Diego.'
Hawkeye: 'Colonel, I don't know how to tell you this, but I've had a better offer.' Potter: 'Take me with you!'

The Klinger Collection: He wears his uniform for most of the episode, but has a nice yellow scarf. At the end, he's making himself a stripy dress.

Suction: 'A little.'

Comments: The old newsreels are a very interesting way of breaking up the story. This wasn't quite a 'horrors of war' episode, but wasn't really in any of the other genres either. A stronger storyline might have been good, but on the whole, a very good episode with a completely gold script.

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