MASH saved its worst Captain Benjamin “Hawkeye” Pierce tragedy in its finale, and it was one thing that Alan Alda’s character predicted three years earlier. Despite the strain coming from Robert Altman’s profitable characteristic movie in 1970, CBS nonetheless moved ahead with a TV sequence adaptation of the medical struggle comedy-drama. Admittedly, its begin on the small display was lower than supreme, however it will definitely discovered its groove, with MASH ending up working for 11 seasons. The groundbreaking present wrapped up with a feature-length finale, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” which stays the most-watched episode of a scripted sequence.

The MASH finale clocked in at 2 and a half hours, with Alda co-writing and directing the entire episode. By then, the actor was the present’s greatest artistic drive. Aside from starring as arguably the present’s true protagonist, he wrote and directed a number of episodes over time, and was even a artistic advisor, as properly. Despite the strain behind the digicam, “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” additionally introduced Alda’s Hawkeye along with his most tragic expertise being stationed within the 4077 MASH unit. Intriguingly, nonetheless, the character himself in some way predicted that his destiny would come with such hardship.

Hawkeye Had A Nervous Breakdown In The MASH Finale

The War Finally Caught Up With Hawkeye Before MASH Ended

While MASH began as extra of a comedy sequence, with season 1 leaning into its foolish type of humor. Over time, nonetheless, its storytelling grew to become extra considerate, if not even dramatic. The struggle sequence by no means shied away from tackling the harrowing results of the battle, but it surely was largely undercut with darkish humor, primarily by way of a quip from Hawkeye, and his companions: Trapper John McIntyre and BJ Hunnicutt. However, because it neared its finish, MASH dialed up its extra critical storylines, with Hawkeye’s most heartbreaking second taking place within the finale.

In “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen,” Hawkeye was being handled at a psychological hospital in Seoul after experiencing a nervous breakdown. It was prompted after he witnessed a Korean mom kill her child to stop the group from being detected by an enemy patrol. Hawkeye had at all times been clear throughout MASH’s run how a lot he hated the struggle, even claiming that it’s worse than hell as a result of “there are no innocent bystanders in hell.”

Hawkeye Said He Feared He Would Have A Nervous Breakdown In The Future In MASH Season 8

A Visiting Surgeon’s Breakdown Brought Hawkeye’s Fears To The Surface

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Three years earlier, nonetheless, Hawkeye predicted his destiny after seeing a visiting surgeon undergo the same breakdown. In MASH season 8, episode 17, “Heal Thyself,” the 4077 recruited a rotating physician to assist out as a result of each Sherm Potter and Charles Winchester had mumps. The unit was despatched a succesful alternative, who was peppy and fairly succesful, having been stationed in a a lot busier camp. Suddenly, nonetheless, he broke down after coping with a barrage of wounded.

As Hawkeye and BJ left him in Potter’s tent, Alda’s character mentioned that it was precisely what he feared would occur to them. While his partner-in-crime did not have the identical expertise, though he had his inner challenges to undergo, Pierce was subjected to the identical factor. It was a robust second to finish Hawkeye’s story in Korea and was a reminder of the unseen wounds from the struggle in MASH.