Salute to M*A*S*H

Being the huge retro-TV fan that I am, I've discovered a new guilty pleasure-- M*A*S*H (1972-83). This discovery was made during one of my periodic bouts with insomnia. I actually went so far as to purchase the Season Four Collector's Edition DVDs (less than $20 on Amazon.com). There's some great stuff in this three-disc set. (BTW, I prefer Seasons 4-7-- the pre-mustache B.J. Hunnicutt years-- to all others.) However, the stand-out episodes are the season opener-- "Welcome to Korea (9/12/75)" -- and the finale-- "The Interview (2/24/76)."
In the former, we are introduced to Trapper John McIntyre's (Wayne Rodgers) replacement-- clean-cut Californian family man Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell). B.J. is welcomed to the 4077 by chief wisecracker Capt. Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce-- whom I believe to be the absolute greatest TV character ever (Alan Alda)-- and fresh-from-the-farm (Iowa, to be exact) Corporal Walter "Radar" O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff). Several scenes made me laugh really hard, especially the one in which an intoxicated B.J. meets Majors Frank "Ferret Face" Burns (Larry Linville) and Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit) for the first time. I also find the conversation between Frank and Margaret have in regards to their new colleague's political affiliation amusing. (Frank wants to train B.J. in his image and hopes B.J. is a Republican. Little does Ole Ferret Face realize the uphill battle that lay in store.)
As for the latter episode, it is filmed documentary-style and in black-and-white. This provides an authentic, creative effect. Here, 4077 personnel members discuss their views on war and peace. The contrast between the conservatives (Burns) and liberals (Pierce) in "The Swamp" is striking. Hunnicutt and Col. Sherman T. Potter (Frank Morgan-- also a new cast member-- replacing Col. Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson)-- in the fourth season) seem to represent a moderate point of view, although both men clearly despise the war and bloodshed as much as Hawkeye. IMHO, the best line in the whole "interview" is delivered by Hawkeye: (This is paraphrased, folks.) "I used to like Hemingway, because he wrote so well. But, then, I realized that his stories glorified war, so I didn't care for him so much (or something like that)."