was there anything that you wish they had showed; but they didn't?

I think a great scene would have been to have Col. Blakes wife Lorraine, listening to a news report on the radio about the end of the Korean war. Then she looks over at a picture of Henry, shuts off the radio, looks at the pic. again, then picks it up, and starts to cry.

And show Trapper watching a report on TV about the end of the war then saying to his wife Louise something like "You know, I feel really bad about never saying goodbye to Hawkeye".

Intresting suggestions treky... but what would you have cut to make room for them ? Due to run time constraints, several scenes would have to be eliminated. Kinda opens up a whole different thought process doesn't it ?

As for me, no additions or deletions thanks just the same.

hmmm....never thought of that. But then again, I haven't seen the finale in YEARS (ever since it first aired) But now that I think of it, I would have DEFINETALY cut out that scene of the fire, because it was so obviosely tacked on as an afterthout. (because a real fire burned down the set while they were filming) and I also would cut out that scene of the farewell dinner.

I would have used the time capsule episode as a series finale. They could have buried the time capsule when they heard the war was ending and said their goodbyes and gotten a last few pranks in.

I don't like the series finale much. I thought it was very long and drawn-out. I didn't care for the dramatic parts either, especially Hawkeye.

yea, I know what you mean, it was toooo drawn out & dramatic.

I would have used the time capsule episode as a series finale. They could have buried the time capsule when they heard the war was ending and said their goodbyes and gotten a last few pranks in.

I don't like the series finale much. I thought it was very long and drawn-out. I didn't care for the dramatic parts either, especially Hawkeye.someone i knew once told me that he thought hawkeye;s brakedown scene was overrated

was there anything that you wish they had showed; but they didn't?

I think a great scene would have been to have Col. Blakes wife Lorraine, listening to a news report on the radio about the end of the Korean war. Then she looks over at a picture of Henry, shuts off the radio, looks at the pic. again, then picks it up, and starts to cry.

And show Trapper watching a report on TV about the end of the war then saying to his wife Louise something like "You know, I feel really bad about never saying goodbye to Hawkeye".those are good ideas

I thought at the very end, before the helicopter takes off, while Hawkeye was pondering, they should have had brief flashback scenes of Henry, Trapper, Radar, and Frank.

The time capsule episode was in fact the final one filmed--yes, after the bloated finale. I'm not familiar with the story about a fire on the set, but they apparently had enough of it left intact to film another half-hour episode.

someone i knew once told me that he thought hawkeye;s brakedown scene was overrated
it was; also that farewell dinner.

The one thing that really stood out for me, was there was not a single moment or scene, at least that I recall, that had Hawkeye & B.J. together in "The Swamp". B.J. was seen in it, but Hawkeye was not in the Swamp at all during the final movie/episode, and that always made me feel a bit cheated. I love the ideas you all suggested, about having cameos by Henry's widow & Trapper, and the idea of Hawkeye having one final flashback thinking about a scene with Trapper, Henry, Radar & Frank all together. Too bad those things could not have been incorporated somehow into the finale. I remember being in high school and anticipating the February 28, 1983 episode. I remember actually getting sick that day, and having to leave from 2nd period typing class. I remember thinking that the finale was going to actually show all of them arriving back home in the States again too. AfterMASH kind of gave us a little taste of that.