Yes the character served in the Korean War, but no Wayne Rogers, no M*A*S*H character cameos. I read that this really wasn't a spinoff of the sitcom. Confused? So am I! LOL

I think the reason Trapper John MD wasn't considered a spin off of M*A*S*H is because it takes place about 30 years after the Korean war. Spin offs don't generally spin a character 30 years into the future. They usually take place in the same time period. Also the fact that a different actor was playing the role is enough reason for some people not to consider it a spin off.

It was a spin-off. In the pilot episode Hawkeye was even mentioned. Most people just forget that Trapper John MD came from MASH because they distanced themselves from MASH as the seasons went on. Trapper John was my absolute favorite medical drama.

From what I heard (can't remember where), it was unofficially a spin-off. They got away with it by saying it was a spin-off of the movie MASH. However, at a certain point the M*A*S*H TV series people said they were writing a script where Hawkeye finds out Trapper John has been killed. The people for "Trapper John, M.D." were upset. Obviously if Trapper died during the M*A*S*H series, he couldn't be alive for their series. Thus proving that to them, it was a spin-off of the show, but the word given is that it was a spin-off of the movie.

For the record, the tv people lied about that plot. As fans know, Trapper John didn't die in the series.

This may have been in a biography of the show, or some documentary like that.

From what I heard (can't remember where), it was unofficially a spin-off. They got away with it by saying it was a spin-off of the movie MASH. However, at a certain point the M*A*S*H TV series people said they were writing a script where Hawkeye finds out Trapper John has been killed. The people for "Trapper John, M.D." were upset. Obviously if Trapper died during the M*A*S*H series, he couldn't be alive for their series. Thus proving that to them, it was a spin-off of the show, but the word given is that it was a spin-off of the movie.

For the record, the tv people lied about that plot. As fans know, Trapper John didn't die in the series.

This may have been in a biography of the show, or some documentary like that.
and I remember when they were advertising Trapper John M.D. in the fall of 1979. CBS was advertising it as a spin-off of MASH and I don't think they meant the movie. lol

BTW Wayne Rogers started his role on House Calls that December as well.

...was basically a reworking of "MEDICAL CENTER", from the same creators, Frank Glicksman & Don Brinkley- only instead of James Daly and Chad Everett, it was Pernell Roberts & Gregory Harrison. The "Trapper John" McIntyre character was obviously drawn more from the original novel [by Richard "Hooker" Hornberger] and theatrical movie, than the TV series. But that didn't stop 20th Century-Fox (and CBS) from insinuating it was a "direct spin-off" from the TV version...even going so far as to give the supporting characters "nicknames" to match the ones in the original book, movie and TV versions {"Gonzo" Gates, "Ripples" Brancusi, "Starch" Willoughby, "Jackpot" Jackson, et. al.}. No matter; the series quickly became a Sunday night "tradition" for viewers (as "WHAT'S MY LINE?" had been in the '50s and '60s) for several seasons- myself, included.

:tv:

and it's sadly, never rerun and it's not availible on DVD.

It was a spin-off. In the pilot episode Hawkeye was even mentioned. Most people just forget that Trapper John MD came from MASH because they distanced themselves from MASH as the seasons went on. Trapper John was my absolute favorite medical drama.
right, in the pilot they showed him asleep on the couch in his office and above him was a picture of Hawkeye and Trapper. A nurse came in and woke him and he said something like "RADAR? RADAR, WAKE HAWKEYE"! and she said "Dreaming about Korea again"?

Is Trapper's Show A True MASH Spinoff Or What? (Confusion Explained) (https://screenrant.com/mash-show-trapper-john-md-spinoff-confusion/)

The character of Trapper John earned his own solo series in 1979, but there remains confusion over whether it's linked to CSB's MASH or not.