This show was absolutely horrible!

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

There was network interference to blame as well. The ratings weren't all bad, but tinkering resulted in Potter's wife being played by a different actress in season 2 and I think someone at CBS decided they didn't want to be in the After-MASH business anymore.

Well, about those rating, the show had a sensational start out of the box, number 1 the first two weeks coupled with a number 4 finish in its third week! After that the show dropped and there was a sense on the creative side as well as the network side that the show needed improvement. As the show moved into 1984 the audience began disappearing, four of the last 5 episodes failed to make the top 30, two of the final three finishing at number 49 and 40. Here's a quote from Gene Reynolds:

The show was far less than brilliant. I take full responsibility for its failure. If I hadn’t been so in love with the title, I might have thought out the show to go with it in a more objective way. I knew the series would inherit Potter, Mulcahy, and Klinger. I knew, too, that good as these people are, a leading player was going to be necessary. There was an attempt to build up a central character, a doctor who had lost his leg in Korea, and played wonderfully by David Ackroyd, but other attempts at making a show with its own tone, style and intent were not as successful. Probably, an hour show would have been a better format… Oh, well, you win some and you lose some (except on TV you lose in front of a whole lot of people).

Here's a quote from Executive Producer Ken Levine:

Ken Levine, has called the show one of his worst efforts, sarcastically writing on his blog, “Take the three weakest characters of M*A*S*H, put them in the hilarious confines of a Veteran’s Hospital and you have a recipe for classic comedy.”

The second year was a complete disaster it did worse than the show behind it E/R.

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by Duster76

Well, about those rating, the show had a sensational start out of the box, number 1 the first two weeks coupled with a number 4 finish in its third week! After that the show dropped and there was a sense on the creative side as well as the network side that the show needed improvement. As the show moved into 1984 the audience began disappearing, four of the last 5 episodes failed to make the top 30, two of the final three finishing at number 49 and 40. Here's a quote from Gene Reynolds:

The show was far less than brilliant. I take full responsibility for its failure. If I hadn’t been so in love with the title, I might have thought out the show to go with it in a more objective way. I knew the series would inherit Potter, Mulcahy, and Klinger. I knew, too, that good as these people are, a leading player was going to be necessary. There was an attempt to build up a central character, a doctor who had lost his leg in Korea, and played wonderfully by David Ackroyd, but other attempts at making a show with its own tone, style and intent were not as successful. Probably, an hour show would have been a better format… Oh, well, you win some and you lose some (except on TV you lose in front of a whole lot of people).

Here's a quote from Executive Producer Ken Levine:

Ken Levine, has called the show one of his worst efforts, sarcastically writing on his blog, “Take the three weakest characters of M*A*S*H, put them in the hilarious confines of a Veteran’s Hospital and you have a recipe for classic comedy.”

The second year was a complete disaster it did worse than the show behind it E/R.

That clarifies things. Thanks.

[Sgt. Saunders]

If they had had more of the original M*A*S*H cast members appear as guest stars, then maybe this sequel show might have survived? I enjoyed seeing Radar O’’Reilly and the infamous Colonel Flagg appear on “After-M*A*S*H.”

I would have liked to have seen Frank “Ferret Face” Burns return to annoy Colonel Potter, Max Klinger and Father Mulcahy as only Frank could. And, it would have been fun to have
seen the pompous and supercilious Charles Emerson Winchester reuniting with that decidedly blue collar and regular guy, Max Klinger.

Maybe Nurse Kelly and some of the the other former nurses from the 4077th could have returned to the show as RNs at Colonel Potter’s VA hospital? And, wouldn’t it have been cool to have Sgt. Russo goof-off at Colonel Potter’s stateside hospital like the way Rizzo had
goldbricked when he was in Korea? Oh, the possibilities would have been limitless!

[forn]

I was never a fan of M*A*S*H, it got on my nerves. The Hawkeye character particularly rankled me, he seemed like he was always such a self righteous preachy type who was always trying to hit you over the head with his moral message. War bad! Really? Way to go out there on a limb, Hawkeye.

BUT, when they aired the big episode when they all went home, I had to watch, and somehow I got hooked. I especially liked Winchester's subplot with the Korean musicians. So I started watching M*A*S*H reruns prolifically (and it was on about six times a day at the time).

So when AfterMASH came on, I eagerly started watching. And I can't say it was good television necessarily, but in my state I enjoyed it well enough. I knew the critics were savaging it, and I think more than anything else I was pulling for them to turn things around. Some series start slow and pick up steam, but I guess it wasn't to be. Not sure why it has disappeared off the faith of the earth though.

[Will Dockery]

Originally Posted by forn

I was never a fan of M*A*S*H, it got on my nerves. The Hawkeye character particularly rankled me, he seemed like he was always such a self righteous preachy type who was always trying to hit you over the head with his moral message. War bad! Really? Way to go out there on a limb, Hawkeye.

BUT, when they aired the big episode when they all went home, I had to watch, and somehow I got hooked. I especially liked Winchester's subplot with the Korean musicians. So I started watching M*A*S*H reruns prolifically (and it was on about six times a day at the time).

So when AfterMASH came on, I eagerly started watching. And I can't say it was good television necessarily, but in my state I enjoyed it well enough. I knew the critics were savaging it, and I think more than anything else I was pulling for them to turn things around. Some series start slow and pick up steam, but I guess it wasn't to be. Not sure why it has disappeared off the faith of the earth though.

A series based on the Richard Hooker novel M•A•S•H Goes To Maine might have turned out better.

[forn]

Originally Posted by Will Dockery

A series based on the Richard Hooker novel M•A•S•H Goes To Maine might have turned out better.

I didn't realize there was a series of books, so I may look into them. Anyway, probably anything would have turned out better than AfterM*A*S*H, so you're probably right. From what I saw though, that book focuses on Hawkeye and Trapper, not the group of actors that were willing to carry on after the main series. I guess they could have used some creativity though.