The Concussion episode. - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Yong Fang · 03-12-2010, 01:13 PM

Last night, I saw, in my opinion, one of the worst episodes of MASH, which I call "The Concussion Episode." It was when Hawkeye gets into an jeep accident avoiding children in the road and comes inside a Korean family's house to recooperate and have someone call for help. Basically Hawkeye just talks to himself for the next 17 minutes or so.

That episode was strange in that no other cast member was in that episode. Any reason why? Did Alda want to be in an episode by himself? Did the other actors have a week off? But then Alan Alda would have to do probably twice the dialogue that he would do on any other episode. Also, this is one of the few ones where there was no Operating Room scenes.

I think this episode has been one of the most panned. MASH was an ensamble show, and one week of one character just doesn't work well.

Any thoughts?

Chocoholic · 03-12-2010, 05:48 PM

I have never seen it and don't intend to.

Marvo301 · 03-12-2010, 06:50 PM

This episode is certainly different from all other M*A*S*H episodes. And it was strange not seeing any of the other regular characters. But whatever you think of this episode you have to admit it was an incredible performance by Alan Alda. Not only were none of the other regular characters in the episode but the only other characters besides Hawkeye didn't speak English. So the entire episode was basically a monologue by Alan Alda. As someone who took Drama in highschool and had to perform a monologue I am very impressed with Alan's performance in this episode. To carry an entire 22 minute episode on his shoulders like that was an incredible feat. And I imagine that are very few actors who could accomplish such a thing. I wouldn't probably count this anongst my favorite M*A*S*H episodes but I do very much admire Alan Alda's incredible performance in this ep.

TJL · 03-12-2010, 06:56 PM

The episode in question - known as "Hawkeye," is a unique episode. It's one of the few M*A*S*H episodes that takes place entirely away from the camp (The Bus episode is another one I can think of off the top of my head) and it is the only one to feature just one character.

I guess being the lead actor on the show has it's perks, because I doubt anyone else in the cast would get an entire episode devoted to their character.

Chocoholic · 03-12-2010, 07:00 PM

^ I wouldn't have minded one with Trapper!

I'm sure Lauren will agree with me.

treky · 03-13-2010, 01:45 AM

I remember back when CBS reran this episode one afternoon (back when they were rerunning it on weekdays, before it went into sydnicatio. Later they also started rerunning it late at night on Fridays)
Anyway; at the end when someone-I think it was B.J.?-picked him up we made up a scene of what probably happened after they got back to the unit:

they drive up and stop-
B.J.: "Well, here we are; safe and sound".
(Potter comes over) "Where were you son? We missed you".
Frank: "I didn't miss him at all. The unit was a whole lot better without him".
B.J. "Frank, shutup! Can't you see he's hurt".
Col. Potter: "OOHH, that looks like a nasty bump. You'd better have B.J. look at it".

(and I forget what else we said)

Miss Lisa · 04-02-2010, 09:04 PM

I agree that it does take a lot of talent to do that, but I think that is one of the most, idk, out there? episodes. It kinda feels weird to watch it, and I really don't have the attention span to watch someone talk to themselves for twenty minutes.

I kinda get the hint that that episode was written to give us more background on his character in a really short amount of time, as if they were getting ready to turn it into the Alan Alda show like they did at the end.

GameShowFanMan66 · 05-31-2010, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by treky

I remember back when CBS reran this episode one afternoon (back when they were rerunning it on weekdays, before it went into sydnicatio. Later they also started rerunning it late at night on Fridays)
Anyway; at the end when someone-I think it was B.J.?-picked him up we made up a scene of what probably happened after they got back to the unit:

they drive up and stop-
B.J.: "Well, here we are; safe and sound".
(Potter comes over) "Where were you son? We missed you".
Frank: "I didn't miss him at all. The unit was a whole lot better without him".
B.J. "Frank, shutup! Can't you see he's hurt".
Col. Potter: "OOHH, that looks like a nasty bump. You'd better have B.J. look at it".

(and I forget what else we said)

Actually, it was Radar who had picked him up at the hut, but of course Radar was unseen and unheard.

I agree, this is one of my least liked episodes, but I admire Alda for carrying it off the way he did. To this day I do wonder if the other cast members had off that week, or if this was something planned for a while? I also wonder how the other cast members felt being told "We won't need you for next week."

Ignatowski · 08-30-2011, 04:00 PM

Kudos to Alda for being able to do that, but this is one of the verrrry few episodes that I dont care if I see again. It didnt do anything for me other than to say "wow thats cool he can do a scene that long", but thats about it.

bookandfilmnut · 07-20-2012, 03:29 PM

I once heard in an interview with one MASH's producers that the reason for this episode was that late in season 4 the network instructed them to make 25 instead of the originally planned 24 episodes, and they came up with this idea for the extra episode to avoid having the rest of cast members work an extra week or two. Not sure if it was to save money, or just trying to incovenience as few of the cast and crew as possible when the late order for an extra episode came.

Anyway, I know a lot of MASH fans who dislike this episode and I used to myself, but have slowly warmed up to it, partly for the reasons stated above - Alda did an incredible job with it - and partly because there are some really good lines buried in the monologue.

Prince Michael · 08-01-2012, 04:05 AM

I read where Alan Alda decided to do this episode because Beatrice Arthur did an episode of "Maude" earlier that season that was a "one woman show" . Michael J . Fox also did a "one man show" episode of "Family Ties" . I liked this episdoe because I always liked Hawkeye, and because he went back to visit the Korean family and he brought comic books for the kids . I always watch this episode when it comes on .

03-12-2010, 01:13 PM	#1
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	The Concussion episode. Last night, I saw, in my opinion, one of the worst episodes of MASH, which I call "The Concussion Episode." It was when Hawkeye gets into an jeep accident avoiding children in the road and comes inside a Korean family's house to recooperate and have someone call for help. Basically Hawkeye just talks to himself for the next 17 minutes or so. That episode was strange in that no other cast member was in that episode. Any reason why? Did Alda want to be in an episode by himself? Did the other actors have a week off? But then Alan Alda would have to do probably twice the dialogue that he would do on any other episode. Also, this is one of the few ones where there was no Operating Room scenes. I think this episode has been one of the most panned. MASH was an ensamble show, and one week of one character just doesn't work well. Any thoughts?

03-12-2010, 06:50 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,456	This episode is certainly different from all other MASH episodes. And it was strange not seeing any of the other regular characters. But whatever you think of this episode you have to admit it was an incredible performance by Alan Alda. Not only were none of the other regular characters in the episode but the only other characters besides Hawkeye didn't speak English. So the entire episode was basically a monologue by Alan Alda. As someone who took Drama in highschool and had to perform a monologue I am very impressed with Alan's performance in this episode. To carry an entire 22 minute episode on his shoulders like that was an incredible feat. And I imagine that are very few actors who could accomplish such a thing. I wouldn't probably count this anongst my favorite MASH episodes but I do very much admire Alan Alda's incredible performance in this ep.
	__________________ Only a life lived for others is worth living. Albert Einstein A life isn't worth living unless it has impact on other lives. Jackie Robinson Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each new year find you a better man. Benjamin Franklin

03-12-2010, 06:56 PM	#4
TJL Suburbanite Extrordinaire Forum Star Join Date: Dec 29, 2001 Location: New Jersey - the cradle of civilization Posts: 16,588	The episode in question - known as "Hawkeye," is a unique episode. It's one of the few MAS*H episodes that takes place entirely away from the camp (The Bus episode is another one I can think of off the top of my head) and it is the only one to feature just one character. I guess being the lead actor on the show has it's perks, because I doubt anyone else in the cast would get an entire episode devoted to their character.
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03-13-2010, 01:45 AM	#6
treky star trek fan Eternal Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Feb 25, 2002 Location: Conshohocken, pennsylvania Posts: 14,490	I remember back when CBS reran this episode one afternoon (back when they were rerunning it on weekdays, before it went into sydnicatio. Later they also started rerunning it late at night on Fridays) Anyway; at the end when someone-I think it was B.J.?-picked him up we made up a scene of what probably happened after they got back to the unit: they drive up and stop- B.J.: "Well, here we are; safe and sound". (Potter comes over) "Where were you son? We missed you". Frank: "I didn't miss him at all. The unit was a whole lot better without him". B.J. "Frank, shutup! Can't you see he's hurt". Col. Potter: "OOHH, that looks like a nasty bump. You'd better have B.J. look at it". (and I forget what else we said)
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04-02-2010, 09:04 PM	#7
Miss Lisa Member Senior Member Join Date: Jan 08, 2005 Location: My very own Green Acres Posts: 1,113	I agree that it does take a lot of talent to do that, but I think that is one of the most, idk, out there? episodes. It kinda feels weird to watch it, and I really don't have the attention span to watch someone talk to themselves for twenty minutes. I kinda get the hint that that episode was written to give us more background on his character in a really short amount of time, as if they were getting ready to turn it into the Alan Alda show like they did at the end.
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03-12-2010, 05:48 PM	#2
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	I have never seen it and don't intend to.

03-12-2010, 07:00 PM	#5
Chocoholic Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 01, 2000 Location: Between a rock and a hard place. Posts: 11,235	^ I wouldn't have minded one with Trapper! I'm sure Lauren will agree with me.

08-30-2011, 04:00 PM	#9
Ignatowski Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 02, 2010 Location: detroit Posts: 148	Kudos to Alda for being able to do that, but this is one of the verrrry few episodes that I dont care if I see again. It didnt do anything for me other than to say "wow thats cool he can do a scene that long", but thats about it.

07-20-2012, 03:29 PM	#10
bookandfilmnut Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 20, 2012 Location: Charleston, WV Posts: 157	I once heard in an interview with one MASH's producers that the reason for this episode was that late in season 4 the network instructed them to make 25 instead of the originally planned 24 episodes, and they came up with this idea for the extra episode to avoid having the rest of cast members work an extra week or two. Not sure if it was to save money, or just trying to incovenience as few of the cast and crew as possible when the late order for an extra episode came. Anyway, I know a lot of MASH fans who dislike this episode and I used to myself, but have slowly warmed up to it, partly for the reasons stated above - Alda did an incredible job with it - and partly because there are some really good lines buried in the monologue.

08-01-2012, 04:05 AM	#11
Prince Michael Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jun 26, 2011 Location: Helena, Montana Posts: 296	I read where Alan Alda decided to do this episode because Beatrice Arthur did an episode of "Maude" earlier that season that was a "one woman show" . Michael J . Fox also did a "one man show" episode of "Family Ties" . I liked this episdoe because I always liked Hawkeye, and because he went back to visit the Korean family and he brought comic books for the kids . I always watch this episode when it comes on .