The Turning Point for B.J. Hunnicutt

[Dr. Thong]

For me, the turning point for the character of B.J. Hunnicutt was season seven, Mike Farrell's fourth season on the show.

This is when B.J. grew that awful mustache, grew his hair out and started wearing that silly pink sweater. It seems that once he did this, the character changed as well: B.J. became a lot more sanctimonious and self-righteous.

There were times when he was even more so than Hawkeye, and that's saying something, considering how extreme Hawkeye could get at times.

He seemed to feel that because he had a wife and kid, he had more reason to be angry at being in Korea and missing them. As though he had more right than anyone else to not want to be there. During one of his rants, even Margaret called him on it, saying how dare he think he had more right than anyone to complain just because of that.

During the first three seasons, B.J. would express his longing for his wife and child, but didn't seem so self-righteous. But during the "Pink Sweater years," he became a lot less likeable...for me.

[treky]

I agree. I'd post more but it's 3:38 am and I'm tired.

[Dr. Thong]

Well, come back when you're rested and continue.

[Yong Fang]

I am "binge watching" MASH from my DVDs now" I am up to the later years of the series, between Season Eight and Ten, which was when I think the show really "Jumped the Shark" with some exceptions.

The show should have ended after seven years or around 1979, around when Gary Burghoff left the show, should have just had the finale then and be done with it. It ran its course. The characters were visibly years older. There is conversation about them being there "for years". In real life, there were field hospitals like this, but people were being rotated in and out. There would not be someone like Pierce who would have spent three years in the camp, he would have done something like three to six months, then rotated out to comfortable duty stateside and then out. Just not real.

BJ was not the only one annoying, everyone was annoying by these later seasons. Weepy, completely liberal, and "this damn war" stuff. The military unit according to the canon of the show was a top medical unit, but it was very ragtag, with almost a "Lord of the Flies" type of feel towards the end, with personnel there forever, then a weepy, Alan Alda type ending.

Not to totally take a dump on the later seasons (think of Seasons 8-11 like The Andy Griffith Show color shows). I love Jamie Farr. I also liked Winchester a lot (David Ogden Stiers), oddly the two characters were actually "buddies" in many episodes. The episode where the baby was dropped off, and the guys tried to get the mixed race child stateside and failed was excellent, the Christmas episode (there were four in a three year war, when in real life, none of these personal would have spent more than a few months in a camp) where Winchester gave the "secret present" of chocolate, only to get angry to see the chocolate sold for food for the kids, and the touching Klinger scene. Harry Morgan was good. The show was good in many ways, but it was very long in the tooth.

Like I said, I liked the show a lot from Season One (Well Two really, when it found its feet) until when Burghoff left. The finale was great. The late season episodes were very hit and miss.

Don't dump too much on Mike Farrell. He is a good bloke, too liberal perhaps. He is also married and beds Shelly Fabres, and got rich being "the mustache". So everything is good!

[TV 123]

I agree the show jumped the shark around that time Hunnicutt changed. They all changed. By season 7, even Potter was often wearing hawaiian shirts. Radar's farewell and a few other okay episodes, but the show had ran its course by season 7 although I like a few episodes from seasons 8-11. I think I like season 6 mainly because it's the first, and best, Winchester season. However, I have some nostalgic attachment to the later seasons due to watching them every week during their original run.

[Babalu]

Remember, Mike Farrell is a left wing loon even in a sea of left wing loons. Once they get some financial security they have a compulsion to indoctrinate the rest of us for our own good.

[Dr. Thong]

Well, if one has a mind of one's own, they won't be indoctrinated unless they are already inclined to do so.

[TV_on_the_Porch]

^ Snap.

And who would ever want to be like Mike Farrell anyway? Wayne Rogers is a much more solid and moral role model....

[Dr. Thong]

Originally Posted by TV_on_the_Porch

^ Snap.

And who would ever want to be like Mike Farrell anyway? Wayne Rogers is a much more solid and moral role model....

Well, while I wouldn't want him as my spiritual advisor, I wouldn't mind some financial advice from him.

[bookandfilmnut]

I very much agree with the analysis of the BJ Hunnicutt character. During seasons 4-6 he was my favorite character on the show - those three years he was a likable punster, more level headed than Hawkeye, often the "voice of reason". In fact, what Sidney Freedman said about him in "Dear Sigmund" was very accurate -- he said "BJ goes calmly on". Then in season 7 they radically changed his character - he got much more grumpy and unkempt. I suppose it is possible that some people would react that way to the situation he found himself in, becoming disillusioned and cynical. But it made the show much less enjoyable - and frankly much less funny. by the way, I always thought that pink shirt he wore was the top half of a set of thermal underwear, not a sweater.

As for the rest of the show, I think there were still some good episodes in season 7 and 8 -- I've never cared much for the final three seasons.

[Doug-oh]

Originally Posted by bookandfilmnut

As for the rest of the show, I think there were still some good episodes in season 7 and 8 -- I've never cared much for the final three seasons.

Most of the latter season episodes ( 10-11) should not have been made.

Snap Judgement was one of the worst.

The one where the comedy troupe visited.... A TWO-PARTER !!! ... was particularly rank & smelled.

The actors weren't necessarily the problem, it was weak, trite writing, like much of which passes for today's sci-fi (Avitar, et. al) movies, which rely too heavily of "effects" & expend less effort on storyline.

[Doug-oh]

Originally Posted by Dr. Thong

For me, the turning point for the character of B.J. Hunnicutt was season seven, Mike Farrell's fourth season on the show.

This is when B.J. grew that awful mustache, grew his hair out and started wearing that silly pink sweater. It seems that once he did this, the character changed as well: B.J. became a lot more sanctimonious and self-righteous.

I don't know why they let him wear that abominable mustache.
Then the ugly pink shirt.
Didn't they have "advisors" on the set?
So unrealistic.

There were times when he was even more so than Hawkeye, and that's saying something, considering how extreme Hawkeye could get at times.

Very true. Both got very annoying.

He seemed to feel that because he had a wife and kid, he had more reason to be angry at being in Korea and missing them. As though he had more right than anyone else to not want to be there. During one of his rants, even Margaret called him on it, saying how dare he think he had more right than anyone to complain just because of that.

During the first three seasons, B.J. would express his longing for his wife and child, but didn't seem so self-righteous. But during the "Pink Sweater years," he became a lot less likeable...for me.

Yes, Farrell was better in his first three seasons.
The show really tanked toward the end. There were only a handful of good eps.
I think of the insomnia one on a hot evening. The general friend of Potter's who play jokes on the cast. The Winchester blowing his annoying French horn while Hawk & BJ refused to bathe...