MASH Ran For So Long The Showrunners Accidentally Made The Exact Same Episode Twice
MASH ran for over a decade and the showrunners were often so hungry for good ideas they didn't even realize they made the exact same story twice. MASH ran for 11 seasons and was still one of the biggest shows on television when it ended. In fact, it was a cast vote that ended MASH and CBS. The actors felt the series was running out of steam and they needed to wrap it up before things became stale.
Of course, that doesn't mean they didn't repeat - whether accidentally or on purpose - similar storylines. For example, the controversial MASH episode where BJ cheats on his wife in season 5 was recycled again for season 8's "War Co-Respondent" - but in the latter case, he at least resists temptation. One of season 7's most interesting episodes is "Preventative Medicine," where BJ and Hawkeye clash with a commander with a high casualty rate, and Hawkeye decides the only way to stop him is an unnecessary surgery.
MASH's "Preventative Medicine" Accidentally Remade Season 3's "White Gold"
"Preventative Medicine's" writers realized too late they were recycling an old episode
"Preventative Medicine" offers its lead characters a genuine ethical debate: is it right to mutilate a patient if it will save lives? It's one of MASH's season 7's darker outings for this reason, and writer Ken Levine was proud of the episode after it had been completed. At least, he was at the time, because as he recounted on his By Ken Levine blog, Levine and co-writer David Isaacs realized that "Preventative Medicine" was an accidental remake of MASH season 3's "White Gold." They only found this out after Isaacs saw "White Gold" on a re-run.
I was mortified to think we’d repeat a story on our watch. That’s why that episode always bothers me. Many fans think ours is better than the first. I don’t care. (I also don’t agree. Nothing we ever wrote was as good as what Larry Gelbart wrote.) But what amazes me to this day is that numerous people on the staff and crew were at MASH during the production of “White Gold.” NOBODY, not ONE PERSON said “Hey, didn’t we already do this story?”
In hindsight, it is kind of strange that nobody else on MASH noticed "Preventative Medicine's" story seemed familiar. Hawkeye star Alan Alda was very involved behind the scenes, for instance, but the similarities between them must have escaped him. Levine is a little hard on himself, because despite his flub, "Preventative Medicine" is a great episode - and one that improves on "White Gold."
"White Gold" And "Preventative Medicine" Highlight How Much MASH Evolved Over The Years
MASH was a very different show following season 3
It has been noted that MASH changed a lot over its early seasons, with the death of Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) in season 3 transforming it into the first TV dramedy. "White Gold" and "Preventative Medicine" are perfect contrasts in this regard. "White Gold" is more of a caper episode, where Hawkeye and Trapper (Wayne Rogers) take revenge on a rogue Colonel who plans to steal penicillin from their camp. They later spike his drink and remove his appendix - all of which is played for laughs.
BJ refuses to perform the surgery, and in the final scenes, a deflated Hawkeye confirms it went ahead - and is disgusted with himself for performing it.
"Preventative Medicine" still has laughs, but is a more dour outing than its predecessor. The episode sets up how arrogant and dangerous this commander is, with his own men despising him. Regardless, BJ is offended by Hawkeye's plan for unnecessary surgery, as it's a total violation of their oaths as doctors. BJ refuses to help, and in the final scenes, a deflated Hawkeye confirms the surgery went ahead - and is disgusted with himself for performing it.
Every MASH TV Series | Release Year |
|---|---|
MASH | 1972-1983 |
AfterMASH | 1983-1985 |
W*A*L*T*E*R | 1984 |
"Preventative Medicine" is nowhere near as fun as "White Gold." That latter MASH episode plays the story for gags without exploring the ethics behind it, but "Preventative Medicine" makes the moral compromise the thrust of the episode. It's interesting to watch both episodes back to back to see how different showrunners tackled the same idea and came away with vastly different results.
A Real Life Actor Argument Made Its Way Into MASH's "Preventative Medicine"
Mike Farrell was not happy with this MASH episode's first draft
Another key difference between episodes is that in "White Gold," Trapper is fully onboard with the appendix operation scheme. BJ refuses to go along with Hawkeye in the season 7 version, but in the original script, they performed the surgery together. Farrell disagreed with this, and he and Alda debated it during a script reading. Finding the debate would bring an extra layer to "Preventative Medicine," Alda and Farrell's arguments about the surgery were written into the episode itself.
This was a good call, as it would have been out of character for BJ to go along with such an act. MASH's "Preventative Medicine" ends with the two characters mutually defeated by the situation - and questioning if it really helped anything, as they're immediately called away to treat more incoming wounded.
Source: By Ken Levine
M*A*S*H is a drama-comedy series set during the Korean War, centering on the lives of the staff at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital as they navigate the challenges of wartime medical service with humor and resilience.
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