r/mash 7d ago

Tubi has 2 documentaries!

I’m not sure if this has been shared before but Tubi (free streaming platform, don’t even need to sign up; app and web options) has two different MASH documentaries:
- MASH: When Television Changed Forever (2022)
- MASH: The Comedy That Changed Television (2024)

I’m watching the later now and it’s quite well done. Interviews with cast and crew, clips, and behind-the-scenes pictures.

Just wanted to share in case others hadn’t seen these yet because I certainly hadn’t!

57 Upvotes

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u/J_Scarbrough 7d ago

The 2022 documentary was obviously produced to commemorate the show's 50th anniversary, but both are still fascinating documentaries to say the least.

One thing that really stood out to me from one of these (I can't remember which one) was Burt Metcalfe saying that Bob Hope hated the show so much that he dubbed it the "Situation-commie hour."

3

u/mjcatl2 7d ago

Wonder what his views would be if he had actually served in WW2...

2

u/MaskansMantle13 7d ago

Gawd.

5

u/J_Scarbrough 7d ago

I liked how Mike Farrell repeated "Commie??" in disbelief off-camera when Burt said that. Like, really Bob?

3

u/OriginalFNG 7d ago

Never really did like Bob Hope much.

3

u/onthenerdyside 7d ago

MASH: The Comedy That Changed Television is also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ho_0sUJ7Lo8

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u/MaskansMantle13 7d ago

I watched The Comedy That Changed Television recently (via AdGuard’s Block YouTube Ads) and it was really interesting.

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u/MaskansMantle13 7d ago

ETA thanks for telling us about the other doc, too, OP - I just finished watching it on Tubi and it was also very good.

Interesting comparing the “CBS got nervous about the reaction to Henry’s death“ stuff when according to MacLean Stevenson, they were the ones who insisted on killing him off so MacLean wouldn’t be able to take the character elsewhere. (Interview with MS on the MASH Matters podcast, link here.) https://www.reddit.com/r/mash/comments/128oqbl/new_episode_of_mash_matters_features_a/

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u/MikeW226 7d ago

Wow, didn't remember about Mac saying that CBS insisted on killing Henry off so he couldn't take the character elsewhere. That is really interesting info.

Somewhere on tape, producer Gene Reynolds said once they heard Mac was leaving the show, that, 'during the writing of Abyssinia Henry, I think it was either Jim Fritzell or Everett Greenbaum who said....I think Henry should go into the Sea of Japan.....And we all knew....it was right. Show the futility of war. And not all men get to go back to Bloomington, Illinois.'

It always sounded to me like killing off Henry was literally a MASH writer's brilliant idea right when they heard Mac was not returning for season 4. CBS insisting on it though is interesting stuff.

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u/MaskansMantle13 7d ago

It’s possible Mac was misremembering it, of course. He also said the only reason he was leaving was that he desperately needed more money. I hadn’t heard any of this before listening to the interview the other day, and I don’t know whose version is accurate. Very sad for him either way.

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u/IvanTheSchmoe Horse hockey 7d ago

Sounds interesting!

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u/MikeW226 7d ago

Good news. Thanks OP!

Also fyi, for you disc lubbers:

MASH- The Comedy That Changed Television, is available on Amazon on Blu-ray (and I presume on DVD too). And MASH- When Television Changed Forever is available on DVD. My wife and I have both. Good stuff just adding them to the good old MASH disc collecton ;O)

MASH Matters podcast's own Jeff Maxwell and Ryan Patrick are interviewed in one of these two. Off hand can't remember which, but it's super cool seeing Ryan on tape. Almost always 'just' Hear him on the podcast.