2. To Market, To Market

September 24, 1972 (J-303)

Written by: Written by Burt Styler.
Directed by: Michael O'Herlihy.
Guest stars: Jack Soo as Charlie Lee. Robert Ito as Lin. John C. Johnson as the Truck Driver.
Semi-regulars: G. Wood as (voice of) General Hammond. Odessa Cleveland as Ginger.

Plot: Hawkeye and Trapper are operating on a two-star General who is shocky and needs a good dose of hydrocortisone to stabilise him. Unfortunately there isn't any, as the whole 4077th supply of hydrocortisone has been hijacked by black marketeers. Hawkeye and Trapper go to Seoul and meet a black marketeer called Charlie Lee (Jack Soo) to negotiate getting some more. Charlie Lee has quite a lot, but the price is $10,000. The boys don't have ten grand, but they suggest that Charlie Lee come and see Henry's new antique desk, which he does, disguised as a General. He agrees to the trade - the desk for the hydrocortisone. The only problem is, the drop schedule is very tight, and the boys get locked in Henry's office by Burns by accident. They eventually get the hydrocortisone by shipping Henry's desk out hanging from a chopper.

Great Lines: Henry, about his desk: 'I bet you don't know what kind of wood this is.' Radar: 'Oak.' Henry: Nope, it's oak.'
Burns: 'Do you want to slip into something more comfortable?' Hot Lips: 'Like what?' Burns: 'The supply tent?'
Henry: 'Have you got a relative who's a Genreral?' Charlie Lee: 'You know how it is, Colonel. We all look alike.'

They All Look the Same to Me: Robert Ito and Jack Soo debut here, and both turn up again later.

Je ne parle Korean...do I? Charlie Lee puts on a really bad fake Korean accent when he's talking with Colonel Blake disguised as the General.

Notes: There's a very old-fashioned version of a machine which goes ping in this episode, which is interesting... There is also the first name-check of O'Brien, the chopper pilot.

Comments: The series made great strides of progress between the pilot and second episodes. This episode was a lovely example of a simple plot with excellent execution. An extremely early 'tit for tat' episode, with only one tit and tat. (We get much more convoluted ones later in the series, for example episode 41. For Want of a Boot in Season 2). Performances all round were great, particularly Henry being anally retentive about his desk.

Previous episode
Next episode
Back to the Virgin's Guide to M*A*S*H main page
Back to episode listings