57. Alcoholics Unanimous

November 12, 1974 (B-314)

Written by: Written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell
Directed by: Hy Averback
Semi-regulars: Jamie Farr, as Corporal Klinger. William Christopher, as Father Mulcahy. Bobbie Mitchell, as Nurse Baker.

Plot: Colonel Blake is out of the camp giving a lecture, and Burns is in charge. One of his first orders is the dismantling of the still. A fight ensues with the boys. Burns says that they're alcoholics, and then declares prohibition. While the boys are sneaking around to find anything at all that's alcoholic, they spring Hot Lips doing the same. All three get trashed together, and when Burns finds them he gets very angry. After a few days of prohibition, the boys are starting to get very edgy. Father Mulcahy is meant to be giving a lecture on temperance, but is very nervous. He apparently has a stash of some liquor, which Klinger administers as a cure for nerves. This makes the Father give a temperance lecture whilst being absolutely off his nut. In the middle of the lecture, Hawkeye and Trapper start to fight, and in the scuffle Burns gets hit somewhere sensitive. To restore his health, Hot Lips administers from her hip-flask, and prohibition is repealed.

AWOL: Henry is out of town.

BIMOL: Radar doesn't seem to do much this episode.

Great Lines: Hot Lips: 'Oh, Frank... you're so above-average.'
Mulcahy, drunk and lecturing on temperance: 'There's no film. I'm live.' (It loses something without Bill Christopher's delivery, I'm afraid.)

The Klinger Collection: He seems to be wearing something nice under his rain poncho, but I can't quite tell what it is. Then, a very tasteful black dress with a nice veil for Father Mulcahy's lecture.

Suction: One, asked for three times.

Notes: Hot Lips has a hip flask, for brandy, which was a gift to her mother from her father on their wedding night. As I believe I mentioned before, he was a generous guy that night.

Comments: This was a very silly episode. I wasn't too impressed, to be honest. The amount of drinking that goes on at the 4077th really does merit comment, and this was a little too light-hearted; more so than the subject deserves, and the resolution was rather too pat. But I liked Father Mulcahy's lecture - the best part of the episode.

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