91. Some 38th Parallels
January 20, 1976 (G-521)
Written by: John Regier and Gary Markowitz
Directed by: Burt Metcalfe
Guest Stars: Kevin Hagen as Colonel Coner. George O'Hanlon Jr, as Private Gerald Phelan.
Semi-regulars: William Christopher as Father Mulcahy. Kellye Nakahara as Nurse Kellye. Lynette Mettey, as Nurse Able.
Plot: It's par for the course at the 4077th. A Colonel Coner causes a lot of casualties trying to pick up dead US GIs. Radar's alertness saves the life of Private Phelan, a GI who was injured in Conor's latest exercise. Burns decides to make some money by auctioning off the camp's garbage, and Hawkeye has a problem with impotence. When Colonel Conor is wounded himself, Hawkeye and BJ are less than civil to him, particularly when Private Phelan dies and the Colonel leaves fit and healthy. Hawkeye buys Burns's garbage and dumps it on Conor, then feels that his frustrations have been relieved somewhat. He and Nurse Able wander off together to have some fun - which works very well this time.
AWOL: No sign of Hot Lips. Maybe it was Women's Stuff.
Great Lines: Burns: 'How do I look?' Potter: 'Almost lifelike.'
Klinger, adjusting his stockings before heading out with Nurse Kellye: 'Some women don't like being seen with married men.'
The Klinger Collection: His housecoat and beret. A blue cardigan, black skirt and pink blouse, for his date with Nurse Kellye. Later, a red kilt and matching sweater and cardigan (and he looked lovely in them).
Continuity is for Wimps: Burns says that there's going to be a garbage auction every month, but we never see another one. I guess he got discouraged.
They All Look the Same to Me: Another one for Richard Lee Sung as the fat dodgy-looking bloke.
Je ne parle Korean...do I? Burns gets 'prosperity' mixed up with 'prostitute'.
Notes: The Colonel's stay at Fort Dix was around 1925.
Comments: This was an odd episode - neither off-the-cuff and light-hearted, nor deadly serious. On the whole, it was a successful mixture. Klinger's date with Nurse Kellye was very cute, Hawkeye's frustration and embarrassment with his 'little problem' is amusing but at the same time very well done by Alda. Not the best episode you'll see but definitely worth the effort.
Previous episode
Next episode
Back to the Virgin's Guide to M*A*S*H main page
Back to episode listings