‘M*A*S*H’ Maydays Is Coming to MeTV This May
Mayday, Mayday… MeTV is bringing you special M*A*S*H content this May!
M*A*S*H, one of the most iconic television shows of all time with a series finale that truly made everyone cry, even your Dad who you had never seen cry before, first aired between 1972 and 1983. The series finale “Goodbye, Farewell and Amen” also brought the most viewers of any finale ever with 105.97 million viewers. It still holds the record for the most-watched single television episode in history. MeTV airs the finale each year on Veterans Day as a nod to our Veterans.
During the month of May, MeTV will be airing an extra hour of M*A*S*H every weeknight. Each week the episodes will focus on one special character, from Hawkeye to Hot Lips. First up is Hawkeye Week from May 1-5. Alan Alda played Captain Benjamin Franklin “Hawkeye” Pierce, an Army surgeon. He appeared in every episode of the beloved series and was the only character to do so. As the years went on, Alda was a writer, director, and creative consultant on the series as well and M*A*S*H truly remains one of his best pieces of work.
MeTV is airing special ‘M*A*S*H’ episodes
20th Century Fox Television/Everett Collection
Next up is Major Margaret ‘Hot Lips’ Houlihan Week from May 8-12. Loretta Swit played the unit’s chief nurse and member of the Army Nurse Corps. Swit won an Emmy for the role in 1980 and ’82 and although she often had an issue with her character being nicknamed Hot Lips, she has fond memories of the show. Along with Alda, she is the only character to appear in both the series premiere and finale.
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
From May 15-19, MeTV celebrates Radar Week. Corporal Walter Eugene O’Reilly, often called Radar, was played by Gary Burghoff. He earned the nickname Radar because he had incredible hearing skills, and often seemed as if he had ESP. Burghoff wanted to leave the show in the 8th season due to burnout, so his character was granted a hardship discharge and sent back home. “Goodbye Radar” will air on May 19th.
20th Century Fox Film Corp./Everett Collection
We can’t forget Colonel Potter and Captain B.J. Hunnicutt for the last two weeks as the schedules slide a bit into June. Colonel Sherman T. Potter Week will air May 22-26. Potter was played by Harry Morgan and won him an Emmy in 1980. Lastly, Captain B.J. Hunnicutt Week airs May 29-June 2. Mike Farrell played the even-tempered doctor.
If you’re interested in watching, set your television to MeTV weeknights 6-7 pm ET/PT, joining the regular M*A*S*H hour 7-8 pm ET/PT. Check out the full schedule here.
