Ep 12. Dear Dad

Dear Dad is the twelfth episode of the first season of the hit television series M*A*S*H. It originally aired on December 3rd, 1972 on the CBS network. The show takes place during the Korean War and follows a group of doctors and nurses stationed at a mobile army surgical hospital (M*A*S*H) unit.

The episode revolves around the character of Hawkeye Pierce, played by Alan Alda, who sits down to write a letter to his father back home. As he writes, the scenes flash back to his experiences during the war. It is an emotional and introspective episode, touching on themes of life, death, and family.

Throughout the episode, Hawkeye reflects on the various patients he has treated, including a soldier whose leg was amputated and a Korean woman who lost her husband. These moments are intercut with scenes of the M*A*S*H unit's daily routine, including the surgeons performing surgery and the nurses handling triage.

One of the key subplots of the episode revolves around the character of Radar, played by Gary Burghoff. Radar is a young corporal who serves as the company clerk for the M*A*S*H unit. He idolizes Hawkeye and looks up to him as a father figure. In an attempt to impress Hawkeye, Radar steals a jeep and crashes it. This leads to Hawkeye giving him a stern lecture about responsibility and the consequences of his actions.

Another theme that runs throughout the episode is the idea of family. While Hawkeye writes his letter, he reflects on the relationships with his own family members, including his father and his sister. He also thinks about the makeshift family that has formed among the doctors and nurses at the M*A*S*H unit. The show deals with the camaraderie that develops between soldiers who are thrown into life and death situations together.

The episode is notable for its emotional depth and its exploration of the horrors of war. At one point, Hawkeye breaks down in tears as he thinks about the toll that his job is taking on him. The show provides a realistic portrayal of the physical and emotional toll that war takes on those who are involved.

One of the standout moments of the episode comes towards the end, when Hawkeye finishes writing his letter to his father. He reads it out loud, with the scenes cutting back and forth between him and the other characters at the M*A*S*H unit. The letter is filled with Hawkeye's trademark wit and humor, but it also conveys a sense of longing for his family back home.

In the end, Dear Dad is a powerful episode that showcases the talent of the show's cast and crew. It is a poignant exploration of the human experience of war, from the mundane tasks of everyday life to the profound moments of loss and grief. The show would go on to become one of the most iconic and influential television series of all time, but this episode stands out as a testament to its emotional depth and storytelling prowess.