Ep 17. Sometimes You Hear the Bullet

During the Korean War, the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital is packed with injured soldiers. In M*A*S*H season 1 episode 17, titled "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet," the focus shifts to the backstory of Hawkeye (Alan Alda). In flashbacks, the audience learns about his close friendship with a man named Tommy Gillis (Tim O'Connor). The two men grew up together in Maine and joined the Army at the same time. However, while Hawkeye managed to stay out of harm's way by becoming a surgeon, Tommy ended up on the front lines.

The episode begins with Hawkeye receiving a letter from home informing him that Tommy has been killed in action. Devastated, Hawkeye confides in his friends Trapper John (Wayne Rogers) and Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson) about the loss. He then begins to have flashbacks of his time with Tommy, including their exploits chasing women and drinking beer.

After the flashbacks end, Hawkeye struggles to come to terms with Tommy's death. He feels guilty that he was able to avoid combat while his friend died in battle. The situation is made worse when he has to operate on a young soldier named Private Weston (Timothy Brown) who has been shot in the leg. Weston is scared and traumatized by what he has seen on the front lines, and Hawkeye can't help but see Tommy in him.

Throughout the episode, Hawkeye tries to make sense of the senseless violence he has witnessed in Korea. He talks to Trapper and Henry about how war can strip people of their humanity and make them do terrible things. He also tries to comfort Weston by sharing stories about his friend Tommy and encouraging him to hold on to the good memories he has of home.

The emotional climax of the episode comes during a powerful scene where Hawkeye is sitting with Weston, who is recovering from surgery. Weston tells Hawkeye about the day he was shot and how he heard the bullet coming towards him. The soldier says that he was scared and that he doesn't want to die. Hawkeye listens patiently, then shares his own memories of hearing the bullet that killed Tommy. This is the moment when Hawkeye finally acknowledges his grief and begins to come to terms with the tragedy of war.

"Sometimes You Hear the Bullet" is an important episode in the first season of M*A*S*H. It highlights the toll that war takes on soldiers' mental health and the impact that one life lost can have on those left behind. The flashback scenes are filmed in black and white, adding to the somber mood of the episode. The scenes of surgery and trauma are realistic and gritty, showing the horrors of war in a way that was rare for television at the time.

Overall, "Sometimes You Hear the Bullet" is a moving and thought-provoking episode of M*A*S*H that contributes to the show's reputation as one of the best dramas in TV history. It is a reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of remembering those who have made the ultimate sacrifice.