Ep 17. The Price

The Price is the seventeenth episode of the seventh season of the popular American medical drama-comedy TV series M*A*S*H. Created by Larry Gelbart and based on the novel by Richard Hooker, the show revolves around the lives of the staff of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) stationed in South Korea during the 1950-53 Korean War.

In this episode, we see an influx of patients at the MASH due to a new military campaign that has begun, resulting in extensive fighting and casualties. As a result, the MASH staff is overwhelmed, with doctors and nurses working around the clock to provide care and save lives.

Amid the chaos, financial disputes arise between Hawkeye Pierce (played by Alan Alda) and his close friend and colleague, BJ Honeycutt (played by Mike Farrell). The two doctors have been engaged in a "friendly" bet for several weeks over who can go without shaving the longest. However, the stakes have now escalated, and the winner of the bet will receive a significant amount of money. The situation becomes complicated when both doctors decide to cheat, hiding in the swamp to shave and making it difficult for the other to win.

Meanwhile, Charles Winchester (played by David Ogden Stiers) is struggling to find a way to deal with the loud and boisterous Sergeant Scully (played by Patrick Cranshaw). Scully is a patient at the MASH, recovering from injuries sustained on the battlefield. His constant loud talking and joking are causing chaos and disturbing the rest of the patients. Despite Charles's attempts to convince him to be quiet, Scully refuses and even manages to convince others to join in with him.

The situation finally reaches a boiling point when Scully's antics and noise cause a patient to suffer a medical emergency. Charles sees this as an opportunity to teach Scully a lesson, but his attempts backfire, leading to an unexpected result.

Overall, The Price is a well-written and acted episode of M*A*S*H, highlighting the personal tensions and conflicts that can arise among the hospital staff during a time of war. The show's trademark blend of humor and drama is on full display, with several memorable scenes and moments that will leave viewers laughing and moved.