An Argument Between Alan Alda And This MASH Co-Star Actually Made It Into An Episode

A classic MASH episode was improved by a genuine argument between Alan Alda and a co-star over the ethics involved in a key surgery sequence. Many MASH actors exited the show during its early years, despite the medical sitcom becoming a runaway hit for CBS. These exits accidentally added to the show’s longevity, since the ensemble was periodically refreshed with great new characters like Potter (Harry Morgan) or Major Winchester (David Ogden Stiers).

Wayne Rogers’ Trapper left MASH following season 3, with the actor feeling his role kept being diminished by the increasing focus put on Alda’s Hawkeye. Trapper’s replacement B.J. (Mike Farrell) arrived in season 4, and the friendship he formed with Hawkeye became one of the emotional cores of the show for viewers. Their goodbye in MASH’s record-breaking finale was the most heartbreaking moment of the episode, while Alda and Farrell also became good friends in real life.

Alan Alda And Mike Farrell Argued Over An Unethical Surgery Scene In MASH

Season 7’s “Preventative Medicine” saw MASH’s leads clash over a key scene

Hawkeye and B.J. might have been great pals, but they didn’t see eye to eye on everything. The latter was a devoted family man with a strong sense of his own morality, while Hawkeye was a ladies’ man with something of a God complex. Alda and Farrell may have also been friendly offscreen, but they argued over a surgery sequence in a MASH season 7 episode called “Preventative Medicine.” This outing sees both men become disgusted by a line commander named Lieutenant Lacy (James Wainwright), who is notorious for the high casualty rate among his men.

Lacy is shown to be unconcerned about his men’s safety and is willing to send soldiers to their deaths to advance his own career. When overhearing his plans for an operation that could lead to dozens of deaths, Hawkeye gives Lacy a spiked drink and tells B.J. of his plan to perform an unnecessary surgery on the Lieutenant. Hawkeye is going to remove Lacy’s appendix to put him out of commission, but despite B.J.’s intense dislike for the Lieutenant, he refuses to take part in this operation.

Hawkeye and B.J. argue over the ethics of this, with the former feeling this surgery will save lives, and he can live with that. In the original script for MASH’s “Preventative Medicine,” B.J. just went along with Hawkeye’s scheme, but Farrell objected, believing his character’s sense of ethics would stop him taking part. Writer Ken Levine recalled on his blog that once Farrell objected, he and Alda debated the morals of the operation and it was decided their argument should become part of the story.

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Farrell And Alda’s Argument Made MASH’s “Preventative Medicine” Even Better

Hawkeye and B.J.’s clash resulted in one of MASH’s most compelling debates

Some articles have painted the clash between Alda and Farrell on “Preventative Medicine” as way more dramatic than it was. Alda may have been on Hawkeye’s side when it came down to the fact the operation would save lives, but he was by all accounts energized by Farrell’s opposing perspective on the sequence. According to Ken Levine, Alda even took part in the rewrites to add B.J. and Hawkeye’s fight into this MASH episode.

Yes, after the table reading Mike balked at having B.J. go along with this operation. But there was no tension whatsoever. He and Alan debated the point for a couple of minutes and right there we all decided that this debate would be great for the script.

“Preventative Medicine” offers one of MASH’s most compelling dilemmas, since viewers can sympathize with both viewpoints. Lacy is depicted as a callous figure uninterested in anything but his own career, but even so, B.J. swore an oath and can only see the operation as an intentional act of mutilation on a patient. The ending of the episode is a highlight, as Hawkeye comes to his friend after performing the surgery and admitting to tossing away Lacy’s perfectly healthy appendix.

Even though his actions have saved the lives of many young soldiers, Hawkeye is haunted by his actions, but after B.J. comforts him for a moment, they have to rush back to surgery to treat more wounded. Farrell’s legitimate concerns made MASH’s “Preventative Medicine” better, since it explored the ethical dilemma at the heart of what Hawkeye was doing, and found there were no easy answers.

“Preventative Medicine” Accidentally Copied A MASH Season 3 Story

The writers of “Preventative Medicine” needed to brush up on their MASH season 3 knowledge

MASH ran for 11 seasons, and would occasionally repeat the same plots or character arcs. “Preventative Medicine” is another case in point, with Levine also pointing out that MASH season 3’s “White Gold” featured a similar premise, but with a different outcome. “White Gold” involves a Colonel who steals penicillin from the 4077th to use it as a trading tool. Hawkeye and Trapper later take matters into their own hands, drugging the Colonel’s drink and performing an operation to remove his appendix in the episode’s finale.

“White Gold” and “Preventative Medicine” share a lot in common, but the key difference is that Trapper is totally on board with the operation. This MASH outing treats Flagg’s unnecessary surgery as a gag where none of the surgeons object to it happening, which is in total contrast to “Preventative Medicine.” According to Levine, nobody on the crew stated the show had covered the same basic plot as “Preventative Medicine,” before, and it was already too late to change it once he discovered the similarities.

Source: By Ken Levine

M*A*S*H

Originally adapted from the 1970 film of the same name, M*A*S*H encompasses comedy, drama, and everything in between as it follows the lives of army doctors stationed in Uijeongbu, South Korea, during the Korean War.

Cast

Alan Alda , Wayne Rogers , Loretta Swit , Mike Farrell , Harry Morgan , Jamie Farr , David Ogden Stiers

Release Date

September 17, 1972

Seasons

11

Streaming Service(s)

Hulu , Apple TV+

Writers

Larry Gelbart , Richard Hooker

Showrunner

Larry Gelbart

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