MASHhad many shocking moments, but the death of a major character not only transformed the show, but also impacted television itself in the decades that followed.MASHran for 11 seasons, and during that time, evolved from a wild sitcom to a full-on dramedy. The show was groundbreaking on many fronts, such as dropping the laugh track during surgery scenes to actually exploring the trauma the main characters were experiencing.The shock death of Henry Blake inMASHseason 3proved especially controversial.
It may have lost its impact thanks to series likeGame of ThronesorWalking Deadkilling off main characters like and right, but prior to Blake, it was unheard of for a major supporting player to die.While McLean Stevenson came to regret leavingMASHso soon, Blake’s demise was a groundbreaking momentin many ways. It even stands out among divisive entries like “Dreams” - a borderline horror episode exploring the nightmares of the 4077th - or experimental outings like “Life Time” in terms of visceral impact.
Why The MASH Actor Who Quit In Season 3 Regretted Leaving The Show
A key MASH actor came to regret leaving the show so early - even though their exit led to one of the sitcom’s most groundbreaking moments.
MASH’s Most Shocking Moment Was The Death Of Henry Blake In Season 3
The raw shock of Blake’s demise on MASH will never be recaptured
McLean Stevenson was one ofthe firstMASHactors to exit, having become tired of being part of an ensemble. Stevenson had issues with the production company behind the show too, and was being lined up as a possible replacement for Johnny Carson as host ofThe Tonight Show. That’s why he accepted an NBC offer to jump ship, withMASH’sshowrunner then electing to use Blake’s exit to kill the character off. The ending of season 3’s “Abyssinia Henry” thus sees a heartbroken Radar (Gary Burghoff) announcing Blake’s plane was shot down to the 4077th.
This episode was originally supposed to end with Blake just heading back home - and it was only revealed at the last minute that there would be an additional scene confirming his demise.Radar’s halting annoucment of Blake’s death combined with the shell-shocked faces of the 4077th made the scene especially devastatingfor audiences. The aim of the show was never shock value, but it still featured its share of dark moments. This includes the finale reveal that Hawkeye’s (Alan Alda) repressed trauma was his memory of a mother accidentally suffocating her baby while they hid from enemy soldiers.
Larry Gelbart leftMASHafter season 4 but briefly returned to the franchise for the much-hated spinoffAfterMASH.
How Henry Blake’s Death Impacted MASH
Blake’s death was a transition point for MASH
MASH’s"Abyssinia Henry" marked the exit of both Trapper John (Wayne Rogers) and Blake, and it became the moment it moved from a sitcom with dramatic moments to a full-on dramedy. Some fans lament this since the earlier years were the funniest, butMASHreally found its voice in later years.Blake’s death also gave it genuine stakes and underlined that no matter how beloved a character was, they could die at any momentin a warzone. Despite this, the show never again killed off a major character.
The death of Blake resulted in a tremendous backlash from angry viewers - but it brought more eyeballs to the show too.
The death of Blake resulted in a tremendous backlash from angry viewers - but it brought more eyeballs to the show too. This emboldened the showrunners to take more chances down the line, such as the season 4 episode that is basically a 20-minute Alan Alda comedy monologue. Much of modern TV can be tracked back toMASH; this includes the merging of comedy and drama, a willingness to kill off a beloved character and that a show can have a serious message but still be incredibly entertaining.
MAS*H
Cast
MAS*H is a drama-comedy series set during the Korean War, centering on the lives of the staff at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital as they navigate the challenges of wartime medical service with humor and resilience.
