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Sunday, September 12, 2010

M*A*S*H Finale Breaks Record For Total Viewers in February, 1983 in Television History

February 28, 1983, CBS broadcast the final episode of "M*A*S*H".   It remains the highest rated situation comedy viewed in television history (percentage of viewers), watched by over 105.6 million viewers (the 2010 Superbowl had more total viewers, but less audience share based on the difference in TV Households between 1983 and 2010). 

The series, based on a novel and later a film about combat surgeons in the Korean Conflict, premiered on September 17, 1972, with Alan Alda cast as the pivotal Hawkeye Pierce (Portrayed in the motion picture by Donald Sutherland) and Wayne Rogers as Trapper John (portrayed in the motion picture by Elliot Gould). Gary Burghoff portrayed Radar O'Rielly in both the film and TV versions.

After a few seasons of basic military style comedy typical of previous shows of that genre, M*A* S*H emerged as a socially enlightening black comedy preaching the futility and waste of war while at the same time dealing with modern themes such as equal rights for women and acceptance of minority races and homosexuality. Alan Alda also emerged as the principal character, so much so, that the other major characters of the series left after a few seasons because their roles had become so subordinate to the Hawkeye character.  Wayne Rogers, Gary Burghoff, McClean Stevenson (Col. Henry Blake) and Larry Linville (Major Frank Burns) departed the show to try vehicles of their own. They were replaced with Harry Morgan (Col. Sherman Potter), David Ogden Stiers (Dr. Charles E. Winchester) and Mike Farrel (Dr. B.J. Hunnicutt) in the principal cast.  Loretta Swit soldiered through all of the eleven-year run. William Christopher appeared as Father Mulcahy, Camp Chaplain in all seasons (with the exception of the pilot episode).

Alda began writing and directing episodes as well after Season 5. While the shooting war in Korea lasted only three years, M*A* S*H ran eleven years on various nights with a total library of 251 Episodes. Despite its popularity, M*A* S*H was never the top rating getter at CBS. The original producers (Larry Gelbart and Gene Reynolds) left the show after the 5th Season.  Alan Alda and Burt Metcalfe assumed Executive Producer duties. With the changes in front and behind the camera after season 5, the show was more of a drama with some comic overtones that tended to preach tolerance along with a heavy layer of pacifism.

According to articles from the Associated Press from March,1983, "CBS parlayed the final episode of MASH - which got the highest rating and attracted the largest audience ever for a single TV program - into a big ratings victory for the week. The record episode, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", did break records, receiving was highest percentage of homes with television sets to watch a TV series.

The show is still broadcast in syndication on various television stations (mostly during the late night/early morning hours).

Parts of this article are condensed from the Wikipedia article listed below.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M*A*S*H_%28TV_series%29

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