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Post by topbilled on Apr 20, 2023 13:50:27 GMT
032 The Trial of Henry Blake
The one where Henry goes on trial
In previous episodes Margaret and Frank have complained about a lot of things. In one story, they had Klinger undergo a psychiatric evaluation. In this story, they are putting Henry under fire, trying to get him removed as the leader of the camp.
First, it’s a bit interesting that they have so much power to keep going over people’s heads. Yet they never seem to get anywhere with these nonstop complaints, as their efforts are often stymied. You would think they would have learned by now they can’t exactly change the way the 4077th is run and it would be better if they just gave up!
One thing I don’t like with regards to the writers using Margaret in these kinds of plots is that she becomes too unlikable. It’s okay that Frank is unlikable, since he’s meant to be the butt of jokes by Hawkeye and Trapper. But reducing Margaret to this level and having her act all officious and unreasonable just doesn’t do her character any favors with the audience. She should be more sympathetic. Fortunately, her character will evolve as the seasons roll on, and she will be less a thorn in everyone’s side. She has much more respect later for Colonel Potter than she does for Colonel Blake in this episode.
The gist of the episode involves Henry facing an investigation about his fitness to remain in charge of the camp. Of course, we know he will not get removed from his post, since McLean Stevenson isn’t going anywhere (yet). This is the first episode in which we see a high ranking general named Mitchell (played by Robert Simon) who oversees Henry’s trial.
Some of the complaints that Frank and Margaret have lodged against Henry are quite funny. And while he’s being interrogated, Henry is technically under arrest and detained away from the camp. This puts Frank temporarily in charge of things.
In addition to the comical infractions, there is a serious accusation that suggests Henry committed treason by helping a nurse (Hope Summers) run a clinic in enemy territory. Of course, Hawkeye and Trapper find the nurse and get her to the trial where she can testify in Henry’s defense.
I felt a lot of this was exaggerated. And that when Hawkeye and Trapper enlist Klinger’s help at one point, and Klinger drugs a military police officer, then they are all doing things that should require them to face charges. It’s difficult to sympathize with these characters when they resort to these types of tactics to aid Henry in his hour of need, instead of just outsmarting the bureaucracy which they’ve done in other episodes.
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Post by galacticgirrrl on Apr 21, 2023 5:10:17 GMT
030 Kim October 20, 1973
I couldn't agree more about the inconsistencies. In some episodes I am able to overlook them because of a great story line, great jokes or great guest star. It is hard to understand how glaring and odd some of them are because by this point the cast all sits around in a circle on breaks to talk about improving the show. If this is the result no wonder they drove Gelbart to distraction. Or perhaps he just ignored them and this is the result.
This is an episode that was impossible to watch without applying my modern day lens. Foreign adoption is not a great option. White man playing the saviour is uncomfortable and dated. I appreciate they are trying to give Trapper a story line or two but knowing that Wayne Rogers already approached them about his part being greatly diminished it feels lack-lustre.
I too have noticed the food issue in many episodes. It is quite funny and ridiculous. Maybe it was on purpose. There is a great variety of fresh real cuts of meat which seems odd from what I understand about spam type composites in a time of war. The supply also seems to be limitless with everyone piling heaps on to their trays.
From the trivia section on the imdb - which leads in nicely to the next episode L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel):
All of the Korean-language words spoken by Maj. Houlihan and the others are, at best, not actual Korean words. While some of what is said resembles words in other languages, Chinese among them, it is likely that the words spoken here are simply gibberish, much like in several other episodes throughout the series where the main cast attempts to speak small amounts of Korean.
It is quite surprising they didn't try harder to have the Korean aspects of the show a little more authentic. I don't think it would have cost that much or slowed down production.
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Post by topbilled on Apr 21, 2023 14:55:42 GMT
030 Kim October 20, 1973
I couldn't agree more about the inconsistencies. In some episodes I am able to overlook them because of a great story line, great jokes or great guest star. It is hard to understand how glaring and odd some of them are because by this point the cast all sits around in a circle on breaks to talk about improving the show. If this is the result no wonder they drove Gelbart to distraction. Or perhaps he just ignored them and this is the result. This is an episode that was impossible to watch without applying my modern day lens. Foreign adoption is not a great option. White man playing the saviour is uncomfortable and dated. I appreciate they are trying to give Trapper a story line or two but knowing that Wayne Rogers already approached them about his part being greatly diminished it feels lack-lustre. I too have noticed the food issue in many episodes. It is quite funny and ridiculous. Maybe it was on purpose. There is a great variety of fresh real cuts of meat which seems odd from what I understand about spam type composites in a time of war. The supply also seems to be limitless with everyone piling heaps on to their trays. From the trivia section on the imdb - which leads in nicely to the next episode L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel): All of the Korean-language words spoken by Maj. Houlihan and the others are, at best, not actual Korean words. While some of what is said resembles words in other languages, Chinese among them, it is likely that the words spoken here are simply gibberish, much like in several other episodes throughout the series where the main cast attempts to speak small amounts of Korean.It is quite surprising they didn't try harder to have the Korean aspects of the show a little more authentic. I don't think it would have cost that much or slowed down production. Great commentary. Yes, they should have had respect for Korean culture and used real words from the Korean language. This goes back to my earlier criticism that the writers were not really interested in the Korean conflict or Korea itself, as they were stand-ins for Vietnam. But even if this show had been set in late 60s or early 70s Vietnam, they would have to use real Vietnamese words. Having the actors speak gibberish, even though it's part comedy, seems shameful and inauthentic.
If the food scenes were accurate, we would be seeing processed spam-type meat, a lot of beans from a can and powdered eggs which don't really look or taste much like eggs. They could have built stories from the cook getting real eggs from nearby farmers, or a stray goat wandering into camp which they slaughter and barbecue, because that stuff probably did happen. The only time we should see plentiful amounts of delicious looking food on their plates should be the holiday episodes, and that could be because Radar or Henry pulled strings to get some of the good stuff sent to them for Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter.
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Post by topbilled on Apr 22, 2023 7:03:53 GMT
033 Dear Dad…Three
The one where Hawkeyes writes to his father…a third time
This was the third episode in a season and a half of M*A*S*H where Hawkeye wrote a letter to his father, chronicling the various goings on at the camp. As I’ve said before in my previous reviews, this was a gimmick the writers certainly enjoyed using as it meant they could do slightly more experimental storytelling. Not everything has to follow a linear narrative in these vignettes, though we do know Hawkeye will finish the letter by the final scene even if we never see him actually mail it off.
There’s an interesting bit that happens in the O.R. one day when a wounded soldier has an unexploded bomb embedded into his skin. Henry, Hawkeye and Margaret remove it and get rid of it. Watching the actors play the scene, I have to commend them for keeping such serious faces, especially Loretta Swit. When she looks down at the actor on the table with the bomb supposedly attached to him, you almost believe there is a real bomb there by the way she uses her eyes so intensely to convey the delicacy of the operation and the danger they all face in that moment.
A subsequent vignette has a racist soldier (Mills Watson) not wanting a blood transfusion from a black person pumped into his body. While I think this type of racism probably happened and was sometimes overt, I don’t think a doctor’s reaction to a patient’s prejudices would be so overt the way Hawkeye’s is. If Hawkeye was a black man, or if he had a black girlfriend then I could see him taking this so personally. But he gets more upset than nurse Ginger does, and she is black. It just felt a little over the top and preachy.
Also we have a scene later where Hawkeye is still thinking about it, long after the operation is over. He wants to either get revenge or teach the soldier a lesson, which he does with help from Trapper and Klinger. Again, I just found it all so over the top and I don’t think a white doctor would spend a lot of time trying to right this kind of wrong. I think he may not have agreed with the racist soldier’s point of view, but he would have just let it go, since there are too many other stressors during the war and he has to pick and choose his battles carefully.
My favorite scene in this episode involves all of them having a staff meeting in the mess tent. It’s nice to see Father Mulcahy become a more integral presence, since he’s included in the meeting with the other main characters. There is some funny business involving who will lead the meeting, then amusing comments from Radar’s report of their previous meeting, followed by a decision to take a vote to end the war. It’s kind of a long scene that doesn’t have a lot of action. They are all just sitting around a table engaged in banter, but it’s a good sketch satirizing what happens in meetings nobody wants to attend in the first place.
Another good scene has Radar screening a home movie that Henry’s wife sent, which they watch inside Henry’s office with Hawkeye and Trapper. Supposedly the occasion is the birthday of Henry’s daughter Molly, which is attended by other children.
Henry’s wife supposedly had a baby in the last episode of season 1, yet we see no evidence of a baby anywhere and the wife certainly doesn’t look like she’s recently given birth. Of course, the baby could have been in the house sleeping, but you think the wife would certainly have used this home movie to include footage of their newborn son, whom Henry hasn’t met.
The end of the party sequence, as seen on screen, has the wife assemble the kids holding up letters that spell out the phrase ‘Miss You.’ I must admit this did choke me up a bit, especially since we know Henry won’t actually make it home from the war.
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Post by galacticgirrrl on Apr 22, 2023 17:18:05 GMT
031 L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel) October 27, 1973
Hawkeye takes time out from womanizing to help a soldier who wants to marry a Korean woman and return to the States with her and their baby
Once again it is hard to believe how many big issues are tackled in 30 minutes: pre-marital sex, immigration, inter-racial marriage, prostitution, housing discrimination...and perhaps TVs first gay kiss.
This episode opens during Movie Night which is apparently every night. Like the musical flourishes, I had forgotten how many film references, beyond Groucho Marx, are peppered throughout MASH which is great fun. The only one that came to mind before watching these again was Colonel Potter's love of My Darling Clementine.
The subject matter of racism dovetails nicely with the previous episode about Kim, an orphaned Korean boy. This episode examines the value of of a Korean woman named Kim. By 1973 standards, the writers' attempt to tackle the issue is admirable. The quick swift lunge used to expose the darkness lurking in the heart of Hawkeye's love interest was brilliant. We suspected absolutely nothing was coming making the reveal all the more disturbing and memorable.
By today's standards it is hard not to notice the actress who plays Kim was given no spoken lines, no character development and was not included in the closing credits. Her English was advanced as demonstrated when instructed to turn on jeep headlights so a language barrier can't be blamed.
Tracking the crazy food cornucopia motif: there were an inordinate number of succulent picnic meals here, complete with fine red wine - tasty sandwiches, tons of fried chicken and potato salad. Not to mention the endless supply of martini olives.
And finally, did we witness TVs first gay kiss? Movie night has a number of couples making out under the cloak of darkness. When the lights come up we see only two men sitting directly behind Father Mulcahy. Was this an editing error? More gay humour? Or groundbreaking television?
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Post by topbilled on Apr 22, 2023 17:55:15 GMT
031 L.I.P. (Local Indigenous Personnel) October 27, 1973 Hawkeye takes time out from womanizing to help a soldier who wants to marry a Korean woman and return to the States with her and their baby
Once again it is hard to believe how many big issues are tackled in 30 minutes: pre-marital sex, immigration, inter-racial marriage, prostitution, housing discrimination...and perhaps TVs first gay kiss. This episode opens during Movie Night which is apparently every night. Like the musical flourishes, I had forgotten how many film references, beyond Groucho Marx, are peppered throughout MASH which is great fun. The only one that came to mind before watching these again was Colonel Potter's love of My Darling Clementine. The subject matter of racism dovetails nicely with the previous episode about Kim, an orphaned Korean boy. This episode examines the value of of a Korean woman named Kim. By 1973 standards, the writers' attempt to tackle the issue is admirable. The quick swift lunge used to expose the darkness lurking in the heart of Hawkeye's love interest was brilliant. We suspected absolutely nothing was coming making the reveal all the more disturbing and memorable. By today's standards it is hard not to notice the actress who plays Kim was given no spoken lines, no character development and was not included in the closing credits. Her English was advanced as demonstrated when instructed to turn on jeep headlights so a language barrier can't be blamed. Tracking the crazy food cornucopia motif: there were an inordinate number of succulent picnic meals here, complete with fine red wine - tasty sandwiches, tons of fried chicken and potato salad. Not to mention the endless supply of martini olives. And finally, did we witness TVs first gay kiss? Movie night has a number of couples making out under the cloak of darkness. When the lights come up we see only two men sitting directly behind Father Mulcahy. Was this an editing error? More gay humour? Or groundbreaking television? There had been a same sex kiss back in season 1, the episode called 'Sometimes You Hear the Bullet.' Hawkeye's friend Tommy (James Callahan) kissed Henry on the lips.
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Post by galacticgirrrl on Apr 22, 2023 23:59:03 GMT
How quickly they forget. I must go back and have a peep at that to look for the intent of the kiss. I was being a bit ridiculous in my write-up but it is a very strange scene at the cinema - accidental or on purpose - I would love to know more about it being included in the final cut.
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Post by galacticgirrrl on Apr 23, 2023 0:01:38 GMT
032 The Trial of Henry Blake November 3, 1973
This was a fabulous episode. I'd like to think seeing McLean Stevenson's name in the writing credits has no influence on my review but I think it probably does. It is a relief to see a cast member besides Alan Alda involved in the creative process. I wish I could watch each episode blind to the directing and writing credits, just as I can turn off the laugh track. The jokes and sight gags are perfection - simple, seemingly obvious but very clever, less of the creepy and cornball. The gurney races are outlandish fun and a much needed tension relief after a particularly grueling session in the OR. Wing tip shoes is just such a ridiculous idea you can't help but love it. I would like to know which of the stories used in the series are based on the interviews with MASH personnel about incidents they experienced. Klinger again is a strange punchline in a dress. I recently came across an interesting article which gave me a great deal to ponder on the subject. Many WWII movies include drag performances as nothing out of the norm also. Drag queens were hugely popular in WWI — Every single division would have had a female impersonator as part of their concert troupe www.cbc.ca/arts/drag-queens-in-world-war-one-ross-hamilton-marjorie-1.6802140And then there is the most devastating charge against Henry: giving aid and comfort to the enemy. As the details of his possible treason are laid bare it is impactful to understand Colonel Blake is true to his Hippocratic Oath, a far more important bond than the one he took upon induction into the military. The IMDB Trivia section has a couple of helpful military notes:While Maj's Burns and Houlihan are sticklers for military procedures and often file charges against fellow officers, they both could easily face general court martial under article 134 of the UCMJ for adultery, and face dismissal, which is the officers equivalent of a dishonorable discharge. Colonel Blake has been awarded the Army Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart, Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Korean Service Medal , and the Army Good Conduct Medal.
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Post by galacticgirrrl on Apr 23, 2023 20:39:28 GMT
033 Dear Dad... Three November 10, 1973
This was another fabulous episode - a perfect mix of art & science, love & hate, history & hilarity - from the Cary Grant Rudyard Kipling opener to the cocktail party finale playing Makin' Whoopee. It is impressive how much is tucked into this one, much of it memorable and touching. After a brief moment of panic when it appeared a blackface joke was on the horizon, there were three main messages I appreciated.
Health: The dedication of those removing a large live grenade highlights the incredible skill of medical professionals in wartime. They are confronted with new technologies of killing like gas, shrapnel, grenades - tackling them with incredible expertise and ingenuity.
History: The Charles Drew history lesson was invaluable.
Charles Richard Drew (June 3, 1904 – April 1, 1950) was an American surgeon and medical researcher. He researched in the field of blood transfusions, developing improved techniques for blood storage, and applied his expert knowledge to developing large-scale blood banks early in World War II. This allowed medics to save thousands of Allied forces' lives during the war. As the most prominent African American in the field, Drew protested against the practice of racial segregation in the donation of blood, as it lacked scientific foundation, and resigned his position with the American Red Cross, which maintained the policy until 1950.
Homefront: Playing the home movies that arrived for Henry was surprisingly moving. Particularly poignant was the silent swingset segment from the birthday party. Actress Kathleen Hughes is a perfect mix of lovely & alluring, in her beautiful yellow dress, floating around like a ghost from another place and time.
And the syncopated rhythm in humour of the staff meeting is brilliant.
On a more shallow note.... I have never seen anyone in pin-curls and rollers look as gorgeous as Margaret Houlihan.
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Post by topbilled on Apr 24, 2023 14:53:43 GMT
033 Dear Dad... Three November 10, 1973
This was another fabulous episode - a perfect mix of art & science, love & hate, history & hilarity - from the Cary Grant Rudyard Kipling opener to the cocktail party finale playing Makin' Whoopee. It is impressive how much is tucked into this one, much of it memorable and touching. After a brief moment of panic when it appeared a blackface joke was on the horizon, there were three main messages I appreciated. Health: The dedication of those removing a large live grenade highlights the incredible skill of medical professionals in wartime. They are confronted with new technologies of killing like gas, shrapnel, grenades - tackling them with incredible expertise and ingenuity. History: The Charles Drew history lesson was invaluable. Charles Richard Drew (June 3, 1904 – April 1, 1950) was an American surgeon and medical researcher. He researched in the field of blood transfusions, developing improved techniques for blood storage, and applied his expert knowledge to developing large-scale blood banks early in World War II. This allowed medics to save thousands of Allied forces' lives during the war. As the most prominent African American in the field, Drew protested against the practice of racial segregation in the donation of blood, as it lacked scientific foundation, and resigned his position with the American Red Cross, which maintained the policy until 1950. Homefront: Playing the home movies that arrived for Henry was surprisingly moving. Particularly poignant was the silent swingset segment from the birthday party. Actress Kathleen Hughes is a perfect mix of lovely & alluring, in her beautiful yellow dress, floating around like a ghost from another place and time. And the syncopated rhythm in humour of the staff meeting is brilliant. On a more shallow note.... I have never seen anyone in pin-curls and rollers look as gorgeous as Margaret Houlihan. I suspect the swing set was a more modern one (made in the late 60s or early 70s) and not exactly the type of swing sets that were available in the early 50s.
Thanks for mentioning Dr. Charles Drew.
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Post by topbilled on Apr 24, 2023 14:58:41 GMT
034 The sniper
The one where a soldier fires on the camp
This episode could have been developed better. First, I think it starts with a strong premise, because there is a bit of mystery involved in the beginning. Someone is firing on the camp, catching everyone off guard, but who is it and why is this happening now? Initial shots occur when Hawkeye is enjoying an outdoor picnic with an attractive lieutenant (Teri Garr). Notice how Hawkeye never canoodles with any plain Janes?
In some ways the ideas for this story connect with a previous story in which a ‘Charlie’ was flying overhead and targeting the 4077th. But unlike the earlier episode in which that person failed to hit his target, the sniper in this instance is succeeding at hitting the camp and disrupting the normal flow of business.
In our next episode we will see what happens when a flu epidemic affects everyone, but here they must band together to deal with a much different issue. They are restricted from moving freely about the camp and must set up barricades. In one memorable scene, Radar is thrown for a loop in the process of taking a shower. His towel comes off, exposing some of Gary Burghoff’s backside, a rare instance of network TV nudity.
I do like how these stories unite the main characters, and how we see them eventually regain a sense of ‘normalcy’ so they can resume operations. What I don’t really care for is that the sniper turns out to be firing on everyone because he thought the 4077th was where General MacArthur was set up. I just found that part a bit implausible.
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Post by topbilled on Apr 26, 2023 7:11:06 GMT
035 Carry on Hawkeye
The one where a flu epidemic occurs
This is the first of five times that Hawkeye’s name appears in the title of an episode, though there was an earlier one called ‘Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde.’ Up until this point, the character whose name appeared more often in the title was Henry Blake’s, but I think we are starting to get to the point in the series’ run where Hawkeye is clearly emerging as the lead character.
A year and a half from now both McLean Stevenson and Wayne Rogers will be gone, with Rogers in particular being dissatisfied by the evolution from ensemble to what some fans would derisively call ‘The Alan Alda Show.’ Their replacements, Harry Morgan and Mike Farrell, would clearly support Alda, not costar alongside him. But that’s a discussion for another time.
In this story a strain of flu has hit the camp, leaving only a few who are still able to operate on patients. While most of the personnel are now bedridden, trying to recover, Hawkeye and Margaret take over. This is a good way to give us scenes of depth between these two long-running characters who will eventually have a romantic liaison and remain with the series until the final episode.
In addition to Hawkeye and Margaret, we also have Radar and Father Mulcahy helping out in the O.R. As I have said in a previous review, it’s always nice when Father Mulcahy becomes a more integral presence in the stories, not merely relegated to the sidelines.
Eventually Hawkeye starts developing symptoms of the flu, which throws a wrench into everything. But Hawkeye carries on for as long as he can. This nicely helmed episode earned actor-director Jackie Cooper an Emmy award.
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Post by topbilled on Apr 29, 2023 12:47:28 GMT
036 The Incubator
The one where the camp needs important equipment
This episode gets points for showing what dedicated doctors like Hawkeye and Trapper will do in order to get some important equipment that will help speed up diagnoses and save lives. In this case, the equipment is an incubator needed to process lab cultures. Of course, our two heroic doctors face all sorts of bureaucratic hassles when their request for the incubator is denied and they try to get help from someone higher up than Henry.
The main subplot involves Henry receiving equipment of his own, a cherished item that will improve his meals. He’s received a barbecue grill for cooking up steaks to perfection, though we have to wonder where they can get nice juicy steaks in the middle of a war zone. Also, I find it a bit impractical that they’d want heavy type equipment they might have to haul around. After all, this show is supposed to be about a MOBILE Army hospital, not an immobile one.
One thing that slightly annoys me when watching some of these episodes again, years later, is how Hawkeye and Trapper always seem to succeed in their schemes to get what they want. In this instance, Radar helps them obtain the much sought-after incubator by trading Henry’s new barbecue for it.
Just once, it might be interesting to see Hawkeye and Trapper lose and the dramatic fallout of them losing. It’s a little too convenient, if not predictable for these guys to maneuver around any obstacle and be successful in their various pursuits. It’s unrealistic that they always overcome these obstacles in their path. I am sure there were plenty of well-meaning medics during the Korean War and Vietnam War who had good intentions yet were often stymied in their efforts to help more people in the trenches.
Loretta Swit does not appear in this episode, and she missed a few episodes in season 1. It’s interesting that the actress remains on the show until the very end, just like Alan Alda. But while Alda does appear in every single episode, Miss Swit’s overall appearance rate is lower than his. But then this would become ‘The Alan Alda Show,’ not ‘The Loretta Swit Show’ and there were very few female writers and directors with any influence behind the scenes to increase the scope of Swit’s role on the show, the way Alda’s role increases as we go along.
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Post by topbilled on May 5, 2023 0:39:06 GMT
Okay...I should probably post something here...I stopped watching these episodes (for now) because I was not enjoying these early seasons. It was becoming a chore to watch some of them. And to be honest, I was finding Alan Alda a bit too smug with his performances...his ego is just taking over the show already by the middle of season 2, and I don't find him very enjoyable. It's funny how our perceptions change with time.
My favorite episode is 'Hey Look Me Over,' the first episode of the final season. I rewatched it recently and just loved it all over again. In that one, we get a more down-to-earth portrayal of Hawkeye, especially when he realizes that nurse Kellye would like to date him. It's a beautiful episode. If only the early seasons had these kinds of poignant stories.
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Post by sepiatone on Jun 7, 2023 16:02:14 GMT
One thing this thread has accomplished was to get into watching the M*A*S*H reruns weekday mornings on TV Land. Was avoiding hem for some reason. But now watching them I've noticed many episodes were directed by JACKIE COOPER. Never knew that at the time they originally ran as that was at a time I didn't bother noticing that kind of thing. And now, all these years later and looking at these episodes with a more critical eye, I seem to appreciate them more than when I first watched them over 40 years ago and even then liking them immensely.
I will again thank TOPBILLED for bringing this treasured classic back to our attention.
Sepiatone
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