Give and Take was the 254th overall episode in the M*A*S*H television series, and the 14th of Season 11. Written by Karen Hall and directed by Jamie Farr, the episode aired for the first time on CBS-TV on February 14, 1983.
Plot synopsis[]
Wounded Private Kurland learns a painful lesson from the enemy soldier he's critically wounded, while the thankless job of charity collection officer passes from one person to another.
Full plot summary[]
Among the newly-arrived wounded is a North Korean soldier, shot by one of the G.I.s, who is also at the 4077th. Before he goes under the knife, the G.I., named Kurland tells B.J. the story - he had been shot, and while lying there wounded, he caught the North Korean trying to steal his boots. Waking up in time, Kurland shot the North Korean soldier at point blank range, delivering a severe wound, something Kurland is proud of.
In Post Op, the North Korean is put alongside Kurland, who is aghast at a "commie" being allowed in the hospital. He softens when he sees how wounded the young man is, especially when he sees that the North Korean is suffering from severe frostbite - he was found, wounded, with his feet wrapped in bandages. Kurland offers the wounded man his extra blanket to help keep him warm. Margaret thanks him for the act of charity, but Kurland dismisses it, saying "Anything to shut him up."
Later, Klinger gives out candy bars to all the wounded, even the North Korean. The young man takes it, then offers it to Kurland, as a way to say thanks for the blanket. Kurland accepts.
The next day, the North Korean soldier takes a severe turn for the worse. Despite Hawkeye working on him a second time, he dies in Post Op a few hours later - right in front of Kurland.
Later, Kurland is ready to ship out, and Col. Potter hands him his boots. Upon touching them, Kurland begins to choke up, saying he now understands what the young man was trying to do - stealing Kurland's boots just to keep from freezing to death. Realizing he "would have done the same thing", he wonders how he'll ever be able to put on a pair of shoes again without thinking of this. Potter tries to comfort Kurland, putting him arm around him, apologizing for their being "some wounds I just can't treat."
Research notes/Fun facts[]
- The B-plot is about Winchester, stuck with the monthly charity fundraising job, pawning it off on someone else, and then each successive person trading it away once they learn how tough it is to raise the money. This is the last time this plot device is used - the trading of favors which eventually fails all around - which was first seen in "For Want of a Boot" back in Season 2.
- Craig Wasson and Michael McGuire (who played a Lt. Colonel in "Tell It to the Marines") would co-star as James Madison and George Washington in a movie called A More Perfect Union about the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.
- The candy bar that Klinger gives to the North Korean soldier (which is obviously a Hershey bar) is anachronistic because it has a barcode printed on the wrapper. The first product that was sold with a barcode was chewing gum by the Wrigley Company in 1974.
- Winchester quips that trying to raise money at the 4077th is like "trying to raise the Titanic with tweezers". While this comment does not present an anachronism, it is interesting to note that the final resting place of the Titanic was not known during the Korean war, nor was it known when the episode was filmed and aired. The remains would be discovered in September of 1985.
- Everyone seems to have missed the fact that the charity person has to be an officer - Klinger, although promoted to Sergeant, is still an enlisted man and officially would not have been allowed to even try to do the job.
Recurring cast/Guest stars[]
- Craig Wasson as Private Kurland
- G.W. Bailey as Luther Rizzo
- Jeff Maxwell as Igor Straminsky
- Kellye Nakahara as Lieutenant Kellye Yamoto
- Sagan Lewis as Nurse Armstrong
- Dereck Wong as Korean Soldier
- Alberta Jay as Nurse
- Uncredited appearances:
- Jennifer Davis - Post Op
- Shari Saba - Post Op, O Club