Good-Bye Radar: Part 1 is the fourth episode of the eighth season of the CBS-TV series M*A*S*H, also the 177th overall series episode. Directed by Charles S. Dubin, the episode, the first part of a two episode story arc, was written by Ken Levine & David Isaacs, and it originally aired on network TV on October 8, 1979.
Synopsis[]
Radar comes back from R&R to a trashed office and no electricity, but these are only the tip of what eventually becomes an unfortunate iceberg.
Full episode summary[]
During surgery, the generator goes out, leaving the surgeons trying to operate in darkness. In the confusion, Hawkeye's finger is sprained when Margaret accidentally gets it caught in a rib-spreader. Potter orders Klinger to find out what's going on with the generator, where he finds Zale, who's already working on it. Klinger goes to start the backup generator, only to find it gone. Zale tries to fix the main generator, but it works for only a few seconds before it breaks down again, permanently.
Meanwhile, Radar, coming off of R&R, is stuck at Tachikawa Air Base near Tokyo trying to get back to the 4077th. His spot on a plane is taken by General Imbrie - or, more specifically, a cardboard cutout of the general - leaving Radar stranded with the next flight to Kimpo in 6 hours. Having no other choice, Radar grudgingly sits and waits, but things start to look up when a pretty young nurse, Lieutenant Patty Haven, arrives in the depot; she eventually reveals she is going back home to Lancaster, Missouri, which is only about 100 miles away from Ottumwa, Iowa, Radar's hometown. The two start to talk.
Back at the 4077th, Klinger has assumed all of Radar's clerical duties, but he's hopelessly in over his head. The lack of electricity starts to affect the camp, and the doctors have to find old-school workarounds to deal with the wounded, including cadging together a Wangensteen suction device for a patient with a distended abdomen. With no refrigeration, the food is about to spoil, so Potter has everyone pile up on the portions and even invites all the local villagers to "belly up to the buffet."
Radar and Patty have hit it off, spending the next few hours talking in the air depot; Patty is a farm girl and, like Radar, loves grape Nehi. Meanwhile, the airport clerk has found Radar a ride to Kimpo Airfield on a cargo plane; Radar declines, but the clerk orders Radar to board. Disgruntled, Rader leaves, but not before he and Patty promise to look for one another back home. The two share a gentle kiss before Radar boards the plane. After landing at Kimpo, Radar is riding in a jeep back to the 4077th, but is elbowed out by a group of soldiers who want to hitch a ride. The driver throws Radar's duffel bag at him, which knocks him to the ground, breaking a bottle of perfume he bought on the Ginza in Tokyo for the nurses.
Cranky, disappointed, tired, and now reeking from the perfume, Radar arrives via a farmer's bicycle wagon to a hero's welcome back at the 4077th, and everyone is anxious to see Radar work his magic and procure a new generator. Radar, thinking it'll be an easy negotiation, wishes to shower and change first, but Potter insists that the "easy negotiation" be handled first. Radar is furious to find the office in a shambles and orders Klinger out, and then calls Sparky to do some haggling, but even Radar comes up empty.
That evening, he straggles into the Officers Club for a grape Nehi while Klinger is tending bar, but the Nehi is undrinkable, lukewarm due to no refrigeration, and an aggravated Radar opens up to Klinger about how he "can't catch one lousy break," lamenting about the awful time he had in Tokyo, meeting Patty and then getting dragged away from her, the rough ride back to camp, and then letting everyone down, because even he couldn't obtain a generator.
But little does Radar know that the worst is still yet to come: later that night, B.J. and Hawkeye are in the Swamp when Potter enters looking for Radar with a telegram from his mother back in Iowa; his Uncle Ed has just passed away.
At daybreak, Hawkeye, B.J., Potter, and Father Mulcahy are holding vigil in the orderly room. Radar emerges from Potter's office having just talked to his mother on the phone. He mentions that Uncle Ed's funeral is tomorrow and everyone in Ottumwa will be there except for him, and that a neighbor is going to help out on the farm, until his mother can handle things on her own. Potter and the others discuss how tough things will be for Radar's mother now that Uncle Ed is gone, as she herself is not in the best of health. B.J. asks if Radar is okay, to which Radar replies, "I don't wanna be, but I guess I have to be; I'm the man of the family now."
Potter then tells Radar that being the man of the family now, he needs to return home, as Radar's mother won't be able to handle the farm alone, and Radar ought to be with her. Potter instructs Radar to fill out a DA-7 Hardship Discharge form for himself, and he'll notify the Red Cross to have I-Corps process it right away, allowing Radar to be home in time for Sunday dinner. Everyone is happy for Radar, but he himself is so stunned he is not sure how to respond, but manages to quietly say, "I'm happy for me, too... I guess."
For the conclusion, click here.
Research notes/Fun facts[]
- When Potter tells Hawkeye and B.J. that Radar's Uncle Ed has died, Hawkeye responds simply with "Oy", one of Radar's own pet interjections.
- Parts 1 and 2 were originally meant to be the first two episodes of Season 8, but were pushed back.
- This episode marks the final appearance of Johnny Haymer as Sgt. Zale.
- Radar tells Patty that Ottumwa, IA is about 100 miles from her hometown of Lancaster, MO. In reality, the two towns are only 41.3 miles apart (according to Google Maps), less than an hour's drive.
- Gary Burghoff was going through a divorce at the time of filming, and burst into tears after filming the scene when he had to leave Patty behind, as it hit too close to home.
Guest stars/Recurring cast[]
- Marilyn Jones as Lieutenant Patricia "Patty" Haven
- Michael O'Dwyer as Olsen
- Tony Cristino as Sergeant LaGrow
- Arell Blanton as Private Hough
- Sean Fallon Walsh as Forster
- Jon St. Elwood as Private Reuss
- Richard Lee-Sung as Rickshaw Driver
- Uncredited appearances:
- Shari Saba - mess tent
- Laurie Bates - mess tent
- Jo Ann Thompson - mess tent
- Jennifer Davis - post-op
- Kellye Nakahara
- Gwen Farrell