The Party was the 26th and finale episode of Season 7 of the M*A*S*H TV series, also the 173rd overall series episode. The episode was written by Alan Alda and Burt Metcalfe, who also directed, and also made an uncredited cameo appearance as an ambulance driver. The episode originally aired on CBS-TV on March 12, 1979.
Synopsis[]
Talk of a post-war reunion inspires B.J. to plan a present-day stateside gathering of the families of the 4077th.
Detailed episode summary[]
Winding down in the Mess Tent after nearly eight hours in OR, B.J. reads a letter from Peg where she mentions her difficulties making jam. Radar mentions that his mother has a good recipe for jam, and then Potter mentions that his wife Mildred does also. B.J. offers to round up the collective advice, but Potter has a better idea: have Mildred write Peg directly.
In the Swamp, B.J. is now wide awake from the talk about Peg, Mildred and Radar's mother writing to one another; Hawkeye suggests that if they have a reunion in ten years they'll already know one another. But then B.J. has a brainstorm and gets the idea to have a party back in the states, inviting all the family members of the everyone at the 4077th. He becomes fixated on the idea and discusses with everyone, even while they're bugging out- this after word comes down from I Corps that the Chinese has broken through the line and is headed their way. B.J, tries to get Hawkeye, Margaret, Charles, and Klinger to participate too, but they're each convinced that their families won't be interested.
By the time the 4077th settles in at their new location, B.J. is disappointed; not only does the party seem like it's not going to happen, but a patient of his might be permanently paralyzed due to the unexpected trip. Hawkeye calls an impromptu meeting of the rest of the staff to mention how much this party means to B.J., and insists they all write their relatives and ask them if they want to go.
Three weeks later, just as the mail starts arriving at the new location, General Imbrie calls to inform Potter that the front has shifted again and they've re-taken that same small piece of land, so the camp is being ordered "back to square one"- their original location in Uijeongbu.
During the ride back, the staffers have a chance to read their respective mail, and to their surprise, all of their families plan on attending:
- Father Mulcahy's sister, the sister plans to attend "with a starch in my wimple and a song in my sax"
- Hawkeye's father is delighted to meet the families of the people Hawkeye works with, and voices some disappointment that Hawkeye felt he would be too busy to "drop everything to be there".
- Margaret, convinced that her parents won't want to be seen together after being separated for a year, is surprised, and touched that that they are "willing to put aside their differences for one weekend".
- Potter's wife Mildred wrote back saying, "she couldn't be more tickled if she swallowed a feather duster", and is trading banjo lessons with a friend in exchange for making her a new dress.
- With Radar driving, Charles reads his letter from his mother, saying that "your Uncle Ed and me were real excited about the get-together; we love the whole 'idear'".
- Charles then reads his own letter, and is shocked to learn that his parents, since they have nothing to keep them in Palm Beach, are actually going.
- Nurse Kellye, riding in the back of another truck, tells a soon-to-be-jubilant B.J. that word has been passing up and down the convoy that everyone wants to go to his party.
Finally settling back in Uijeongbu, B.J. is over the moon excited about the party. The only remaining wicket to clear is a date. Several dates are suggested, but each is thrown out due to scheduling conflicts until B.J. proposes March 28, which to their surprise and elation is clear for all of them.
He then encourages everyone to meet at the signpost in the compound for a picture to be displayed at the party, but a problem arises: Klinger's mother thinks he is stationed at Fort Dix in New Jersey, and speaking no English, she only knows what the rest of the family tells her. Klinger kept it a secret for fear that she would worry every day he was going to die. But B.J. manages to find a way around it (see picture above), and then writes to Peg saying that they all wish they could be there with them in New York at the Pierre Hotel for the party.
A week or so after the party, during a session in OR, Radar comes in with a bunch of letters from the Pierre Hotel. Hawkeye suggests he read the first one to B.J. from Peg. She writes that everyone got along remarkably well:
- Margaret's parents danced the whole evening together
- Father Mulcahy's sister "had the joint jumping with her saxophone"
- The Winchesters were so taken with the O'Reillys that they invited them to their home in Cape Cod during Radar's first summer back home after the war. Hawkeye laughs hysterically while Charles blames B.J.
- Mrs. Potter and Dr. Pierce took a real shine to one another dancing several waltzes and even doing the Jitterbug; Potter warns that "we're gonna have to have a long, long talk about this" if Hawkeye's father is anything like him.
- The most touching moment was when Klinger's mother revealed she always knew her son was in Korea, but didn't let on because she didn't want him to worry about her.
Epilogue[]
Back in the Swamp after surgery, B.J. is all smiles after hearing how well the party went. Radar comes in, eager to discuss his potential visit with the Winchesters; Charles himself says Radar can bring anyone or anything he would like, even his goat - because he plans to turn himself over to the Chinese.
Notes[]
- Bugged out in their new location, Hawkeye answers the phone saying "4077 Gypsies", a somewhat vague reference to the radio music show The A&P Gypsies, sponsored by the now-defunct legendary grocery chain. The show ran from 1924 to 1936, including nine years on NBC.
- The notion of Klinger's mother not knowing he's in Korea presents an anachronism with a past episode. In the final episode of Season 4, "The Interview", Klinger says "hello" to, among others, his mother, while on camera.
- Charles, on hearing B.J.'s proposed date for the party, remarks, "Valentine's day? Delightful. They can all meet in a garage in Chicago", sarcastically referring to the St. Valentine's Day Massacre that occurred there in 1929.
Guest starring[]
- Kellye Nakahara as Lieutenant Kellye Yamato (uncredited)
- Burt Metcalfe as Driver (uncredited)
External links[]
Trivia[]
- When the members of the 4077th are planning the date of the party, Charles can be seen wearing the beanie he received from his mother in the episode Dear Sis.