Wheelers and Dealers was the sixth episode of Season 10 of the CBS-TV series M*A*S*H, also the 224th overall series episode. Written by Thad Mumford and Dan Wilcox and directed by Charles S. Dubin, it originally aired on November 23, 1981.
Synopsis[]
After being cited for reckless Jeep driving, Colonel Potter voluntarily takes driving lessons from Rizzo, and B.J. decides he will make all the money he can to pay the second mortgage by gambling.
Full episode summary[]
B.J. gets a letter from Peg in the mail, and it hits him hard - she mentions she's had to take a hostess job at a local coffee shop to help make ends meet. B.J. feels enormously guilty, since he and Peg had hoped, by this point, that he would be in private practice and their second mortgage would be "a memory."
B.J. becomes completely humorless, and grows obsessed with making every dollar he can. In a poker game with a visiting Sergeant (Anthony Charnota), he's terse, and bluffs his way to a winning a huge pot, even throwing in his wedding ring to raise the stakes.
Hawkeye tries to be understanding, but he loses his patience when B.J. takes up residence in the O Club, where he starts playing pinball against people for nickels and dimes, refusing to let anyone call it a night.
Margaret can't fathom what the big deal is about Peg having to take a job. B.J. then loses it, insulting Margaret, claiming that since she's not married, or has any kids, that his particular brand of suffering is worse than anyone else's. Margaret tells him off and storms out. Humbled, B.J. eventually calms down and learns to deal with Peg's new job. He even ends up using mints Peg takes from the coffee shop as poker chips.
In the side story, Col. Potter receives a citation from I Corps for a reckless driving offense he racked up in Kimpo. This means he must take a remedial driving course, taught by Sgt. Rizzo, who is constantly trying to cut the Colonel a break in hopes of getting on his good side. Potter will have none of it, and insists on being treated as "one of the boys." After a series of mishaps, with Klinger's help, he finally passes.
Guest stars/Recurring cast[]
- G.W. Bailey as Luther Rizzo
- Jeff Maxwell as Igor Straminsky
- Eileen Saki as Rosie
- Anthony Charnota as Sergeant Verbanic
- Tony Becker as Private Brown
- Chris Petersen as Second Recruit
- Shari Saba as Nurse (see Lieutenant Shari)