Recap / M*A*S*H S1 E4: Chief Surgeon Who?

Disgruntled with everyone in the operating room asking for Hawkeye's medical opinion over his own and with Hawkeye's unmilitary behavior, Frank Burns tries to put him up on charges, all of which he presents to Henry Blake. Henry realises, in the matters of the O.R., that the time has come for him to appoint a Chief Surgeon. A jubilant Frank is delighted to take the post, only to learn that Hawkeye is going to be given it instead. As the camp bands together to celebrate Hawkeye's new promotion, Frank rails against it, first by bringing his problems to Major Houlihan who later decides it's time to involve the by-the-book General Barker.

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Attention, all personnel! The following tropes were used to celebrate the appointment of MASH 4077's new chief surgeon:

• The Ace: Hawkeye is said to be certified in both chest and general (abdominal) surgery. Henry tells Frank point-blank that Hawkeye's the better doctor "when the heat's on".
• Always Someone Better: Hawkeye to Frank.
• Artistic License – History: Played for laughs; vermouth was not invented by someone named Lorenzo Schwartz, as Hawkeye claims.
• Bait-and-Switch: When Henry announces he's appointing one of the doctors to the position of chief surgeon and verbally lists all of the responsibilities associated with it, Frank is of the belief that the colonel is about to hand the role to him. Henry instead gives it to the only other person in the room: Hawkeye.
  Henry: The job will be a killer.
  Frank: I can adjust.
  Henry: I hope you can. I'm giving it to Pierce.
• Bunny-Ears Lawyer: Hawkeye might be insubordinate, unmilitary, and a bit daffy, but he explicitly proves just why they keep him around when General Barker shows up, deliberately putting off an operation so the patient can be better stabilized and realizing there's an additional injury by spotting some bubbles he can't account for.
• Butt-Monkey: General Barker. And Frank Burns, of course.
• Comically Missing the Point: Henry's answer to the general complaining that everyone at the 4077 seems to be crazy, most notably Klinger.
  Gen. Barker: This place is a madhouse, Henry! A nut farm!
  Henry: Gee whiz, that's a bit strong, sir.
  Gen. Barker: Do you realize you've a man on guard duty who's wearing a skirt?
  Henry: Luckily he's got the legs for it. [chuckles awkwardly]
• Cool and Unusual Punishment: After watching Hawkeye in action, Barker tells Henry he wants to only hear about actual problems and not made up ones like one Frank made. When Henry tells him that Frank is likely to continue complaining Barker tells Henry to give Frank a high colonic (a type of enema) then make him go on a ten mile hike. Trapper adds Frank should have to make the hike with a full pack.
• Even the Guys Want Him: A male extra grabs Hawkeye's ass while he's walking to his celebration. Unlike Trapper last episode, Hawkeye has fun with it. The start of many seasons of being very happy to flirt with guys too.
• The Help Helping Themselves: Radar, the company clerk who oversees Lt. Col. Blake's supply requisitions, is seen by the General sitting at Blake's desk and enjoying Blake's whiskey and cigars. The General asks Radar if Blake minds him doing these things, to which Radar replies, "Very much, sir." The General asks why he's doing it, then.
  Radar: Well, I don't mind, and I figure so long as one of us is reasonable...
• Hypocritical Humor: As can be expected from the show, Frank Burns. This time he wants to press charges against Hawkeye, one of which is that Hawkeye constantly calls Frank by his first name. When Colonel Blake reiterates this charge, Frank extends him the same courtesy.
  Henry: [reading] "Lack of military courtesy. Captain Pierce constantly calls me by my first name."
  Frank: Not allowed, Henry. Page eighty-five, the Army Officers Guide.
• I Need a Freaking Drink: General Barker becomes so disgusted with what he's seen at the 4077, he ends up downing the drink Radar had poured for himself.
• Ironic Echo Cut: Mixed with Cutaway Gag. When General Barker arrives to survey Hawkeye in his new position as chief surgeon, he asks Frank and Margaret where he is. We get this moment.
  Frank: Well, sir, you wouldn't believe this.
  [cuts to Hawkeye looking serious]
  Hawkeye: I don't like this at all.
  [camera pans out to reveal he's playing a poker game]
• It's All About Me: Frank, once again, is the cause of the episode's conflict because he thinks he's the best doctor in the unit and refuses to accept any evidence to the contrary, eventually running off to General Barker to tattle on Henry.
• Jerkass Has a Point: Frank correctly points out that a position like chief surgeon would normally go to the higher-ranking person.
• Mathematician's Answer: When General Barker finds Radar in Henry's office (drinking his booze and smoking his cigars, no less):
  Gen. Barker: What exactly are you doing?
  Radar: Doing, sir?
  Gen. Barker: D-O-I-N-G; what are you doing?!?
  Radar: Listening to you spell "doing", sir.
• Naked People Are Funny: Klinger pulls this to prove he's crazy, to the shock of Colonel Blake, the disgust of Hawkeye and Trapper, and the apoplectic rage of General Barker.
  Hawkeye: Aw, c'mon, Klinger, put on a dress or something.
  Trapper: At least a slip!
• Offscreen Crash: When General Barker storms out of the Swamp after confronting Hawkeye during the poker game:
  Ugly John: Watch out for the––
  [*crash*]
  Ugly John: ...trash cans.
• Playing Doctor: Discussed; Hawkeye tells everyone he always wanted to be a doctor, even when he was little; "Just ask any little girl I grew up with".
• Right Behind Me: When Frank comes into Henry's office while the latter has his back turned.
  Radar: [to Henry] Sir?
  Henry: Frank Burns has to be the biggest horse's patoot on this post.
  Frank: You think so?
• Running Gag: Margaret and her past history with higher-up officers – General Barker indicates he might want to have a word with her about the situation "in private".
• Shout-Out: After reading Frank's form letter to his patients back home, Hawkeye snarks, "Your exploits make Superman seem like a fairy."
• Suspiciously Similar Song: At the mess tent party to celebrate Hawkeye's being named chief surgeon, a record is played of a tune that's clearly meant to evoke the "Land of Hope and Glory" section from Edward Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1.

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