One of Radar's duties is to prepare the 4077 weekly report for headquarters in Seoul. This week, Radar highlights a Chinese POW who went berserk in the O.R., holding everyone at scalpel point, harming Trapper's patient and injuring Lt. Erika Johnson, the new nurse, before Klinger finally stopped him (losing his very best brassiere in the process). But Majs. Burns and Houlihan still demand something be done about Klinger, forcing Henry to request a divisional psychiatrist to evaluate Klinger. Enter Major Milton Freedman, psychiatrist and compatriot, who informs Klinger of exactly what needs to be declared if he wants to get out by wearing dresses (and it's not insanity). Meanwhile, Hawkeye is helping Lt. Johnson recover and starts going overboard with his affections. Later, Trapper's patient dies, and things take a dark turn as he sees the Chinese POW healing nicely...
All-in-all, a pretty slow week, according to Henry.
Attention, Corporal O'Reilly. Submit your weekly report and make note of the following tropes:
- Bittersweet Ending: Hawkeye's story arc. His relationship with Erika brings them both happiness while it lasts, but he wants marriage, which she doesn't believe in, so they reluctantly break up.
- "Blind Idiot" Translation: Father Mulcahy attempts to calm the Chinese prisoner by saying the word 'bungchow', believing it meant peace and friendship. According to Radar, it actually means "Your daughter's pregnancy brings much joy to our village."
- Comically Missing the Point: Frank and Margaret believe Henry Blake is doing this when he's asking them what they're finding wrong with Klinger.Frank: What's wrong with Klinger? A soldier stands in your office in an evening gown and you ask what's wrong?Henry: I'll admit, he's no Lana Turner.
- Deadpan Snarker:
- Another go-around occurring in the O.R.Frank: Henry, there's too much chatter in here! Too much chatter!Henry: Forget it, Frank. Just operate.Trapper: Is that what he's doing?Hawkeye: I've seen better surgeons at religious sacrifices.Frank: I've been operating for years and I've never had any complaints from my patients.Trapper: How many talking horses are there?
- In a meeting, Henry asks Frank what the issue is and every time he is answered, it is Margaret who speaks instead. Henry finally takes all he can stand of it.Henry: Frank, please try to say something. Even a gurgling sound would help.[Frank remains quiet]Henry: Look, you keep this up, and someone's gonna do an autopsy on you.
- Another go-around occurring in the O.R.
- Did Not Get the Girl: How Hawkeye's episode arc ends, but the love was grand.
- Downer Ending: Trapper's story arc. His patient dies of complications sustained in the fracas with the Chinese PoW, and Hawkeye has to talk him down from exacting murderous revenge.
- Establishing Character Moment: Sidney reveals his talent for sarcasm, along with a regular side of deadpan snarkery the moment he is introduced to Klinger.Sidney: You got me up here to ask me about him? About that?Henry: Well, you see, it really wasn't my idea.Sidney: All the way from Seoul to ask me what? Whether he needs a girdle under that? Whether his seams are straight?
- Framing Device: Radar is seen narrating the events in question as he is typing the weekly activity report and personnel record.
- From Bad to Worse: The gradually declining condition of Trapper's patient.
- Heroic BSoD: Trapper is forced to endure this as a patient of his goes downhill.
- Idiot Ball: When a Chinese prisoner awaiting surgery and scared out of his mind grabs a scalpel, noone except Father Mulcahy lowers their surgical mask to show that they're trying to calm him down. Trapper and the nurse assisting him get an exemption however as they're still in the middle of an operation.
- If You Kill Him, You Will Be Just Like Him!: As Hawkeye tells Trapper, murder is not what doctors are about.
- Insult Backfire: Frank calls Klinger a pervert while ordering him to leave Margaret's tent. Klinger reminds him of a recent incident.Frank: Get out of here, you pervert.Klinger: Pervert? Who bit who, Major?
- It's Not You, It's Me: Erika cancels her wartime engagement with Hawkeye because she does not believe in the institution of marriage.
- Mass "Oh, Crap!": In the middle of a surgery session, a wounded enemy patient gets his hands on a scalpel.
- Mood Whiplash:
- Two of the three Plot Threads of the episode are between a comical one where Frank and Margaret try to help get Klinger out of the army to a more serious story where Trapper has to deal with a patient whose health is continually in decline no matter what he does.
- There is a very romantic scene where Hawkeye discovers that his Love Interest is not married at all. The moment is shattered when he is called to surgery.
- Out-of-Character Moment: Hawkeye Pierce. Salutes. Frank Burns!
- Plot Threads:
- Frank and Margaret try to get Klinger out of the army.
- A love story between Hawkeye and a new nurse.
- Trapper gradually losing a patient and having to cope with it.
- Screams Like a Little Girl: Frank Burns.
- Shoot the Shaggy Dog: With Trapper's story arc, there is a time where he believes his patient has finally pulled through. It lasts all too briefly as Radar comes by to inform him more complications have arisen. The feeling is made worse for the audience by the punctuation of sombre music.
- Shout-Out: Hawkeye claims he'd love Erika in War and Peace. Or Moby-Dick. Or any of the classics.
- Shown Their Work: The writers show what someone really has to be to be discharged by a Section Eight. Unfortunately for him, Klinger either does not take the hint or he just doesn't go through with it because he has standards.note
- Suspiciously Apropos Music: When Hawkeye and Erika slowly but surely break up things between them, the P.A. system starts playing "As Time Goes By". This is naturally lampshaded.Hawkeye: Just what I needed. Their song.
- The Tag: Henry Blake summarily reads the weekly report for himself.
- This Is No Time to Panic: Henry Blake tries to keep everyone in the operating room calm when the Chinese prisoner is holding them at knifepoint but is coming apart at the seams himself.Henry: Alright. Just stay calm, everybody. Don't panic. Calm down. Nobody move. HELP! GUARD! MAYDAAY!!!
- Voiceover Letter: Radar narrates his weekly report to headquarters.
- You Have Failed Me: A Played for Laughs paraphrased variant of the full phrase from Frank Burns.Frank: I've had it with that clown Klinger. He's degraded all of us for the last time!
