History Recap / MashS7E14DearSis

* EatTheDog: Alluded to by Col. Potter.
-->'''Potter:''' I remember one Christmas in the [[UsefulNotes/WorldWarII Black Forest]]. The company horse broke his leg, and the cook tried to pass him off as dark meat. I cried all through dinner.

* DamnYouMuscleMemory: When struggling with an ornery patient, the patient socks Father Mulcahy. Without thinking, his boxing training kicks in and he slugs the patient back. He immediately regrets it and tries to apologize in post-op. Hawkeye has to comfort ''him'' afterwards.

-->'''Mulcahy:''' ''(narrating his letter)'' Here it's the week before Christmas. It's a time of anticipation and hope. Unfortunately, it's also the time when both sides get in as much destruction as they can before the [[HolidayCeasefire Christmas truce]].

Father Mulcahy, writing a letter to his sister (the Sister) around Christmas time, admits he isn't sure he's being any help at the 4077th. Nobody's attending his weekly services, no one comes to confession, and the best he can do is to serve as a bartender at the Officer's Club. Worse, when a load of wounded come in, a patient, impatient to have a doctor look at him, slugs the good padre across the face – and Mulcahy returns the favor. When Mulcahy tries to visit him later to apologize, the guy isn't having any of it. Hawkeye tries to tell Mulcahy not to be so hard on himself, but it just doesn't help him feel any less useless.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Hawkeye takes a moment during the camp' Christmas party to recognize Mulcahy's efforts to bring decency and empathy to the camp.

* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre: Hawkeye takes a moment during the camp Christmas party to recognize Mulcahy's efforts to bring decency and empathy to the camp.

-->'''Charles:''' I never had much use for men of the cloth. They're so ''religious'', especially that Irish crowd in Boston, but you're different, Father. You are a credit to, uh, your kind of person.\\

-->'''Charles:''' I never had much use for men of the cloth. They're so religious, especially that Irish crowd in Boston, but you're different, Father. You are a credit to, uh, your kind of person.\\

* CrappyHolidays: Everyone is naturally unhappy to be spending Christmas in a war zone half a world away from home. At one point Hawkeye, B.J. and Margaret share their holiday sorrows over a drink in Potter's office.

* ChristmasEpisode: Set (and originally aired) during Christmastime, the first such episode since Season 1's "Dear Dad".

Father Mulcahy, writing a letter to his sister (the Sister) around Christmas time, admits he isn't sure he's being any help at the 4077. Nobody is attending his weekly services, no one comes to confession, and the best he can do is to serve as a bartender at the Officer's Club. Worse, when a load of wounded come in, a patient, impatient to have a doctor look at him, slugs the good padre across the face – and Mulcahy returns the favor. When Mulcahy tries to visit him later to apologize, the guy isn't having any of it. Hawkeye tries to tell Mulcahy not to be so hard on himself, but it just doesn't help him feel any less useless.

-->'''Potter:''' I remember one Christmas in the Black Forest. The company horse broke his leg, and the cook tried to pass him off as dark meat. I cried all through dinner.

* EatTheDog: Alluded to be Col. Potter.

* EatTheDog:

* GallowsHumor: Hawkeye, trying to persuade Mulcahy to give himself a break:

Father Mulcahy, writing a letter to his sister (the Sister) around Christmas, admits he isn't sure he's being any help at the 4077. No one attends his services, nobody's coming to confession, and the best he can do is to serve as a bartender at the Officer's Club. Worse, when a load of wounded come in, a patient, impatient to have a doctor see him, slugs the good father across the face – and Mulcahy returns the favor. When Mulcahy tries to visit him later to apologize, the guy isn't having any of it. Hawkeye tries to make Mulcahy feel better, telling him not to feel so hard on himself, but it doesn't help him feel any less useless.