Line #6 Recap/MashS4E14MailCallAgain


1	The arrival of the mail brings Col. Potter news that his first grandchild is about to be born, Margaret a new set of "fatigues" from Frederick's of Hollywood, and Frank the revelation that his wife has learned about his affair.
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3	!!Attention! Attention all personnel! The mail has brought the following tropes:
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5	* TheBet: Radar runs a betting pool for the birth date, weight, and sex of Col. Potter's grandchild.
6	* BlatantLies:
7	** Radar sees inside Frank's letter after it "accidentally" comes open while he's making tea for Colonel Potter.
8	--->'''B.J.:''' Steam'll do that.
9	** Klinger makes up an elaborate and well-performed one when, in an effort to get sent home, he informs Potter that his two older brothers have been tragically killed in a factory explosion back home. Potter, having Klinger's personnel file on hand, already knows he's lying.
10	** As he tries to convince his wife Louise not to divorce him, Frank claims he's never fallen for another woman after meeting her.
11	* {{Bookends}}: The episode opens and closes with Colonel Potter breaking out into song.
12	* ChewingTheScenery: Literally: Frank actually rips the stuffing out of a pillow with his teeth when he reads the letter from his wife.
13	* FirstNameBasis: Klinger accidentally calls Colonel Potter by his first name when he thinks his latest scheme to get out of the army is succeeding.
14	-->'''Klinger''': Question, Sherm?\
15	'''Colonel Potter''': Sherm?!\
16	'''Klinger''': I was overcome by a wave of civilianism, sir.
17	* ImStandingRightHere: When Frank learns from Radar that the company clerk has placed his phone call to Indiana as a lesser priority than Potter's call to Ohio, the major insults Potter by calling him a dimwit, unaware Potter is standing on the other side of the room.
18	--> '''Col. Potter''': The Ohio call's mine, Major.
19	* MeaningfulName: Col. Potter's granddaughter is named Cheryl Pershing Potter, after General John "Black Jack" Pershing (Potter would later work in a [[Series/AfterMASH VA hospital]] named after him).
20	* {{MST}}: Not to the same degree as in previous installments, but Radar's home movies do prompt a few riffs from those assembled. Radar takes them with good humor.
21	* NewhartPhoneCall: Radar arranges several throughout the episode for Col. Potter and Frank. Margaret listens in on Frank's.
22	* NotSoAboveItAll: Margaret is at first standoffish when Radar offers her a chance to take part in the betting pool, stating she disapproves of gambling. Upon learning it is about Colonel Potter’s newborn grandchild, she quickly changes her mind.
23	* RunningGag: Hawkeye reads one article or more from a newspaper he received from home in nearly every scene he's in, to the annoyance or amusement of others.
24	* SecurityCling: As he reads his wife’s letter and learning she wants a divorce, Frank grabs his pillow and hugs it tight to his chest. It soon turns out not to be enough to calm him.
25	* ShoutOut: The home movie of Radar's family ends with the O'Reillys going inside their house to listen to the radio, leading the [=MASHers=] to guess the program in question.
26	* TakeThat: One of the newspapers Hawkeye's father sent to him.

Context Recap / MashS4E14MailCallAgain