Chief Surgeon Who?
| "Chief Surgeon Who?" | |
|---|---|
| M*A*S*H episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 1 Episode 4 (4th overall) |
| Directed by | E.W. Swackhamer |
| Written by | Larry Gelbart |
| Production code | J307 |
| Original air date | October 8, 1972 |
| Guest appearance(s) | |
|
Sorrell Booke as General Barker |
|
Sorrell Booke as General Barker
Timothy Brown as Spearchucker
John Orchard as Ugly John
Jamie Farr as Klinger
Jack Riley as Capt. Kaplan
Linda Meiklejohn as Leslie
Bob Gooden as Boone
Odessa Cleveland as Ginger
"Chief Surgeon Who?" is the fourth episode of the television series M*A*S*H. It was first broadcast on October 8, 1972 and was repeated twice, on April 15 and July 29, 1973. It was written by Larry Gelbart, who won a Writers Guild Award for it, and directed by E.W. Swackhamer. This episode marks the first appearance of Jamie Farr as Corporal Klinger. In Watching M*A*S*H, Watching America, a sociological examination of M*A*S*H as an illustration of shifting American values in the 1970s and early 1980s, James H. Wittebols cites this episode as an example of the satirizing of hypocritical authority figures.
After complaints about the surgeons' practical jokes during sessions, Col. Blake decides to appoint a chief surgeon. Despite protests from the Majors, he chooses Hawkeye. In retaliation, the Majors bring a General to the camp to inspect Hawkeye's work.
After a long O.R. session, Major Burns complains to Col. Blake that the surgeons respect Hawkeye more than him. In response, Col. Blake appoints Hawkeye as chief surgeon, to consult on all shifts. Burns is furious over the choice, believing that the position should be determined by rank and that, as the highest ranking surgeon (and the unit's second-in-command), he should automatically receive the position. Blake refuses to reconsider, reminding Burns that Hawkeye has two specialty certifications and that he performs better when "the heat's on". An angry Burns promises to bring plenty of heat to his commanding officer, and he and Major Houlihan go over his head to General Bradley Barker in the hopes that he will overrule Blake and name Burns the chief surgeon.
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