Original Air Date: 12/10/72
Written by: Larry Gelbart
Directed by: Terry Becker
A North Korean soldier is recuperating in the 4077th's OR, but Frank wants him shipped out and not given any further treatment. Hawkeye and Trapper of course disagree.
The last straw is broken when the solider needs a pint of AB Negative, a rare blood type. Frank forbids it, so Hawkeye and Trapper go to Henry for help. Henry sort of agrees with them, but tells them to get the solider out of OR, so Frank can be mollified.
So Hawkeye keeps the soldier in his own bed in The Swamp, which angers Frank to no end. They then do a search of the camp's blood types to see who has AB Negative...and it just so happens that Frank's blood type.
In the middle of the night, they take a pint from Frank, and then in the morning they test it. Turns out traces of Hepatitis are found, so they need to get a second sample to double check. Since they can't risk taking more blood...
After trying to fool Frank into drinking a whole bunch of beer (and then faking that the Latrine is "Under Renovation"), they get a urine sample and sent it off to Seoul to be tested. In the meantime, they can't let Frank touch any patients...or Hot Lips!
After repeated attempts to keep them separated, Hawkeye and Trapper finally have to reveal what's going on when Frank prepares to so surgery. They go so far as to handcuff Frank to Hot Lips, to stall for time.
Frank and Hot Lips scream so loud Henry shows up to find out what's going on, just in time for the lab report to come back and reveal that Frank does not have hepatitis. But he does have Anemia...that's what you get when you donate blood without being ready!
Comments: There is one really bizarre moment in this show, when it becomes clear they have to keep Frank and Hot Lips apart. During various scenes of the two of them trying to have a rendezvous, there's narration by Hawkeye, in the style of Wild Kingdom, talking about them as if they're wild animals. Who, exactly, is Hawkeye talking to?!?
This episode features the second, and last, appearance of Lt. Dish. Hawkeye and Dish talk in the Mess Tent, and he has a fantasy about her sitting there naked, complete with fantasy-style music. Another truly weird sequence that would seem completely of place with the later episodes.
This episode also features the last appearance of Spearchucker. He is never referred to ever again, and all but officially removed from the show's history.
Favorite Line: While Hawkeye and Trapper are stealing Frank's blood, Hawkeye starts goofing around, whispering romantic nothings in Frank's ear, telling him "How big and strong" he is.
After Frank seems to enjoy it, Trapper says: "We better be careful--we don't want to start something we can't finish."
2 comments:
I don't think I've ever seen this episode, 'cause it sure doesn't ring any bells in my head!! :-)
I heard somewhere that Spearchucker's abrupt departure was due in part to the producers finding out that no African American doctors served in the Korean conflict. Interesting nod to historical accuracy...
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