Episode 45 - Crisis

Season 2, Episode 45: Crisis
Original Air Date: 2/9/74
Written by: Larry Gelbart & Laurence Marks
Directed by: Don Weis

Henry calls a meeting of the senior staff, to announce a major crisis: the 4077th's supply line has been cut, meaning the unit won't be receiving virtually any of the basic materials they need--fruit, vegetables, fuel oil, bandages, toilet paper, electrical parts, no mail call, no winter clothing, not even shuttlecocks!

HQ promises there won't be any wounded either, but of course they're wrong, and the wounded start arriving in droves. To conserve materials so they have them for the wounded, Henry, Radar, Klinger, and Father Mulcahy all have to sleep in The Swamp.

Its crowded, but everyone gets along, but even more wounded stream in in the middle of the night. Afterwards, Henry tries to stress to HQ how desperate the 4077th is getting--everything not nailed down is getting burned for heat, and we see an example of that: Henry's desk is getting closer and closer to the ground, his office getting emptier and emptier.

The next night, they all bunk out in Henry's tent, since its smaller and requires less heat. Again, overall good cheer presides, at least until they discover Frank is wearing heated socks, and refuses to share!

They try and pull them right off Frank's feet, causing chaos in Henry's tent. But this tomfoolery is interrupted by more wounded!

During surgery, Radar shows up to announce that a supply truck has just arrived, filled with everything the 4077th needs. The crisis has ended.

Later, Henry thanks HQ, from inside his completely empty office.


Fun Facts: This episode features another instance of Frank, who is always so gung ho and patriotic, thinking only of himself, in this instance wasting and hoarding precious electrical power.


Favorite Line: During the meeting in Henry's office, Hawkeye is last to enter, and as he bursts in, he yells "Ten hutt!", causing everyone to rise to attention.

Everyone except, if you look close, Trapper, who of course is familiar with Hawkeye's pranks. When Henry admonishes Hawkeye for goofing around, Trapper, mostly off-screen, lets out a huge belly laugh.