Episode 110 - The Most Unforgettable Characters

Season 5, Episode 110: The Most Unforgettable Characters
Original Air Date: 1/4/77
Written by: Ken Levine & Davis Isaacs
Directed by: Burt Metcalfe

Radar has decided to take a correspondence course on how to be a writer, and his first efforts are with the daily report, where we hear him adding all kinds of purple prose to what is supposed to be a military report.

Col. Potter notices this and tells him that the daily report is not a place for "expressing yourself creatively." Radar assures him this course--"just $50, plus a $5 student activity fee"--is worthwhile, but Potter seems none too sure.

Radar moves on to the second assignment in the course, relating an amusing anecdote. He turns to Hawkeye and B.J. for a funny story, and Hawkeye tells one about learning how many bones are in the human hand (28) from a very erudite squirrel.

They turn to Frank for a story, but he's more sour than usual. After telling a terrible story about a childhood pal who lost control of his wheelchair and smashed into Frank's father's car, he blurts out that its his birthday, and no one seems to care.

Hawkeye and B.J., later on, decide to give Frank a present--fake a fight between each other, which they figure will entertain Frank to no end. They squabble in the Swamp, screaming and hitting each other with pillows. Frank is overjoyed.

But...there's a problem. Hawkeye is actually a little upset over some of B.J.'s supposedly fake criticisms, especially over B.J.'s observation that Hawkeye always has to get in the last word. This leads to a confrontation outside, where Hawkeye tries to prove B.J. is wrong, but nevertheless can't stop getting in the last word, leading B.J. to storm off in frustration.

Meanwhile, Radar tries one more time to inject a bunch of big words in the duty log. Col. Potter tears the paper out of Radar's typewriter, barking at him to knock it off. He tells him that he doesn't think much of Radar's writing, because its so inauthentic.

Later on, he wanders into the Swamp, looking for ideas for stories. Hawkeye and B.J. begin to snipe at one another for Frank's benefit, but its so well done that it makes Radar upset. He tells them that he finds their friendship inspiring, but seeing them fight makes his chest feel tight.

Hawkeye and B.J. reveal its all an act, a birthday present for Frank. Frank admits he loved it, and is mad at Radar for ending the charade.

Later, Radar gives up writing, instead taking up magic. He tries the old "smashing the watch" bit, but Frank takes over, destroying his own watch before Radar had the chance to slip it into his pocket. Frank chases him out of the Swamp, with Radar screaming "It was just a rehearsal!"


Fun Facts: A comment on not the episode itself, but the DVD: for each episode, there's a menu comprised of a still from the episode, with the four selections (Play Episode, Language Selection, etc.) worked in.

Some times, the list of choices is worked in very cleverly, none more so than this one: the list is put on Radar's daily report (like in the still above), except that the list is backwards, as if Radar and Col. Potter are looking at it typed on the page. Having worked in web design, I can tell you how tough it is sometimes to get something unusual like that past higher-ups who think it'll confuse the end user.

The scene with Hawkeye and B.J. arguing over Hawkeye's inability to let someone else have the last word is a classic, with Mike Farrell showing some real edge of genuine frustration with his friend.


Favorite Line: Klinger supposedly tries to kill himself by setting himself on fire (actually faking water for gasoline). He gives Col. Potter the chance to send him home, and warns he's serious: "Have you ever seen a Lebanese go up in flames? Its not pretty."

I love that joke, partly because as a kid I didn't get the idea that seeing a Lebanese person on fire would somehow be worse than anyone else.