Original Air Date: 10/23/78
Written by: Ken Levine & David Isaacs
Directed by: Tony Mordente
A killer heat wave is driving everyone at the 4077th nuts!
Except for Klinger, who is using the heat as the basis for his newest Section 8 scam: he's wrapped himself in thick clothes and a fur, trying to prove to Col. Potter that he's nuts.
Hawkeye and B.J. are also handling it well, because of the delivery of a canvas bath tub from Abercrombie & Fitch. Being the only relief from the heat, they are desperate to use it as much as possible. They are equally desperate to keep the tub's existence from the rest of the camp, knowing everyone would want to use it.
Winchester works his way into the deal by threatening to tell everyone else about it, and Hawkeye and B.J. give in. Later, they are dismayed when they find out that Winchester has included Margaret into the deal, as well, when she agrees to trade him some bubble bath. Father Mulcahy also gets in on it when he stumbles across Hawkeye using in the scrub room.
They manage to keep the secret for a while, until Hawkeye offers its use to Radar, who is suffering from tonsillitis. Some nurses overhear the conversation, and while Radar is enjoying a bath, they all come in splashing the water on themselves, to Radar's horror and embarrassment.
Now that the tub is company property, it becomes, as Potter says, "A big wet elephant"--the long lines to use it cause arguments among the staff.
The only happy member of the camp is Klinger, who Potter says he will grant a Section 8 if he can stand 24 hours in the skintight rubber suit he ordered from home. Klinger is thrilled--in just one day, he'll be a free man!
After a fist fight breaks out over use of the tub, Potter demands the tub be closed down and shipped out, in any way possible. Hawkeye and B.J. trade with a Sgt. Rhoden (Ted Gehring), who calls himself The Scrounger.
At first they plan to trade it for some vintage scotch, but after seeing how miserable Radar is after his tonsillectomy, they drive a hard bargain and get a couple of gallons of ice cream. Potter is thrilled with his two doctors--"Hot damn! That was not only obedient, but damn nice."
Just before the tub is removed, Klinger breaks down and simply can't stand the heat anymore. He rips off his heavy clothes, and jumps into the tub without looking--even though Margaret is using it!
Later, The Scrounger delivers the ice cream, and its wheeled into Post Op for Radar, who is touched at the gesture. A few seconds later, everyone else in camp storms in, demanding some ice cream too.
Fun Facts: The actor playing the Scrounger, Ted Gehring, previously appeared in a similar role as a greedy doctor in Season Two's "The Incubator."
Favorite Line: The Scrounger offers Hawkeye and B.J. various items for the tub. After several rejected offers, he suggests: "Stag films, guaranteed to make a grown man blush."
Turning to Radar, he guesses: "...probably kill you."
2 comments:
Klinger's b-plot is one of his better scams (though, seriously, I think that he should have been able to go the distance, heatwave be damned!) but the hubbub with the tub seems rather silly.
"The Longjohn Flap" pulled this premise off with more panache: the ridiculous round of deal-making was hilarious and illustrated an element of everyone's character who was invoked.
Not to mention the fact that it does not appear that the tub is ever drained! YUCK
My favourite bit of this one was Clinger's line at the very end and the way he delivered it!!
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