Original Air Date: 12/14/81
Written by: Paul Perlove
Directed by: Hy Averback
Everyone tries to help Klinger prepare for his trial. Winchester takes up the cause--mostly as a personal challenge--and gets Klinger to pick him as counsel.
Winchester has Father Mulcahy and Margaret prepare written statements defending Klinger's character, but it doesn't go well--Margaret breaks down in hysterics over the very idea of Klinger as an upstanding, model citizen, and Father Mulcahy's story falls apart when its revealed that involves Klinger having gotten a hold of stolen merchandise--hot Bibles!
Meanwhile, Hawkeye and B.J. come up with their own plan to capture the real crook--they go on and on, loudly, all over camp, about Winchester's super-expensive tape recorder, hoping to sucker the thief into trying to steal it.
Three days pass and no one has made an attempt at the tape recorder, which frustrates Hawkeye and B.J. to no end. In the meantime, they have to travel with Winchester and Klinger to I-Corps for the trial.
When they get there, Winchester immediately assumes the baby-faced prosecutor will be a pushover, and the case is practically won. But within just a few moments, it becomes clear that the prosecutor, Captain Rollins (Jack Blessing) knows what he's doing, and that Winchester's legal skills are woefully inadequate.
Capt. Rollins manages to drag damaging testimony out of both Hawkeye and B.J., and the case starts to look really bad for Klinger. Hawkeye and B.J. then return to the 4077th, relaying the grim news. But shortly thereafter wounded arrive, keeping everyone busy.
Everyone except an MP, who we see sneak into the Swamp and steal Winchester's tape recorder while everyone is in the OR. The MP carries the tape recorder to a hiding spot behind one of the tents, where Hawkeye and B.J. are waiting for him! We hear the snap of a camera as they take a picture of the MP, red-handed.
Back at I-Corps, the judge is about to render a guilty verdict on Klinger--but at the last moment, Hawkeye and B.J. burst in with their photos!
Hawkeye and B.J. reveal that it was Capt. Rollins that gave them the idea when he mentioned that all the robberies took place during OR sessions. That gave them the idea to stage a phony OR to try and catch the real crook. Seeing this new evidence, the judge declares Klinger not guilty!
Back at the 4077th, everyone poses for a camp picture with the returned Polaroid. Except they don't get the chance when an MP arrives, investigating a case involving Mulcahy's stolen Bibles. Mulchay is flustered, so Winchester steps in, offering to be his lawyer, too.
Fun Facts: There's a great little camera move during the final scene--first we see the MP approach Mulcahy, and he stars to talk about the stolen Bibles. Then the camera cuts to Klinger.
Knowing he's in hot water, Klinger skulks away, out of the frame, as the camera pulls back in between Mulcahy and the MP. Its a really well composed shot, and seeing Klinger tear out of the scene in the background is very funny.
Favorite Line: Hawkeye, amused at Winchester's suggestion that he is a defender of the downtrodden: "Charles, you do all the trodding, that's how they got down."
This two-parter always seemed a little silly and sitcom-ish in premise. Klinger is however entertainingly hapless throughout and this second part has its moments, especially Winchester's defense of Klinger.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite moment is when, outclassed by the Capt. Rollins, is reduced to spouting a medical Latinism- and then has to explain what it means (something like "take two aspirins")