Harry Morgan acknowledged that it became harder to create original ''M*A*S*H'' plots as the series went on

Morgan was frank in his retrospection of the series.

Notoriously known for being a series that lasted longer than the actual Korean War it was depicting, it can be hard to say that M*A*S*H overstayed its welcome, simply because fans loved the series so much.

By the time the series said goodbye, it had been on the air for a little over ten years. If M*A*S*H was a child, it would have been in the fifth grade and learning long division by the time the finale rolled around. 

While great writers and an amazing cast are the perfect ingredients for a wonderful series, it's not necessarily surprising that as the series progressed, good plotlines became more and more difficult to unearth as more and more ground was covered.

Moreover, as M*A*S*H took place in a fairly isolated setting, there wasn't any hope for relocations to spice things up. So, as time went on, more and more brain power was spent to come up with interesting and engaging themes and episode arcs.

It was a shift that did not go unnoticed by the cast members. In an interview with The Chicago Tribune, Harry Morgan, known as Colonel Potter, remarked, "There was a feeling they were scraping the bottom the last couple of years. Good stories were harder and harder to come up with, and they were starting to repeat themselves." 

Still, Morgan wasn't attempting to find fault with the writers. Rather, he was sympathizing, as he shared their love for the series. He continued, "The whole thing was so delicious that we all felt lucky to have another week. It was a basketful of goodies."

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7 Comments

Blcakandwhitetvfan 3 days ago
I actually think the final few years of MASH were the best. They gave spotlights to lesser showcased characters (like Nurse Kelly) and changed Margaret's character dramatically. It is interested to speculate how the show might have unfolded with Burns and Winchester on the show at the same time, major prima donnas battling for preeminence, making fools of themselves in the process.
John 8 months ago
I think if Alda got himself a new bathrobe instead of that Ted thing he wore for 11 YEARS! the show wouldn't have been so boring 😔
Adamtwelvia John 7 months ago
Was it really the BATHROBE?
jmworacle 8 months ago
One thing the helo M*A*S*H was that in the military people get transferred or in some cases die. Helped keep things fresh. When Radar heads home you had a fa.tastic episode with Klinger experiencing the challenges filling the man's shoes. But to keep a show fresh for so long is difficult. But as they say, leave on top.
sagafrat69 8 months ago
Did the show overstay its welcome? The answer is YES! No way that show would've lasted 11 seasons with cable and streaming now with us. The writers scraped the bottom of the barrel the last few years for storylines? What the new crop of writers in those last few seasons forgot was the absence of conflict within the camp. The best episodes were Hawk/Trapper vs. Hot Lips/ Frank or Hot Lips/Frank vs. Blake. You had a war within the war in the camp. The show should've sent BJ and Winchester home after season 7 and brought it some characters that could stir the pot. That's where the show lost it's way. At least Morgan spoke the truth. Not like some of the actors who have said over the years the show was good to the very end.
Adamtwelvia sagafrat69 7 months ago
And also don't forget that somewhere during season 9 they forgot this show was supposed to be a COMEDY! Granted there were some funny eps during season 7 and 8, but starting that that terrible 'Letters' episode the show just wasn't as funny anymore thanks to Alan 'I Hate The Military, I Hate War, I Hate America, Even Though It Made Me Rich' Alda. So many times I wanted to scream "SHUT UP HAWKEYE!!" and by the time it got to that 'Dreams' episode, forget it, the show was gone! I can;t watch that episode at all, or many that came after it.
I tell ya, God Bless Harry Morgan and Jamie Farr, especially Jamie Farr. They kept SOME humor in the show so it didn;t become a full on drama, but the show had offically jumped.
McGillahooala 8 months ago
“Harry Morgan, known as Colonel Potter” Was he known as Colonel Potter or did he play Colonel Potter?
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