AfterMASH
AfterMASH is an American situation comedy that aired on CBS from September 26, 1983, to December 11, 1984. A spin-off of the series M*A*S*H, the show takes place immediately following the end of the Korean War and chronicles the adventures of three characters from the original series: Colonel Potter, Klinger and Father Mulcahy. M*A*S*H supporting cast-member Kellye Nakahara joined them, albeit off-camera, as the voice of the hospital's public address system. Rosalind Chao rounded out the starring cast as Soon-Lee Klinger, a Korean refugee whom Klinger met, fell in love with and married in the M*A*S*H series finale "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen." AfterMASH premiered in the fall of 1983 in the same Monday night 9:00 P.M. EST. time slot as its predecessor M*A*S*H. It finished 10th out of all network shows for the 1983-1984 season according to Nielsen Media Research television ratings. For its second season CBS moved the show to Tuesday nights at 8:00 EST., opposite NBC's top ten hit The A-Team, and launched a marketing campaign featuring illustrations by Sanford Kossin of Max Klinger in a nurse's uniform, shaving off Mr. T's signature mohawk, theorizing that AfterMASH would take a large portion of The A-Team's audience. The theory, however, was proven wrong. In fact, the exact opposite occurred, as AfterMASH's ratings plummeted to near the bottom of the television rankings and the show was canceled nine episodes into its second season, while The A-Team continued until 1987, with 97 episodes.
Insights
Plot Summary
Set in 1953, shortly after the Korean War armistice, AfterMASH follows Colonel Sherman T. Potter, Sergeant Maxwell Klinger, and Father Mulcahy as they return to the United States. They find themselves working at a new, underfunded and poorly managed veteran's hospital in Riverbend, Iowa. The series attempts to recapture the magic of M*A*S*H by blending humor with the struggles of daily hospital life and the lingering effects of war.
Critical Reception
AfterMASH was a highly anticipated spin-off of the critically acclaimed M*A*S*H, but it failed to capture the same critical or audience enthusiasm. Critics often found it to be a pale imitation of the original, lacking the sharp wit and poignant drama that defined its predecessor. Ratings were significantly lower than expected, leading to its short run.
What Reviewers Say
- Lacked the sharp writing and character dynamics of the original M*A*S*H.
- Struggled to find its own identity, feeling like a watered-down version of its predecessor.
- Failed to resonate with audiences, despite the presence of beloved characters.
Google audience: Audience reception was largely negative, with viewers lamenting the loss of the original's satirical edge and finding the new setting and characters uninspired compared to the iconic cast and storylines of M*A*S*H.
Fun Fact
Despite the presence of beloved characters like Colonel Potter and Klinger, AfterMASH struggled to find its footing and was canceled after only two seasons, failing to live up to the immense legacy of its predecessor.
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