In the annals of TV history, few decisions have been as pivotal—and controversial—as the vote by the M*A*S*H cast to end the show after its eleventh season. Despite its enduring popularity, key cast members felt it was time to bow out gracefully. Alan Alda, Loretta Swit, and Mike Farrell were among those who believed the show had explored all its potential storylines.
"We'd exhausted the storylines," executive producer Burt Metcalfe explained. "The actors wanted to move on with their careers." This decision arguably helped the final season shine, with the cast determined to end on a high note.
Not everyone was ready to say goodbye.
Jamie Farr, William Christopher, and Harry Morgan voted to continue, leading CBS to greenlight a spinoff: AfterMASH. This new show followed Farr's Klinger, Christopher's Father Mulcahy, and Morgan's Dr. Potter in a veterans' hospital setting. The premise seemed promising—addressing post-war issues for veterans—but the execution faltered. The absence of big names like Alda was keenly felt, and the show's struggle to balance humor and drama left it in a precarious position from the start.
Initially, AfterMASH wasn't the failure it's often remembered as. The first season was a moderate success, even managing to bring back original MASH showrunner Larry Gelbart, who had initially bowed out due to burnout. The series ranked 15th for its debut season, a solid performance for a new show.
However, CBS's dissatisfaction with these "modest" ratings led to ill-advised changes. The network pushed for more comedy and eccentricity, including reviving Klinger’s cross-dressing antics. These adjustments, combined with poor scheduling against The A-Team, resulted in a steep ratings drop and an abrupt cancellation midway through the second season.
AfterMASH has since become a cautionary tale in TV history. Critically panned and commercially unsuccessful, it failed to capture the magic of its predecessor. The show struggled without the dynamic characters that made MASH a hit, and its attempt to blend humor with serious post-war issues often felt disjointed. As Gelbart later reflected, AfterMASH might have fared better as a straightforward medical drama rather than a sitcom.
"I wouldn't have peopled it with characters from MASH," he admitted. "The focus should have been on the issues in a veteran's hospital, not on trying to recreate MASH's humor."
AfterMASH's failure has left a lasting impact, with the spinoff rarely mentioned in discussions about MASH's legacy.
Unlike its predecessor, it has never been released on home media and remains largely inaccessible. This reticence underscores a broader reluctance to tarnish the MASH brand. Despite its noble intentions, AfterMASH serves as a reminder that some stories are best left as they are. "There is a very special place in my core when it comes to MASH," Gelbart reflected. "But I managed to sully the name anyway.
" The lesson is clear: extending a beloved show beyond its natural lifespan can often do more harm than good.
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