[Note: Due to an error with the date, another version of this exists somewhere on this blog, but I could not find it, so I have reprinted it here.]
We purchased all eleven seasons of M.A.S.H. back when they came out on DVD. It was probably one of the DVD best purchases I ever made as I have watched it multiple times. There are plenty of things that I don't like about the series. Especially in the first few seasons, sexism is rampant, almost all of the men are cheating on their wives, and sexual harassment is the norm. It has led to some interesting conversations with my children over the multiple times that we have watched the series.
Despite it's shortcomings, much of the humor, relationships, and messages are still relevant today. While there are parts of the show that have not aged well; in some ways, the show is timeless. As it ran for over a decade while I was growing up, I came to think of the characters almost as a part of my family.
As I watch it, I realize how much I have especially been influenced by the character of Hawkeye Pierce. His continual quest to end the war, his status as being one of the best in the field, and his ability to laugh at nearly everything are all traits that I deeply admire. While his methods, his humor, and his antics sometimes go a bit too far, and he is sometimes a little heavy-handed and preachy with his beliefs, I find that I identify with these aspects of him as well (although I cringe to think about it). Thinking about it, I notice now just how large a role this character had in shaping the person who I am today.
There are certainly worse role-models that I could have followed.
We purchased all eleven seasons of M.A.S.H. back when they came out on DVD. It was probably one of the DVD best purchases I ever made as I have watched it multiple times. There are plenty of things that I don't like about the series. Especially in the first few seasons, sexism is rampant, almost all of the men are cheating on their wives, and sexual harassment is the norm. It has led to some interesting conversations with my children over the multiple times that we have watched the series.
Despite it's shortcomings, much of the humor, relationships, and messages are still relevant today. While there are parts of the show that have not aged well; in some ways, the show is timeless. As it ran for over a decade while I was growing up, I came to think of the characters almost as a part of my family.
As I watch it, I realize how much I have especially been influenced by the character of Hawkeye Pierce. His continual quest to end the war, his status as being one of the best in the field, and his ability to laugh at nearly everything are all traits that I deeply admire. While his methods, his humor, and his antics sometimes go a bit too far, and he is sometimes a little heavy-handed and preachy with his beliefs, I find that I identify with these aspects of him as well (although I cringe to think about it). Thinking about it, I notice now just how large a role this character had in shaping the person who I am today.
There are certainly worse role-models that I could have followed.
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