We write about so much great television, both past and present. But even in that rarefied group of critically acclaimed and publicly loved series, we talk about some shows more, rewatch them more and, frankly, love them just a little bit more than the others. And one of those is M*A*S*H, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of its series premiere on September 17.
M*A*S*H spent most of its run from the early 1970s to the early 1980s as a Top 10-rated sitcom, and it’s still the eighth most Emmy-nominated show ever. We fell in love with the characters, from the highest ranked, Colonel Potter, to the mid-level-ranked Captain Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) to Corporal Klinger (Jamie Farr) and Radar O’Reilly (Gary Burghoff) and all the surgeons, medics, and nurses in between.
That’s why M*A*S*H’s final episode is still the most-watched finale ever. Their patched-together military family became an extension of our own families every time we tuned in, and after 11 seasons, over 70 percent of all TV viewers said goodbye in 1983.
Now it’s your turn to remember how much you loved the series by taking our M*A*S*H Trivia Challenge. The first 10 readers who take the quiz will get a free copy of our 50th anniversary M*A*S*H Puzzler magazine.
