Movies - TV
The Forgotten M*A*S*H Spinoff That Only Ran For Two Seasons
By VALERIE ETTENHOFER
Even 50 years after it aired, “M*A*S*H” remains a major pillar of TV history. Despite its monumental legacy, it’s easy to forget its multiple spinoff series, including “AfterMASH.”
The 1983 hospital series “AfterMASH” featured several central cast members and a plot that directly followed the events of the “M*A*S*H” series finale.
Alan Alda and the team behind “M*A*S*H” decided to end the show on a high note, but stars William Christopher, Jamie Farr, and Harry Morgan were open to continuing the series.
The three remaining lead actors weren’t alone. Series creator Larry Gelbart returned, as did Latter-season “M*A*S*H” executive producer Burt Metcalfe and several writers.
The show was set at a veteran’s hospital in Missouri, where the three supporting characters worked together, treating people impacted by the war.
While the show provided space for some of the compassionate social commentary “M*A*S*H” fans already loved, some changes were made to the canon.
These changes included retconning the complex conclusions for Christopher’s Father Mulcahy and Farr’s Klinger from the “M*A*S*H” finale, “Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen.”
“AfterMASH” is remembered as a flop, but the first season saw some success. One episode earned Gelbart a Peabody Award, and it was one of the most-watched shows in its first run.
However, the scripts were clunky, and the new characters didn’t quite gel with the old ones. The show felt fractured without a screen presence as strong as Alda’s Hawkeye.
“AfterMASH” only made 31 episodes, and the last one never even aired. The show’s 2nd Season was cut short, and few of its stars ever spoke much about it after its conclusion.