Movies - TV
Why The Creator Of M*A*S*H Thinks Its Spinoff Was A Flop
By RYAN SCOTT
While “M*A*S*H” is one of the most successful shows in TV history, its spin-off “AfterMASH” couldn’t recapture that same magic — and co-creator Larry Gelbart thinks he knows why.
Gelbart spoke with author Ed Solomonson in "TV’s M*A*S*H: The Ultimate Guide Book" and explained, "The series needed a top banana, and we didn’t have one."
He continued, "That’s not to dismiss the actors who were in the cast. They were basically supporting players and you have to be in support of something."
Gelbart added, "If I had to do it all over again [...], I would make it an hour show, more dramatic in nature, with comedy overtones rather than the other way around."
Actor William Christopher, who played Father John Mulcahy, echoed Gelbart’s assessment, saying, "I think there was one tragic flaw, it wasn’t serious enough."
The actor continued, "The network wanted a zany comedy, and so the emphasis became trying to make it funny. I thought we should have done an hour show, like St. Elsewhere."
Gelbart and Christopher acknowledge the show should have been more serious and appealing for veterans who had experienced the hardships of life after the Vietnam War.