Summary

• MASH was a hit TV show that had its origins in a feature film and a novel, and it took risks in transitioning to the small screen.
• The show earned critical acclaim and numerous Emmy nominations and wins, and its cultural relevancy has endured through streaming and reruns.
• While MASH was great overall, some seasons were better than others, with varying levels of storytelling, comedy, and balance between humor and drama.

While it was a great show overall, not all MASH seasons were created equally. Based on MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors, written by H. Richard Hornberger Jr., who goes by the pen name, Richard Hooker, with the help of W.C. Hein, the CBS TV series was already the second live-action adaptation of the story. Two years before it premiered, it was already made into a feature film, which became a massive hit. Suffice it to say, translating it to a longer format show had its risks.

Despite that, adapting it for television proved to be the right decision, with MASH earning 100 Emmy Awards nominations and winning 14. More than the critical praise, the biggest indication of how great MASH was is its continued cultural relevancy. Streaming accessibility and consistent reruns on TV made it easier for a new generation to discover it, while those who loved it during its original run now have a way to revisit the series. It also allows to look back at MASH in its entirety and notice how it changed year after year, because even though it was great as a whole, some seasons were better than others.

11 MASH Season 1

September 17, 1972 - March 25, 1973

When MASH premiered in 1972, it was far from being the hit that it became. It ranked low in ratings, but it was clear that it had the potential to be great. The cast's chemistry was apparent from the get-go, and instead of tackling the start of the war, MASH season 1 quickly dove right straight into the dynamic in the 4077th MASH unit. Despite these positive factors, its storytelling was still all over the place. It leaned far too much on the comedic side, which is understandable, considering that it was originally a comedy. However, it still wasn't the sophisticated show that it is known.

10 MASH Season 11

October 25, 1982 - February 28, 1983

MASH ended when it was still a massive hit for CBS, but it wasn't reflective of the show's quality. By then, its storytelling had started to become repetitive, and it lost its perfect balance of comedy and drama. Instead, it veered towards more serious storylines — the opposite of its debut year, which featured more slapstick comedy. Overall, MASH season 11 may not be the best, but at least, it had some golden episodes, such as the iconic "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen."

9 MASH Season 10

October 26, 1981 - April 12, 1982

The beginning of MASH's end became more noticeable in season 10 when it was approaching its natural end. Plot lines were starting to blend, as the series became more serious than it should have. MASH was still hilarious at some points, but it seemed to prioritize dealing with darker plots, blended with less creative traditional comedic outings. Compared to previous seasons, MASH season 10 started feeling tired and uninspired.

8 MASH Season 8

September 17, 1979 - March 24, 1980

The 4077 went through some major challenges in MASH season 8. Col. Sherman Potter's unit went through a bad case of salmonella, while Alan Alda's Captain Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce abstained from drinking after becoming suspicious that he may be dependent on alcohol. Amid everything, however, MASH season 8's biggest plot was Walter "Radar" O'Reilly's departure from the 4077 — something that haunted it throughout the rest of the year. Maxwell Q. Klinger, as great as he was, it was still tricky to move forward without a beloved original cast member.

7 MASH Season 2

September 15, 1973 - March 2, 1974

MASH continued to take advantage of its comedic value in season 2, and like its debut year, it highlighted the show's silly brand of humor. Despite that, its sophomore year featured more ensemble episodes — fully taking advantage of the cast's chemistry, which was clear from the get-go. MASH season 2 also featured fresh pairings such as Hawkeye and Loretta Swit's Maj. Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan. It laid the foundation of their tumultuous dynamic throughout the show's run.

6 MASH Season 9

November 17, 1980 - May 4, 1981

With only two more seasons left before the show wrapped up, MASH season 9 still had some semblance of its old glory days with exquisite episodes such as "Letters," "A War for All Seasons," not to mention character-focused ones such as "Oh, How We Danced," where Mike Farrell's Capt. B.J. Hunnicut got a special wedding anniversary gift and "The Life You Save" where David Ogden Stiers' Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester III re-assessed his life after a near-death experience. That being said, MASH season 9 also featured one of the show's very best outings in "Death Takes a Holiday," an emotional Christmas-themed episode that dealt with the ugly reality of war.

5 MASH Season 7

September 18, 1978 - March 12, 1979

Several years removed from MASH's cast exodus, season 7 finalized what was arguably the strongest version of the ensemble. Winchester was in his second year in the unit and Radar still had a couple of years as the 4077's company clerk. William Christopher's Lt. Father Francis Mulcahy got to lead a couple of great episodes, while Margaret finally split from Donald Penobscott. Arguably, however, the most memorable thing from MASH season 7 was the debut of BJ's divisive mustache.

4 MASH Season 6

September 20, 1977 - March 27, 1978

After the departure of Larry Linville's Maj. Frank Burns at the end of season 5, MASH season 6 made the final major addition to the show's main ensemble — Winchester. While he functioned as Burns' replacement, he brought a different kind of energy to the show, which in turn made it more exciting, primarily because he was different. Instead of a bumbling idiot, Winchester was a capable surgeon, who challenged Hawkeye and BJ.

Throughout the year, almost every primary character in the series got their respective strong arcs, with standouts like Hawkeye falling helplessly in love with a South Korean woman who was helping refugees. While the show had always flirted with the idea of Margaret getting together with Hawkeye, it was only in MASH season 6 that it turned into somewhat of a reality when the pair got lost in enemy territory. There was also something heartbreaking to see Potter consider retirement after someone from his unit supposedly betrayed him.

3 MASH Season 5

September 21, 1976 - March 15, 1977

Burns' final year at the 4077 in MASH season 5 was quite a let-down. By then, his schtick had run its course, and even Margaret was over his antics. Luckily, however, the year was saved by a plethora of other great episodes. Outings such as "Dear Sigmund" and "Hawk's Nightmare" delve into how the war wreaks into one's psyche, but it also had episodes that stayed true to its comedic roots such as "38 Across" and "Movie Tonight." MASH season 5 had all the elements that made the series so great.

2 MASH Season 3

September 10, 1974 - March 18, 1975

The last season featuring the original complete cast, MASH season 3 seemed like the pinnacle year for the founding of the 4077. Its storytelling was gradually getting stronger, as it approached a more balanced war comedy drama. McLean Stevenson's Lt. Col. Henry Blake dying horrifically effectively drove home how perilous it was for everyone working in the conflict. There had been deaths before Blake's demise, but the plot twist was so gut-wrenching, and yet, Hawkeye and company didn't have the time to pause and process the loss because they were in the middle of a casualty surge.