Dennis Koenig

Harry's status as the youngest judge in New York City--not to mention his reputation as the town's premiere courtroom prankster--is challenged by the arrival of a brash young jurist named Jimmy Cleaver (played by former Saturday Night Live regular Gary Kroeger). The Night Court gang demands that Harry (Harry Anderson) challenge Judge Cleaver to a duel of wackiness. Unfortunately, Harry is no mood to be funny: His most recent prank may well have caused the death of elderly Judge Sims (Parley Baer). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Yet another crisis hits the courtroom when New York City is rocked by a freak earthquake. Among those suffering is prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), who ends up trapped in an elevator with abrasive court matron Roz Russell (Marsha Warfield)--and a pair of very large, very hungry sumo wrestlers. Meanwhile, Harry (Harry Anderson) has his hands full with a couple of precociously obnoxious adolescents. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

It is Charles' (David Ogden Stier turn to handle the collection charities, an assignment he devoutly wishes to dodge. As he tries to pass his responsibilities along to others, things inevitable come full-circle back to him. And on a less amusing note, a GI (Craig Wasson) resents the fact that the North Korean soldier (Dereck Wong) who wounded him has been placed in the bed next to his. A morbid twist results in an outpouring of guilt feelings from a most unlikely source. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

As the 11th season of M*A*S*H* got under way in the fall of 1982, everyone involved with the series knew it would be their last (the program had already lasted eight years longer than the actual Korean War!) Looking back, the cast and crew could take pride in the series' many accomplishments, not least of which was its making palatable and entertaining a number of hot-button issues that had previously been verboten on American network television. The series had also come a long way from its zany, iconoclastic, hit-or-miss "anything for a laugh" origins, maturing into a thoroughly credible blend of comedy, drama and tragedy (its credibility enhanced by the decision to complete eliminate a canned laughtrack), with fully rounded, three-dimensional characterizations. The fact that the series had managed to win eleven Emmy awards further served to enhance the participants' sense of achievement. Viewers were honestly saddened that their favorite series, which had long since transcended the boundaries of standard sitcomery to become a national institution, would cease production at the end of season 11. Perhaps because the faithful fans were determined to savor every final moment of the series' existence, M*A*S*H was propelled from the ninth most popular TV program of 1981-82 to number three in 1982-83, with the now-legendary 2 1/2 hour finale, "Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen," being seen by the largest audience ever to watch a single TV episode. Although this landmark episode would bring M*A*S*H to a poignant close, it was not quite the end of the story. Debuting September 26, 1983, the CBS sitcom AfterMASH detailed the further adventure of several M*A*S*H regulars, all hired by a Missouri VA hospital upon the Korean cease-fire. Carryovers from the original M*A*S*H included Harry Morgan as Sherman Potter, Jamie Farr as Max Klinger, William Christopher as Father Mulcahy, and a character that had been introduced in the penultimate M*A*S*H episode "As Time Goes By," Klinger's Korean-born wife Soon-Lee, played by Rosalind Chao. Suffering the ignominous fate of most such spinoffs, AfterMASH failed to live up to the standards of its distinguished predecessor, and was cancelled after only a season and a half on the air. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Tired of having his lackluster practical jokes compared to the legendary japes concocted by his predecessor Trapper John, B.J. (Mike Farrell) announces that he will pull a series of surprise gags on everyone in camp over a 24-hour period--and if he doesn't succeed in this undertaking, he will perform a striptease in the mess tent. As the days pass, everyone falls victim to B.J.'s comic assault. Only Hawkeye (Alan Alda) has thus far been spared--but could Beej be saving the best joke till last? Don't reveal the trick ending of this one, or B.J. may be coming after you next. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Gail Strickland guest stars as Helen Whitfield, one of the 4077's best nurses. What head nurse Margaret (Loretta Swit) doesn't know--but, alas, will soon find out--is that Helen is a closet drinker. As for the doctors, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) is cold-shouldered by the camp after one of his practical jokes humiliates Charles (David Ogden Stiers) in the operating room. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Klinger (Jamie Farr) unexpectedly proves to be a hero when he save the life of Charles Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) in an explosion. Though Charles emerged from the ordeal unscathed, both Klinger and B.J. (Mike Farrell) were seriously injured. Just how seriously proves to be a matter of grave concern--and in the case of one of the casualties, it may be a matter of denial. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Col. Potter (Harry Morgan) and Charles (David Ogden Stiers) prove to be difficult patients when both are quarantined with the mumps. It is particularly irksome for Charles, who fears that his temporary replacement Newsome (Edward Herrman), who has toted up an impressive combat surgery record, will prove to be better at the job than the man he's replacing. But things take an unexpected term during a medical emergency. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

April Fool's Day is practically a legal holiday at the 4077th, with the staffers falling over themselves performing all manner of practical jokes. Normally, even taciturn Col. Potter (Harry Morgan) would be joining in on the fun. This year, however, Potter wishes everyone would cease and desist: the notoriously humorless and extremely disciplinarian Col. Tucker (Pat Hingle) has arrived to conduct an inspection of the camp. This was the final episode of M*A*S*H's eighth season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Season eight of M*A*S*H was marked by the last of the series' major regular-cast defections. As the quietly resourceful and eerily clairvoyant company clerk, Cpl. Walter "Radar" O'Reilly, Gary Burghoff had been the only actor from the 1970 movie version of M*A*S*H* to carry over his role into the TV-series version in 1972. Now a full-fledged star with an Emmy award under his belt, Burghoff felt the time had come to move on. Radar O'Reilly made a ceremonious and emotionally charged exit from the series in the two-part episode "Good-Bye Radar." Breaking from the tradition established by such previous series defectees as Wayne Rogers, Maclean Stevenson and Larry Linville, Radar said his goodbyes only four weeks into the 1978-79 season, rather than waiting until the final episode of season eight. It was decided not to bring in a new actor to replace Radar. Instead, Cpl. Max Klinger (Jamie Farr), who previously spent the bulk of his time dressed in women's clothing in hopes of getting out of the Army on a Section 8, was promoted to company clerk. After a nervous "shakedown" period, Klinger adapted quite well to his new responsibilities, so much so that he cut back on his efforts to escape military service--and, simultaneously, was seen more often in the "proper" male garb. Having previously digressed from its established format, M*A*S*H expanded its efforts at experimentation during season eight with a brace of "gimmick" episodes. In "Life Time," the surgeons raced against the clock to save the life of a seriously wounded GI--and, to heighten the tension, that selfsame clock was seen ticking away throughout the episode, superimposed at the lower corner of the TV screen. And in "Dreams," the men and women of the 4077th were plagued by bizarre, surrealist nightmares reminiscent of the cinematic delusions of Ingmar Bergman and Luis Bunuel. The series' previous season move from a Tuesday-night timeslot to a Monday-evening berth had had a most salutary effect on M*A*S*H's ratings. Ranked as the seventh most popular series during its seventh season, the program climbed to fourth place for season eight. Additionally, M*A*S*H earned its eighth and ninth Emmy awards during this season, with the gold statuettes going to series regulars Harry Morgan and Loretta Swit. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Generous Klinger (Jamie Farr) offers money to an impoverished South Korean girl. Alas, the girl's mother misunderstands, and before long Klinger is accused of despoiling the young woman. While all this is transpiring, Hawkeye (Alan Alda) is having his own problems trying to keep a promise made to a dying patient. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Now in its seventh season on the air, the irreverent military comedy series M*A*S*H continued to roll along like a well-oiled machine. The most significant change during season six, the introduction of the insufferable but brilliant surgeon Maj. Charles Emerson Winchester (David Ogden Stiers), had registered quite well with viewers and fellow cast members alike. Less successful had been the scripting decision of marrying off the 4077th's head nurse Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit) (who out of respect for changing attitudes toward gender stereotyping no longer bore the demeaning nickname "Hot Lips") to the handsome Lt. Col. Donald Penobscott, especially since viewers seldom saw Margaret's elusive husband. Thus, Penobscott was written out of the show via a quickie divorce at the end of the 1978-79 season. The season itself was distinguished by a number of memorable episodes, as well as a welcome revival of a "gimmick" that had registered well during season four: A "documentary"-style installment, filmed in black-and-white in the manner of a 1950s documentary, wherein TV correspondent Clete Roberts interviewed the men and women of the 4077th. This episode, "Our Finest Hour", was expanded to a full hour, the better to accommodate "flashback" excerpts featuring such long-departed M*A*S*H regulars as Wayne Rogers, Maclean Stevenson and Larry Linville. In another, even more ambitious "gimmick" episode, "Point of View," the action was seen entirely through the eyes of a seriously wounded GI. It was also during this season that reruns of M*A*S*H were telecast on CBS' daytime lineup. The following year, the series would enter local syndication, where it continued to run until well into the 21st century. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide