M*A*S*H M*O*N*D*A*Y*S Welcomes You!! S1E10

I Hate A Mystery ~ Season One ~ Episode Ten

Synopsis

A rash of thefts breaks out in the camp. Missing pieces include Frank's silver picture frame, Margaret's hair brush, and Trapper's watch. The camp is searched and everything is found in Hawkeye's locker, leaving the other MASH personnel suspicious of and, worse, disappointed in Hawkeye.

Hawkeye manages to let it be known to the camp where the recovered items have been stored (they have been locked in Col. Blake's desk). When the items disappear yet again, Hawkeye summons many of the MASH personnel to the mess tent in the middle of the night in order to reveal the identity of the criminal. After parodying countless detective stories by revealing possible motives others might have to frame him (jealousy, resentment, etc.), he tells the assembled staff that he has treated the items with a chemical which, when it comes into contact with a human being, turns that person's fingernails blue.

When Ho-Jon hides his hands, Hawkeye knows he has found the criminal. (The chemical treatment story was merely a bluff.) Ho-Jon is not punished, however, as he has stolen the items only to raise money to bribe border guards to bring his family from the north to the south.

This episode was a lot of fun to watch

and decide which screen captures to use to tell the story. I realize that not everyone has access to MASH episodes and not everyone who wants to follow along will be able to easily do so. (Not on Netflix from what I heard.)

Ho-Jon’s character as faithful servant

and master bartender takes a sharp turn into the devious. High pressure situations can sometimes cause people to become 'other' than their ideal self. His effort to want to get his family out of danger is a plot that is completely relatable to any audience, especially for anyone who knows people who have been through war time. Most people could say that they have friends or relatives with first hand knowledge of being at war.

I’ll let the screenshot gallery and my comments lead you

through the episode, but I would like to highlight the always lovely and adorable Linda Meiklejohn, mostly because she is the same age as my lovely Mom who was born September 28, 1943 and is also 74 years old. Linda started her acting career in 1966 as a young woman in her early 20’s when I was just a year old!

Her facial expressions must have made the casting director so happy when he saw the incredible range of facial communication she could accomplish in such an enchanting way. She was always understated, but so wonderful to round out the cast. Not much is written about her but I’ll link what the MASH Wiki site states.

Linda Meiklejohn

Linda Meiklejohn (born August 9, 1943 in Los Angeles, California) played the recurring role of Lieutenant Leslie Scorch on the CBS-TV series MASH in eight episodes in Seasons 1 and 2. Linda also appeared in four episodes of Mayberry R.F.D., three in the recurring role of Hilda. Linda also made other guest appearances on such popular early 1970's TV series as That Girl, Marcus Welby, M.D., The Courtship of Eddie's Father, and Love, American Style. Linda also appeared in the Doris Day film The Ballad of Josie (1967) as well as the films My Blood Runs Cold(1966) and A Reason to Live (1985).

We lead off this episode with Patrick Adiarte in the role of Ho-Jon serving drinks during a poker game where Hawkeye is cleaning up as per usual!

During the game Frank Burns realizes the silver frame holding his Mother's picture is missing.

And now it's ON. Frank scurries to Hot Lips to complain, only to discover the nightly horror of her beauty regime, but also discovers her prized brushes her father gave her are also missing!

Meanwhile, Henry's obtuse obsession with fishing and fishing gear leads him to believe that having Nurse Leslie's first fish stuffed and giving her an incredible fishing reel as a gift will endear him to her. As usual, her expression is able to tell all LOL. How adorable! But the fishing reel is also missing when she opens the box!

Henry offers to allow the thief to return all of the stolen goods with no questions asked. But that fish won't bite and Henry isn't able to reel him in.

That leaves Henry no choice but to search every inch of the MASH 4077th for the stolen property and the search ensues. Even Henry's girlfriend's tent has to be searched and you can tell how thrilled she is. Radar seems to be hanging onto that armload of girly garments like he wants to snatch something for Klinger.

Radar's Teddy Bear is uncovered during the search.

Henry insists on checking on checking the pipes in Hawkeye's tent, of course.

The plot thickens when all of the stolen goods are found in Hawkeye's footlocker.

While Hawkeye proclaims his innocence, Margaret and Frank are licking their collective hot lips at the chance to drive home Hawkeye's demise with a court martial.

Radar is assigned the task of shadowing Hawkeye after Margaret and Frank insist he be watched.

Hawkeye's libertarian senses fully kick in and he becomes intent on losing his 'tail'

A touch of trickster from Hawkeye with a little PA magic.

Hawkeye calls a meeting in the mess tent, puts on his best detective act and claims to have found and dusted down the stolen items with a chemical that turns finger nails blue.

Ho-Jon looks pretty guilty hiding his hands and the jig is up. Thief caught, hook line and sinker.

Ho-Jon reveals his terrible predicament with his family and his need of items to bribe border guards with in order to bring his family to safety.

The floodgates of compassion open and everyone lets him keep the items to bring his family over the border.

All is well it seems until Hawkeye realizes that he might even be blamed for Jesus' missing disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane. A claim he vigorously denies.

I truly hope you enjoyed this episode of MASH with me.

Please feel free to drop by the MASH 4077th discord server anytime. You are not alone in this world.

In case no one told you today, you are beautiful.

Love,
Bug