The Untold Friendship: MASH's Trapper Leaves a Lasting Impression on Hawkeye

Summary

Hawkeye was deeply hurt by Trapper's sudden departure from MASH, as his closest companion left without bidding farewell.

MASH, renowned for its anti-war sentiment and innovative combination of comedy and drama, revolutionized television in the 1970s.

MASH, despite its slow start, became an immensely popular show during its era and had a significant impact on popular culture. Hawkeye was deeply hurt by Trapper's sudden departure, particularly because his supposed best friend never bid him farewell. While the Korean War lasted for three years, MASH managed to run for a total of 11 years. Although MASH may not have been as risqué as the preceding Robert Altman film, it still had a sharp edge. Its revolutionary combination of comedy and drama with an anti-war sentiment was groundbreaking for TV viewers in the 1970s. Additionally, MASH's final episode holds the record for the highest number of viewers in scripted television history, a feat that seems nearly impossible to surpass.

Trapper DID Try To Say Goodbye To Hawkeye On MASH

: This demonstrates the immense impact MASH had on popular culture. Despite a slow start and poor ratings, MASH managed to avoid cancellation after its first season. Fortunately, the show gained popularity through re-runs and eventually became one of the most beloved series of its time. However, some notable characters, such as Henry Blake portrayed by McLean Stevenson and "Trapper" John McIntyre played by Wayne Rogers, departed from MASH during the finale of its third season.

In MASH's fourth season, the premiere episode titled "Welcome to Korea" featured the highly anticipated return of Hawkeye (Alan Alda) from his break in Tokyo. However, upon his arrival, he is taken aback by the news of Trapper's sudden discharge in his absence. It is left to Radar (Gary Burghoff), who happened to be present when Trapper departed, to convey the news to Hawkeye. Along with the news, Radar also delivers a heartfelt kiss on the cheek, symbolizing Trapper's affectionate farewell. Unfortunately, Trapper neglects to leave behind a farewell letter for his loyal comrade, despite their inseparable bond since the beginning of the show.

What some MASH viewers tend to overlook is that Trapper made an effort to bid farewell. He had Radar attempt to reach Hawkeye while he was in Tokyo. It's possible that in his overwhelming excitement about being discharged, the idea of writing a note slipped his mind. Previous episodes have shown how dearly Trapper missed his wife and children, to the extent that he came close to going AWOL during season 2. The first part of "Welcome to Korea" concludes with Hawkeye rushing to the airport in hopes of seeing Trapper off, only to narrowly miss him. However, he does encounter his future bestie B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell) for the first time.

Trapper's MASH Exit Hurt Hawkeye

At the start of MASH, Hawkeye and Trapper shared equal prominence as lead characters and enjoyed their fair share of revelry and practical jokes. While it's reasonable to assume that Trapper may not have had the time to bid his friend farewell in his hurried departure, it is less justifiable that he made no attempt to reach out afterwards. This lack of communication left Hawkeye feeling somewhat hurt, despite establishing a quick bond with Hunnicutt. The unresolved nature of his relationship with Trapper came up multiple times in subsequent episodes.

This encompasses the conclusion of MASH's finale, in which Hunnicutt's apparent hesitation in bidding farewell to Hawkeye as they prepare to depart home triggers reminiscence of Trapper's departure. The ultimate episode ingeniously revolves around this aspect of the story, showcasing how even as Hawkeye readies himself to depart the camp by helicopter, Hunnicutt still refrains from uttering a farewell. Nevertheless, as Hawkeye's helicopter ascends into the sky, he notices that Hunnicutt has created the word "GOODBYE" using rocks, leaving viewers with this poignant final message.

Why Trapper Left MASH So Abruptly

While Henry Blake's demise on MASH had been meticulously crafted to evoke a powerful emotional response, little did anyone anticipate that the season 3 finale would mark the final appearance of Trapper as well. Prior to his departure, Rogers had expressed dissatisfaction with how Trapper's character had been utilized for quite some time. Although originally intended to share an equal portion of the limelight - as demonstrated in the 1970 - Alda's remarkable appeal to the audience gradually propelled Hawkeye into the forefront, leaving Trapper to assume more of an endearing subordinate role.

During the third season of MASH, Rogers was dissatisfied with the direction the show was taking and decided to leave. CBS, unhappy with his decision, attempted to sue him. However, Rogers had never actually signed the original contract they had offered him, allowing him to freely depart from the show. This is why Trapper's departure from MASH was abrupt between the third and fourth seasons, and why Rogers could not even make a brief appearance to bid farewell to Hawkeye.

While not officially confirmed, it is possible that this explains why MASH portrayed Trapper's departure in a strangely negative manner. It would have been simple to write a scene where Hawkeye receives a letter or a phone call from his old friend once he returned home. In the early episodes, Hunnicutt served as a substitute for Trapper, presumably to ease the transition between characters. However, as the seasons progressed, Hunnicutt developed his own distinct character, and references to Trapper became less prominent. Despite never returning to MASH after leaving, Rogers later appeared in another medical sitcom called House Calls, which aired for three seasons.