MASH Season 9 Announced And A Question (1 Viewer)

[Roger_S]

TVShowsOnDVD has announced that the 9th season of MASH will hit stores on December 6. They report this 3-disc set will include all 20 episodes. All 20? That's obviously less than normal...most of the sets have 24 episodes but seasons 7 and 8 actually had 25. Why did season 9 only have 20 episodes?

 

[Katherine_K]

Many long running shows have fewer episodes in their later seasons than their earlier ones. The show becomes more expensive, both in production cost and cast salaries.

Some cast and crew may want to move on to other projects or have more time to work on other projects.

 

[Rob P S]

This was the 1980-81 season - there was an actors' strike in the summer of 1980 which delayed the start of the fall season. And the next summer there was a writers' strike, so a lot of shows saved some episodes for the 1981-82 season.

 

[Jay_B!]

a lot of shows had short seasons in 1980-1981. Taxi also only had 20 (compared to 24 in the 1979-1980 year)

 

[David Rain]

As a M*A*S*H fanatic (or a M*A*S*H'er) I can confirm that there were indeed only 20 episodes that season. Season 10 had 21 (if you count a 2-part episode). Season 11 had 15 not counting the infamous movie finale. Hopefully that will not stop anyone from buying these sets. We only have 2 more to go after this one so let's mobilize, people !

 

[Roger_S]

I obviously am getting the set, I was just wondering...and thank you for the explanation. I have them all so far and have ordered this one and definitely plan to get the remaining seasons as well.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

I'm one set behind, when I went to buy Season 8 All Best buy's copies had floaters, hopefully they'll have a deal

 

[Brian Himes]

Hopefully next year we will finally be finished with this series. While I love it to pieces, it has been a LONG six years collecting this series. Can't wait to have the whole run of the show complete and uncut on DVD.

 

[Pete Battista]

I am 1 set behind as well... I am hoping to get season 8 before to long. I will also be getting every season. and can't wait to complete.

Personally I always preferred Col. Potter... never much cared for Col. Blake... guess because seeing Mash in reruns for the first time... it is what I got used to. Also never cared much for Charles Emerson Winchester III. But that was because of the charcter. Never cared much for the pompus whinner! :p)

 

[Mark Talmadge]

I can't believe any of you guys would even think about passing on these last few sets. My dad had always forced me and my brother to watch this program as it was always one of his favourites and still is. I was thrilled when this series was announced and I also plan on picking up on Seasons 9, 10 and 11, no matter how many episodes there were.

In my opinion, there were some of the best episodes of the series wrapped up in the last few seasons. Especially that two-parter involved where Klinger was involved with that black market trial where he was accused of theft of Hawk's property.

Besides, you guys have to realize that the final episode is a 2.5 to a 3 hour episode, the highest rated episode for a series. So that's what? 5-6 episodes ...

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I've got all 8 seasons so far and don't intend to stop until I have the complete series, next year should see that realized.

 

[Paul McElligott]

Generally I liked this show best through the 8th season. I thought the last three seasons kind of ran out of steam creatively (kind of like The West Wing, however, even sub-standard M*A*S*H was better than almost anything on TV).

However, after buying the first 8 seasons and planning on buying season 11 to get "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen", I might as well get seasons 9 & 10, too.

 

[Casey Trowbridg]

I'm with you on this one, but I'm against you on Winchester, I'll take him over Burns every day of the week and 2 times n Sunday. Its a different show when Radar leaves in season 8 at least it seems different to me after he's gone.

Although I also prefer Trapper to BJ, but I find those episodes harder to watch because of the presence of Burns/Blake. Henry Blake did have his moments but Potter was a way better commander and wouldn't get walked all over.

 

[David Rain]

M*A*S*H'ers are always split over which characters / era of the show they prefer. I choose the early years up until the departure of Larry Linville. When Frank Burns left so did a lot of my enthusiasm for the show. I prefer Trapper to BJ (but like him also). I love both the Cols Blake & Potter. By the time that Radar had left and Klinger stopped wearing dresses the show was essentially over for me. Radar was the show's innocence. Klinger was it's wild card (with hairy legs). I've stopped regularly collecting the season sets but will eventually get them all.

I also would like to see the show's 3 (I believe that's right) reunion / retrospective specials. One was hosted by Shelley Long, one aired semi-recently on FOX and there was yet another in between those, I think.

 

[Kenny Neal]

Here's hoping the last season will come with some form of extras, be it the retrospective specials, or bloopers (which exist, I have some on a commercially produced VHS tape), something.

While I appreciate the speed with which Fox has put the sets out (not to mention the reasonable price and consistent packagaing), M*A*S*H deserves a little special features love. Maybe Alan Alda can do a commentary on the final episode?

 

[David Lambert]

Not me! I love the entire run, beginning to end. The show changed and evolved along the years, but to me never lost it's touch nor failed in its basic mission: to entertain. When they announced it was going to be wrapped up, I was appalled. I enjoy every season and every character.

 

[Rhoq]

Best Buy usually offers a "2 for $50" deal when a new season of M*A*S*H is released. The new season, plus any of the other available seasons for $50.

 

[David Rain]

I'm really torn. My main interest in getting good quality, uncut episodes. I don't think I've ever seen M*A*S*H look better than on these sets. For years the reruns on local stations late at night looked dreadful. I know it's about war but did it have to look so blah ? LOL.

I do not expect any extras on any future sets as there have been none in the past. Nor do I expect the docs to be included as they're each 1-2 hours long each. I just wonder why true classics like M*A*S*H and All In The Family have had no extras to speak of ? But at least M*A*S*H has been coming out quickly.

 

[Mark Talmadge]

Quickly? They haven't been coming out quickly. When a studio takes six months to bring out a Season DVD set it's too long. The normal turn around should be at the very least about three DVD sets per year, maybe even four ...

As far as extras go, while it would have been nice to see some, maybe interviews of the surviving actors/actresses from this series, they are not what I buy the sets for, I buy the sets because this is one show I have always enjoyed.

The entire series was created very well. I did enjoy the first first three seasons but I've always enjoyed seasons 4-11 because the direction changed and the series dealt more with their character than with the sitcom aspect of the series. It really did evolve in terms of the acting as well.

 

[Kenny Neal]

"Quickly" is relative term-- there aren't too many other 11-year series that are almost complete at this point. I think Fox has done a good job getting M*A*S*H out to market so far.

Of course, Fox would never include the original final episode. Nope, not much chance of that...