Recap / M*A*S*H S1 E11: Germ Warfare

Hawkeye and Trapper move a North Korean P.O.W. patient into the Swamp, rather than have him shipped out early. They discover that the P.O.W. has a rare blood type. Since Frank has the same blood type, they furtively steal some of Frank's blood in the night. However when the patient develops hepatitis, they suspect Frank is the carrier, and have to keep him away from Margaret and patients.

Attention, all hands! To avoid spreading infection, thoroughly wash your hands and review the following tropes:

• AB Negative: The need for a pint of AB negative for a POW kicks off the plot of the episode.
• Becoming the Mask: Hawkeye claims Henry is turning into a regular army guy.
• Befriending the Enemy: Inverted with Frank. He tries to have a North Korean patient imprisoned before he can fully recover. By the end of the episode they're playing checkers together.
• Big Eater: This is the first episode where the audience sees just how much food Radar puts on his platter at mealtimes.
• Blatant Lies: Radar tells Frank the various reasons why the officer's latrine is closed.
• Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Spearchucker Jones disappears with no explanation after this episode.^note The producers had him dropped from the series because they didn't have any evidence there were black Army surgeons serving in Korea, but this was actually accurate, since Spearchucker was based on a real-life black surgeon Richard Hooker (who wrote the original MASH novel) had heard about at the 8055, who'd been sent home only a month before Hooker's arrival in Korea.
• Can't Hold His Liquor: Frank has an interesting case of this. He drinks a couple of beers and shows no signs of intoxication, but has to pee within seconds of drinking them.
• Curse of The Ancients: Frank treats one of Trapper's remarks in the post-op as a dirty word.
  Trapper: Frank, I'm sorry about that. But you know how it is,war is heck.
  Frank: What have you got against writing clearly?
  Trapper: If I could do that, I'd have become a lawyer.
• Deadpan Snarker:
  • The P.A. Announcer in the opening scene.
    Announcer: Attention, all MASH personnel. Tonight's War Department film on how to lead a good, clean life has been cancelled... due to unusually heavy indifference.
  • Frank warns Hawkeye not to get on his bad side.
    Frank: Don't make me get unpleasant.
    Hawkeye: I can't improve on nature, Frank.
  • Margaret has a quip of her own.
    Lieutenant Dish: Everything's under control.
    Margaret: That's when this place is the most dangerous.
• Erotic Dream: Hawkeye has been having these about Lieutenant Dish, whether he's asleep or awake.
• Heavy Sleeper: Frank doesn't ever feel being tapped for blood as he sleeps. Lampshaded by Hawkeye.
• I Did What I Had to Do:
  • Henry feels this way about transferring the North Korean patient.
  • When Frank is about to go into the O.R. to operate, Hawkeye and Trapper decide it's time to admit they stole a pint of his blood from him.
• It's All About Me: Margaret begins to believe the camp is keeping her and Frank separated because they're jealous of their relationship.
• Nature Documentary: Played with. Hawkeye humorously narrates his analysis of Frank and Margaret's signals to each other in arranging a rendezvous.
• Pet the Dog: From two different directions.
  • Stealing blood and keeping the victim in the dark about medical information is pretty out there even for Hawkeye and Trapper. They even twist the knife by putting Frank through humiliating situations to test him without letting him know. At the end of the episode they bring him a bouquet to show they appreciate his donation, willing or not. They even praise him as being noble for ending up with anemia because he donated blood without prepping before hand, although this was at least partly in jest (they may have been stroking his ego to keep from getting in trouble, but at least they tried).
  • At the start of the episode, Frank demands the patient be moved into less-than-ideal conditions to make optimal bedspace. After Hawkeye tells him that Frank's stolen blood let him pull through (and is sarcastically told how "generous" he is), he's seen playing checkers with the patient, and seems happy to know he'll turn out alright.
  • When informed about the POW developing anemia and the fear that Burns might have it as well, Burns shows actual medical knowledge about how hepatitis progresses and genuinely considers the risks before deciding to go into the Operating Room, a change from his usual malpractice in the medical field.
• P.O.V. Cam: We get a slightly censored look of one of Hawkeye's fantasies about Lieutenant Dish.
• Properly Paranoid: Frank gets more nervous when Hawkeye and Trapper start asking him about his health. Given what happened without his knowledge, it's hard to blame the guy.
• Running Gag:
  • Henry Blake is caught off guard by Radar's ability to sense whenever the colonel needs him.
    Radar: Yes sir.
    Henry: [had started to call out Radar's name] Damn it, Radar. How many times have I told you not to come in here before I call you?
    Radar: I don't like to be late.
    Henry: How can you be late if you come in here before I even know I want you?
  • It happens again when Hawkeye and the others have to keep Frank and Margaret apart until the results of Frank's blood and urine samples arrive.
• Ship Tease: Margaret mistakes Hawkeye for Frank and embraces him from behind.
• Shout-Out:
  • As Hawkeye and Trapper are taking Frank's blood:
    Hawkeye: [imitating Bela Lugosi as Dracula] Good work, Igor. Very good. In the morning, he will be one of my brides.
    Trapper: [shushing]: Not so loud, my count.
  • Noticing the huge amount of food heaped on Radar's tray, Hawkeye snarks "I see you ordered the Hunt Breakfast", referencing the painting by Gustave Courbet.
  • Hawkeye imitates Pete Smith for his Wildlife Commentary Spoof of Frank and Margaret.
• Uncanny Atmosphere: When Hawkeye and Trapper are stealing Frank's blood from him, the scene is perpetuated by unsettling music that sounds very much like a ghostly wail.
• What the Hell, Hero?:
  • Frank and Margaret are both gobsmacked to Hawkeye confessing he and Trapper drew blood out of Frank.
  • Henry does the same thing when Frank blurts it out.
• Wildlife Commentary Spoof: Hawkeye does when watching Frank and Margaret.
  Hawkeye: "Observe the female of the species. Seemingly calm and detached, beneath her tiny GI bosom her heart is beating wildly, because she senses the presence of her frequent partner, the notorious red-necked nose-breather. Uh-oh, the signaling process has begun. Eyeballs are exchanged, and our khaki lovers do their famous 'Where'll we meet today?' ritual. It is almost impossible for the uninitiated to discern any connection between these two US Army majors. Yet, the trained observer will see that what these two officers have in mind is to arrange a bit of brass rubbing."
• Wrong Insult Offence: Hawkeye is insulted to be called a ghoul. He prefers to be called a vampire.

---