Hawkeye and Trapper are stressed out from the non-stop periods of working in the operating room, to the point that they actually start fighting each other. Trapper recommends that they should get a small break and they go to request Henry Blake's approval for some R&R in Tokyo. Henry, who's leaving for some R&R of his own, turns them down. Knowing that he and Trapper will never get their break with Frank Burns temporarily in charge, Hawkeye is inspired by his argument with Henry to present himself as being so insane that only time away from the 4077 can cure him. After an altercation in the mess tent, Frank is persuaded that it's the right thing to do, and it looks like Hawkeye and Trapper are all set for some downtime in Tokyo... until Major Houlihan recommends bringing in a professional psychiatrist to examine Hawkeye.
Attention, all personnel! Be aware of the following tropes as symptoms of insanity:
- The Alcoholic: Hawkeye sounds near tears when he discovers there's nothing in the still so they can't have drinks.
- Big Damn Heroes: Played to comedic effect when Hawkeye and Trapper salute Frank as he goes in to Margaret's tent to find out why she's screaming and yelling for help.
- Bittersweet Ending: The psychiatrist is driven out of the camp, so Hawkeye does not get carted off to the nuthouse. And Hawkeye and Trapper are about to go on the now seven days of R&R they wanted. Then, contrary to Radar's earlier prediction that there would be no fighting in the area for about a week, choppers laden with patients arrive and Hawkeye and Trapper have to go back to work.
- Black Comedy Cannibalism: As part of his insanity act, Hawkeye claims to be eating the liver from a dead North Korean patient. Although if it was just an act, where did he get the liver when they were only serving hamburger?
- The Chessmaster: Hawkeye again proves his excellence in serving as this trope.
- He puts on an elaborate scheme to display himself as losing touch with reality and will continue to do so if he doesn't get some time off. It is a really successful gambit, until Margaret Houlihan outmanoeuvres him at the last minute.
- He is more successful in his game against the psychiatrist.
- Depraved Homosexual: Hawkeye paints himself as this to Captain Shermann. It works out the wrong way.
- First-Name Basis: Invoked by Hawkeye, after telling Captain Shermann his problem is that he's in love with someone "and he doesn't even know I exist":Shermann: (nonplussed) Who is it?Hawkeye: Frank Burns.Shermann: Major Burns?Hawkeye: (coyly) Frank.
- Frame-Up: Hawkeye cooks up one to trap Captain Shermann.
- Godwin's Law: Hawkeye tells Henry, "Every time you go, he [Frank] turns into instant Hitler." Although, given that the Korean War started only five years after the end of World War II, the reference would probably come across as less tired in the show's time period.
- Green-Eyed Monster: Once again, Frank shows shades of jealousy when he learns of someone else competing for Margaret's romantic attentions.Margaret: Frank, you're jealous.Frank: Jealous? I envy anyone that comes close to you. I envy the fly that walks across your upper lip. I envy the cotton tips you stick in your ears.
- Love Makes You Crazy: Captain Shermann, the visiting psychiatrist, has been head over heels infatuated with Major Houlihan for years. Hawkeye uses this to his advantage when Shermann is going to have him thrown in the loony bin.
- Missing Time: Played For Laughs by Trapper at the beginning of the episode.
- Mythology Gag: Possibly, when Hawkeye claims that he dyed his hair black in order to contrast with Margaret's blonde hair. His hair was blond in the original movie.
- Noodle Incident: In an attempt to prove to Captain Shermann that Hawkeye's not crazy and instead pulling a fast one, Henry recounts two pranks that Hawkeye pulled on Frank. It only makes things worse, but it's still hilarious.Henry: So, Frank, why don't you tell us about the time that, when you were asleep, Pierce tied your big toes to the bed frame and then yelled "Fire"?Frank: Oh, I'd rather not, sir.Henry: Well, then tell him about the time he sedated you and then set both your arms and legs in plaster and hung you from the ceiling in traction ropes. (starts laughing) And... and how when you came to, you thought... you thought you had four broken limbs. Then Pierce came in, you see, and cut him down. Frank, I tell you, I will never forget the terror in your eyes. That look just before you hit the bed! Do you remember that one, Frank?Frank: (distastefully) I don't think I'll ever forget it, sir.
- Obfuscating Insanity: No, it's not Klinger. It's Hawkeye, and he does it a little too well. It's also left ambiguous whether his initially losing it with Henry was acting or genuine.
- Sanity Slippage: Hawkeye's answer to the assumption that he's actually losing it is essentially why wouldn't he.
- Stood Up: Parodied.Captain Shermann: I waited for you in the bar until 4 a.m. You never came.Margaret: I said I wouldn't.Captain Shermann: You didn't lie.
- Terms of Endangerment: Margaret uses Hawkeye's nickname for the first time in the series, and it's while trying to get him sent to the funny farm.
- Title Drop: Towards the end of the episode.Trapper: I'll pack you some bananas.Hawkeye: And I'll get you some crackers and nuts.
- Weird Aside: After Henry has returned from his R&R trip:Henry: Anything new develop while I was gone, Radar?Radar: Oh, nothing much, sir.Henry: Good.Radar: Just, all of a sudden Captain Pierce went bananas and they had to call in a psychiatrist.
