By Terry Terrones Published Oct 24, 2026, 4:00 AM EDT What to Watch The beloved series is now streaming on Hulu
CBS Add Polygon.com on Google Add as Preferred Source Follow on Google Discover Sign in to your Polygon.com account Summary Generate a summary of this story Like Like follow Follow followed Followed Thread Log in Here is a fact-based summary of the story contents: Try something different: Show me the facts Explain it like I’m 5 Give me a lighthearted recap When Robert Altman's MAS*H arrived in theaters in 1970, its irreverent approach to the Korean War was unlike anything audiences had seen before. The film followed army surgeons who used practical jokes, alcohol, and a disregard for military authority to maintain their sanity while treating the wounded. Two years later, CBS adapted the film into a television series that retained its anarchic spirit but accomplished something the movie couldn't: It gave audiences time to get to know these characters.
Over 11 seasons, MAS*H evolved from a sitcom about wisecracking doctors into a thoughtful examination of humanity. The doctors and nurses of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital are exhausted, frightened, and overwhelmed by circumstances beyond their control. They're also funny, largely because humor is one of the few weapons they have against the horrors surrounding them.
I grew up watching MAS*H with my parents, and while the jokes made me laugh, what stayed with me was how much I cared about the people telling them. Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda), Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan (Loretta Swit), Radar O'Reilly (Gary Burghoff) and the rest of the ensemble feel more like people you know, making their triumphs more satisfying and their heartbreaks more devastating.
More than half a century after its premiere, MAS*H , available to stream on Hulu, remains remarkable because it understood how closely laughter and heartbreak are connected.
CBS The earliest MAS*H episodes lean heavily into the broad comedy of Altman's film, with Hawkeye and Trapper John (Wayne Rogers) drinking, chasing nurses, and tormenting the perpetually outraged Frank Burns (Larry Linville). The Korean War provides the setting, but comedy takes center stage.
As the series progresses, the characters become more complicated. Hawkeye's contempt for the war becomes increasingly personal, while Margaret evolves beyond her initial characterization as a rigid, by-the-book head nurse. Even Maxwell Klinger (Jamie Farr), initially known for his outrageous attempts to get discharged, becomes a capable and compassionate member of the unit.
Remarkably, cast changes that might have derailed another series make MAS*H stronger. B.J. Hunnicutt (Mike Farrell) replaces Trapper John, Colonel Sherman Potter (Harry Morgan) takes over from Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson), and Charles Emerson Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers) replaces Frank Burns. Each brings something different, allowing the show to evolve without losing its identity.
The storytelling becomes more ambitious, too. "Point of View" (season 7, episode 11) unfolds through the eyes of a wounded soldier, while "Life Time" (season 8, episode 11) uses an on-screen clock to emphasize the urgency of a medical emergency. "Dreams" (season 8, episode 22) explores the psychological toll of war through surreal nightmares. For a series that begins as a conventional half-hour comedy, it's an extraordinary evolution.
CBS For Hawkeye Pierce, a joke is rarely just a joke. I…