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Show By MARCELLA WALKER Everyone I have talked to planned on watching the final episode of "MAS.H." Monday night. This conjured up a kind of vision for me. Does that mean that no one but the clerks were in the stores, in the mall, in the bars (unless they had a TV set to watch), on the freeways, or playing video games? Did anyone watch any of the other channels at all during that two and one-half hour period? I guess we will find out when the ratings come out but wouldn't you have hated to have been a clerk in a store or a worker on swingshift? The conclusion of "MA.S.H." has . been one of the most talked about ' events for the past two or three months. People have cared more about the details of this concluding show than they have about the state of the economy, lowering interest rates, the doings of Prince Andrew, or Burt Reynolds latest flame. It seems to be taking precedence over the trip of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip to the United States, the dropping off of California into the Pacific, or the weather. In fact it has created a bigger stir than Secretary of the Interior Watts, the Utah State Legislature, and nuclear bombs. Right here in little ole P.G. it has interested more people than has the Murdock Canal, city street chuckholes, or city . council meetings. What is it about "MAS.H." that has made us all into Hawkeye-B.J. addicts? Many people never miss one chance to see a rerun and will arrange their business around it. I have seen people sit in front of the TV watching the reruns and repeating the exact words along with the actors. They have them memorized. , I am one of those. It is not that Alan Alda is all that handsome, because he has a rather large nose and he is slump shouldered. But he is very beguiling, don't you think? And Harry Morgan's language is spicier than a Mexican tamale but very easy to understand. Mike Farrell, a doll if there ever was one, is even taller than Alda. They have had very tall men on "M.A.S.H." -MacClain Stevenson, Wayne Rogers, Alda and Farrell. They have had very short men, also, such as Radar O'Reilly. The naivete of Father Mulcahy, the daffy dressing of Jamie Farr, and the hot and cold running "Hot lips Hollihan" (Loretta Swit) all have contributed to the lovableness of the show. I read where they have done over 200 shows in the 11 years they have been on the air. That is a lot of stories to dream up. Everyone hates Frank Burns and even though he has no lips, as Hot Lips reminds him on many an occasion, he was needed to be the villain. Every good story needs a villain. Charles Emerson Winchester isn't as good a villain as Frank was. Thanks to the reruns we get a good dose of Frank every so often and then Charles becomes a bit of a relief for a while. The innocense of Radar is missed on the show. His embarrassment, his amazement, his hero worship of Hawkeye, his ability to see into the future, were such a fascinating, integral part of his character that he can never be replaced completely, as Stevenson and Rogers were. Jamie Farr is Clinger and will never be "Radar" even though he has become the company clerk. Next season there is talk of a show starring Harry Morgan, William Christopher and Jamie Farr which takes up when they are home after the war or conflict or police action or whatever it was we did in Korea. Thank goodness for reruns, however. I don't think I could get a good night's rest without seeing a "MAS.H." rerun just before bed. One of the Eyewitness News team on KSL the other night said he supposed "M.A.S.H." reruns would be going on forever right there on Channel Five. I, personally, was really glad to hear that. I |