M*A*S*H Episode Change of Command Col. Potter (Harry Morgan, left) catches Radar, who was sunbathing, by surprise when he pulls up in his jeep, greeting him with "On your feet, soldier, I'm Colonel Potter!", in one of the funniest moments of the series. Season 4, Episode # 3

Number (#75) in series (256 episodes) Guest star(s): William Christopher Network: CBS-TV Production code: G-501 Writer(s): Everett Greenbaum, Jim Fritzell & Larry Gelbart Director(s): Gene Reynolds Original airdate: September 19, 1975 IMDb: Change of Command Episode Chronology

In Broadcast Order Previous Next "Welcome to Korea" (G‑504)

(Season 4 premiere) "It Happened One Night" (G‑502) In Production Order Previous Next "Abyssinia, Henry" (B‑324)

(Season 3 finale) "It Happened One Night" (G‑502) Season 4 episodes

List of M*A*S*H episodes "Change of Command" was the 75th episode of the M*A*S*H television series, and, also the third episode of the fourth season of the series. Written by Jim Fritzell and Everett Greenbaum, and directed by Gene Reynolds, it first aired on September 19, 1975, with a repeat on March 9, 1976.

Hawkeye and B.J. are overjoyed when they hear that the Frank is out as commander of the 4077th, but their euphoria turns to worry when they find out their new boss, a Colonel, is regular army.

Full episode summary [ edit | edit source ]

Frank is reveling in his new role as commander of the 4077th and is set on making the unit more strictly military as opposed to Blake's lax command. He has already posted a myriad of new regulations and is ready to post yet another one when he calls for Radar, but Radar has left to distribute the mail.

In the Swamp, Hawkeye and B.J. build a bar where Frank's bunk used to be; after Hawkeye mentions that Henry would have loved it and that he misses him, B.J. suggests they call it the "Henry Blake Memorial Bar," to which Hawkeye agrees.

Radar is their first customer, but he has a different kind of order: the 4077th is getting a new commander. Hawkeye and B.J. are happy to hear that Frank is out, but they become troubled when they find out that the new CO is a career army man and military doctor whom Hawkeye assumes "will have people bleeding by the numbers," and must be a loser to be dumped at a MASH. When they ask Radar how well Frank took the news, Radar reveals he has not yet told him because he is afraid that Frank will punch him, so Hawkeye and B.J. accompany Radar to deliver the news to Frank, who is in the Mess Tent. To everyone's surprise, Frank takes the news in stride and goes to prepare for the new commander. He and Margaret go to her tent, but once they are inside, he throws a childish tantrum. He later moves his belongings back into the Swamp, including his “personal papers” during his brief tenure in command.

The new commander, Colonel Sherman Potter, arrives in camp, finding Radar sunning himself outside the office. Potter turns out to be completely different from Henry – he seemingly has no sense of humor and is all business. Radar is immediately skittish around him, and the sudden appearance of Klinger in full drag doesn't help. Klinger barges in and introduces himself to the new Colonel by listing all his crazy tendencies, but Potter is not fooled. Telling of other attempts he saw in his past, he orders Klinger "out of that frou-frou" and permanently into uniform.

Potter then calls a meeting of his officers, and everyone reports except for Frank. Potter reviews Father Mulcahy and Margaret first and compliments their spotless records, but Hawkeye and B.J. both have sketchy records which Potter is not pleased by. He then announces that for the next 18 months, everyone is to be on their best behavior and dismisses them. Outside the office, Margaret reveals to Hawkeye and B.J. that Frank was so upset over being ousted as commander that he ran off to sulk.

Later in the Swamp, Hawkeye and B.J. are hoping Potter does not take away their still when Klinger enters complaining of a rash from his uniform touching his skin. The doctors quickly deduce the rash is psychosomatic, and to Klinger's relief, Hawkeye tells Klinger to wear a slip under his uniform.

Wounded arrive, and as the captains scrub, Radar fills them in on Potter's background: most of his latest duties have been in administration, and it has been two years since he last performed surgery. Hawkeye has Margaret keep an eye on the Colonel, but she is more concerned about Frank, who is still missing. Hawkeye and B.J. remind her of her own words, that he's off sulking and will come back when he gets hungry and tired.

After a routine operation, Potter soon proves his worth when he helps B.J. through a tricky operation. Afterwards, when B.J. compliments his work, Potter points out that B.J. did the rough part, and is pleased to know that even after two years behind a desk, he hasn't lost his surgical touch. B.J. mentions the time is 0330, and Potter mentions that he could use a stiff drink. Hearing this, Hawkeye and B.J. seize on the opportunity...

Meanwhile, Frank finally returns from his sulking. He sneaks to Margaret's tent, and though filthy and soaking wet, she welcomes him in. He complains about the darkness, how hungry he was, and how he was attacked by a dog who bit his duffel bag. Then, after getting Margaret's hopes up with sentimental talk (she thinks he's going to propose), he asks if she has any cookies.

Later in the Swamp, Hawkeye, B.J., and Potter bond while knocking down some martinis and singing the old WWI song There's A Long, Long Trail A-Winding. Potter is impressed with the still and offers advice on how to get a better yield, and then tells about a still he built in Guam during WWII; one night the still exploded, and Potter was awarded a Purple Heart. Hawkeye and B.J. both laugh at the story, but Potter begs them to keep it to themselves. Hawkeye then initiates a discussion with Potter about Klinger.

The next day, Hawkeye and B.J., both wearing civilian shirts, are with Colonel Potter in his office as he shows them some pictures of horses he once owned. Radar announces Frank to the Colonel, who takes notice of the nasty bruise above Frank's left eye. After saying that "pain is no stranger to me", Frank then states that Potter can count on him as second-in-command to maintain the camp's military discipline and efficiency, which he takes credit for. Then, Klinger enters Potter's office with his bridle. When Potter compliments Klinger on his outfit (a white dress and matching hat from the Shirley Temple collection), a pleasantly surprised Klinger thanks him and leaves, leaving Frank quietly dumbfounded as Hawkeye and B.J. start chortling.

Research notes/Fun facts [ edit | edit source ]

Colonel Sherman Potter takes over command of the 4077th in this episode. His middle initial "T" is not yet established.

In the previous episode, the announcer gave the date of Potter's arrival as September 19, 1952. This episode was shown September 19, 1975.

In the scene where a shirtless Radar greets Col. Potter for the first time, note Radar hiding his left hand in his armpit. This is one of many instances in the series where Gary Burghoff took great pains to conceal his partially deformed left hand.

In the mess tent, Frank calls Igor "Sergeant," but in all other episodes he is a private. Jeff Maxwell, playing Igor, has several lines but is uncredited.

During Potter's conversation with Klinger, he mentions having seen every dodge in the book, including a man who said he was a mare and carried a young colt in his arms for weeks, and a man that insisted he was a daisy and who asked to be watered every day.

When Potter meets Hawkeye and B.J., he recites their misdemeanors: setting fire to the officers' latrine [accident]; Hawkeye's theft of a steam shovel in Tokyo; and Hawkeye having a chopper pilot fly in a chicken as a "patient." [This listing of the last incident is usually cut out of syndicated airings.]

Potter implies that he has 18 months to go in his service before he retires. If this episode takes place in September 1952, this means he would be scheduled to retire in February 1954.

Potter's age and backstory is retconned frequently throughout the series. Here, he claims to have been 15 when he joined the army to participate in WWI in (presumably) 1917; this would place his birth year circa 1902, and make him about 50 years old in 1952. Later episodes have have born much earlier.

Potter claims he received a Purple Heart when he was wounded when his still blew up in Guam in World War II. In a continuity error in a later episode, he claims he was in the Battle of the Bulge, which took place in Europe during 1944. These were two different theaters of war, half a world apart, in a time where arranging transportation between the two would have been extremely challenging, if not next to impossible -- the likelihood of anyone being at both locations during the same war is far beyond remote.

Potter also claims he received the Good Conduct medal while an enlisted man, noting that the medal is only available to enlisted men, and neither Generals Douglas MacArthur or Owen Bradley have one. While it's true that the medal is only available to enlisted men, the U.S. Army Good Conduct medal was only established in 1941 -- long after Potter became an officer.

available to enlisted men, and neither Generals Douglas MacArthur or Owen Bradley have one. While it's true that the medal is only available to enlisted men, the U.S. Army Good Conduct medal was only established in 1941 -- long after Potter became an officer. The scene where Frank finally returns to camp from sulking, and asks Margaret if she has any cookies, is often omitted from syndicated airings of the episode;

The length of time Frank Burns was in command after Henry Blake's death is not made clear in this episode. In the later episode " The Bus ," B.J. remarks that Frank was in command for a week, but while Frank's command tenure was unquestionably brief, B.J. was almost certainly speaking figuratively rather than literally.

B.J. remarks that Frank was in command for a week, but while Frank's command tenure was unquestionably brief, B.J. was almost certainly speaking figuratively rather than literally. Oddly, Frank Burns is never even questioned by Potter, let alone reprimanded, about his absence from the officers' meeting, or about his missing the extended session in the O.R. (at least, not in front of the other officers).