MeTV commemorates the 50th anniversary of M*A*S*H with a weeklong run of cast member Jamie Farr’s favorite episodes, along with commentary from Farr. M*A*S*H: The Best by Farr airs September 12-16 from 7 to 8 p.m. on MeTV, with two episodes picked by Farr per night.
M*A*S*H debuted September 17, 1972. It is part of MeTV’s weeknight lineup, airing in the 7-8 p.m. slot Monday-Friday, and on Sunday nights.
“M*A*S*H has been a staple of the MeTV weeknight schedule since the network began, and it’s a show with lasting relevancy and audience appeal,” said Neal Sabin, vice chairman of MeTV parent Weigel Broadcasting Co. “We couldn’t be prouder to be the broadcast home for M*A*S*H and to celebrate its 50th anniversary with the help of our dear friend, Jamie Farr.”
Farr played Corporal Klinger, the character inspired by Lenny Bruce, according to MeTV. Klinger later made it up to sergeant.
“A veteran of television comedy and American armed services, Farr brought a level of depth and realism to a character that could have easily been one-dimensional in the hands of a lesser talent,” said MeTV, noting that Farr’s dog tags on the show were his own from his time in the army.
Adapted from a Robert Altman movie, and Richard Hooker novel, M*A*S*H was a dark comedy set in a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea during the Korean War. The show wrapped in 1983, the series finale the most-watched single television episode in history. The Best By Farr starts with the episode Chief Surgeon Who? ■