... and it could be because I was living in Dallas at the time and the local networks often preempted shows and episodes that the station manager had moral objections to. For example, as late as 1993, Dallas' ABC affiliate would not broadcast "NYPD Blue" because of its sexual content! Or it could be that my Southern Baptist parents pretended that the TV was on the fritz that night. But enough about me.
This episode talks about the problems of a gay man serving in the military at the time of the Korean War when this was still considered moral turpitude and got you evicted from the military, and not honorably. Frank gets wind of the existence of the gay soldier, the titular "George", and demands that Lt. Col. Henry Blake sign the papers that get him kicked out. Henry refuses and so Frank says he will write Washington. Meanwhile Hawkeye and Trapper John try to comically short circuit Frank's plans.
The interesting thing here, as usual, is the moral outrage that motivates Frank. One of the things that the show did to out Frank as a hypocrite was that he was cheating on his wife with Major Hoolihan in a long running affair. However, Trapper John and Henry were ALSO cheating on their wives. I guess the difference is that they were open about it? Maybe it was a hold over from hippie culture, because when Trapper John and Henry Blake were written out of the show, their new counterparts were true blue to their wives.
It was really surprising to see something taken up in primetime TV that would still cause a furor 20 years later when Bill Clinton at first wanted to allow gay men and women to serve openly in the military, and had to settle for "Don't Ask Don't Tell". It is just a culturally fascinating episode. I recommend it.
This episode talks about the problems of a gay man serving in the military at the time of the Korean War when this was still considered moral turpitude and got you evicted from the military, and not honorably. Frank gets wind of the existence of the gay soldier, the titular "George", and demands that Lt. Col. Henry Blake sign the papers that get him kicked out. Henry refuses and so Frank says he will write Washington. Meanwhile Hawkeye and Trapper John try to comically short circuit Frank's plans.
The interesting thing here, as usual, is the moral outrage that motivates Frank. One of the things that the show did to out Frank as a hypocrite was that he was cheating on his wife with Major Hoolihan in a long running affair. However, Trapper John and Henry were ALSO cheating on their wives. I guess the difference is that they were open about it? Maybe it was a hold over from hippie culture, because when Trapper John and Henry Blake were written out of the show, their new counterparts were true blue to their wives.
It was really surprising to see something taken up in primetime TV that would still cause a furor 20 years later when Bill Clinton at first wanted to allow gay men and women to serve openly in the military, and had to settle for "Don't Ask Don't Tell". It is just a culturally fascinating episode. I recommend it.
