Potter sardonically refers to Hawkeye, who had a black eye from BJ striking him, as "the great John L." This is likely a reference to John L. Sullivan, the first heavyweight champion of gloved boxing.
The final cast and characters for the remainder of the series are in place as of this episode. At this point Hawkeye (Alan Alda),Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit),Klinger (Jamie Farr),and Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) were the only original characters that were still in the show and would all remain until the end. Alan Alda and Loretta Swit were the only two cast members who were in the show from the very pilot episode as their respective characters. Alan was the only one of the entire cast to have appeared in every single episode at this point and would be the only one to appear in every single episode by series' end, including the series finale.
In the pilot, Father Mulcahy was played by George Morgan. From episode 3 through the end of the series, the character was played by William Christopher.
In the pilot, Father Mulcahy was played by George Morgan. From episode 3 through the end of the series, the character was played by William Christopher.
At one point a drunken B.J. greets his friend with the line, "Well, if it isn't Benjamin Franklin Pierce Hawkeye, named for a president, an Indian, and a stove." He's referring to Franklin Pierce (1804-1869), the 14th president of the United States; the Benjamin Franklin line of wood-burning stoves; and although 'Hawkeye' was a character in The Last of the Mohicans, he was not an Indian.
This episode seems to reflect several cast/crew opinions of Gary Burghoff, who had recently left the show. He was said to be very difficult to work with and somewhat temperamental on set; the actor had even taken an extended leave in Season 6 due to "classic burnout," which was rumored to have more to do with his poor working relationship with the majority of the cast and crew. In this episode, BJ and Klinger, whose lives are both negatively impacted by Radar's discharge, lament the frequent references to Radar and his legacy, and even drunkenly throw darts at a cartoon likeness of him.
Klinger, BJ, and Hawkeye have to scrounge and trade for all the parts to build the still when oddly enough they could have requisitioned all the parts needed through regular channels. The hospital has its own pharmacy, and all pharmacies have a need for distilled water. The equipment is the same; the only difference is what is being distilled, water or fermented mash.