M*A*S*H: The Light That Failed
Episode score
8.4
Great
The Light That Failed
- 126.
- Season: 6
- Episode: 6
- First Aired: 10/25/1977
- Prod Code: Y108
With supplies low, the 4077th gets a truckload of ice cream churns and salt tablets. But what it needs are light bulbs, and in the dimly lit post-op Charles makes an error for which he draws the ultimate wrath of his two surgeon bunkmates. Meanwhile, B.J. receives a mystery novel that everyone in camp reads in turn. The last page is missing and the solution to the mystery is undiscovered until B.J. calls the author by long distance. Add a recap »
- Writers:
- Burt Prelutsky
- Director:
- Charles S. Dubin
- Stars:
- Gary Burghoff (Corporal Walter Eugene "Radar" O'Reilly (Season 1-8))
- Loretta Swit (Major Margaret J. "Hot Lips" Houlihan)
- Mike Farrell (Captain BJ Hunnicut (Season 4-11))
- Alan Alda (Captain Benjamin Franklin "Hawkeye" Pierce)
- William Christopher (Father John Patrick Francis Mulcahy)
- David Ogden Stiers (Major Charles Emerson Winchester III (Season 6-11))
- Harry Morgan (Colonel Sherman T. Potter (Season 4-11))
- Jamie Farr (Corporal/Sergeant Maxwell Q. Klinger)
- Recurring Role:
- Enid Kent (Bigelow)
- Guest Star:
- Philip Baker Hall (Sergeant Hacker)
- Gary Erwin (Corporal Dobson)
- There is currently no trivia. Add trivia!
- This episode looks as if it were part of a plot to have Margaret and Charles start an affair. However, that storyline was soon abandoned. It can also be seen as another sign that Margaret's marriage isn't all its cracked up to be. edit »
- Radar does not appear in this episode. For the next season and a half, less and less will be seen of Cpl. Walter Eugene O'Reilly before his departure in Season 8. edit »
- Klinger: The supplies have arrived, Colonel.
Col. Potter: Glory be. (turns and looks at Klinger) I don't claim to know much about fashion, Klinger, but you look like the dog's dinner.
Klinger: You try and color co-ordinate in the dark. edit » - Hawkeye (to Charles): Now I know why you can't work in the dark. There's no limelight. edit »
- Hawkeye (about the supply shortage): The electric lightbulb is becoming a filament of my imagination. edit »
- Charles: I would operate in braille if my fingers weren't frozen.
Hawkeye (imitating his accent): Sorry Charles, we're all out of fur-lined rubber gloves. edit » - Hawkeye: Finally!
B.J.: I beg your pardon?
Hawkeye: It took you 6 minutes and three decks of cards to read that page.
B.J.: Two pages. One on this side. One on that side.
Hawkeye: That still comes out to 78 cards a page. Nobody reads that slowly.
B.J.: I'm not reading. I'm savouring.
Hawkeye: Savour faster. I'm desperate. I'd trade my soul for a laundry list.
B.J.: Go over to the mess tent. Read the alphabet soup.
Hawkeye: How would you like a club in the mouth?
B.J.: Relax! Relax, will you? I'll be finished with this, uh, Tuesday, latest.
Hawkeye: Tuesday?
.B.J.: Wednesday?
Hawkeye: Look, I'm sitting here reading your shoe size - and not believing it, I might add. I'll never make it 'til Tuesday.
(Charles enters)
Charles: Hunnicut, what page are you on?
B.J.: 21.
Charles: TWENTY ONE? At the rate you read, the murderer would have escaped to Venezuela by now.
edit »
- "The Light that Failed" is a short novel by Rudyard Kipling that deals with an ill-fated military expedition. edit »
- There are currently no reviews. Add a review!
Show Score
9.1
great
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