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M*A*S*H
S5.E5
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The Nurses

  • Episode aired Oct 19, 1976
  • TV-PGTV-PG
  • 25m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
512
YOUR RATING
Mary Jo Catlett, Linda Kelsey, Carol Locatell, and Pat Sturges in M*A*S*H (1972)
ComedyDramaWar
The nurses go behind Margaret's back so that a fellow nurse confined to her tent can spend the night with her soldier husband who is paying her a surprise visit.The nurses go behind Margaret's back so that a fellow nurse confined to her tent can spend the night with her soldier husband who is paying her a surprise visit.The nurses go behind Margaret's back so that a fellow nurse confined to her tent can spend the night with her soldier husband who is paying her a surprise visit.
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
512
YOUR RATING
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Joan Darling
    • Writers
      • Linda Bloodworth-Thomason
      • Larry Gelbart(developed for television by)
      • Richard Hooker(based on a novel by)
    • Stars
      • Alan Alda
      • Mike Farrell
      • Harry Morgan
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Joan Darling
    • Writers
      • Linda Bloodworth-Thomason
      • Larry Gelbart(developed for television by)
      • Richard Hooker(based on a novel by)
    • Stars
      • Alan Alda
      • Mike Farrell
      • Harry Morgan
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • Photos6

    Alan Alda and Gary Burghoff in M*A*S*H (1972)
    Harry Morgan in M*A*S*H (1972)
    Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, and Mike Farrell in M*A*S*H (1972)
    Mary Jo Catlett, Linda Kelsey, Carol Locatell, Pat Sturges, and Loretta Swit in M*A*S*H (1972)
    Loretta Swit in M*A*S*H (1972)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Alan Alda
    Alan Alda
    • Capt. Benjamin Franklin 'Hawkeye' Pierce
    Mike Farrell
    Mike Farrell
    • Capt. B.J. Hunnicutt
    Harry Morgan
    Harry Morgan
    • Col. Sherman T. Potter
    Loretta Swit
    Loretta Swit
    • Maj. Margaret 'Hot Lips' Houlihan
    Larry Linville
    Larry Linville
    • Maj. Frank Burns
    Gary Burghoff
    Gary Burghoff
    • Cpl. Walter 'Radar' O'Reilly
    Jamie Farr
    Jamie Farr
    • Cpl. Maxwell Q. Klinger
    William Christopher
    William Christopher
    • Father Francis Mulcahy
    Linda Kelsey
    Linda Kelsey
    • Lt. Mickey Baker
    Mary Jo Catlett
    Mary Jo Catlett
    • Nurse Walsh
    Carol Locatell
    Carol Locatell
    • Nurse Gaynor
    • (as Carol Lawson Locatell)
    Pat Sturges
    • Nurse Preston
    • (as Patricia Sturges)
    Gregory Harrison
    Gregory Harrison
    • Lt. Tony Baker
    Roy Goldman
    Roy Goldman
    • Roy
    • (uncredited)
    George Simmons
      Sal Viscuso
      Sal Viscuso
      • P.A. Announcer
      • (voice)
      • (uncredited)
      • Director
        • Joan Darling
      • Writers
        • Linda Bloodworth-Thomason
        • Larry Gelbart(developed for television by)
        • Richard Hooker(based on a novel by) (uncredited)
      • All cast & crew
      • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

      Storyline

      Edit

      Did you know

      Edit
      • Trivia
        One of Loretta Swit's favorites due to Maj Houlihan's interaction with her staff.
      • Goofs
        It makes no sense for B.J. and Hawkeye to quarantine Margaret's tent when there was a VIP tent that was almost always empty and could have easily worked for a rendezvous.
      • Quotes

        Margaret: [chastising the nurses, as she holds back tears] Did you ever show me any kind of friendship? Ask my help with a personal problem? Include me in one of your little bull sessions? Can you imagine what it feels like to walk by this tent and hear you laughing and know... I'm not welcome? Did you ever once ever offer me a lousy cup of coffee?

        Nurse: [Stunned at this show of emotion] We didn't think you'd accept.

        Margaret: Well, you were wrong.

      • Connections
        Featured in The 29th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1977)

      User reviews7

      Review
      Review
      Top review
      9/10
      Feels like a spin off pilot
      This is a terrific episode, but it's unusual in that it focuses on a group of nurses who we've never seen before. The fact that these characters are so strongly written, well defined and played by a good cast suggests to me that this episode might have been a spin off pilot for Margaret's character and the nurses. In addition, none of the usual nurses are seen. Based on the quality of the episode, a series based on these characters might have actually worked.

      The main plot concerns Margaret's relationship with her nurses in general. The B-story focuses on Hawk and BJ helping one of the nurses to spend the night with her new soldier husband. There's even a C-story about another nurse becoming emotionally burned out.

      The episode was written by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason, so it's not surprising it contains strong female characters. And even if it wasn't meant to be spin off pilot, it still works as a great episode from a great series.
      helpful•11
      2
      • mideleon
      • Aug 28, 2013

      Details

      Edit
      • Release date
        • October 19, 1976 (United States)
      • Country of origin
        • United States
      • Language
        • English
      • Filming locations
        • Stage 9, 20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA
      • Production company
        • 20th Century Fox Television
      • See more company credits at IMDbPro

      Technical specs

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      • Runtime
        25 minutes
      • Color
        • Color
      • Aspect ratio
        • 1.33 : 1
        • 4:3

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