M*A*S*H went out on a high back in 1983, but the hit comedy series is bringing the team back together for one final hurrah in the New Year.
The legacy of M*A*S*H is huge, and there’s no doubting its place in the pantheon of the best comedy series of all time. Incredibly, the finale of the show remains the highest rated broadcast in the history of television, which tells you all you need to know about the cultural impact of the series.
Now, fans of the show will get another chance to revel in the glory days, as TV Line report the cast are getting back together for a reunion. The two hour special will air on January 1 2024, with stars Alan Alda, Gary Burghoff, Jamie Farr, Mike Farrell, and Loretta Swit discussing their time on the show. Executive producers Gene Reynolds and Burt Metcalfe will also feature.
The special is billed as a “definitive” retrospective, celebrating one of the best TV series of all time and offering fans “never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, photos and stories.” Sadly, not everyone who made the show so special is still with us, but those who have passed in the years since will be “remembered through a vibrant collection of clips from the series as well as in rarely-seen archival interviews.”
On the concept of this anniversary special, Fox’s Dan Harrison said: “M*A*S*H is among the most iconic sitcoms in the annals of television history. It’s a timeless show that comedically captures the 4077th medical corps and how they managed to maintain their sanity while saving lives on the front lines of the Korean War… Fox is proud to celebrate the landmark achievements of one of the best comedies ever created.”
Running from 1972 to 1983, M*A*S*H actually stemmed from one of the best comedy movies ever made, too. Clearly, audiences loved the film so much that a whole show was needed to continue the fun, and the fact that it still holds such reverence 40 years on from its finale is testament to just how charming M*A*S*H was.
Still, while the show set the bar for what can be achieved by an ensemble cast in a comedy series, it’s worth remembering that this show had its more emotionally affecting moments, too—like Winchester’s case of survivor’s guilt, or Margaret’s painful divorce, for example.
For more on the show, here’s a story on how one M*A*S*H star kept the perfect souvenirs. If you’re into this, you’d probably like to check out our list of the best war movies, too. Alternatively, you could look forward rather than living in the past, and think about new movies, like Deadpool 3.