Potter and Winchester get the mumps and become roomies. This leads to all kinds of headaches for both of them. They begin to drive each other crazy. While they are out of service, a young surgeon named Steve takes over. He moves right in, displaying wonderful skills. As a matter of fact, he served in one of the bloodiest battles of the war. His efforts seem "effortless" as he more than holds his own. Potter and Winchester continue to torment one another. Charles wants to play his Caruso recordings while Potter can't stand them. Charles gargles in the morning while everyone else is sleeping. The key element is that something is amiss with the new surgeon. He leaves the OR and is nowhere to be found. This shows what happens when that little trip over the hill suddenly becomes a mountain.
6 Reviews
F*A*R*R*E*L*L
safenoe26 October 2020
Edward Herrmann (who looks 9 feet tall) guest stars in this episode directed by Mike Farrell. This is a very serious episode with the visiting surgeon (Herrmann) losing his mind in the middle of an operation. Dr Freedman is called in at the end, but he doesn't appear before the end credits.
The title "Heal Thyself" becomes reality for someone...
jmsfan7 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Colonel Potter and Major Winchester both come down with the mumps and are quarantined together in a tent, and both slowly drive each other bonkers. Potter quietly reads his Zane Grey western novels while Charles wants to listen to his Caruso records. Potter refuses to allow Charles his music because he needs his peace and quiet. The battle is on.
Meanwhile, with both Potter and Winchester out of commission, a temporary replacement surgeon, Capt. Steven Newsome (a superb Edward Hermann) arrives and soon settles in as an excellent surgeon. He also is a joker comparable to Hawkeye and B.J., who instantly like him. He relates to the fellows that he was in one of the worst battles in one of the worst areas of Korea. That comes into play later when Newsome suddenly disappears from surgery. When Hawkeye and B.J. find him, they see what his previous experiences have done to him.
Mike Farrell directs this episode with a skilled hand and expertly divides the line between comedy and pathos. The scene with Newsome in Potter's tent is M*A*S*H* at its most excellent and Hermann owns this scene. David Ogden Stiers and Loretta Swit, in the background with tears in their eyes, say more than a dozen words could. Top marks all around and one of the best episodes, ever.
Meanwhile, with both Potter and Winchester out of commission, a temporary replacement surgeon, Capt. Steven Newsome (a superb Edward Hermann) arrives and soon settles in as an excellent surgeon. He also is a joker comparable to Hawkeye and B.J., who instantly like him. He relates to the fellows that he was in one of the worst battles in one of the worst areas of Korea. That comes into play later when Newsome suddenly disappears from surgery. When Hawkeye and B.J. find him, they see what his previous experiences have done to him.
Mike Farrell directs this episode with a skilled hand and expertly divides the line between comedy and pathos. The scene with Newsome in Potter's tent is M*A*S*H* at its most excellent and Hermann owns this scene. David Ogden Stiers and Loretta Swit, in the background with tears in their eyes, say more than a dozen words could. Top marks all around and one of the best episodes, ever.
Incredible episode
kellielulu30 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Another excellent episode in season eight . One strongest seasons of the series. Many of the best later episodes you don't feel the absence of Radar and the characters are showing a depth that can only develop over time. Even the "newest " character Charles shows more range and depth at this point.
Charles and Potter get the mumps ( despite Winchester's earlier declaration that it couldn't happen to him!)Potter and Winchester are quarantined together of course and trade barbs and get on each other's nerves.
Klinger is determined he won't catch them and tries to sterilize the office. A temporary replacement surgeon Steve Newsom is brought in perfectly played by Edward Herrman. He is an ace surgeon with a sense of humor. Fitting right in with Hawkeye and BJ he seems like that often wished for extra surgeon. He's seen the worst at the Pusan Perimeter often operating under the worst circumstances and conditions. He's also from Johns Hopkins. He seems too good to be true. He's not he's that good but he's also more fragile than they know. We see flashes of it but he carries on at first. Soon though they are getting heavy casualties and Steve is overwhelmed. No one knows where he disappears to and after they finish in O. R. they start to look for him when Potter signals for them. He just wandered into Potter's tent and sank to the floor. It's too much for him he can't stop seeing the blood. It's time to bring in Sidney Freedman.
Hawkeye and BJ try to comfort Steve . Potter, Margaret and Charles have pained looks on their faces, tears in the eyes of Margaret and Charles ( not something that would happen with Frank) . It begs the question do we all have a breaking point or are some not as strong as they seem? Both are probably correct. Steve I thought was a little of both.
The last scene has Charles and Potter having worked out a peaceful arrangement. Klinger entered the tent . He has the mumps too!
The episode was directed by Mike Farrell who shows tremendous skill and sensitivity for dealing with a mental breakdown.
Charles and Potter get the mumps ( despite Winchester's earlier declaration that it couldn't happen to him!)Potter and Winchester are quarantined together of course and trade barbs and get on each other's nerves.
Klinger is determined he won't catch them and tries to sterilize the office. A temporary replacement surgeon Steve Newsom is brought in perfectly played by Edward Herrman. He is an ace surgeon with a sense of humor. Fitting right in with Hawkeye and BJ he seems like that often wished for extra surgeon. He's seen the worst at the Pusan Perimeter often operating under the worst circumstances and conditions. He's also from Johns Hopkins. He seems too good to be true. He's not he's that good but he's also more fragile than they know. We see flashes of it but he carries on at first. Soon though they are getting heavy casualties and Steve is overwhelmed. No one knows where he disappears to and after they finish in O. R. they start to look for him when Potter signals for them. He just wandered into Potter's tent and sank to the floor. It's too much for him he can't stop seeing the blood. It's time to bring in Sidney Freedman.
Hawkeye and BJ try to comfort Steve . Potter, Margaret and Charles have pained looks on their faces, tears in the eyes of Margaret and Charles ( not something that would happen with Frank) . It begs the question do we all have a breaking point or are some not as strong as they seem? Both are probably correct. Steve I thought was a little of both.
The last scene has Charles and Potter having worked out a peaceful arrangement. Klinger entered the tent . He has the mumps too!
The episode was directed by Mike Farrell who shows tremendous skill and sensitivity for dealing with a mental breakdown.
Response to Al Capone State
JayHysterio11 December 2021
Al Capone State
dpm-5523113 April 2021
At the 12:48 mark, Charles asks if Steve was educated at Al Capone State. Steve says "That is a good guess, I did my undergraduate work there" and continues to say he went to Johns Hopkins for medical school. What school was Charles and Steve talking about in Chicago? If the timeline is correct, it would have been in the mid to late 1940s.
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