Hawkeye’s first love interest on MASH was dropped unceremoniously but still appeared in all 256 episodes. Based on the novel and movie of the same name, MASH began as a sitcom that just happened to take place in a warzone. Cut to 11 years later, and it ended as one of the most groundbreaking shows of all time. Throughout MASH’s 11 seasons, it evolved from a comedy with an anti-war message to a heartbreaking dramedy. While it never dropped the humor, from around season 4 onwards. it began to focus on more serious topics and themes.

Given the nature of the show, there was little in the way of romance either. MASH once teased a Hawkeye and Margaret romance, but realistically, that was never going to happen. The show was progressive and forward-thinking in many ways, but given that MASH was produced in the early ’70s and took place during the 1950s, there are inevitably elements that have aged poorly. Its stereotypical depiction of Korean characters (especially in the early seasons) is one element that grates about the series now.

Hawkeye’s First Love Interest Was Dropped Because MASH Had Too Many Characters

Say hello (and goodbye) to Lieutenant “Dish” Schneider

Hawkeye and most of the men stationed at the 4077th blow off steam by drinking, pulling pranks or trying to seduce the nurses. Hawkeye might be deeply wounded by the war and having to save lives under hellish conditions, but he and buddy Trapper (Wayne Rogers) weren’t above treating women as objects. A case in point would be the character of Lieutenant “Dish” Schneider (Karen Philipp), who served as Hawkeye’s first love interest before abruptly disappearing after only two episodes.

Dish plays a supporting role in the pilot, then reappears in episode 11 “Germ Warfare” and then… she’s gone. This is a pity since Phillip is charming in the role and had good chemistry with Alan Alda. This would become the way with many nurse characters on MASH, where episodes would introduce new, attractive nurses who would then vanish into thin air. Dish is never mentioned again after her second and final appearance either, and showrunner Larry Gelbart later explained to fans (via Google Groups) that Dish was dropped because the show had too many regulars.

He wasn’t wrong in this regard, with the show’s cast of characters being a large one. Of course, many actors exited MASH in the years that followed, but the show only had one female main cast member in Margaret (Loretta Swit). It wouldn’t have been a terrible idea for the show to have some recurring female characters of note in the early seasons either, and it feels like Dish was dropped too quickly.

Dish Technically Appears In EVERY Episode Of MASH

Keep a close eye on MASH’s opening sequence

Phillip’s Dish may not have lasted long, but the nurse still managed to sneak into every episode. MASH’s opening credit sequence stayed largely the same for its 11-year run, though as main players like Gary Burghoff (Radar) left, it was occasionally re-edited to remove actor close-ups. For eagle-eyed viewers, Dish can be seen among the 4077th in MASH’s opening when the unit is rushing to meet incoming wounded from a helicopter.

This opening also features actor George Morgan, who played Father Mulcahy in the pilot before the part was recast with William Christopher for the remainder of the series This means both Phillip and Morgan technically appear in every episode of MASH, despite having extremely brief runs as part of the actual cast.

Dish’s Disappearance Highlighted MASH’s Issue With Female Characters

Dish’s treatment was part of a wider problem with MASH

Some might explain away MASH’s issues with female characters as an unfortunate side effect of its era, but for a show that was so forward-thinking, it’s disappointing. In the first few seasons, Swit’s Margaret was the only female character with real interiority, but the actress still had to fight in later seasons to develop her further. This included dropping the “Hot Lips” nickname and the character dumping the weaselly Frank Burns (Larry Linville). Over time, Margaret became a fully fleshed-out human being – but only after Swit herself pushed for change.

Gelbart dropping Dish so casually speaks to how disposable the nurse characters were seen when MASH launched. They were so interchangeable that “Lieutenant Baker” and “Nurse Able” were placeholder names given to many different actresses. In the sitcom’s defense, its treatment of female characters gradually improved, with Jan Jorden becoming the official Lt. Baker from season 6 onwards. Lieutenant Kellye (Kellye Nakahara) also grew from background player to a beloved supporting character, and got her very own episode with season 11’s “Hey, Look Me Over.”

Hawkeye was always designed to be a drunken cad, so it’s not a huge surprise Dish didn’t prove to be a lasting romance. Even so, with figures like Gelbart and Alda guiding the tone in the earliest seasons, MASH’s treatment of its female characters could definitely have been improved upon.

Source: Google Groups