The Final Episode Of The MASH Franchise Never Aired In The U.S. (& Was Lost For 30 Years)

The MASH franchise ended on an abrupt note, and not only did its final episode never air in America, but it was near impossible to watch for decades. It feels odd labeling MASH as a franchise, but the descriptor fits. There is the 1970 Robert Altman movie, which was a good deal darker and more cynical than the eventual TV series. CBS’ MASH has left a large cultural footprint, from its memorable cast of characters to its then-unique blending of comedy and drama.

MASH ran for 11 seasons in total, with its finale being the most-watched scripted television episode ever. MASH also spawned several spinoffs though the first offshoot, Trapper John, M.D., later completely separated itself from the show for legal reasons. There was also the now-infamous sequel series AfterMASH, which arrived six months after the end of the original series in 1983. This reunited Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan), Father Mulcahy (William Christopher) and Jamie Farr’s Klinger in a veteran’s hospital following the end of the Korean War.

AfterMASH’s “Wet Feet” Is The Final Episode Of The MASH Franchise

The A-Team destroyed AfterMASH during the second season

AfterMASH is regarded as one of the worst spinoffs ever produced, and while that’s largely hyperbole, it’s true the show never really clicked. If the series had dialed back on the gags and became more of a straight medical drama, it might have stood a chance; the absence of characters like Hawkeye (Alan Alda) or Loretta Swit’s Margaret didn’t help either. The sequel did quite well during its first series, but AfterMASH was destroyed in the ratings by The A-Team during its second season, and the network swiftly canceled it.

The final episode was “Saturday’s Heroes” in May 1985. However, AfterMASH’s final episode is “Wet Feet,” where the staff is trapped inside the hospital due to torrential rain. “Wet Feet” was by no means intended as a series finale though, and is just a standard episode. Even so, it is, by default, the final episode of the MASH franchise, which makes it a unique object.

Why “Wet Feet” Never Aired In The U.S.

AfterMASH’s final episode became almost impossible to view

Few mourned the loss of AfterMASH once CBS pulled the plug, especially as its already shaky quality went down further during season 2. “Saturday’s Heroes” itself went unaired for months and was originally scheduled to air alongside “Wet Feet” in 1985. This would have seen the network burn off their final two produced episodes, but for whatever reason, they pulled “Wet Feet.” Instead of running AfterMASH’s “Wet Feet,” CBS aired a news special dubbed Tax Reform: Other Views in the episode’s intended slot (via MASH4077TH).

CBS made no further attempts to air “Wet Feet,” so “Saturday’s Heroes” brought the MASH saga to a sudden close. The network clearly realized there was no point trying to extend the property following the end of the original series, and no further revivals or reboots have been attempted; not yet, anyway. AfterMASH’s “Wet Feet” did air in other parts of the world, like Australia, but in time, it seemingly vanished into the void.

AfterMASH’s “Wet Feet” Was Finally Made Available Online 30 Years Later

AfterMASH’s elusive final episode was unearthed online in 2016

It speaks to how badly regarded AfterMASH is that it never received any home release, nor is it available on any streaming service. Episodes are available to view on platforms such as YouTube, but “Wet Feet” remained elusive for decades. That is until YouTube channel Cecile Kravitz uploaded “Wet Feet” in 2016, finally allowing fans to watch the episode that went unseen in the U.S. That video has since been taken down for copyright reasons, but “Wet Feet” can now be located on the Internet Archive.

The version of AfterMASH’s “Wet Feet” available online is poor quality, though the episode is still one of the better efforts from the second season. Considering it is the accidental finale of the MASH saga, aficionados need to give “Wet Feet” a look. The spinoff never found its footing in terms of tone, but character-focused outings like “Wet Feet” prove it had potential.

If CBS hadn’t made the disastrous call to put it against The A-Team, maybe the spinoff could have smoothed out the rough edges in time. There were reports that MASH favorites like Alan Alda could make guest appearances on the series, which sadly didn’t come to pass. AfterMASH has become the poster child for unloved spinoffs, but in reality, it isn’t the unwatchable disaster so many have dubbed it.