M*A*S*H (MASH)-Season 9 (1980)

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General		Extras
Category	Comedy	None
Rating
Year Of Production	1980
Running Time	500
RSDL / Flipper	Dual Layered Multi Disc Set (3)	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Ads Then Menu
Region Coding	2,4	Directed By	Alan Alda Hy Averback Gabrielle Beaumont Terry Becker
Studio Distributor	Twentieth Century Fox	Starring	Alan Alda Wayne Rogers McLean Stevenson Loretta Swit Larry Linville Gary Burghoff Mike Farrell Harry Morgan Jamie Farr David Ogden Stiers William Christopher Odessa Cleveland Johnny Haymer
Case	?
RPI	$42.95	Music	Benny Golson Earle H. Hagen John R. Harris

    The appeal of MASH for many is its juxtaposition of hijinx and comedy with serious and often touching moments. Hawkeye (Alan Alda) and BJ (Mike Farrell) are usually the centre of attention in both kinds of episodes and more often than not Major Winchester (David Ogden Stiers) plays their foil. Season Nine, though, belongs to Winchester who stands out in several particularly strong episodes. Still pining for the cultural leisure of Tokyo in No Laughing Matter, Winchester has a chance for revenge when Col. Baldwin - the man who sent him to the 4077th to avoid a cribbage debt - arrives in the unit on a fact finding mission. He grovels, deliberately loses cribbage, and undertakes all manner of shady plans to gain passage to Tokyo but in the end stands on principle and protects a friend, losing his chance of escape in the process. Death Takes a Holiday reveals Winchester's caring and charitable side as he tries to make Christmas a little better for others. The final episode of the season is the real stand out, though. The Life You Save finds Charles dealing with mortality and the uncertainties of death after a sniper's bullet passes through his cap while he tries to revive a patient. Beneath his veneer of pomposity and snobbery, Winchester is just as human as the rest of the MASH family, and Stiers' fine work in Season Nine was justly nominated for several Emmy Awards. It's a shame Larry Linville was rarely given similar opportunities to develop his character Frank.

    The entire cast is in fine form and the comic timing is as enjoyable always (even when refusing to make a joke for twenty-four hours, Hawkeye can't help but be funny). Most of the episodes are excellent and I personally found this season the best of those I have reviewed. For fans of MASH this one's a no brainer, but I would recommend this release for even the most casual of MASH viewers.

Video

    The video transfer for MASH Season 9 is quite good and just slightly better than the previous season. The series is presented in its original full frame aspect ratio of 1.33:1.

    Sharpness is very good. Season Eight's sharpness was variable, but Season Nine is far more consistent. Some scenes do appear a little soft. Shadow detail is also good and blacks are acceptable. Several scenes are a little washed out but not nearly as often as in the season before.

    MPEG artefacts are controlled throughout except for a little pixelization. Edge enhancement is visible at times. Fly screens on the 4077 tents show moire effect. As some scene transitions fade in from black, a series of vertical lines cross the entire screen momentarily. A smattering of film artefacts are also present, especially in the opening titles. Season 9 is very clean though.

    Subtitles are quite accurate, dropping a few words here and there. They are in a white font and well placed. Sometimes they shift to the top of the screen obscuring faces and heads.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    The audio transfer is satisfactory. Two Dolby Digital English 2.0 mono tracks are included, one with and one without the laughter track (default). The usual French track has been dropped for this release.

    Dialogue is clear and audible. It is, though, undynamic and has some echo. Audio sync is accurate. The monaural audio is flat and tinny but faithful to the original source. There is naturally no surround or subwoofer activity.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

    No extras are included.

    Apart from NTSC-PAL differences, Region 1 and Region 4 releases are identical.

    Season Nine of MASH ranks as one of the better season of the series giving some fine moments to Major Winchester.

    Audio and video are good and just a shade improved over Season Eight.

    Extras are once again AWOL.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall