Ep 2. To Market, to Market

To Market, to Market is the second episode of the first season of the popular medical comedy-drama series, M*A*S*H. The episode follows the daily routines of the staff at the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, stationed in the Korean War zone.

The episode opens with Captain Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) and his friend Trapper John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers) visiting the nearby Kimpo market in search of a rare ingredient that would help them make homemade gin. The pair is seen bargaining with a Korean local for the ingredient, while also interacting with other vendors in the market. In the meantime, Major Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit) is seen organizing the nurses, Lieutenant Frank Burns (Larry Linville) is flirting with her in vain, and Father Francis Mulcahy (William Christopher) is taking photographs.

The focus of the episode then shifts to the medical procedures performed at the hospital. The staff treats several patients, including a North Korean prisoner of war, a mother and her infant, and a soldier who needs his appendix removed. Hawkeye and Trapper John are seen performing the procedure, while also managing to sneak some of their homemade gin into the recovery room. Meanwhile, the hospital's commander, Colonel Henry Blake (McLean Stevenson), is concerned about the hospital's lack of proper supplies, including bedding for the patients.

Throughout the episode, there are several comedic moments, which range from the sarcastic humor of Hawkeye and Trapper John to the awkward advances of Lieutenant Burns towards Major Houlihan. An ongoing joke involves a clock in the staff's quarters that is 10 minutes fast, leading to several situations where the staff misses morning formation.

Towards the end of the episode, another Korean local brings a pig into the hospital's compound, and Hawkeye and Trapper John immediately see the opportunity to barter with the pig for supplies. They eventually agree to a trade with the mess tent for several cases of scotch, leading to a hilarious scene where the staff becomes intoxicated and the pig is seen wandering around the compound.

The episode ends with the North Korean prisoner of war being sent back to his own forces, and the staff all in good spirits despite the lack of proper supplies. The episode's title, "To Market, to Market," references both the trip to the nearby Kimpo market and the bartering for supplies with the pig.

Overall, To Market, to Market showcases the comedic and dramatic tones that M*A*S*H is famous for. The episode's mixture of medical procedures, wartime tensions, and comedic relief provides a glimpse into the daily routines of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, and sets the tone for the rest of the series.