Ep 19. The Chosen People

The Chosen People episode from Season 2 of M*A*S*H follows the daily activities of the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital staffed by doctors, nurses, and support staff. The show takes place during the Korean War, and the hospital is situated near the front line. The show explores the relationships and difficulties faced by the staff of the hospital as they try to maintain some sense of normality and sanity amidst the chaos of war.

In this episode, The Chosen People, Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda) is feeling a bit homesick and mentions during a conversation with Trapper John McIntyre (Wayne Rogers) that he misses playing basketball. Trapper suggests that they should organize a game between the Americans and the Korean locals. Hawkeye agrees but is unaware of the cultural differences that might arise between the two groups.

Meanwhile, Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan) is struggling with managing the hospital's supply requests and trying to keep the staff motivated. Major Frank Burns (Larry Linville) is irritable as usual and causes more problems than he solves. The nurses, headed by Major Margaret Houlihan (Loretta Swit), are coping with the daily influx of wounded soldiers. Nurses Baker (Jan Jorden) and Cutler (Kellye Nakahara) are both angling to catch the attention of the surgeons, but Hawkeye and Trapper are more focused on organizing the basketball game.

The game between the Americans and the Koreans is arranged, and the hospital staff and patients gather to watch. Hawkeye and Trapper are excited, but the Koreans seem uninterested, and the game is more of a culture clash than the friendly match Hawkeye imagined. The Koreans play by different rules and seem to be far better players than the Americans. As the game heats up, so does the tension, and the crowd starts to take sides.

Before long, Hawkeye and Trapper begin to realize that the basketball game, which started out as a way to bring some fun and normalcy to the hospital, is becoming a potential source of conflict. They try to de-escalate the situation by calling for a time-out, but it might be too late.

As the game continues, the tension between the players and the crowd reaches a boiling point. Hawkeye and Trapper have to work together to diffuse the situation and prevent the basketball game from becoming a full-blown riot. The surgeons eventually make the difficult decision to end the game and return to their duties as doctors and nurses.

The Chosen People episode of M*A*S*H is a poignant reminder that, despite being on opposite sides of a war, people have more in common than they realize. The episode explores cultural differences and the importance of understanding and respecting them to prevent misunderstandings and avoid conflict. At the same time, the episode shows the importance of finding moments of joy and fun, even in the midst of a war zone. While the episode may be light-hearted, it still highlights the harsh realities of war and the sacrifices made by those who serve and support the troops.