Ep 20. The Novocaine Mutiny

The Novocaine Mutiny is the twentieth episode of the fourth season of the popular American sitcom, M*A*S*H. The show, which first aired in 1972, follows medical personnel stationed at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) during the Korean War. The Novocaine Mutiny was directed by Jack Miller and written by Johnny Bonaduce and Gene Reynolds.

The episode opens with Major Charles Emerson Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers), a new surgeon who has recently joined the 4077th MASH, practicing his golf swing. Winchester is a highly skilled surgeon with a refined taste for the finer things in life, but he is also something of a loner who doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the staff. As the camera pans out, we see that Winchester is practicing his swing on the roof of the hospital, where he has installed his own private putting green.

Meanwhile, back at the surgical unit, tensions are high as the medical staff struggles to deal with a seemingly never-ending stream of wounded soldiers. And when a particularly gruesome surgery goes wrong, leaving one patient dead and another critically injured, the doctors and nurses start to feel the strain.

It is at this point that Winchester decides to take matters into his own hands. Determined to maintain the high standards of the surgical unit, he orders the staff to start using novocaine during all surgeries, even those that are relatively minor. This is in direct opposition to the orders of the unit's commanding officer, Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan), who has expressly forbidden the use of novocaine except in cases of extreme pain.

The other doctors and nurses are initially hesitant to go along with Winchester's plan, but as more and more patients are successfully operated on using the novocaine technique, they begin to see the benefits of his approach. However, when a group of wounded soldiers arrives at the unit in need of immediate surgery, Winchester's methods are put to the test.

As the other doctors and nurses scramble to save the soldiers' lives using their own tried-and-true techniques, Winchester continues to insist on using novocaine. When Potter discovers what is happening, he is furious, and the two men engage in a heated argument that quickly devolves into a full-blown mutiny.

What follows is a tense standoff between Winchester and the rest of the surgical staff, as each side digs in its heels and refuses to budge. As the hours tick by and the wounded soldiers' lives hang in the balance, the tension in the surgical unit reaches its boiling point.

But in the end, it is a moment of clarity and compassion that allows the staff to come together and find a solution. And when the soldiers are finally given the care they need, it becomes clear that even in the midst of war, humanity and compassion still have a place.

Overall, The Novocaine Mutiny is a powerful and poignant episode that explores some of the key themes that have made M*A*S*H such a beloved show. From the conflict between duty and personal ethics to the importance of teamwork and compassion in times of crisis, this episode has it all. And with stellar performances from the cast, it is a must-watch for fans of the series.