Ep 22. Dreams

In M*A*S*H season 8 episode 22 titled Dreams, the staff of the 4077th find themselves plagued by a series of bizarre and disturbing dreams. As the episode opens, Corporal Klinger (Jamie Farr) is seen discussing his latest dream with his fellow officers. In the dream, he was attacked by a giant lobster that he was trying to cook for dinner. Meanwhile, Colonel Potter (Harry Morgan) is having a recurring dream in which he is back in World War I, leading a group of cavalry soldiers. As the dream continues, the cavalrymen turn into kewpie dolls and the enemy becomes a group of stuffed animals.

As the day wears on, other members of the 4077th begin to report similar dreams. Hawkeye (Alan Alda) dreams that he is a patient who is about to undergo surgery, but when he looks in the mirror, he sees that his face has been replaced by a clown's. Meanwhile, B.J. (Mike Farrell) dreams that he is a child again, playing with toy soldiers, but when he looks out the window, he sees that the toy soldiers have become real soldiers engaged in a fierce battle.

The dreams continue to escalate in intensity, with Colonel Potter's dream becoming progressively more violent and Hawkeye's dream becoming more surreal. Eventually, the officers realize that their dreams are a manifestation of their anxiety about the war and their fear of death. As they explore these feelings, they find ways to cope with them and to support each other.

One of the strengths of this episode is its use of humor to address serious topics. The surreal and absurd nature of the dreams gives the writers an opportunity to explore serious emotional issues without becoming heavy-handed or preachy. Instead, the episode manages to be both funny and thought-provoking, touching on themes of mortality, fear, and the power of the subconscious mind.

Another strength of the episode is its focus on character development. Each of the officers has a unique dream that reflects their individual fears and anxieties, and each one responds to these dreams in a different way. Through their interactions with each other, we see how they rely on each other for support and how they work through their emotional issues together.

Overall, Dreams is a well-crafted and engaging episode of M*A*S*H that uses humor and imaginative storytelling to explore serious emotional themes. Its focus on character development and the relationships between the officers makes it a memorable addition to the series.