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M*A*S*H - Martinis and Medicine Complete Collection
Actors: Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, McLean Stevenson, Gary Burghoff, and Larry Linville
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Retail Price (not our price): $199.98
Release Date: 2006-11-07
Theatrical Release Date: 1972-09-17
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Format: Array
Format: Box set, Color, DVD-Video, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Discs: 36


Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) Amazon.com
This M*A*S*H-tastic 36-disc collection is one for the television time capsule. It contains all 11 seasons of this multi-Emmy Award-winning series, PLUS Robert Altman's 1970 iconoclastic anti-war classic, PLUS two discs of special features, including two reunion specials and a series retrospective episode of A&E's Biography. As with the individual season sets, there are no new episode commentaries, a major disappointment. But M*A*S*H-ophiles will enjoy this set's other bonus features, including emotional behind-the-scenes footage of the filming of the last half-hour episode, "As Time Goes By," the inevitable bloopers, interviews with cast members as well as fans about their favorite episodes, a segment about the series' "Jocularity," a parade of PSAs (cut down on salt to avoid heart disease), and the text of an unproduced script penned by Alda for an episode titled, "Hawkeye on the Double." All of this material (except for a commemorative booklet) is available elsewhere in different configurations, but this space-saving (albeit ungainly packaged) box set collects them all under one tent. Adapted for television by legendary comedy writer Larry Gelbart, the series has long since supplanted Altman's film in the public's consciousness. Life and death at a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital during the Korean War doesn't seem like ripe fodder for a comedy series, but M*A*S*H masterfully balanced laughter and tears (less so in its later, more preachy seasons). It often does play better without a laugh track (a viewing option for all episodes). During its run, M*A*S*H survived several delicate operations, including the departure of Gelbart after season 4 and the loss of core ensemble members McLean Stevenson as Col. Henry Blake and Wayne Rogers as Trapper John (after season 3), Larry Linville as Frank Burns (after season 5) and Gary Burghoff (a veteran of the original film) as Radar (after season 8). The show thrived with the introduction of some new blood, Henry Morgan as "regular Army" Col. Potter and Mike Farrell as compassionate BJ (season 4) and David Ogden Stiers as elitist Charles Emerson Winchester III (season 6).M*A*S*H was honored with the prestigious Peabody Award "for the depth of its humor and the manner in which comedy is used to lift the spirit and, as well, to offer a profound statement on the nature of war." This was a sitcom that did not always leave you laughing, as witness the classic season 3 episode "Abyssinia, Henry." And throughout its run, M*A*S*H broke the sitcom mold with several episodes, including "The Interview" (season 4), in which Clete Roberts interviews the staff of the 4077th, "Point of View" (season 7), subjectively seen through the eyes of a wounded soldier and "Life Time" (season 8), which unfolds in real time. M*A*S*H boasted one of television's greatest ensembles, fully embodied characters who each became icons, most notably Alan Alda, who served with distinction as Hawkeye, the series' soul and conscience. But a special salute to Loretta Switt, whose Margaret Houlihan went from "Hot Lips" to nobody's pushover. From the "Pilot" to the feature-length finale, "Goodbye, Farewell & Amen," still the most-watched episode in history, this essential (but not so much if you bought the individual season sets) collection honors one of television's greatest half-hours. --Donald Liebenson

2) Description
Disc 1-3: M*A*S*H Season 1 Disc 4-6: M*A*S*H Season 2 Disc 7-9: M*A*S*H Season 3 Disc 10-12: M*A*S*H Season 4 Disc 13-15: M*A*S*H Season 5 Disc 16-18: M*A*S*H Season 6 Disc 19-21: M*A*S*H Season 7 Disc 22-24: M*A*S*H Season 8 Disc 25-27: M*A*S*H Season 9 Disc 28-30: M*A*S*H Season 10 Disc 31-33: M*A*S*H Season 11 Disc 34: M*A*S*H (The Movie) Disc 35: M*A*S*H: Televisions Serious Sit-Com Bloopers My Favorite M*A*S*H Cast Interviews Last Day of Filming Jocularity PSA's Saxophone Promo Just the FAQs - Game Disc 36: M*A*S*H: 30th Anniversary Reunion Fan Base Memories of M*A*S*H Script from never made episode

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5

1) You can't go wrong with M*A*S*H   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
The Good: It's every episode of M*A*S*H and then some! It rules! Best TV show ever.The Bad: The sleeves that hold the discs are made of paperboard that scratches the discs. Get yourself something else to keep the discs in and you'll be happy for a long time, eh!

2) 5 Stars for Show, 1 for Packaging   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
This is a terrific show that holds up fairly well with time. When I saw this collection I jumped at the chance to buy it. All 11 seasons, the original movie and 2 discs of extras are really everything a Mash fan can hope for. The packaging at first glance looks really great. The outside looks like a real army kit, and when you open the box there is a notepad clipped to the inside. But when you got to get your disc out, that is when the problems begin. The 36 dvds are all placed in very tight and stiff cardboard slots. Many of the dvds are already scratched when they were shoved in by workers at the warehouse packing them. Those that escaped the initial round will be scratched when you try pulling them out yourself. This is the worst design I have ever seen. I don't know why they couldn't have gone with the standard snap in casing with overlapping. It might have cost a few pennies more to make the pages out of plastic instead of paper, but it would have made a much better experience for the customer. One last note, I purchased this set at $72. The Amazon price is way too high.

3) Great show, poor packaging   [Rating: 3 out of 5]
The show itself gets 5 stars from me, the packaging gets 0 stars. The collection comes in a large khaki-fabric covered hard box and the containing catalogue is also covered with the material, but the DVDs themselves are stored in cardboard sleeves that really do ruin the DVDs. I took the advice of the other reviewers here and bought a hardshell DVD case to store my new DVDs in, but in the cases of two of the DVDs I've watched so far, just the one time removal from the cardboard sleeves to the different container has scratched the DVDs and causes them to skip. So no matter how careful you are removing them, and I was warned and was very careful, this packaging WILL scratch the DVDs. I'm very disappointed in Fox for packaging up a great series with such disregard. I'm also disappointed that I have to now buy one season 3 and one season 4 so I can replace two scratched DVDs! Buyer beware!

4) The Ultimate MASH Collection   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
If you are a diehard fan of the MASH television series, this collection is for you. Featuring all 11 seasons of this Emmy winning television series, it also includes the full length movie, MASH, that the series was based upon. Also included are special features profiling the television stars and interviews with them. It is packaged in a box that contains a nice photo book on a small clipboard and the packaging is reminiscent of an olive drab Army foot locker. Hours and hours of all the laughs, tears and sheninagans of the 4077th MASH unit ... what could be better?

5) Great Set & Good Price.....But...   [Rating: 3 out of 5]
First off, this is a great deal on a great set of DVD disks.But..You must be extremely careful removing the disks from the hard cardboard slots, and even if you are careful you'll find that some disks have already been scratched and suffered damaged just by being inserted in those slots in the first place.If you wish to watch these disks over and over, I suggest that you do not put them back into the slots because you will just get more scratches on them.I'm storing mine individually in CD sleeves until I can purchase a 40 Disc CD Holder, or case to keep them in.I just hope that I can find something that will fit into the box I received the set in.