Fifty years ago this month, CBS gambled that viewers would find laughs in a war zone. It took awhile for viewers to adapt, but by the time "M.A.S.H." ended 11 seasons later, it had become a major hit, proof that a successful sitcom could be just as heartbreaking and harrowing as any one-hour drama.
To honor the show's golden anniversary, there's a new retrospective, "M.A.S.H.: When Television Changed Forever," airing at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday on ReelzChannel. It's a decent collection of clips, but the new interviews are mostly with secondary characters. Those hungry to learn more about the cook, Pvt. Igor, will be thrilled.
A far better way to celebrate is revisiting classic episodes, currently airing on both Hulu and weekdays on TV Land. Here are 10 personal favorites, in the order they originally aired.
