The Moose
October 15, 1972
Written by Laurence Marks
Directed by Hy Averback
Guest Stars: Paul Jenkins, Virginia Lee, Craig Jue, Barbara Brownell,
Patrick Adiarte, Tim Brown
Synopsis: Hawkeye, Trapper and Spearchucker come out of surgery to find a soldier arriving at camp with a young Korean girl, whom he gives a long list of chores to do before speaking to the three surgeons. His name is Sergeant Baker, and he explains that the girl is his servant.
Hawkeye and the others are not impressed and later in the Swamp Radar and Ho-Jon explain to them that she is a moose, a Korean servant girl, and that Baker bought her for $500.
Outraged, Hawkeye goes to see Henry, but there is nothing he can do. When they talk to the girl, Young Hi, she tells them that she cannot leave Baker as it would dishonour her family.
Hawkeye, Trapper and Spearchucker decide to actually act like officers and order Baker to give Young Hi up, but he isn’t concerned since he knows the army usually overlook it if the men have a moose. Hawkeye offers to buy Young Hi from him, but Baker refuses to part with her.
Back in the Swamp, the surgeons decide to use the only true skill they have to get Young Hi away from Baker – beating him at cards.
With the help of a wire and some spying on Radar’s part, Hawkeye cleans Baker out and tells him to either pay up or give them Young Hi.
Reluctantly, Baker gives Young Hi to Hawkeye, but she doesn’t understand that she has been set free, and decides to act as Hawkeye’s moose instead. Hawkeye sends her on a truck to Seoul to find her family, but she doesn’t want to go and returns that night, interrupting Hawkeye’s date.
While Ho-Jon is looking for Young Hi’s family, Hawkeye, Trapper and Spearchucker give her person lessons – she learns how to introduce herself, works in Post Op and talks to Spearchucker about equality.
Meanwhile, the head of Young Hi’s family has arrived – her little brother Benny.
Hawkeye and Trapper explain that they have set her free, but Benny is only interested in selling her on again to raise some more money. Young Hi leaves with him, but decides at the last moment that she would rather be her own person than a moose.
A while later, they receive a letter from Young Hi – she is at a convent school, and hopes to work in a hospital some day.
Review: This is the first M*A*S*H episode that deals with an issue rather than just surgical high-jinks, but it still has some pretty funny lines and we get to see a more serious side to the surgeons. 6/10.
Romance Review: Henry kisses Lesley. That's about it. Margaret isn't even in this episode! 1/10.
Trivia: Moose comes from the Japanese word for girl, Musume.
Quotes: No Moose is good Moose! - Trapper
Dear Dad, we had a little poker game today and it seems I won a person - Hawkeye
Roger Wilco, Hawkeye Slob-San! - Young Hi
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