M*A*S*H

Recently, I've been binge-ing the classic television show, M*A*S*H, which follows the antics of the 4077th mobile army surgical hospital in the midst of the Korean War. Although the setting is bleak, the characters often joke around or find themselves in comical situations. This show most commonly follows Incongruity and Relief for its comedy.

The last episode I watched ("Out of Gas" S7E13 on Hulu) follows the characters frantically attempting to acquire sedatives before a flow of wounded soldiers arrive in 24 hours. First, Colonel Potter and Major Houlihan interrogate the sergeant in charge of shipments. Rather than the commanding officer doing all the talking, Houlihan chimes in with increasing heated and absurd objections at receiving useless answers. Colonel Potter responds with calming "Down, Major, not yet." This is an example of incongruity because the Major is expected to be orderly in the presence of a commanding officer.

After the sergeant tells them about the various medicine trade deals between camps- including vegetables and leather spike-heel boots for Houlihan- the Colonel tells the young Corporal, Radar, to contact the unit with the missing sedatives. Over the phone, he has difficulty getting answers from the "rookie" on the other end of the line, exclaiming "Why do they send these kids?!" this is an example of relief, because as other scenes show the problems in the operating room without sedatives, the relief comes from the irony of the youngest person in the unit referring to another as a kid.

Outside the operating room, the company chaplain, Father Mulcahy, sheepishly confesses to Potter that he has black market connections that could acquire some sedatives for a trade. He quickly exclaims that it is only because they are the most effective way to get supplies to the local orphanage. This is both Incongruity and Relief because it is unexpected the Father would have illegal connections, and it lightens the tone of the previous scene where a soldier was treated for a shoulder injury while fully aware of every bit of pain.

The duration of the episode follows the Father and Major Winchester. Major Winchester is an arrogant character who was convinced to give his vintage wine bottles to be the bargaining chip, but insists that he would be best for the negotiating (which is in itself funny because he is known to the other characters and audience to be unreasonable and condescending). He and the Father are unsuccessful, which results in losing the wine and Winchester's clothes. They return, however, and steal the supplies and a truck from the black market dealers. This again is an example of both Incongruity and Relief because it is unexpected that the Father would willingly go along with theft, and it is relief from the danger of the black market dealers with guns.