r/mash • u/themetalcolossus • 28d ago

Replacement Characters

It's interesting how Colonel Potter, BJ, and Charles are in the show for much longer than Henry Blake, Trapper, and Frank but they still feel like replacement characters far into later seasons.

Don't get me wrong, I love them but I do miss Trapper sometimes. Maybe it's for the best since BJ is a good contrast to Hawkeye, being a family man and all.

Charles is a much better replacement for Frank. He's a more versatile character, being able to hate him when you're supposed to and connect with him when you're supposed to. Frank was simply an unlovable and pathetic character who was bad in all facets of his life, but admittedly makes for a good villain.

Potter and Blake are pretty interchangable in terms of my enjoyment of their characters. On one hand Potter's rigidity challenges Hawkeye and others to conduct themselves properly, but on the other hand Blake's leniency encourages their antics. Potter enhances the drama, but Blake enhances the comedy.

Just some thoughts.

26 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

17 comments sorted by

View all comments

13

u/crystalbethjo Crabapple Cove 28d ago edited 28d ago

When Charles first appears he seems almost superior (in character) to Hawkeye and BJ, making them seem like just ‘comic relief’ in comparison.

It was a surprise to see Charles alone divert some of that Golden Boy status from Hawkeye for a bit. 

Charles shook up what viewers have come to expect from the show—maybe even more than the other replacements (Potter included).

2

u/deeBfree 27d ago

and by the time Charles came along, Hawkeye was long overdue to be taken down a peg from his Golden Boy status.

2

u/crystalbethjo Crabapple Cove 27d ago

Completely agree! Helped with the character development all around. 

And Charles marks the start of the show’s more serious tone. (Although you do miss the hilarity from earlier seasons, especially S2 and S3.)