M.A.S.H. (1972-1983)
One of the longest running and most beloved shows of all time, M.A.S.H. is still cited today as one of the best political shows ever made. It used the story (based on Robert Altman’s film, itself based on Richard Hooker’s novel) of surgeons at a mobile army hospital during the Korean War (which was actually eight years shorter than the run of the show) to reflect on the horrors of war and the emotional state of those we ask to fight. Ostensibly a sitcom, the show left many viewers, weary from a decade of brutal Vietnam footage on the nightly news, in tears. The show’s final episode remains one of the most watched television events ever.
