50 Years Later, the Best War Series of All Time Is Still Unlike Anything Else on TV

When Robert Altman's M*A*S*H arrived in theaters in 1970, its irreverent approach to the Korean War was unlike anything audiences had seen before. The film followed army surgeons who used practical jokes, alcohol, and a disregard for military authority to maintain their sanity while treating the wounded. Two years later, CBS adapted the film into a television series that retained its anarchic spirit but accomplished something the movie couldn't: It gave audiences time to get to know these characters. Over 11 seasons, M*A*S*H evolved from a sitcom about wisecracking doctors into a thoughtful examination of humanity.