Even though the first 3 seasons were the best, I always personally preferred Potter over Blake. He was just as fun as Blake could be, but more competent and much more stern when needed to be. I also liked how Potter was more of a father figure to the rest of the crew, instead of just Radar like Blake was.
shareI preferred Potter, for all the reasons you mentioned. He was the kind of person I want in a boss. Competent, organized, not afraid to show he cares about your well-being, knows how to let people be themselves but puts the hammer down when necessary.
shareI'm a Potter fan myself but some of that can't be separated from the cast changes that happened in pretty quick order. Henry and Trapper gone at the end of season 3, Potter added directly after, Frank gone two season later, Winchester being brought on and Mulcahy being a more prominent member of the cast helped out a lot. And I know I may take some push back over this... but the show improved with the removal of Radar as well. After Radar leaves Klinger becomes a bit saner (and more tolerable).
I think even on their own I'm still more of a Potter fan but the early seasons played thin fast with Frank becoming more of a cartoon character, Klinger's endless shenanigans and the whole Hot Lips/Frank affair. Those three points alone killed a lot of potential for the first three seasons.
It's actually hard to compare the two, because Potter was FAR more consistently written than Blake.
In the first three seasons, Blake's character could be anything from an incompetent bumbler to a stumbling drunk, or from a loveable, hard-working family man to a shifty philanderer. His character changed from episode-to-episode, depending on what the writers needed.
Potter was pretty much himself from the start, and once Frank and (especially) Radar left, became a clichéd father/grandfather-figure for the cast. There were occasional inconsistencies (my favorite being the insistence that he was a Southern Baptist, yet conveniently had no problem with drinking or drunkenness) and they tried too hard to make him likeable, but for the most part, he was the same from his first episode to his last.
Very good points.
shareAs noted here previously Blake better fit what the writers were trying to accomplish in terms of having a unit that eschewed a strong military identity. For me Potter never successfully straddled the line between regular army and embracer of free spirits.
shareI consider the first three seasons and the other eight to be completely different shows with major cast changes.
Lt. Col. Blake fit pretty well as the inept CO of the 4077th. He was great at comic relief, but realistically, somebody like him probably would've gotten everybody killed with his poor leadership skills. At least he was somewhat lovable.
When Col. Potter took over, I was relieved. They finally had somebody competent enough to run a M*A*S*H unit. His seriousness mixed with a touch of humor worked perfectly in the later seasons. The finale almost makes you forget Blake even existed.
As much as I prefer the earlier seasons, my vote would have to go to Col. Potter. Regular Army, but still knew morale was important for the troops.
Regarding Radar's departure - I agree with the above responses; it was time for him to go. The dress shtick with Klinger was getting tiresome. Better he be the clerk of the unit and start taking his job a bit more seriously.
I can't understand how Blake was ever in charge. He didn't seem to have any leadership qualities at all or even administration skills. Radar ran the camp when he was in charge. Hawkeye ran all over him.
Potter was more sensible and knew when to follow the rules and when to ignore them. I love how Margaret and Frank thought he was going to be hard ass at first only to be pissed off when he started drinking at the swamp.
Colonel Blake was drafted, pure and simple. Mom told me that in those days, rank was determined by the amount of education a draftee had, rather than their experience in the army, since they had basically been summoned from the civilian quarter. That's also why Burns was a Major; it wasn't because he actually knew what he was doing, he cheated his way through med school and got a higher diploma and honors than, say, Pierce.
shareFrank also had a private practice whereas Hawkeye and Trapper worked out of his father's practice and a hospital, respectively.
shareYeah I never understood that as a kid but realize now it was based on what you say experience rather than actual management or leadership skills. It made for good friction though as you have a Captain as head surgeon over the Major and Colonel.
Frank would have had it pretty cushy. If the same show was made now set in Afghanistan, Burns would be a plastic surgeon or similar doing boob jobs and sucking fat out of rich women's bellies.
Hawkeye would be full blown SJW and probably working with Doctors without Borders before being drafted.
If the MASH unit needed to be run by a surgeon... then it's one of those jobs where the only person who shouldn't have the job is the one who wants it! Blake was the boss that everyone wants, the guy who's more of a pal than a boss (at least to some of the characters), and who doesn't want the job and who won't wield authority if he can avoid it. Of course he's not the person you want in charge if the shit hits the fan, but none of the surgeons in the original cast would have made a good leader in a time of crisis, all of them except Frank hated being there and hated the army.
Frankly, the only original character who would have done a good job of running the place would have been Major Houlihan, but in those days nobody would have dreamed of letting a nurse run things.
While Col. Blake had his charms, he clearly was not made to be a leader, much less an army one, and often acted as a bumbling buffoon, leaving others to take charge when he couldn't. People also walked all over him. A doormat does not make a good leader.
Potter was much better because he was an experienced army leader, was a good man, knew what he was doing, but was not an arrogant dirtbag about it. While he tolerated Houlihan and Burns, he didn't like them any more than anyone else in the camp did. Plus, if he threatened to do something to you, chances are, he's the kind of guy who would carry it out. You don't mess with Col. Potter.
Blake or Potter? That depends. As a civilian watching from the safety of my living room, Blake. If as a soldier near the front lines who depended on a leader who wouldn't get me killed, Potter.
Henry Blake fit so well into the overall zany tone of the first few seasons. He had some of the funniest lines.
"Frank, it's after 6 o'clock. You can stop being snotty."
" Klinger! It's 4 o'clock and you're still in a housecoat? Put on a dress."
Henry was hilarious although his personality traits changed from episode to episode as stevewyzard pointed out. One thing was consistent. Blake was clearly NOT made to hold a command. It wasn't a character flaw. Not everyone is cut out for leadership. He was a good surgeon, but no leader.
"Rainbow Bridge" is a good example. He had to decide whether to send a team of surgeons behind enemy lines to retrieve nine wounded soldiers. The Chinese doctor in charge graciously offered to let them go because he didn't have the facilities to treat them.
They discuss the pros and cons. Hawkeye and Trapper wanted to go. Frank and Houlihan point out that it could be a trap.
Henry's typical "no decision" command decision was, "Gosh, whatever you guys decide is okay with me."
Could you EVER imagine Potter saying that??
Frank and Hot Lips could be obnoxious and they tattled on Henry Blake to the higher ups every chance they got. But in this one respect, they were right. Their unit was under the command of a man clearly not fit to be in charge.
Some people are not meant to be in command. Henry was one of those people. Potter was hard-nosed, but he wasn't humorless.
Take his first encounter with Klinger, resplendent in a gold lame evening gown, pearls and tiara.
"I'm wearing a Warner bra. I like to play with dolls. My fondest wish is to be buried in my mother's wedding gown."
Potter: Horse hockey!!
He went on to explain that he'd seen every dodge in the book during his long military career including a soldier who said he was a daisy.
"Insisted we water him every morning."
Potter knew that combat can make you crazy and he afforded some leeway to his draftee doctors and Klinger. But he was competent and his people knew they could count on him to make command decisions.
It's true, both Blake and Potter had memorable moments. Both were pretty funny guys. But if it's a choice between the two of them for a good leader, I'd still go for Potter.
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