I'm Fine

[sholio]

Rewatched MASH 8x11 "Life Time," promptly wrote a manifesto on Tumblr:

https://www.tumblr.com/laylainalaska/772914527984599040/i-rewatched-8x11-life-time-for-reasons-and-i

In spite of the blorbo focus in the link, I just love every single person in this episode; they are all the best and most wonderful versions of themselves!! And the delighted Hawkeye-BJ-Margaret hug in this episode is truly one of my favorite scenes in the whole series.

Comments

[ysande]

That was an excellent write up that was so fun to read! Going overboard on a blood donation is a trope I love an unreasonable amount (one of the very few fics I’d written in years before Biggles!) and it’s so cool there was an episode with this as a plot point

[sholio]

Thank you!! I never realized this was a thing for me, but then this episode happened (you totally get him donating too much blood and passing out, and trying to get up and falling down again) and now I want it for all of my fandoms. :D

[ysande]

It’s just such a dramatic and poignant thing! All the effects of blood loss (steadily becoming more and more out of it, pallor, being cold, dizziness, weakness, slurred speech, collapse) with the added emotional punch that no-one is trying to provide medical assistance by staunching the bleeding. On the contrary, everyone knows it’s a thing they need to keep doing <3 throw in some self-worth issues for extra delight (‘it’s absolutely more important that [injured person] recovers; I’m not a priority’) 😍

[sheron]

yesssss

[ysande]

A thing that I love intensely but as a polar opposite to ‘hidden injury reveal’ is ‘known injury that has to be worked through’… like everyone acknowledges that someone is quite injured/unwell, but the drama comes from either 1) the injury being the entire point (e.g. the blood donation example; or powering something with their magical powers/life force; or hurting themselves further to save someone else even more endangered), or 2) they’re the only person for the job (only one in that location, only one with the skills/credentials, etc) and the job is more important than how they feel.

And if there are people around them, they can help a little bit by providing first aid, feeding or watering them, giving them tiny breaks where they can, patting them maybe! But everyone understands that the hurt isn’t the first priority… until mission accomplished and THEN they can collapse and be looked after :)

[sholio]

Ohhhhh YES, this is a wonderful one, too. ♥

[ysande]

I’d read it if you wrote it, no matter the fandom… just sayin’… XD

[sheron]

I also want it for Both my fandoms!

[sholio]

*makes note for future exchanges* >:)

[philomytha]

So I'm having a somewhat manic day and decided to take a break and watch this episode as a breather and that was an excellent choice, brilliant episode all around, I really adored BJ in particular this time, and also being a simple girl with simple tastes I fully appreciated Charles attempting to lecture on how to perform surgery as he passes out. And your meta is completely spot-on <3

[sholio]

Oh, delightful! Yeah, it's just a wonderful episode for everyone all around - BJ gets a great subplot (I love that moment when Hawkeye realizes that BJ has really been going through it all episode, too), and I spent a lot of the episode just wanting to hug Hawkeye (his poor hand! and he just fights *so hard* for his patients, all of the time) and the fight with Margaret in the OR is also really great (don't really blame her for being upset when she just had to go rescue important medical equipment from Hawkeye's socks!).

I also just realized that unlike a lot of the episodes, this one didn't have a subplot or a "joke" plot - it was all focused on the patient storyline and various side plots related to that.

I watched this one in my initial rush of episodes when I was sick, and I had forgotten that it's as much fun and as full of wonderful little character moments as it is. I'm so happy you had a good time!

[lunabee34]

I will come to your Ted Talk any time. LOL

[sholio]

Ahaha, thank you! I'm having a good time as you can see. :D