M*A*S*H of the franchise and was ranked #25 in "TV Guide"'s "TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Shows of All Time." Its final episode in 1983 was the most-watched in television history. "Trapper John, M.D." featured the character of Trapper John McIntyre, played by Pernell Roberts, twenty-eight years after the events of the "M*A*S*H" film and television series. It was the first spin-off to feature a character from the series in civilian life after the war. Legally, "Trapper John, M.D." is a direct spin-off of the "MASH" film rather than the television series due to licensing issues. The pilot episode briefly shows
M*A*S*H (TV series) created after an attempt to film the original book's sequel, "M*A*S*H Goes to Maine", failed. The television series is the best-known of the "M*A*S*H" works, and one of the highest-rated shows in US television history. "M*A*S*H" aired weekly on CBS, with most episodes being a half-hour (25 minutes) in length. The series is usually categorized as a situation comedy, though it has also been described as a "dark comedy" or a "dramedy" because of the often dramatic subject matter. The show is an ensemble piece revolving around key personnel in a United States Army "Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" (MASH) in