The Winchester Tapes
The Winchester Tapes is an episode from the TV series M*A*S*H that aired on CBS on October 18, 1977. The episode was directed by Burt Metcalfe and written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell. Guest stars include Thomas Carter as a patient and Kimiko Hiroshige as a Korean woman.
The plot centers on Major Winchester recording a taped message to his parents in Boston, begging them to do whatever it takes to get him reassigned from the 4077th. The tape is intercut with scenes that show his opinions about his coworkers and the chaotic life at the camp.
Hawkeye repeatedly tries to take officer-of-the-day duty so he can spend a weekend in Seoul with a nurse. Winchester initially refuses but eventually relents, only to be left alone when Hawkeye finally leaves. The tape then details Winchester’s views of his colleagues while other events unfold around him. A subplot follows Hawkeye’s ongoing surgical duties; after a grueling 38-hour surgery, he’s too tired to go to Seoul and falls asleep on his cot.
Winchester ends his tape with a plea to be sent home, punctuated by comic moments. He discovers a rubber chicken in a teapot and quips, “Get me the hell out of here!” He jokes about being a would-be seducer called a “Lothario,” a term linked to his view of Pierce. The episode is rich with in-jokes and cultural references, including Pax vobiscum (peace be with you), a nod to the Gideon Bible in hotel rooms, and other humorous lines.
Overall, The Winchester Tapes uses a taped confession format to reveal Winchester’s pride and perspective while highlighting the humor and camaraderie of the M*A*S*H unit.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 10:14 (CET).