M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television

The special, 'M*A*S*H: The Comedy That Changed Television,' will air on FOX, and is a retrospective of the series that initially ran from 1972-83. It features contemporary interviews with surviving series stars, including Alan Alda, and blends them seamlessly with archival footage of network executive Fred Silverman and writer Larry Gelbart to recall the series’ inception, development, shaky start and eventual triumph. The series quickly developed a tone of its own, being inspired by Robert Altman’s 1970 antiwar screen satire. The documentary examines the show’s origins, from the novel by Richard Hooker and W.C. Heinz, to the 1970 Robert Altman-directed film that inspired the series. The documentary features clips with never-before-seen interview footage with many of the show’s stars, executive producers Burt Metcalfe and Gene Reynolds. It also includes rare and never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage, photos and stories.