MASH: Alan Alda's Hawkeye Is To Blame For BJ Hunnicut's Most Divisive Change

Summary BJ Hunnicutt replaced Trapper John McIntyre in MASH, developing a strong friendship with Hawkeye.

BJ's mustache was introduced to differentiate him from Hawkeye. It was suggested by Alan Alda after the producers became worried about the characters being too alike.

The change in BJ's appearance marked a shift in MASH's storytelling, reflecting character growth and a more serious tone.

BJ Hunnicutt went through one divisive change in his time in MASH, and it was all because of Alan Alda's Benjamin "Hawkeye" Pierce. On the heels of Wayne Rogers' exit as Trapper John McIntyre in MASH season 3, the famed war comedy/drama brought in Mike Farrell to fill the spot that he left. Playing the straightlaced family man from Mill Valley, California, BJ was quick to develop a good rapport with Hawkeye. Amid all the great things about the groundbreaking comedy, their friendship became the backbone of MASH for the next eight years until its legendary finale.

There was no denying that Rogers and Alda had great chemistry in MASH. It was one of the reasons why CBS didn't cancel it early on despite its low ratings. They were fun and funny together, so replacing Trapper wasn't an easy task, especially in light of MASH's cast exodus. Farrell that he never wanted to take over the old role, which was his only stipulation in accepting the show. Luckily for him, the creatives behind the project were smart enough to do this. More impressively, despite his difference from Trapper, BJ worked well with Hawkeye — until they didn't.

Related Trapper’s Post-MASH Fate Revealed The Harsh Truth About His Friendship With Hawkeye Trapper McIntyre's fate after he left the 4077 reveals the harsh reality about the status of his friendship with Hawkeye Pierce in MASH.

BJ Grew A Mustache To Differentiate Himself From Hawkeye

Alan Alda Suggested The Change To Mike Farrell

Despite coming from different backgrounds, BJ was a better partner for Hawkeye in MASH than Trapper. That said, while the series was mindful about making sure that Alda's partner-in-crimes were distinct from each other, some time along the way, they didn't realize that BJ was becoming so much more like Hawkeye. This became a cause for concern for the producers and was what prompted the introduction of his mustache. Farrell recounted how the whole change came about in the podcast MASH Matters, and revealed that it was suggested by Alda himself. Read Farrell's full explanation below:

Between pre-mustache and mustache, Alan called and he said, there is this sense on the part of the producers that we're too much alike, 'what would you think about the idea of growing a mustache?' I said 'great, sure. I got no problem with that.' So that was the reason for the mustache.

Related 10 Harsh Realities Of Rewatching MASH, 51 Years Later MASH is widely regarded as one of the best TV shows in history, but not all of its elements have aged well after more than five decades.

How BJ's Mustache Signifies The Change In MASH's Storytelling

MASH Tackled More Serious Stories Towards The End Of Its Run

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It's no secret that the earlier seasons of MASH were more lighthearted and silly than its latter years. While the show was always mindful of its storytelling, considering its backdrop, the creatives behind the show were able to get away with more out-of-the-box and serious storytelling as it grew in popularity. The change, however, was often demarcated by the time before and after BJ started wearing a mustache. Whether this was intentional or not is unclear, but the timing just worked in terms of the writers wanting to further delve into the characters.

The mustache was also a physical manifestation of how being in Korea gradually changed BJ. He was missing so much at home, which was really a sore spot for the new father.

Until now, there's still a divide among fans about which version of MASH they like better. Ultimately, however, the show thrived when they did more balanced narratives. Hawkeye was always known to use humor as his coping mechanism, as evident in his answers in the MASH season 4 finale, "The Interview." The change in BJ's appearance wasn't just to make him look different than Alda's always clean-shaven character. The mustache was also a physical manifestation of how being in Korea gradually changed BJ. He was missing so much at home, which was really a sore spot for the new father.

Source: MASH Matters/Spotify