Watching M*A*S*H, Watching America: A Social History of the 1972-1983 Television Series.(Book Review)

Publication: Journal of Popular Culture

Publication Date: 01-FEB-05

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COPYRIGHT 2005 Blackwell Publishers Ltd.

Watching M*A*S*H, Watching America: A Social History of the 1972-1983 Television Series. James H. Wittebols. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, 2003.

The question of whether the mass media drive or reflect popular culture is something of an eternal one. In this fine book, James H. Wittebols argues for the latter. Using M*A*S*H as an example, Wittebols asserts that "the television situation comedy generally lags behind changes in the real world" (1). To Wittebols, M*A*S*H is the perfect vehicle to explore the connection between television and the broader culture. The series had a long run over a turbulent period, and dealt with controversial subjects. Wittebols concludes that...

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