30 Days of Television - Day 09

Day 09 - Best Scene Ever

In the M*A*S*H series finale, Goodbye Farewell and Amen, which was more a made for tv movie than tv show, we the fans have to say goodbye to the 4077 and its zany cast of characters. It was emotional from start to finish, but the final scene where Hawkeye takes off from the helipad and lifts off the ground he sees "Goodbye" written out in rock.

His best friend in Korea, Capt B.J. Honeycutt (The BJ stands for "anything you want") refuses to tell him Goodbye even though they know peace is coming and they are all going home. It bothers Hawkeye and he continues to press BJ to say the word. BJ never does, but as they part ways he tells Hawkeye he left a note for him. Hawkeye doesn't understand until as he flies off in the chopper he looks down.

It's a very creative way to end a show that held its audience captive for 11 seasons. It got the audience through the trying times of the Vietnam War, government upheaval, economic depression. That the show was able to say goodbye to its fans sets it apart to so many other shows before and since.

It's the perfect, best scene in all of Television.