ALERT: Henry Blake death M*A*S*H on now

I remember watching the show with my mom. And we both would have cried if we could when Radar made the announcement. But we just sat there with our mouths hanging open. For like five minutes.

 

I'm not old enough to remember when it aired in primetime, but for those who were: Was there any hint that Henry was even leaving before that show aired? Was it show watercooler-type fodder the next day?

 

If there was a hint Henry was leaving, it certainly didn't hit me at age 16.

And everyone was talking about it the next day. A sure conversation starter. All you had to say was "Henry Blake."

 

Yes, it was known that Stevenson was leaving. The point of that episode was to write Henry Blake out of the show. The surprise was that they killed him rather than sending him back home to live happily with his family.