M*A*S*H

M*A*S*H is an American medical comedy/drama media franchise. It depicts a group of characters who serve at a (the 4077th M*A*S*H) during the  and is best known for the  which was on the air for eleven seasons, from 1972 to 1983.

The M*A*S*H franchise began with the 1968 novel  by. The novel was adapted into a in 1970. The film was a box office success, and the TV series followed in 1972. The franchise also gave rise to 14 additional novels, which appeared between 1972 and 1977, and two spin-off television series.  was a continuation of M*A*S*H. It was poorly received and lasted only two television seasons, from 1983 to 1985. Far more successful was  which aired from 1979 to 1986 and was a spin-off from the 1970 film rather than the TV series.

Over the course of its original broadcast run, the M*A*S*H TV series won numerous awards and, after its first season, enjoyed consistently high ratings. The series finale, "", set a number of viewership and ratings records. Some of those records still stand thirty-plus years later, including being the most-watched series finale in American television history.

M*A*S*H is also notable for using its Korean War setting as an allegory for speaking out about the, which was still in progress when the movie appeared and during the early seasons of the TV series. Also, the TV series had a large number of not-quite-famous guest stars, some of whom later appeared on The Simpsons in guest roles.

M*A*S*H has been referred to several times in The Simpsons media.