Talk:Sherman T. Potter

Suspension of disbelief

 * Supposedly for an experienced physician, Potter makes some very questionable decisions as a Hospital CO:
 * When refrigeration breaks down, he has items cooled in a stream-notwithstanding dangers of water borne diseases:
 * He permits a horse to be stabled near a hospital and permits Hawkeye and BJ to go on a "bath strike" to protest Winchester's French Horn playing-despite the dangers of bacteria to wounded soldiers:

—It's a T.V. show. None of the writers were Doctors. Certain mistakes like this are expected from old T.V. shows.


 * Actually, the writers consulted MASH doctors and physicians, and in battlefield conditions, you make do with that is available. JAF1970 16:44, 24 April 2007 (UTC)

-None the less you still have to expect mistakes, the show was a comedy and thats important to note.

Kenny7602 03:10, 22 August 2007 (UTC)

Question of Potter's Age

 * Various epsiodes leave clues that Potter was born anytime between 1890 and 1903:
 * 4/3 Claims to have joined the Cavalry in World War I {1917-15=1902} which would make him 50 in 1952 {retirement in 1957 age 55 {?}-he also remarks on 18 months from now-presumedly his retirement age at 55 which would make him 53 {1952-53=1899} which means he joined in 1914 and yet he claims to have been in service 40 years {1952-40=1912} and he is already 55!
 * 5/17 his remarks on retirement 16/3/4 {16 months/3 weeks/4 days}which would indicate the timeleine between 4/3 {of 18 months} and 5/17 -is 1 week and 26 days-although 4/4 of Dwight Eisenhower visit to Korea took place in "December 1952"!In 5/20 He claims to go home in 14 months & 11 days. {1 year/2 months/11 days}-a difference of 2 months/2 weeks since 5/17!}
 * 6/1 He claims to smoke 5 cigars a day for 45 years {1952-45=1907} which would confirm he is 62-assuming he started smoking at 17 after joining the army.
 * 5/4 He claims to have been 40 years in Army (1953-40=1913-15=1898}. {Also claim of 40 years in service given in 8/1}
 * 7/2 He claims to have been 35 years in Army {1953-35=1918-15=1903}
 * 10/6 He claims he was driving since he was "Six"-although automobiles were only around after the turn of the century! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 134.53.145.184 (talk) 17:43, 30 April 2007 (UTC).

In the Series 10 episode Pressure Points. Major Freedman directly asks Potter how old he is and Potter answers 62. Which if the episode was based in 1952, he was therefore catagorically born in 1890.User:greg78uk 00:49, 23 December 2009 (UTC)

Charatcher crossover?

 * In one epsiode {5/20} Hawkeye advises a General that he going to have a stroke from a combination of high blood pressure and drinking and smoking too much and check into a hospital. Colonel Potter also drinks and smokes too much and has high blood pressure-yet Hawkeye does not give Potter the same advice on taking care of his health! —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 134.53.145.184 (talk) 18:15, 30 April 2007 (UTC).

More Plot Holes!

 * 4/7 If Potter was a POW while with the 1st Cavalry Regiment (United States)-the First Cavalry Regiment was never oversees in World War I! Futhermore he could not have ment the 1st Cavalry Division as in 4/6 he makes no attempt to reminse with the 1st Cavalry Div. Colonel and the 1st Cavalry Divsion was not formed until 1920! Likewise Potter claims to have been married to his wife for 27 years {1952-27=1925 yet in one later epsode he claims to have been married 1916! {1916+27=1943!}
 * WHile Potter was in World War II-there is a plot hole as to which campaign he was in! In 4/6 he claims he was at Guam {Summer 1944} and in 10/10 he claims to have been at the Ardennes {December 1944}!!!
 * In 6/9 Potter claims he's been married 38 years come April since 1913 {1951}; earlier MacArthur meets Truman {October 6, 1950} —Preceding unsigned comment added by 74.83.75.141 (talk) 23:27, 21 November 2010 (UTC)

Truman
From the article: Don't know why not. I hang out regularly with my good friends who are HE mechs, welders, and machinists. I have other friends who are arty mechs, arties, armorers, and all sorts of other MOSes. I don't see why a cavalryman and an infantryman couldn't have met, or even become friends -- especially if it was in garrison. --Cuervo, not logged in, 06:24, 1 June 2007 (UTC)
 * As noted above, Potter claims to have learned "foot care" from Harry S Truman; it is unlikely that they ever met, as Potter was a cavalryman and Truman an artilleryman.

First name is Sherwood?
I believe in an episode in season 10 called "Heroes", Potter refers to himself as Sherwood Potter, saying most people just call him Sherman. Might be a different episode though. I ask because my edit was changed back to Sherman.

Quotes in the article.
We do not host quotes. That is the function of Wikiquote. However, Wikiquote does not have entries on fictional characters (so these would have to go on the Wikiquote page for M*A*S*H), and requires complete sourcing (i.e. to specific episodes). Probably the section should be deleted altogether, or (to the extent that quotes are indicative of character traits/development) worked into the character biography. bd2412 T 06:50, 1 January 2009 (UTC)