New Military Series: MASH meets Little House on the Prairie

Operation Home Base: A Combination MASH and Little House on the Prairie

Several people have commented that they simple can’t envision how two shows as vastly diverse as MASH and Little House on the Prairie could be combined into one show. My answer--it was very simple. I just had to think outside the box and look at the core of both shows. MASH dealt with the emotional and physical issues arising from war. Little House was about family and community. Operation Home base combines the two premises by exploring the emotional, psychological and physical effects of war with the conflicts and misunderstandings that are frequently connected to the civilian world.

Premiering on September 17, 1972 and ending on February 28, 1983, MASH spanned 251 episodes. Until recently the final show held the title of the most watch episode of all time. Unique for its time, MASH was a front runner in TV programming. Considered a medical drama and a black comedy, the producers and writers chose to do the research and bring a realism into the show that had never been tried in a fictional venue. They had the courage to tell the truth about war and show how it affected those who serve. The simple fact is that war changes not only the landscape of a country, but the very soul of everyone that it touches.

The alcohol, the dark humor, and practical jokes were the most obvious of the coping mechanism the characters used to emotionally and psychologically survive. Radar had his teddy bear. Klinger dressed up like a woman. Hawkeye and Trapper John chased women, played practical jokes, and played golf. BJ and Sherman Potter focused on family. By seeking comfort from men, who weren’t always available, Margaret both sought and hid from love. Charles found refuge in music. They did what was necessary to cope with the death and destruction that surrounded them daily.

As in real life, sometimes it worked--sometimes it didn’t. Margaret getting married to someone else, caused Frank to have a breakdown. He was sent home. Hawkeye lost control after a mother smothered her crying child to keep the enemy from discovering them; instead of being sent home, he was hospitalized, treated and returned to the 4077. Throughout the run of the show, other characters became mentally unstable, but in each instance the topic was treated realistically and with great sensitivity.. From self inflicted wounds to shell shocked, the incoming wounded, special guests to the 4077 and the regulars revealed how the trauma of war has unexpected consequences.

MASH brought home the simple fact that sometimes good people don’t go home and even when they do, they are never the same. When Henry Blake died, it wasn’t just the characters who mourned his loss. The viewers also lost a beloved family member. Henry’s death cascade off the screen into the homes of the viewers. It reflected something Henry shared with Hawkeye--There are two rules. good men die in war.
and doctors can’t change rule number one. Although, other characters died, Henry’s death had more impact. Like in real life, it was totally unexpected.

Operation Home Base picks up where MASH left off. The characters of MASH became a family because of their shared experience and their desire to help. This is the foundation that OHB is built on. It shows how war permanently changes both those who serve and those who love them. Even though, military personnel changed location, it doesn’t necessarily mean they come home or that they have a home to come back to.
Not only do military personnel change, but so do their family members. OHB deals with the loneliness and fear of those who are left behind. When a family member is deployed, the others have to fill in that void. Not only are there practical issues like home repair, child care and financial concerns, but the emotional impact can be even more challenging on relationships. Spouse become lonely. Children grow up and away; sometimes, they resent the absent parent. Everyone involved changes and adapts to the new circumstances. When the family member returns, the challenge is to blend the old with the new.

It is What it is--A Vietnam nurse buried the trauma of her last days in country. When her grandson is killed in the sandbox, the old memories resurface and she is forced to remember what happened when she was evacuated.

Little Johnny Isn’t Little Johnny any More--Deek sees a friend from Nam that he thought was long dead. It forces him to not only deal with his own survivor’s guilt, but also with what he had to do to survive.

Right to Believe--New to the base, Sergeant Major Horse finds discrepancies in the billing of a food supplier. However, Horse is killed before he can investigate further. His tribal Elders and his family contact Stella when the base commander attempts to cover up the murder. Religious bigotry complicates the investigation when the base Chaplin steals the body in order to circumvent Horse’s religious practice.

Homeland--Airman First Class Steve O’Connell is deployed. Before he leaves, he arranges for the mortgage to automatically be paid electronically. The bank claims the deposits were never made and forecloses. The bank president disregards the Soldiers and Sailors Act, which legally protects those who have been deployed. Sheriff ignores proof of fraud by the bank and attempts to force the family to leave. The O’Connells with help of friends defend their home.

Dunk Tank--The killing of a Marine’s therapy dog sparks a fundraising campaign, which rapidly becomes a wild and crazy a free for all. While Special Agent Simon Behan investigates the death of the dog, the OHB team competes against military personnel and other civilians for cheesy prizes as way to raise money to help homeless dogs become helpmate for veterans dealing with PTSD. This storyline could easily be carried back over into real life

Listed as a western, Little House on the Prairie was more about family and community than a shoot’um up. Airing from September 11, 1974, to May 10, 1982., Little House primarily focused on the financial, medical and social issues, which challenged Ingalls family.

As much as the Ingalls’ home was filled with love, so was their life is filled with challenges. Several time Charles was forced to leave the family in order to find work during financially challenging times. When Mary become blind, she and her family had to cope with the physical aspects of her disability along with the emotional and psychological changes that came with it. When her baby brother died, Laura felt responsible. She went looking for God so she exchange places in heaven with him. The deaths, births, adoption and marriages changed the family dynamic as well as each individual member. How they coped revealed who they were.

Although the show was family oriented, it did reveal how bigotry and ignorance can be found in the least likely places. By dealing openly and honestly, with the topics of death, disability, bigotry and loss, Little House proved that a family and community is only as strong as its weakest member. In doing so, it mirrored real life back to the viewers.

Not only within the storylines, but within the characters themselves, OHB will be dealing with the same kind of family hardships and community challenges. It will address the emotional, physical, financial as well as many more of the life tests that those in and out of the military face every day. From the loneliness of missing a loved one to dealing with their return, military families live with uncertainty and the potential loss every day.

Half Potawatomi half Mexican, Master Sergeant Stella Garcia is woman in her late 30’s who planned to be a career soldier. However, the IED, which took her left leg, ended her active field duty. The sole survivor of the three vehicle convoy, she suffered from PTSD and depression. Emotionally, she couldn’t find the reason for her surviving when rest of her buddies were killed. Using alcohol and sex to numb the pain, she walked through life unable to feel anything. She settled into her new desk job, yet her dreams were haunted by the ghosts of her unit and the others. They asked her why she ran away from her duty--why she allowed their deaths to be in vain. Instead of seeking aid, she hides deeper within the bottle. It was only after her Tribal Elders helped heal her in ceremony that she was able to find a new purpose in life.

In her early twenties, Debra Ann Lee is a southern bell who grew up with seven older brothers most of whom join the military. A martial arts expert in her own right, she is proud of her family heritage that can be traced back to the civil war. Her mother used to say that Debra Anne walked where fools and angels fear to tread and was kicked out for being a smart ass. Having more moxie and intelligence than common sense, she is willing to take on situations and people that most people run away from. Using the immortality of youth as a shield as well as her passion and natural curiosity, she cons, charms, or connives her way to achieving her goals. Debra has only one fear--losing her husband. Newlywed at the time he was deployed overseas, Debra must cope with the fear and loneliness of the uncertainty of her soul mate being in the military.

OHB combines the issues of war with the challenges of family and community as it shows the good, bad and the ugly of military life. It will address the misunderstandings and the bigotries that arise between civilians and the military. But more importantly it will tells the stories of those who serve in a way that will not only entertain, but create a bridge of understanding and compassion.


http://www.theresachaze.com/Operation_Home_Base.html

Military Drama Operation Home Base: Family of Man Drama

Operation Home Base: Ensemble Cast for All Ages


In the style of MASH and NCIS, Operation Home Base has a strong ensemble cast that will appeal to a broad demographic base that includes gender, ages, and ethnicity. While MASH focused on the effects of war and NCIS concentrates on criminal situations involving military personnel, OHB will incorporate both while revealing the challenges military families face daily along with the conflicts that originate from involvement with civilians.

Although military issues and situations will act as a backdrop for the show, OHB deals with the human condition as it applies to those in and out of the military, civilians will also be able to relate to same the emotional, financial and legal challenges. From the murder of a Marine’s therapy dog to the foreclosures of the family home, the storylines will be taken from the headlines. OHB will have same divorce humor that made MASH popular for years, including long running jokes about donuts and the special benefits that Deek offered Randi to get her to join the team and how she implies the benefits are sexual because she doesn’t want to share Deek’s gourmet cooking with the rest of the team. The tension between Martin and Deek will force team to no only take sides, but push them both to the brink of self destruction.

Operation Home Base is first and foremost about people. They don’t have super powers. They don’t have fancy gadgets. Coming from all facets of life, the members of OHB have the courage to put themselves on the line to help others face and deal with the pain of separation and loss. They know how much honor costs. They have been there--done that and have the scars to prove it. Ranging in age from 8 to 70, each of the characters, as well as the actors who portray them, will bring their own unique perspective, strengths and viewer loyalty.

Written as an ensemble cast, who equally shares the spotlight, OHB will reflect the ethic diversity of the country. There will be no type casting. No matter what color of skin or cultural background, the characters will be developed into flawed, yet believable people that the viewers will not only like but also identify with.

Although his history will remain largely obscure, Walter will be the bastard you love to hate. Under the guise of providing financial and political support, Walter has been sent to destroy not only OHB, but the individual members’ credibility as well. Charming, yet deadly Walter’s total unconditional love of his great-granddaughter not only keeps him human, but in a strange way explains his actions

A full blooded Oneida, Martin Flying Crow enlisted in the Navy to escape the abject poverty of the Rez only to find the destiny his ancestors placed before him Trained by his shaman grandmother, Flying Crow has walked the Red Road from childhood. At age 13, he set out on vision quest to learn his life’s path. The Eagle Spirit showed him that he was destined to be a healer and guide others. This life was to be one of service to others. He was to teach them the way of spiritual balance. However, in order to lead others, he needed to walk the path himself. Enlisting as a combat medic in the Navy was the first step of many. In Vietnam, he served two tours as a medic. Although he was not officially allowed to carry weapons, he did not hesitate to defend those in his unit by whatever means necessary. It was during this time that he crossed paths with Deek. After his tour, he returned to the Rez. Working as Paramedic, he quickly learned how little emotional, spiritual, and medical support there was for the military personnel, vets and wounded warriors along with their families. Working on a local level out of his garage, he gathered information, contacts, and resources, which he used to improve the lives of those affected by war. He gained national attention when he was able to talk a wound warrior out of committing suicide.

Ex-Special Ops, James Williams was nicknamed Deek soon after he was deployed in Vietnam the summer of 1966. Assigned to Recon Intelligence, he worked closely with the Montagnards and the Vietnamese Army. Five years later, he re-emerged from his assignment and was immediately airlifted out, without any official records of his activities. His military records were sealed except to those with the highest clearance, he occasionally disappears for days without notice or reason. As part of the financial aid agreement with the government, Williams was named as Head of OHB, answering only to the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Pentagon. Charming one minute, deadly the next, Williams is able to accomplish the seemingly impossible. A permanent bachelor, he has many love interests, yet no attachments. He sees the big pictures when it comes to his career and the military, but refuses to get caught up in the messiness of intra-personnel relationships. The "companions" who warm his bed at night are never there at dawn. Although there is a great deal of speculation about him, no one really has the courage to ask.

Classy by nature, when the situation arises, retired Army Lt. Col. Elaine Reynolds is not above low blows both physically and verbally. A career officer, mother of two, and a wife, Reynolds found a way to balance her career and family needs. However, she doesn’t know where she went wrong with her daughter Amanda, who chose the Navy instead of following her into the Army. Their good natured Army vs. Navy rivalry is always tempered by love of each other and the service. When Amanda is promoted into Naval Intelligence, she and her daughter, Izzy return to the family home to provide a secure home and care for the eight year old while Amanda is deployed.

Lorelei grew up as an Army brat and married Army. It was after his death she learned how little support military personnel and their families actually received. Although, she understood and accepted his death, her children, especially her daughter, bore a grudge against the military and the government for the loss of her father. Tensions and resentments were inflamed by Lorelei finishing her education and going to work for the government. Although she was unable to help her children accept and heal from the loss of their father, Lorelei has become part Mother Superior, part Mom and part USO entertainer to those she councils. Whether it is with a wise-crack, singing a song, or with a ruler across the knuckles, she has a unique ability to defuse tense situations that could have easily become violent. Growing up as an Army brat, she not only understands the mentality of those who choose to serve, but also the subtext of the messages behind the words. Although it is not part of her normal duties, she arranges special entertainment features for the troops. On occasion, she has participated as part of the program by singing and acting in comedy skits she helped write.

Master Sergeant Stella Garcia had planned on being a “lifer.” However, the IED that killed her team and took part of her leg send her into an emotional tailspin that nearly ended her career and her life. The sole survivor of the three vehicle convoy, she suffers from PTSD and depression. Emotionally, she couldn’t find the reason for her surviving when the rest of her buddies were killed. Using alcohol and sex to numb the pain, she walked through life unable to feel anything. She settled into her new desk job, yet her dreams were haunted by the ghosts of her unit and the others. They asked her why she ran away from her duty--why she allowed their deaths to be in vain. Instead of seeking aid, she crawls deeper in the bottle. It was only by going back to her Native American roots that she was able to emotionally deal with her survivor’s guilt and find a new purpose for her service.

When a childish prank permanently disables Michael Woodsman he is unable to follow his family’s tradition of service. Instead, he went to college. Studying Political Science, he was determined to be as much of an asset to the country off the battlefield as his father was on it. A political appointee who knows the ins and outs of how and when to kiss ass and when to kick it, Woodsman worked his way up through the political system. His hard edge and cynicism makes him a dangerous opponent, but also a very effective Liaison for the OHB.

In her early twenties, Debra Ann is southern bell who grew up with seven older brothers most of whom join the military. A martial arts expert in her own right, she is proud of her family heritage that can be traced back to the civil war. Using the immortality of youth as a shield as well as her passion and natural curiosity, she would con, charm, or connive her way to achieving her goals.

Randi Cullen grew up as Marine brat until her mother divorced her father early in her childhood. Eventually her mother remarried and moved across the country, taking Randi and her brothers away from the military way of life. After the divorce, her birth father severed all contact. He quickly became the elephant in the room that neither she nor her mother were willing to discuss for fear of where it would lead. Following her stepfather‘s footsteps, she went to law school and joined the Prosecutor’s Office. She quickly rose in the ranks, being known not only for her fairness and tenacity, but her outspoken views.

Special Agent Simon Behan grew up as a Navy brat, who jokingly claims to have an allergy to water to cover his sea sickness. Clever like Columbo, charming like Magnum, yet he is a family man that would make even Bill Cosby proud. Although originally intending to be a defense attorney, the death of a friend and a series of coincidences brought him to the attention of director of NCIS, who made him an offer he couldn’t refuse, in spite of his allergy.

However, these brief descriptions are only the starting point. As a writer and creator, it is my job not to only setting the stage but also incorporating the actor’s talents and egocentrics’ into their characters. The writer and the actor need to be the parents of the character with each contributing equally to its growth and development. Without an effective partnership, the character will be stilted and flat. Several of the characters were written with specific actors in mind.

Suggested Cast:
Deacon (Deek) Williams: Tom Selleck
Martin Flying Crow: Graham Greene
Randi Cullen: Alyssa Milano
Michael Woodsman: Drake Hogeston
Lorelei Stewart: Gloria Loring
Elaine Reynolds: Deidre Hall
Walter Hummel: Alan Alda
Simon Behan: Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Although realistically, it may not be possible to hire my dream team, each of these talented actors would bring not only their vast experience and talents to the show, but their established fan bases.

In spite of the fact of the decades of decreasing birth rate and increasing healthy longevity, most new shows consider those 25 and under as the most treasured demographic. OHB’s broader based character demographic, which actually reflect the 21st century population, will not only attract those over the age of consent, but teens and tweens as well. The successes of NCIS, CSI and Criminal Minds have proved creative story telling and strong characters are what attract viewer long term viewers and loyal fans.

The baby boomer generation was not only the largest to date, but they were also the ones who originally made television successful. They were the ones who talked their parents into at least one TV in every home. From computers to cell phones, each subsequent generation has had its own invention, which has become trade mark. Not only have the baby boomers remained completely loyal to television, but they have the most stable income base. For the first time in generations, the current generation has not financially done better than their parents. With less debt and with more stable incomes, those 35 and older are the least courted when it comes to programming and advertisers.

By deliberately casting to this demographic, OHB will follow a long line of successful series such as: Gunsmoke, Bonanza, All in the Family, Marcus Welby, MASH, China Beach, etc as well as the current favorites Criminal Minds, NCIS and CSI. An undeniable fact of life is that generations relate to their own age group and those who are older. While teens can associate to older characters as siblings, parents, grandparent in older age groups, the reverse is seldom true. A 40-something doesn’t connect with the life experiences of tweens, teens, or 20-somethings. They’ve been there and done that; they want to know what is coming up for them as they grow older instead of looking back at their youth and daydreaming about going back.

Many of the new shows titillate with T & A, but don’t really develop characters or plots. Even though each new generation wants to thinks it invented sex, there hasn’t been a new position created since the Karma Sutra. OHB will be dealing with issues and challenges of those in the military, veterans and wounded warriors along with those their families must face. Sex and relationships will be dealt with honestly and strictly within the context of the plot. The gratuitous sex and violence will be left for the James Bond movies. Although it might push the limits when it comes to the pain and tragedy of war, OHB will remain as family friendly as the nightly news cast.

Much like many successful series such as MASH, The Waltons, and Little House on the Prairie, OHB cannot be easily pigeon holed into a single category. Tears will be followed by laughter. Joy will be interlaced with pain. At different moments the labels legal, mystery, medical, war, military, police, and domestic drama could all equally apply. All encompassing, OHB could be best described as a family of man drama, which will show the best and worse of the human condition. The viewers will be able to easily relate to the characters as family members, friends or the person they see in the mirror. Unfortunately, there will be an endless supply of stories about those who currently serve as well as those who served in the past, whose truths were never told.

OHB’s contemporary and relevant storylines will sometimes spark controversy as old wounds are once again examined as a way to release the past and create a path for healing to begin.


To Learn more about Operation Home Base please visit www.theresachaze.com or email Tirgana at yahoo.com


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