"W*A*L*T*E*R" was a painfully misguided spin off from "M*A*S*H"--as was "After M*A*S*H". The big difference is that "W*A*L*T*E*R" only lasted one episode and was apparently only shown to half the United States. I don't think they bothered showing it to everyone because they realized they had a bad idea in the pilot.
So what is so bad about the pilot? Well, they made the character pathetic and sad--and this is supposed to be a comedy! And, to top it off it had a VERY obtrusive laugh-track--one that OFTEN was used during the saddest and most awful moments in the show. Let me give you a few examples--all of which you learn about through flashbacks. First, Walter loses his farm (ha, ha, ha). Next, he gets married and his bride disappears--running off with another man (ha, ha, ha). And, finally, he goes into a pharmacy to get some drugs so he can commit suicide (he, he, he). Whose idea of funny was this? Was the show written by a serial killer?! Now I am NOT saying you shouldn't watch it--heck it's only 25 lost minutes in your life. But I am saying that I can see exactly why the network didn't pick it up--the show was maudlin. But, if you like the idea of Radar as a cop (talk about miscasting) and want to see Victoria Jackson before she was a regular on "Saturday Night Live", then by all means give it a shot. Just don't say I didn't warn you!
