Mash ran for over a decade and the showrunners were often so hungry for good ideas they didn't even realize they made the exact same story twice. Mash ran for 11 seasons and was still one of the biggest shows on television when it ended. In fact, it was a cast vote that ended Mash and CBS. The actors felt the series was running out of steam and they needed to wrap it up before things became stale.

Of course, that doesn't mean they didn't repeat - whether accidentally or on purpose - similar storylines. For example, the controversial Mash episode where Bj cheats on his wife in season 5 was recycled again for season 8's "War Co-Respondent" - but in the latter case, he at least resists temptation. One of season 7's most interesting episodes is "Preventative Medicine," where Bj and Hawkeye clash with a commander with a high casualty rate,...