Dana Daly

It was a union of comedy and drama, humor and tragedy, and this year marks the 50th anniversary of this revolutionary series known as M*A*S*H. In celebration of this occasion, series stars Alan Alda and Mike Farrell reunited on Saturday to give a big toast to the show that impacted so many - including each other. Fans said "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" in February 1983. Before its end, M*A*S*H introduced audiences to an ensemble cast of colorful characters, from Alda's smart-mouthed Hawkeye to Farrell's family man Hunnicutt. This weekend, Alda and Farrell met up not in a doctor's tent but at a restaurant and shared a moment that has fans remembering why M*A*S*H has such unbeaten TV records to its name. Alan Alda and Mike Farrell reunite to celebrate 'M*A*S*H' https://twitter.com/alanalda/status/1571286284441899011 On September 17, Alda took to Twitter to share a post of himself and Farrell together again. Fans first saw them in M*A*S*H when Alda and Farrell were in their early thirties and today, they are 86 and 83 respectively. In the picture, they are seen standing arm-in-arm in formal attire with their drinks raised for a toast. M*A*S*H celebrates its 50th anniversary / TM and Copyright ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved./courtesy Everett Collection RELATED: ‘M*A*S*H’ Star Alan Alda Shares His Favorite Memories From His Long Career "Mike Farrell and I today toasting the 50th anniversary of the show that changed our lives - and our brilliant pals who made it what it was," Alda captioned the post, which by time of writing has received over half a million likes/ "MASH was a great gift to us." The numbers check out MASH, Mike Farrell, Alan Alda, 1972-1983, arm around shoulder. TM and Copyright © 20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. Courtesy: Everett Collection M*A*S*H was certainly a gift to Farrell and Alda, but also to many others as well, evidenced by the historic numbers it drew. From 1983 until 2010, the finale was the most-watched television broadcast in U.S. history and to this day remains the most-watched finale on TV. It's also the most-watched episode of any scripted series. The genre of dramedy, a hybrid of comedy and drama, was given a solid foundation thanks to M*A*S*H, about the best representation any genre could ask for, since it is still one of the highest-ranked shows on American television to this day. Allan Arbus, Harry Morgan, Mike Farrel, Alan Alda, Wayne Rogers, William Christopher and Jamie Farr / ImageCollect Part of its success is the reality that drips from every episode. That is in keeping with the aim of entire franchise. It all began with the book MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors by H. Richard Hornberger under the pen name Richard Hooker. Hooker had served as a military surgeon and experienced life practically on the frontlines. When the book was adapted first into a film then a show, Hawkeye became a vehicle for showing an intimate look at the horrors of war. Reality really is more remarkable than fiction and gave M*A*S*H unprecedented staying power 50 years later.