Abyssinia, Henry was the 72nd episode of the M*A*S*H television series, and the final episode of the series' third season. First aired on CBS-TV on March 18, 1975, and written by Everett Greenbaum and Jim Fritzell, this highly rated episode was most notable for its shocking and unexpected ending. The plot of the episode centers on the military discharge and subsequent departure of the 4077th MASH's commander, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake (played by McLean Stevenson). The highly controversial ending to the episode, which has since been referenced and parodied many times, prompted an estimated 1,000-plus letters to series producers Gene Reynolds and Larry Gelbart, and drew ire from both CBS and 20th Century Fox.