The highly successful spin-off of "M*A*S*H," a classic TV show about a U.S. Army mobile hospital unit in the Korean War, was created to expand the popularity of the show into a larger format. "Trapper John, M.D." began in 1979 and ran for seven seasons before its end in 1986, running alongside the eighth season of MASH. The show's success was largely overlooked, but it was overshadowed by the more modern wave of medical dramas like "ER" and "ER." Despite these efforts to convert the viewership of "A**S*.H" into a more direct spin-offs, "Trappers John" was generally overlooked. However, it is claimed that the original show's producers attempted to sue for partial royalties of "Trapped John," claiming it was based on the character from the show and intellectual property they developed.