Overview
In this surreal episode, the group performs 33 hours of surgery without sleep. A motor pool administrator refuses to send ambulances to the camp to evacuate patients (who are piling up rapidly) because they might be damaged by gunfire. In effect, they are forced to build bunks in Post-Op and move the wounded soldiers into every available space, including Klinger's office (thereby forcing him to sleep in the supply room.) The show centers on the dreams of the cast as they attempt to catch at least a little slumber in the midst of the crisis. Unfortunately, even their dreams offer no sanctuary from the war, as everyone eventually finds himself or herself glad to be awake. After the marathon of wounded ends and the unit faces a respite from the constant surgery, a few consider getting some long-deserved rest. However, Winchester's glibly-delivered response ("...to sleep, perchance to dream..." from Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1) causes them to reconsider sleep in favor of coffee to stay awake, and stay away from the dreams.
Read more about this topic: Dreams (M*A*S*H)