Those Who Love MASH Will Enjoy Fox's Military Sitcom Going Dutch

1 day ago 3

Published Mar 5, 2026, 9:42 AM EST

Arielle Port started as a TV producer, developing content for Netflix (Firefly Lane, Brazen) and Hallmark (The Santa Stakeout, A Christmas Treasure) before transitioning into entertainment journalism. Her love of story went from interest to lifelong passion while at The University of Pennsylvania, where she fell in with a student-run web series, Classless TV, and it was a gateway drug. Arielle Port has been a Writer for Screen Rant since August 2024. She lives in Los Angeles with her boyfriend and more importantly, her cat, Boseman.

M*A*S*H* was a rare military sitcom, and over four decades later, Going Dutch continues the campaign. The CBS comedy starring Alan Alda and Mike Farrell is considered to be one of, if not the best comedies in history. Known for its provocative and intelligent humor, M*A*S*H* is a rare breed. But those who miss it has a new alternative to check out.

Fox’s Going Dutch sounds high-concept on paper, but it really isn’t. At its core, it’s a workplace sitcom with a military backdrop, so Going Dutch is a spiritual successor to Enlisted.

The comedy kicks in when battle-hungry Colonel Quinn is reassigned as a punishment to Garrison Stroopsdorf in the Netherlands, a posting with no weapons and no real purpose beyond optics. It’s complete with luxury amenities like the army’s best fromagerie and relaxed personnel.

For most people, it would be paradise, but for Colonel Quinn, it’s exile. Making matters worse, he is taking the command away from his capable, clear-eyed daughter, Captain Maggie Quinn, who has built a functional community he immediately disrupts.

It’s like putting Jack Nicholson’s Colonel Jessep from A Few Good Men into the Bill Murray comedy Stripes. Colonel Quinn is a fish out of water at the least disciplined, least strategically important American military base.

Going Dutch Mines Comedy Gold From Cultural Stereotypes

Colonel Quinn and Maggie smiling in Going Dutch

In the tradition of All in the Family, where Archie Bunker and Michael Stivic embodied opposite sides of a cultural divide, Going Dutch wrings comedy from clashing worldviews. Colonel Quinn treats anything European as soft, overindulgent, or vaguely suspicious, firing off jabs about public transportation, socialized systems, and leisurely lunches.

The Dutch locals, meanwhile, are more than capable of skewering American excess and the military industrial complex he represents. The satire cuts both ways.

New episodes of Going Dutch air Thursdays on Fox, then stream next-day on Disney+/Hulu. Season 1 is not currently streaming.

Quinn’s fatal flaw is that he always pushes too far. In Going Dutch season 1, episode 4, a friendly annual game of korfball with the surrounding community becomes a full-blown military campaign under his leadership.

When the base attempts to honor “the day of Niksen,” a Dutch tradition centered on intentional idleness and work-life balance, he wages war on relaxation itself. The result is a culture-clash comedy rooted in ego, pride, and stubborn patriotism.

Going Dutch’s Secret Weapon Is Its Deep Bench Of Working Actors

Catherine Tate as Dr. Katja Vanderhoff in Going Dutch

Going Dutch doesn’t rely on marquee, stunt-cast names, which is a strength. Denis Leary and Taylor Misiak lead the cast as Colonel and Captain Quinn. Danny Pudi and Catherine Tate are recognizable names and faces, but not the kind of headline-grabbing stars that guarantee instant ratings.

Instead, they’re seasoned working actors who know exactly how to calibrate tone. Danny Pudi's Executive Officer Abraham Shah in particular, stands out as the Colonel’s loyal right-hand man, whose growing feelings for Captain Quinn add warmth beneath the satire.

Going Dutch Main Characters

Character

Actor

Best Known Role

Colonel Patrick Quinn	Denis Leary	Tommy Gavin in Rescue Me
Captain Maggie Quinn	Taylor Misiak	Ally in Dave
Executive Officer Major Abraham Shah	Danny Pudi	Abed Nadir in Community
Master Sergeant Dana Conway	Laci Mosley	Jayla in Florida Girls
Corporal Elias Papadakis	Hal Cumpston	Zach Marconi in Nine Perfect Strangers
Private Anthony "BA" Chapman	Dempsey Bryk	Airk Tantalus in Willow
Dr. Katja Vanderhoff	Catherine Tate	Donna Noble in Doctor Who, Nellie Betram in The Office

What’s more exciting is the ensemble’s depth. The newer, less familiar performers don’t fade into the background, they sharpen every exchange. Going Dutch also fills out its ensemble cast with incredible guest stars who bring their comedy chops, including Kristen Johnston and Lisa Edelstein.

If Going Dutch finds its audience, it could mirror the trajectory of Parks and Recreation or Community, where electric chemistry helps the show become a breakout success and makes the cast into household names.

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