No character can replace another. But sometimes when one door closes, another opens. Although we had to say goodbye to Trapper John on the hit series M*A*S*H, viewers were quick to welcome their new favorite character, B.J. Hunnicutt.

Hunnicutt was played by actor Mike Farrell. In an interview with The Cincinnati Enquirer, Farrell revealed that by joining the cast of M*A*S*H, it wasn't his intention to replace Trapper. Rather, he was originating an entirely new character, who brought an entirely new dynamic to the series.

Farrell said that Hunnicutt is "a softer guy than Trapper, not so hard in edge and hopefully more likable, who wants to put in his Army time as constructively as possible."

Watch M*A*S*H on MeTV!

Weeknights at 5 PM, Sundays at 6 PM

*available in most MeTV markets

 Add to Favorites  Remind Me

But during an interview, Farrell claimed that despite viewers' attachment to B.J., he wasn't too similar to the character he played on television.

"I think I'm rougher than B.J.," said Farrell during an interview with The Boston Globe. "He's a little more smooth, a little more gentle, a little more polished."

But while their general personalities varied slightly, Farrell and Hunnicutt were the same in more important ways. Both men shared the same convictions, and they both devoted their lives to helping others. Moreover, it seemed that playing Hunnicutt actually allowed Farrell to become a better man in real life.

Farrell said that working on M*A*S*H allowed him to "live the life I want to lead with some sense of integrity."

Moreover, the actor said that the series gave him the power to begin investing in "life-positive kinds of things — people and ideas I believe in."