WEEKEND REWIND: Bewitched

BEWITCHED
September 17, 1964 - March 25, 1972
254 episodes
Starring: Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Dick Sargent, Agnes Moorehead, David White, Erin Murphy

Bewitched is a sitcom that accomplishes a rare feat: it was made in the era of "dumb" fantasy sitcoms - some of which are entertaining but still silly but it managed to have tons of heart. That is the reason that the sitcom about a witch who married a mortal has endured. Though the show lost its way later in its run, the early episodes are classic TV at its best - well-written, sweet, funny, and charming. Bewitched was a smash hit from the start and has been a success in reruns for decades.

Of course the center of the show is the beautiful Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens. There is no show without Montgomery's Samantha who was enchanting as the loyal but conflicted witch and housewife. All she wanted was to have a normal life and marriage but her wacky relatives or tough situations prompted her to use witchcraft much to the chagrin of her husband Darrin. Of course Bewitched is famous for changing Darrins in 1969 (season 5) when Dick York could not continue in the role due to back problems. Dick York is without question the superior Darrin. The chemistry between Montgomery and York in the early years was palpable and he was perfect as a manic but loving husband. By the time Dick Sargent took over the role, the show was getting tired and he did not add much to it as he always just seemed aggravated. Agnes Moorehead was perfect as Samantha's mother and the bane of Darrin's existence. She was an ideal "enchantress" who often stole the scenes she was in. David White was also funny as Darrin's proud boss who constantly changed his tune based on the mood of their advertising client. Erin Murphy was one of the better TV kids of the era as young witch Tabitha.

But to mention the principal cast is just scraping the surface of a wild and wacky ensemble. Some of the standouts who popped in from time to time (often literally) included the fantastic Marion Lorne as bumbling Aunt Clara. Samantha had a special relationship with her sweet old aunt whose magic was fading and Darrin even seemed to enjoy Aunt Clara. Paul Lynde's wisecracking Uncle Arthur was flamboyant and funny and Elizabeth Montgomery's double role as wild cousin Serena was always fun to see. Another standout was nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz played to perfection in the first two years by Alice Pearce. Although Gladys was usually right she was seen as crazy by her deadpan husband Abner (George Tobias). Pearce played Gladys as manic and harpy and was brilliant in the role. The role was never the same when Pearce died and Sandra Gould took over. Other memorable appearances were Maurice Evans as Samantha's regal father and Mabel Albertson as Darrin's often confused mother. Not as memorable to me but memorable to others were Bernard Fox as Dr. Bombay and Alice Ghostley as Esmeralda.

Bewitched was a show that lost its way towards the end. It devolved into the silly fantasy show that defined other silly 1960s sitcoms. It became more about the gimmick than the story. But those early years - particularly the first two black and white years - are as good as any show in classic TV history. There is a sweetness as Samantha and Darrin are newlyweds in a "mixed marriage" of sorts. It's a charming show that stands tall among its contemporaries and a beloved show in sitcom history.




THE 10 BEST EPISODES OF "BEWITCHED"
Note: this is based solely on personal opinion.

Close Calls: #1 "I, Darrin, Take This Witch, Samantha," #72 "What Every Young Man Should Know," #165 "Samantha's Power Failure," #111 "Double Double Toil and Trouble," #105 "Bewitched, Bothered, and Infuriated"

"Nobody's Perfect"

10. #75 "Nobody's Perfect" (first aired September 15, 1966)
In the first color episode, strange occurrences start happening whenever Tabitha's around and Samantha must come to grips with the fact that her daughter is a witch just like her. It's an interesting episode that starts a new era of Bewitched in many ways and the episode ends with Darrin still not knowing the truth.

9. #164 "Battle of Burning Oak" (first aired March 13, 1969)
Darrin is turned into a snob by Endora when he gets membership to a country club. Nothing momentous, it is just a funny episode with Dick York playing the haughty snob and Samantha exasperated with Darrin and her mother.

8. #54 "And Then There Were Three" (first aired January 13, 1966)
A memorable episode for many reasons - Tabitha is born and Serena appears for the first time (who Darrin confuses as a grown up Tabitha). But this episode is on the list for two reasons - a great guest appearance by Eve Arden as the harried nurse and a rare sweet moment between Endora and Darrin when she comes to the waiting room to tell him he has a daughter. That scene alone makes this episode.

7. #47 "Aunt Clara's Old Flame" (first aired November 25, 1965)
Aunt Clara is one of the best supporting characters in this show and she shines in this episode when her old beau visits and she doesn't want him to know that her powers aren't what they once were. Little does she know that he has the same problem and after they try to impress each other, they find out each other's secret in a sweet conclusion.


6. #9 "Witch or Wife" (first aired November 5, 1964)
Samantha goes to Paris with Endora for lunch where she runs into Larry Tate of all people. There's nothing particularly memorable about this episode, it's just a fun misunderstanding episode with the glamor of a lunch trip to Paris. It also explores early conflict between Darrin and Samantha. 

5. #135 "I Confess" (first aired April 4, 1968)
In a fit of rage, Darrin declares that they should just tell the world Samantha is a witch so Samantha puts a dream spell on him to imagine what that would actually be like. It's a great "what if" episode to see what happens when Larry, the Kravitzes, and the world find out Sam's secret.

"A Vision of Sugar Plums"

4. #15 "A Vision of Sugar Plums" (first aired December 24, 1964)
In the first and best Christmas episode, Sam and Darrin take home a jaded orphan for Christmas. When he doesn't believe in Santa, Samantha takes him (and Darrin) to the North Pole to meet him. This is the kind of episode that a fantasy sitcom can do with believability and it works to perfection here. There are also many funny moments with Gladys as she sees Samantha & company riding a broomstick and overhears a discussion about going to meet Santa.

3. #41 "The Joker is a Card" (first aired October 14, 1965)
Paul Lynde appears as Uncle Arthur for the first time and he tricks Darrin into thinking he can perform a spell on Endora. This is a funny and memorable episode due to Lynde's great performance and Darrin's confident performance of the futile spell.

2. #69 "Divided He Falls" (first aired May 5, 1966)
A masterful performance by Dick York - Samantha and Darrin have a vacation planned but Darrin ends up having to work so Samantha splits him in two. The trouble is they are both extreme versions of Darrin. Vacation Darrin is the life of the party without a care in the world while work Darrin is deadly serious even when out for drinks with Larry and a client. This episode more than any other shows Dick York's underrated versatility and is certainly a classic. 

"A is for Aardvark"

1. #17 "A is for Aardvark" (first aired January 14, 1965)
Perhaps the best exploration in Samantha and Darrin's relationship is in this sweet and memorable episode. Darrin sprains his ankle and Samantha gives him temporary powers so she doesn't have to wait on him on hand and foot, but it goes to Darrin's head and he soon wants to live an extravagant life. He doesn't understand the simplicity and normal life that Samantha craves until she breaks down in tears when she sees a present he got for her before all the extravagance. This episode defines the sweetness between Samantha and Darrin that defined the early seasons.