Today is the first day of my Episode Guides on Thursdays! I will regularly put this caveat that each episode is scored and then an average for each season given at the end of the season. It is exceedingly hard to get an average in the 8-10 range (for a 10 average, every single episode of the season would have to get a perfect score, which is never going to happen).
So I look at it this way for overall scores:
9-10: Exceptional
7-8: Strong
5-6: OK
3-4: Mediocre
1-2: Terrible
Here we go!
BEWITCHED: SEASON ONE
1964-196536 episodes
The first season of Bewitched is delightful. The show in its early years was a sentimental, romantic comedy with sophisticated writing and sharp performances. The show isn't afraid to shy away from some major themes, most specifically prejudice. Bewitched so often gets lumped in with the silly sitcoms of the 1960s and it lives up to that generalization in its later years. But in these early years, it is closer to the sophistication of The Dick Van Dyke Show than those other 60s sitcoms. It takes a few episodes after a great pilot for the show to really find its footing, but it doesn't take long.
Starring
Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens (36 episodes)
Dick York as Darrin Stephens (36 episodes)
Agnes Moorehead as Endora (22 episodes)
David White as Larry Tate (19 episodes)
Alice Pearce as Gladys Kravitz (16 episodes)
George Tobias as Abner Kravitz (16 episodes)
Irene Vernon as Louise Tate (5 episodes)
Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara (3 episodes)
Mabel Albertson as Phyllis Stephens (2 episodes)
Robert F. Simon as Frank Stephens (2 episodes)
Maurice Evans as Maurice (1 episode)
On their wedding night, Darrin finds out that Samantha is a witch. Darrin takes Samantha to his ex-girlfriend's house for a dinner party and Samantha can't resist using witchcraft.
Bewitched gets off to a great start with this tone-setting pilot. Aside from the narration, which is dropped after a few episodes, it really does evoke the early seasons feeling of the show from the jump. Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York have instant chemistry including the romantic opening sequence showing Samantha and Darrin's courtship and marriage. Samantha's conversation with Endora is emblematic of the central premise and conflict of the show with underlying themes about prejudice. And that's just the beginning of the episode. The real humor comes when Samantha and Darrin go to Sheila's (guest star Nancy Kovack) dinner party. Sheila's snobbery and Samantha's reactions are excellent. The only thing I don't like at all, and they don't keep it up thank goodness, is when Darrin talks directly to the camera with his "so what if my wife is a witch?" bit. It feels completely out of place in a show that is surprisingly grounded considering its premise.
RATING: 9/10
2. Be It Ever So Mortgaged (9/24/64)
Darrin wants to move to a house outside the city. Samantha and Endora go to look at it while using witchcraft to imagine how it could look and are seen by nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz.
The second episode of Bewitched doesn't fire on all cylinders in the way that the pilot does. It is past the exposition but not settled into the groove of the series yet and feels a little awkward. The scene where Darrin comes home and Endora hides in the same room takes a fairly unfunny gag way too far and it lasts way too long. Even when they get into the meat of the episode of looking at the house, it's a thin premise that lasts far too long. On the plus side, this is the first appearance of Alice Pearce and George Tobias as the Kravitzes and they add so much in these early seasons before Pearce's untimely death. It's also interesting to see just how enchanting Agnes Moorehead is in these early episodes. She doesn't even try to fit in with the mortals, she's very much a witch through and through. The narrator is still there, treating the show like someone narrating a science class film. There's also another speak directly to the camera moment (this time from Endora). I'm so glad the show didn't stick with those two conceits!
RATING: 6/10
3. It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog (10/1/64)
Hosting a dinner party for one of Darrin's clients for the first time, Samantha has to deal with the aggressive client Mr. Barker and turns him into a dog.
The first "advertiser" episode of Bewitched is also the first appearance of David White as Larry Tate, but it's kind of a dud. In the entire run of the series, I'm never a big fan of characters being turned into animals. It's a little bit of a lazy premise that gets used too much and the results are always kind of the same. It is also the first fight between Darrin and Samantha and it's a little frustrating to see Darrin initially get mad at Samantha for her witchcraft instead of Mr. Barker for his advances. Ultimately this episode seems to be a "rinse and repeat" episode: Barker makes advances, Samantha turns him into a dog, Barker makes more advances, Samantha turns him into a dog again, Barker makes more advances, Darrin punches him. It just doesn't have a lot to it and Jack Warden is pretty forgettable as Mr. Barker. One thing to note, these early episodes are so glamorous compared to later seasons. The dinner party is beautiful.
RATING: 4/10
Darrin meets Endora for the first time. Gladys continues to be suspicious of what's going on across the street.
This episode has two different plots and they're not told concurrently but instead it feels like two different episodes because the first half deals with Gladys and her suspicions as she visits Samantha with a welcoming committee and the second half deals with Darrin meeting Endora. Despite that shift, this episode is the first since the pilot where the show really does find its groove. The scene with snooping and paranoid Gladys alongside the young boys stumbling upon Endora is quite funny and then the meeting between Endora and Darrin goes as expected. I think the show was smart to save this meeting until a few episodes in when we have gotten to know the characters a little bit better. The episode also has a funny discussion between Endora and Samantha about baseball, and a very progressive line (for the 1960s) from Samantha: "why is it that human beings care more about what people look like than what they are?"
RATING: 8/10
5. Help, Help, Don't Save Me (10/15/64)
Samantha tries to help Darrin with an advertising campaign, but he becomes convinced she is using witchcraft to help him and they get in a fight.
Boy Darrin can be quite insecure at times, can't he? This is one of the most infuriating Darrin episodes (despite his apology at the end) because of his distrust in Samantha. The show made a wise decision in future episodes to make Endora (or another relative) more of an adversary to Darrin at work because his disdain for Samantha's genuine help here does not play up the sweetest element of these early seasons: the Stephens' marriage. Something I don't understand about this episode: what makes Samantha's advertising ideas so good? They actually seem a little worse than Darrin's to me, but maybe those are better references of the era than I am aware of.
RATING: 5.5/10
6. Little Pitchers Have Big Fears (10/22/64)
Samantha befriends a lonely boy with an overbearing mother while helping to convince his overbearing mother to let him play baseball.
I'm not typically a fan of episodes with precocious children, but this is a very sweet one. With guest appearances by June Lockhart and James Mathers (brother of Jerry a.k.a Beaver), this is the first episode to really play up the inherent sweetness and goodness of Samantha. It's also fun to see Samantha and Darrin team up for the first time as they try to convince Lockhart's character to let her son play baseball. Darrin's frantic attempts to keep Sam from using witchcraft at the climax of the baseball game is a very funny moment. Just two oddities: how did Marshall (Mathers) make it to the baseball game when it obviously takes a long-ish drive for the Stephens and why is Lockhart using a southern belle accent in a show that is set in Connecticut?
RATING: 8/10
At Halloween, Samantha is upset when Darrin makes sketches for a client using a witch stereotype so she and some relatives visit the client to make him change his mind.
The first Halloween episode of Bewitched is also the first episode featuring Marion Lorne as one of the best supporting characters, Aunt Clara. It also deals head-on with one of the undercurrent themes of Bewitched: prejudice. This is a great episode, the best one to date. Highlights include Darrin fighting for Samantha against a client even when it makes him sound crazy as he defends witches, and Aunt Clara showing her delightfully weird side with her troubles with magic and affection for doorknobs (Lorne herself collected doorknobs). Bewitched could really be a radical show at times when you think about it airing against the backdrop of the turbulent 60s Despite being disguised as a family fantasy sitcom, it had some serious things to say at times about stereotyping, and this is one of the clearest examples of the entire series. It maybe doesn't feel as "Halloween" as some later holiday episodes, but it's definitely got the most to say.
RATING: 9.5/10
8. The Girl Reporter (11/5/64)
Darrin is interviewed by a young journalism student who develops a crush on him. Her jealous boyfriend tries to enlist Samantha's help to try to break things up.
Ah jealousy. Perhaps the most used plot point in TV sitcom history. This episode is fine, but it doesn't really offer anything new and seems incredibly similar to an I Love Lucy episode that aired more than a decade earlier. The odd thing about this episode is there's very little witchcraft used and when it is used, it doesn't really advance the plot or contribute to the action. In all, this feels like a pretty underdeveloped episode. It got to the final scene and I thought "that's it?" I think a successful sitcom episode is either very funny, moves the series forward, or has something important to say. This episode does none of those things and it's pretty forgettable. Poor acting from guest star Roger Ewing as the jealous boyfriend doesn't help.
RATING: 4/10
With Darrin overworked, Endora takes Samantha to Paris for lunch but they run into Larry Tate there.
Prior to my re-watch for this blog, I had always considered this a favorite because of the glamour of Paris and funniness in the mix-ups. Upon watching it again, I don't think it's one of the very best though it is enjoyable. By far the best sequence is the scene in the Paris restaurant where Samantha, after dining with the Tates, "pops" home only to be called by the Tates in Paris. The resolution of the episode including the ending on the airplanes (with a cameo by a young Raquel Welch) does not really resolve the episode as much as I would like it to. Although they've been in previous episodes, this is the first strong Larry & Louise Tate episode, where we really get to know the characters.
RATING: 7.5/10
10. Just One Happy Family (11/19/64)
Samantha's father, Maurice, visits and learns that Samantha is married to a mortal.
Maurice Evans does not appear in many episodes of Bewitched but he brings a sense of regality to the show whenever he appears. Something I find particularly fascinating in Bewitched lore is the relationship or lack thereof between Endora and Maurice. It's never specifically stated, but it's quite obvious the two of them are either separated or divorced (look at Endora's threat to move in with Maurice in this episode). Just another way Bewitched was quietly and sneakily ahead of its time on TV. There's a fair bit of drama in this episode as Maurice's temper leads to him making Darrin disappear and Samantha's impassioned pleas and Endora's defense of her daughter makes for a higher stakes episode than the average Bewitched episode. I just feel like Maurice gives in too quickly for Darrin's return.
RATING: 7.5/10
11. It Takes One to Know One (11/26/64)
A beautiful model (who turns out to be a witch) makes Samantha jealous when she becomes the model for a perfume campaign.
In the first example of Endora interfering with Darrin at work, we don't actually find out right away that it's one of Endora's ploys. That makes for a more interesting episode than the standard Bewitched
plot of Endora casting a spell on Darrin at the beginning of the episode. I think it's only by watching Bewitched often that it's apparent that it's witchcraft from the beginning. This episode works all the way up until the scene in Miss Jasmine's apartment when Samantha stops the witchcraft from happening and therefore saves Darrin. It just goes back and forth a little too much and it doesn't allow for Darrin to prove that he wouldn't be unfaithful to Samantha, which I would have liked to see.
RATING: 7/10
12. And Something Makes Three (12/3/64)
When Larry sees Samantha and Louise at an obstetrician, he mistakenly thinks Samantha is pregnant when it is actually Louise.
In a precursor to the actual pregnancy storyline of season two, Darrin tries to grapple with the idea of being a father to a witch. I'm not usually a fan of hypothetical dream sequences, but the children witches (including a young Maureen McCormick) flying around Darrin's office is a pretty funny scene and sight gag. The main storyline with the misunderstanding about who is pregnant is pretty funny and enjoyable, but a B storyline with Gladys Kravitz trying to figure out what swimming pool she spied Samantha jumping into doesn't really go anywhere. In fact, I found the first scene with Gladys spying on the pool to actually border creepy in a way that it doesn't usually. And of course, this is the 1960s, so we have pregnant Louise Tate drinking martinis.
RATING: 6.5/10
13. Love is Blind (12/10/64)
Samantha plays matchmaker between a friend of hers and a co-worker of Darrin's but Darrin is upset when she uses witchcraft to help bring them together.
This episode kicks off a string of really strong episodes of Bewitched and features a memorable guest appearance by a pre-Batman Adam West. This is kind of an interesting episode because it puts so much of the plot on two guest stars who never appear again. There is no Endora, no Larry, no Kravitzes, etc. Despite that oddity, it's a very enjoyable episode and it actually makes me wish the guest characters of Kermit and Gertrude appeared more than just once. Darrin is a little bit infuriating in this episode with his frantic attempts to keep Kermit & Gertrude apart. It's an anomaly of a Bewitched episode, but it's quite enjoyable.
RATING: 8.5/10
Samantha meets Darrin's parents for the first time at the same time that Aunt Clara pops in for a visit.
This episode is the first appearance of Darrin's parents and Mabel Albertson does a great job as the snobby mother-in-law type (which she also did on That Girl). Of the two men who played Darrin's father throughout its run, I prefer Robert F. Simon and his laid back, kind demeanor. It also is the second appearance of the delightful Marion Lorne and her doorknob loving Aunt Clara. Her interactions with the Stephens are hilarious. There's some interesting dynamics at play here and one of the things I love about the show is that Darrin kind of likes Aunt Clara compared to the rest of her relatives. This is the beginning of their relationship when he tries to be tactful with Aunt Clara and her attempts to help Samantha using witchcraft.
RATING: 8.5/10
15. A Vision of Sugar Plums (12/24/64)
Samantha and Darrin take in a troubled foster child for Christmas who doesn't believe in Santa Claus so Samantha takes him to the North Pole.
A classic episode of Bewitched and one that is close to my heart because it was the first episode of the show I ever saw (around Christmas 1994 to be exact). A lot of the credit goes to Billy Mumy, who is a real strong and believable child actor. There's also perhaps one of the most believable Santas ever in a TV show or movie. One of my favorite scenes is when Samantha is getting ready to head to the North Pole and Darrin comes in and is equally skeptical about seeing the "real" Santa Claus. There's also the delightfully funny scene with Gladys Kravitz singing "Good King Wenceslas" before seeing Samantha & crew flying on her broom outside. This is actually one of my favorite Alice Pearce episodes, she is so funny as Gladys in this episode. This episode is so warm and well constructed with great action throughout. If I ever want to get into the Christmas spirit, this is an episode to watch. It's one of my favorite Bewitched episodes and one of my favorite TV sitcom Christmas episodes.
RATING: 10/10
16. It's Magic (1/7/65)
Samantha enlists a washed up and drunken magician to perform at a hospital benefit, and uses her own magic to help him.
So many of these early Bewitched episodes in the first two seasons had such depth to them. This episode isn't just "Samantha helps a magician with his magic tricks." Instead, it is a deeper story with the sad, washed-up magician and Samantha trying to do genuine good for his life while also using magic to spruce up the act. It's so much more than a gimmicky episode and that's what I love about the tone of early era Bewitched. Walter Burke turns in a tender performance as Zeno and he has a great rapport with Samantha. Like "Little Pitchers Have Big Fears" or "Love is Blind," this episode put an awful lot of story and meat on the shoulders of the guest stars and they come through with flying colors. This episode is also an interesting meeting of the magician and witchcraft magic world.
RATING: 8.5/10
When Darrin sprains his ankle, Samantha gives him temporary powers without realizing the repercussions.
The quintessential Bewitched episode. I'm always fascinated when all time classics are so close to each other in the original run. This brilliant episode comes just two episodes after another of the all time bests, the Christmas episode. This episode probably most directly deals with the most important theme of Bewitched. Through most of the series, Darrin is opposed to witchcraft and tries to stop Samantha from using it. In this episode, Darrin has the powers and goes crazy with it. Samantha and Darrin's world changes for the worst and it takes a simple watch gift that Darrin had purchased before everything crazy happened for them to realize this is not the life they wanted. Bewitched, at its heart, is not about the magic. It's about the relationship and no episode demonstrated that better than this one. If I were to tell someone who had never watched before to watch one episode of Bewitched to understand what the show is about, this is the one. The only thing I've never understood about this episode is the title... I don't understand what it has to do with the premise.
RATING: 10/10
18. The Cat's Meow (1/21/65)
A seductive client insists on taking Darrin to Chicago for business on his seven month anniversary with Samantha but Darrin becomes convinced a cat on the trip is Samantha.
Bewitched had a string of five really great episodes so it was bound to come back down at some point and this episode doesn't fire on all cylinders. For one, I've talked about how Bewitched successfully relied on guest stars for many of these early episodes but Martha Hyer is pretty forgettable here as Mrs. Marshall. Second, Darrin thinking the cat is Samantha is a little too gimmicky and it goes on way too long without providing nearly as much comedy as it could or should. And because there's so much attention to the client and the cat plot, there is very little of Elizabeth Montgomery in this episode and that is very noticeable. Without her magic and a silly plot more reminiscent of later seasons, this episode does not soar as much as most other season one episodes.
RATING: 3.5/10
19. A Nice Little Dinner Party (1/28/65)
Samantha and Darrin host a dinner party for Darrin's parents and Endora, and Darrin's father takes a liking to Endora.
This is an interesting title for an episode that really is only about the dinner party for a few minutes before delving into an argument between Samantha and Darrin as well as Darrin's parents. In the second appearance of Frank and Phyllis Stephens, there is an interesting new dynamic as they now interact with the otherworldly Endora. This is a very sweet episode and a great showcase for Mabel Albertson and Robert F. Simon. What I don't like is that the whole point of the argument is that Endora makes Frank feel young again and yet the show barely develops that before delving into the Phyllis & Frank storyline. It is somewhat redeemed though by a sweet and fantastical resolution at Angel Falls. One other general note, I love the sweet music that underscores so many of these season one episodes. I think it adds to the classiness and elegance of these early episodes.
RATING: 8/10
After Darrin won't let Samantha attend a family wedding in Egypt, Endora threatens him and Darrin becomes convinced a string of bad luck and a hotshot new assistant are her spells.
An interesting episode, this is a great example of the strength of early seasons writing of Bewitched. In later years, Endora messes with Darrin one way or another and chaos ensues. That formula is used over and over again in the later color episodes. This is a much more organic story with more plot than hijinks and an effective mystery of whether or not guest character Gideon is the product of witchcraft or not. Despite a weird interjection from Endora halfway through the episode, the resolution provides another thematic storyline to Bewitched: that mortals can be their own worst enemies sometimes. It's just so fascinating to watch the story told in such a sophisticated way, and such a contrast to the late-era Bewitched. Additionally, guest star Jonathan Daly is delightfully irritating in this episode.
RATING: 8/10
21. Ling Ling (2/11/65)
Samantha transforms a cat into a woman to help with Darrin's campaign but ends up getting more than she bargained for.
What I don't like about this episode, besides the fact that it's the second cat-themed episode in the last four, is that it's so uncharacteristic of Samantha. This seems like a plot out of I Dream of Jeannie because Samantha uses witchcraft to attempt to help Darrin at work and then things spiral out of control. Samantha so rarely uses her witchcraft is such a silly and short-sighted way so this feels out of character for her. A side (but related) plot with Gladys Kravitz doesn't really utilize her well or add much to the story. I do think this episode is slightly better than "The Cat's Meow" because Greta Chi is compelling as Ling Ling. But overall, I've never been a fan of these duo cat episodes from season one. Legend has it the cat in both episodes belonged to Elizabeth Montgomery, but I'm not sure if that's true.
RATING: 4/10
22. Eye of the Beholder (2/25/65)
After Endora puts an old photo of Samantha in an antique store, Darrin becomes concerned about the fact that Samantha doesn't really age.
A very interesting topic for Bewitched to explore: the immortality of witches compared to the mortality of mortals. I like the question this episode poses and it's one of the first major "Endora interferes with Darrin's life" episodes. The soul searching is funny too (I always like when Dave appears and Darrin/Dave have parallel conversations at the bar). I didn't care for the squirrel talking bit, that seems a little silly. Overall, this wasn't a very funny episode but it was one that really advances the Stephens' relationship and that's always a plus.
RATING: 7/10
23. Red Light, Green Light (3/4/65)
Samantha and Darrin join a community effort to get a traffic light installed on Morning Glory Circle.
One of several Bewitched episodes where Samantha gets involved in civic affairs, it's an interesting episode to watch but I feel like it never quite develops into a coherent story. It actually seems quite scattered. There is Darrin trying to get the campaign done and being very sleepy. There is Gladys seeing Endora's magical fixes to Samantha's problem (which is basically the same joke three times in the episode). And of course there is the actual attempt to get the traffic light installed. It just doesn't fit together in a way that most of these early episodes do quite well. I like what they tried to do here with the civic involvement but they accomplish it better in other episodes (including "Remember the Main" later this season).
RATING: 5.5/10
When Samantha needs to be two places at once, Endora poses as Samantha, which leads to a problem when she meets a handsome man who happens to be a friend of Darrin's.
In a precursor to Serena, Elizabeth Montgomery gets to show a different side in this episode when she plays Endora posing as Samantha. It's not as wildest a caricature as her Serena performances will be later on, but it does help show the acting range of Montgomery. This is a fun plot as the Endora version of Samantha is a funny mix of the two characters and the fact that she falls for Darrin's friend, Bob, makes for good plot tension. There's a great moment when Bob forces her to say "I love Darrin Stephens." I also like that this episode resolves in a good way. Sometimes I feel like Bewitched has a great story that has to reach to resolve itself. This is a more natural resolution.
RATING: 7.5/10
25. Pleasure O'Riley (3/18/65)
A beautiful neighbor with a jealous boyfriend moves into the Stephens' neighborhood. Darrin acts like a fool fawning over her, which makes Samantha jealous.
An attractive neighbor is a pretty common sitcom trope but this is still a very enjoyable episode with a ton of plot and some suspense as well once Pleasure O'Riley's jealous boyfriend Thor Thunderbolt Swenson shows up. There's one of the best lines of the whole season when Thunderbolt asks Abner "do you have pleasure in this house?" and he answers "not too often, but occasionally." I've always enjoyed episodes that have major parts of their episode taking place in the middle of the night and Thunderbolt going door to door as well as Samantha's witchcraft interference makes for a very fun sequence. Of course, in a typical 1960s sitcom move, Pleasure O'Riley is never seen again (though we do meet her sister, Danger, in a few episodes).
RATING: 8.5/10
Darrin attempts to teach Samantha to drive but they fight so she gets lessons from a nervous and incompetent driving instructor.
In an episode that features the great Paul Lynde in a non-Uncle Arthur role (Uncle Arthur doesn't appear until season two). Lynde really takes over an episode in the way that a Robin Williams type would. It's no wonder after seeing this episode and the comedic magic that Lynde can produce with Elizabeth Montgomery that they invited him back for a recurring role. Endora appears out of nowhere about halfway through the episode and becomes a big plot point which is unusual. Usually when Endora is involved, we see her at the beginning of the episode. One negative about this episode: I feel like the magic is not done as well, there's a lot of cuts of witchcraft that seem very obviously edited and less seamless. Maybe it's because it is much harder to do with cars.
RATING: 8/10
27. There's No Witch Like an Old Witch (4/1/65)
When Aunt Clara visits, she babysits for the son of one of Darrin's clients and shows him her witchcraft, making her the most popular babysitter in the area.
It's the third appearance and another great showcase of the amazing Marion Lorne. She is just so good at playing the befuddled old lady and I just love the sweetness of the Darrin-Aunt Clara relationship and of course the Samantha-Aunt Clara relationship. While I love Marion Lorne and what she has to offer, I don't love this episode because I think it's a great plot that doesn't fully materialize into a great episode. The scene with the judge at the end of the episode just always seems ready to be a great scene but doesn't quite land either on the side of really funny or sentimental. There are better Aunt Clara episodes than this one.
RATING: 5.5/10
28. Open the Door Witchcraft (4/8/65)
Samantha and Darrin are forced to get an automatic garage door opener to appease Gladys when she sees Samantha use witchcraft, but they fight when the door mysteriously keeps opening and closing.
This episode starts off with a great opening in the grocery store (I love glimpses into 60s life such as the little grocery store) and a sight gag involving Gladys and an automatic door. This is a very small and thin plot (seems more like a B story) but it actually works quite well. It's a great fighting episode for the Stephens and an interesting example of how some tiny little thing like a garage door opener can turn into a full blown fight. This is a great neighborhood episode too as there's a lot of things for the Kravitzes to do. This isn't an episode that is really all that memorable but I enjoyed it from start to finish.
RATING: 8/10
When Gladys sees Samantha moving pictures on the wall, Samantha convinces her that she has ESP.
Fresh off an episode that had a big part for the Kravitzes, this episode perhaps deals the most head-on with Gladys' snooping and suspicion in the whole series. One of the best showcases for the great Alice Pearce, I like how this episode upends the usual role of Gladys Kravitz in the series. Now it's Gladys doing the crazy things and Samantha staring out the window at her. The first half of this episode is excellent with Gladys trying to be the rainmaker and doing other crazy things. It loses its way later on the episode when it gets to the seance, which is a good setup but ultimately doesn't work that well for me. So, it ultimately turns out to be a middle of the road episode despite the early potential.
RATING: 6.5/10
30. George the Warlock (4/22/65)
With Darrin spending time with Pleasure O'Riley's sister, Danger, Endora summons a warlock to go and try to take back Samantha.
This is an odd episode. For one, it feels rather disjointed. I know it tries to all connect, but it's sort of odd how many plot points they're trying to connect. Although it's used in many sitcoms today, this was not a common thing for 60s sitcoms so it doesn't seem like they really know how to. We have Danger O'Riley and Darrin, we have George (under orders from Endora) and Samantha, and we have Darrin's use of George (in raven form) as an advertising inspiration, which eventually leads to George meeting Danger. I feel like the George sent to the Stephens by Endora could have been its own story instead of being looped into an unnecessary Danger O'Riley story (also, they must not have been able to get Kipp Hamilton back as Pleasure for this episode?). I do love that the bird whistles the theme to Bewitched, definitely the highlight of an otherwise weak episode.
RATING: 4/10
Samantha tries on a black wig for a date with Darrin but Larry seems them and mistakenly thinks Darrin is having an affair. Gladys tries different hairstyles to spark her marriage with Abner.
This episode is kind of unusual to look at in the context of the whole series because Samantha's wig she wears in this episode makes her look so much like Serena, who we don't meet until midway through season two. Overall, it plays like a farce and I like the hotel setting where most of the mixed up plot occurs. It makes for a plot-filled, funny episode that keeps the twists coming. Larry doesn't come off great in this episode with his feelings that a potential Darrin affair make him a charming "son of a gun." The Kravitz side plot is pretty funny too and it's interesting that it doesn't really overlap with the main plot aside from the opening.
RATING: 8/10
32. Illegal Separation (5/6/65)
The Kravitzes have a big fight and Abner moves in with the Stephens, leaving Samantha to try to use witchcraft and other means to get them back together.
The one and only showcase for George Tobias as the beleaguered Abner Kravitz, this is part of quite a string of Kravitz episodes. This is one of my favorite Kravitz episodes because they both are pretty funny in it. The resolution at the end of the episode where Samantha gives them the same dream seems a little gimmicky and silly, but the dream sequence actually plays quite well and it gives a sweetness to the Kravitz marriage that we haven't seen before and will never see again. I also like that there's a lot of plot with the Stephens trying to get them back together before Samantha even uses witchcraft. That's the difference between a show like this or I Dream of Jeannie (or even the later seasons of Bewitched).
RATING: 8.5/10
33. Change of Face (5/13/65)
Endora and Samantha play around with Darrin's looks while he is sleeping, causing him to become very concerned about his appearance.
What I like about this episode is it isn't a "Endora puts a spell on Darrin that makes him overly concerned about his looks" plot. Instead, Darrin becomes concerned about his looks through more organic storytelling. It's a more complex and sophisticated way of doing a plot instead of a gimmicky concept. Samantha posing as a beautiful french woman to try to get Darrin's confidence up doesn't elicit as many laughs as it should, but the fact that Darrin knows it's Samantha only to then think a fill-in secretary is also a plant makes for a funny plot turn. I ended up liking this episode more than I remembered.
RATING: 7/10
Samantha and Darrin get involved in a local councilman race, and Samantha tries to stop the corrupt incumbent with Endora's help.
I'm always interested in politics so I like a good political themed episode and this is a fun episode led by strong performances by Edward Mallory and Byron Morrow as the two political candidates. And there's also a late night break-in by Samantha and Endora to campaign headquarters a full seven years before Watergate. Maybe that's where they got the idea? This is another example of what I love about season one of Bewitched. So many episodes are fully developed plots sprinkled with witchcraft instead of witchcraft being the main plot point. The only thing I didn't like about this episode was the silly and unnecessary closing joke.
RATING: 8/10
35. Eat at Mario's (5/27/65)
Samantha tries to help a struggling Italian restaurant just as Darrin is working on a campaign for a rival restaurant.
An episode that deals almost exclusively with the advertising business, there's a lot of logic leaps that have to be made and I'm not talking about the witchcraft used in the episode. I like what happens in the episode but I don't like that Samantha and Endora suddenly change their loyalty to become shills for Perfect Pizza just to fix the problem for Darrin. It's especially out of character for Endora to be so happy go lucky with the plan to help Darrin. This is also the first episode where the resolution is Samantha convinces Larry it was Darrin's plan all along. Bewitched resolves plots too easily that way, especially later in the run, and it never really works. Also, the show strangely uses a disappearance scene for Samantha and Endora that is exactly the same as "Witch or Wife" from earlier in the season. Despite all these negative comments, it's still an enjoyable episode to watch.
RATING: 6.5/10
36. Cousin Edgar (6/3/65)
Samantha's cousin Edgar, an elf, comes to visit and messes with Darrin at work.
The strong first season of Bewitched unfortunately ends with quite a clunker. This is a type of episode that would become commonplace later in the series but was quite a rarity early in the show's run. Basically the whole episode is "Cousin Edgar does this to Darrin at work, then he does that, then he does that, and then he does that." Nothing that happens is particularly funny. Dick York can do some physical comedy, but he is not Dick Van Dyke so an episode full of his pratfalls is not going to work. Cousin Edgar does not even speak so we don't even get to know him as a character. It seems like the creative team realized it didn't work because they certainly didn't shy away from episodes featuring Samantha's family, but Cousin Edgar never came back.
RATING: 2/10
AVERAGE RATING FOR SEASON ONE:
6.8/10
The Best Episodes
1. "A is for Aardvark" (#17) - 10/10
2. "A Vision of Sugar Plums" (#15) - 10/10
3. "The Witches are Out" (#7) - 9.5/10
4. "I, Darrin, Take This Witch, Samantha" (#1) - 9/10
5. "Pleasure O'Riley" (#25) - 8.5/10
The Worst Episodes
1. Cousin Edgar (#36) - 2/10
2. The Cat's Meow (#18) - 3.5/10
3. It Shouldn't Happen to a Dog (#3) - 4/10
4. George the Warlock (#30) - 4/10
5. The Girl Reporter (#8) - 4/10
Tomorrow: The Friday Five - Top 5 TV news stories of the week!
Next Thursday: A look at Season 2 of Bewitched!
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