9-10: Exceptional
7-8: Strong
5-6: OK
3-4: Mediocre
1-2: Terrible
BEWITCHED: SEASON THREE
1966-1967
33 episodes
Bewitched moves to color in season three and it's pretty smooth sailing early on. While the show takes a small step away from being the romantic comedy it was in seasons one and two and a step closer to being a silly 60s fantasy comedy, it straddles that line pretty well here. I think an argument could be made that this season is funnier than the first two, just not quite as well-crafted. The loss of Alice Pearce (replaced by Sandra Gould) and addition of Bernard Fox late in the season is a sign of bad things to come for the show, but this season still feels like the show is in its creative sweet spot. It's just not as magical to me as the black and white run.
Starring
Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens (33 episodes)
Dick York as Darrin Stephens (31 episodes)
Agnes Moorehead as Endora (22 episodes)
David White as Larry Tate (27 episodes)
Erin Murphy as Tabitha Stephens (18 episodes)
Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara (11 episodes)
Kasey Rogers as Louise Tate (10 episodes)
Sandra Gould as Gladys Kravitz (8 episodes)
George Tobias as Abner Kravitz (8 episodes)
Jill Foster as Betty (2 episodes)
Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur (2 episodes)
Mabel Albertson as Phyllis Stephens (1 episode)
Maurice Evans as Maurice (1 episode)
Bernard Fox as Dr. Bombay (1 episode)
Robert F. Simon as Frank Stephens (1 episode)
75. Nobody's Perfect (9/15/66)
Samantha discovers that baby Tabitha is a witch and tries to keep Darrin from finding out at the wrong time as he excitedly includes Tabitha in an ad campaign.
I've always had mixed feelings about Bewitched's transition to color. On one hand, a show as fantastical as this seems perfect for color. But it's also an end of an era: the end of the 74 black and white episodes I fell in love with on Nick at Nite long before I saw most of the color episodes. However, this is the start of a great three episode arc that explores the reveal that Tabitha is a witch. It's a funny episode and it gives the show a jolt to start its third season with some fresh new stories to tell. I can imagine how exciting it was to see this show in color for the first time back in 1966.
RATING: 8.5/10
76. The Moment of Truth (9/22/66)
Darrin finds out Tabitha is a witch on their anniversary during a party with the Tates.
The next episode in the "Tabitha is a witch" arc features the triumphant return of Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara. A heart attack had sidelined Lorne for nearly 30 episodes but she's back and as funny as ever in this episode. This also marks the first episode for Kasey Rogers as Louise Tate. I think she's superior to Irene Vernon, but it's interesting in these early episodes that they try to make her look and act like Vernon. This episode is pretty funny and the reveal to Darrin is a good and honest moment. Samantha using witchcraft to convince Larry he's drunk is pretty funny too.
RATING: 9/10
1966-1967
33 episodes
Bewitched moves to color in season three and it's pretty smooth sailing early on. While the show takes a small step away from being the romantic comedy it was in seasons one and two and a step closer to being a silly 60s fantasy comedy, it straddles that line pretty well here. I think an argument could be made that this season is funnier than the first two, just not quite as well-crafted. The loss of Alice Pearce (replaced by Sandra Gould) and addition of Bernard Fox late in the season is a sign of bad things to come for the show, but this season still feels like the show is in its creative sweet spot. It's just not as magical to me as the black and white run.
Starring
Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens (33 episodes)
Dick York as Darrin Stephens (31 episodes)
Agnes Moorehead as Endora (22 episodes)
David White as Larry Tate (27 episodes)
Erin Murphy as Tabitha Stephens (18 episodes)
Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara (11 episodes)
Kasey Rogers as Louise Tate (10 episodes)
Sandra Gould as Gladys Kravitz (8 episodes)
George Tobias as Abner Kravitz (8 episodes)
Jill Foster as Betty (2 episodes)
Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur (2 episodes)
Mabel Albertson as Phyllis Stephens (1 episode)
Maurice Evans as Maurice (1 episode)
Bernard Fox as Dr. Bombay (1 episode)
Robert F. Simon as Frank Stephens (1 episode)
Samantha discovers that baby Tabitha is a witch and tries to keep Darrin from finding out at the wrong time as he excitedly includes Tabitha in an ad campaign.
I've always had mixed feelings about Bewitched's transition to color. On one hand, a show as fantastical as this seems perfect for color. But it's also an end of an era: the end of the 74 black and white episodes I fell in love with on Nick at Nite long before I saw most of the color episodes. However, this is the start of a great three episode arc that explores the reveal that Tabitha is a witch. It's a funny episode and it gives the show a jolt to start its third season with some fresh new stories to tell. I can imagine how exciting it was to see this show in color for the first time back in 1966.
RATING: 8.5/10
76. The Moment of Truth (9/22/66)
Darrin finds out Tabitha is a witch on their anniversary during a party with the Tates.
The next episode in the "Tabitha is a witch" arc features the triumphant return of Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara. A heart attack had sidelined Lorne for nearly 30 episodes but she's back and as funny as ever in this episode. This also marks the first episode for Kasey Rogers as Louise Tate. I think she's superior to Irene Vernon, but it's interesting in these early episodes that they try to make her look and act like Vernon. This episode is pretty funny and the reveal to Darrin is a good and honest moment. Samantha using witchcraft to convince Larry he's drunk is pretty funny too.
RATING: 9/10
77. Witches and Warlocks are My Favorite Things (9/29/66)
After a coven is held to determine if Tabitha is a witch, Endora and the witches in charge decide that Tabitha must be taken away to a magic school.
One of the real witchcraft themed episodes of the series, this is an interesting episode that puts the central theme of Bewitched back in the spotlight. As Endora, Hagatha, and Enchantra want to take Tabitha to Hagatha's school (Hogwarts perhaps?), it is fun to see Samantha, Darrin, Aunt Clara, and even Maurice all on the same page while Endora sides with the other witches. It's interesting to note that Reta Shaw plays Hagatha in this episode, but she was Bertha in a previous episode.
RATING: 7/10
78. Accidental Twins (10/6/66)
While babysitting Tabitha and the Tate's son, Jonathan, Aunt Clara accidentally duplicates him.
This is a funny premise with some funny moments, but it doesn't completely work. This reminds me more of the direction the show starts to move in as the seasons progress. The story isn't as original or clever as seasons one and two. Instead, they just spend the entire episode trying to get out of Aunt Clara's blunder. This could have been really funny with the concept of two parties - it's been done well in other sitcoms (most notably Friends). But it just doesn't play with a ton of humor, it just seems like the same thing over and over again with stretches of improbability including the weak ending. One great moment is the reveal of Aunt Clara puttering around the nursery after her witchcraft went awry.
RATING: 5/10
79. A Most Unusual Wood Nymph (10/13/66)
A woman visits the Stephens claiming to be a family friend of Darrin, but Endora and Samantha discover she is a wood nymph who has put a curse on Darrin because of an action of Darrin the Bold many centuries ago.
This episode is called "A Most Unusual Wood Nymph" and it's a most unusual episode. One of the stranger ones of the series (and one they will revisit in Season 7), this episode introduces us to Darrin the Bold. I find this episode interesting, but it's definitely another episode that indicates where this show is headed with a heavy dose of fantasy that we didn't see in seasons 1 & 2, which were so grounded in reality. Dick York doesn't really commit as much to Darrin the Bold as he does to other crazy incarnations of Darrin such as work & fun Darrin in "Divided He Falls," but he is better than Dick Sargent's take on it later on.
RATING: 4/10
80. Endora Moves in for a Spell (10/20/66)
Uncle Arthur visits and gets in a big fight with Endora which comes to a head when Endora decides to move into a house she conjures up on a vacant lot near the Stephens.
I like this episode for several reasons. It's the second appearance of the great Uncle Arthur and there's a nice callback to his "yagazoozy" chant with Darrin in his season two appearance. It's also a great showdown between Endora and Uncle Arthur. Sometimes I forget that Endora and Arthur are brother & sister, but it's explicitly referenced here multiple times. There's also funny sight gags such as Arthur walking Tabitha down the street in her stroller on a red carpet although the house & lot backdrops disappearing and reappearing show that this was made in 1966. This is also the first appearance of Sandra Gould as Gladys Kravitz, but I have a very difficult time watching anything extended with her because I think she's so inferior to Alice Pearce.
RATING: 7.5/10
81. Twitch or Treat (10/27/66)
Endora decides to throw a Halloween party in exchange for getting rid of the house across the street which Uncle Arthur and lots of unusual witches and warlocks attend. Gladys Kravitz tries to get a councilman to investigate.
I remembered liking this episode more than I did watching it back this time around. I know 60s sitcoms don't really worry about continuity but this doesn't line up at all with the canon of Bewitched with Endora suddenly embracing Halloween after her hatred for it in seasons one and two. I do like that it has continuity with the previous episode but neither Endora or Uncle Arthur are as enjoyable in this episode and the episode just meanders into weird little subplots. The warlock with the cat is a particularly unusual one, not to mention the unnecessary cameo by Willie Mays. I like the look of this episode and the way they transform the house, but I don't think the story is very good or funny.
RATING: 5.5/10
82. Dangerous Diaper Dan (11/3/66)
A rival client hires Diaper Dan to spy on the Stephens via a bugged rattle to try to collect information for an ad campaign.
This is a fun and suspenseful episode with a good plot that hums along at a good pace. There are a few logic leaps (how do they not notice they big diaper van parked outside? And why did they not bug the office too?) Still, it's an episode that's fun to watch. Marty Ingels is amusing as the sleazy Diaper Dan and the resolution is satisfying as well. I like the episodes that deal this directly with the advertising business though I'm never all that impressed with Darrin's so-called brilliant advertising ideas.
RATING: 8.5/10
83. The Short Happy Circuit of Aunt Clara (11/10/66)
While babysitting Tabitha, Aunt Clara thinks she accidentally causes a blackout on the eastern seaboard.
This is a fun episode, inspired by a real life east coast blackout in 1965. I like a good blackout episode and I like that this storyline impacts three different but related plots: Samantha and Darrin with the Tates and a client, Aunt Clara at home, and the Kravitzes trying to figure things out. Despite the fact that the Stephens conveniently suddenly have a piano, Aunt Clara standing in the stairway with a huge piano is a funny sight gag. It feels pretty madcap in a good way once everyone comes back to the Stephens' house. Overall, one of the best season three episodes.
RATING: 9/10
84. I'd Rather Twitch Than Fight (11/17/66)
Darrin and Samantha get in a big fight over a sport jacket that Samantha gave away. Endora summons Sigmund Freud to help them.
I really like where this episode heads for a lot of the episode but then it takes a turn that kind of ruins it for me. Samantha and Darrin have one of their biggest fights in the entire series and the first half of the episode focuses on them trying to figure things out with a little magic sprinkled in. That is reminiscent of the first two seasons as Darrin seeks Larry's help and Samantha seeks Louise's help. But then Endora shows up and brings Sigmund Freud to life and the episode devolves into camp. I am generally not a fan of the historical figures coming to the present, a plot device Bewitched will use far too often over the rest of the series. And this was one of the more unnecessary ones because they already had a good plot going.
RATING: 6/10
85. Oedipus Hex (11/24/66)
When Darrin is stressed from work, Endora puts a hex on a bowl of popcorn that makes any mortal that eats it very lazy and carefree.
Unlike the previous episode, this is one where witchcraft enhances the episode. Although it's a little bit of a broken record as far as the plot goes, it's a sheer delight to see Darrin, Larry, a client, the milkman, a policeman, and the TV repair guy in such a state of delirium. This is another great showcase for Dick York and his carefree Darrin. It's not quite as dynamic as "Divided He Falls," but funny nonetheless. The snobby ladies committee that Samantha is reminiscent of a group Lucy Ricardo might join and it's a nice contrast to the hooting and hollering men.
RATING: 8/10
86. Sam's Spooky Chair (12/1/66)
Samantha gets a chair at an antique shop that she discovers is under a spell after they have already given it to a client's wife.
This is an interesting episode with a premise entirely centered on a bewitched object. What I like about this show is we don't know what's up with the show other than it is under some type of spell for most of the episode. That is a more layered plot than us finding out at the beginning that it's a former suitor of Samantha because once that happens, the episode isn't as funny. This show wisely realizes that the good story to tell is one of a spooky chair that is hard to figure out. J. Pat O'Malley and Anne Seymour as the clients add a lot to this episode with a very funny dynamic between the two of them.
RATING: 8/10
87. My Friend Ben Part 1 (12/8/66)
Aunt Clara tries to help Samantha fix a lamp and ends up accidentally summoning Ben Franklin, who finds himself in trouble when he heads into town.
As I mentioned just a few episodes ago, I'm not a big fan of Bewitched episodes bringing historical figures to the present. This is one of the better ones though with a strong and believable performance by Fredd Wayne as Ben Franklin (a role he was well known for outside of Bewitched). As usual, Marion Lorne is very funny here with her stammering, befuddled performance. I just can't stress enough how inferior Sandra Gould is to Alice Pearce. It turns the Gladys scenes from being uproarious to annoying. It also illustrates how Gladys just serves the same purpose in basically every episode she's in. I'm also not convinced this needed to be a two part episode.
RATING: 6.5/10
88. Samantha for the Defense Part 2 (12/15/66)
Samantha and Darrin try to help Ben Franklin as he stands trial for the theft of a fire truck he was testing out.
Part two of the Ben Franklin saga devolves a little more into silliness which is why I thought a second episode was not necessary. Samantha trying to sway public opinion with "Ben Franklin fever" just isn't very funny. Once the episode gets into the trial, it improves some with another strong performance by guest star Fredd Wayne. It actually gets a little sweet as Samantha and Darrin try to extol Ben Franklin's virtues and Wayne gives a thought provoking speech at the end. I just wish the show had tried to do the whole episode with a little more of that honesty.
RATING: 6/10
89. A Gazebo Never Forgets (12/22/66)
Aunt Clara accidentally summons a multi-colored elephant just as Samantha is trying to close on a loan at the bank.
This episode has the distinction of being the first "non-Darrin" episode. In general, non-Darrin episodes are some of the weakest entries in the series because the show is missing the essential dynamic of Darrin and Samantha's relationship. Even Marion Lorne can't save this dud of an episode that compounds Darrin missing with a very silly plot involving a multi-colored elephant that is so obviously actors inside the costume. Steve Franken returns playing a similar role that he played in the "Follow That Witch" two-parter of season two, but he's not as funny here. Overall, just a bad episode exasperated by no Darrin.
RATING: 2/10
90. Soapbox Derby (12/29/66)
Samantha and Darrin befriend a young boy who enters a soapbox derby when his father is too busy with work to be in his life.
This is an episode that has definite shades of season one's "Little Pitchers Have Big Fears" and feels in many ways like a pre-Tabitha episode with the Stephens helping out a kid with a problem. I like that it centers on soapbox derbys, a plot that firmly puts it back in the 1960s and one that couldn't be equaled on a sitcom with a contemporary setting. This is a better showcase for Sandra Gould than she has had so far, but I still don't think she makes the most of the comedy. It's still a sweet episode though thanks to the father and son storyline and a fun plot with its retro feel. Finally, outdoor episodes of Bewitched are always funny because there's no attempt to make it look like its Connecticut setting, it very clearly is California.
RATING: 8/10
91. Sam in the Moon (1/5/67)
Darrin becomes obsessed with the fact that Samantha has been to the moon and starts to believe she was there when she was actually out with Endora.
Another very 60s episode given its moon plot, this also has echoes of I Dream of Jeannie. I really like the way this episode moves along at the beginning. Darrin's paranoid worries about Samantha on the moon to the point that he's bringing substances to be analyzed is a funny plot. There's even a great Honeymooners line, a rare cultural reference on Bewitched. It loses its way when it goes through an unfunny dream sequence. However, it comes out on the other end with a good resolution. They really didn't even need the dream sequence, it's unfortunate that it broke up an otherwise good episode.
RATING: 6.5/10
92. HoHo the Clown (1/12/67)
While on the "HoHo the Clown" show, Endora puts a spell on HoHo that makes him obsessed with Tabitha which is a problem since McMann & Tate's client sponsors the show.
I don't know if it felt this way in 1967, but this episode despite its funny plot, feels a little creepy. Yes, it's an Endora spell but this entire episode is centered on a grown man acting lovesick over a little girl. It's interesting to see Dick Wilson playing a sober role since he's so commonly playing a drunk on Bewitched. This is also a great example of the direction the show is heading in its third season. They use witchcraft to completely alter the resolution instead of finding more clever ways to incorporate witchcraft into the episode.
RATING: 5.5/10
93. Super Car (1/19/67)
Trying to be nice to Darrin, Endora gives him a state of the art car that she got from a testing place before it even is available for sale.
This is a fun episode with a funny premise and good guest turns by Joe Ellis and a pre-Partridge Family Dave Madden as the befuddled men at the testing facility. Unlike the previous episode, this is a smarter plot because witchcraft sets the plot in motion, but then the plot develops from there. I always prefer that to witchcraft quickly solving everything at the end of an episode. One thing that is odd is that Irwin Charone is making his second guest appearance in eight episodes as a different client. I know Bewitched frequently re-used actors as different clients, but these two episodes were too close together.
RATING: 8/10
94. The Corn is as High as a Guernsey's Eye (1/26/67)
Samantha mistakenly thinks a cow in Darrin's building is Aunt Clara having trouble with witchcraft again.
I like this episode because it's a little bit different in the sense that it's Samantha who spends the episode mistaken and causing more trouble as a result. Usually she is the wise one but not so much here and it's fun to see some Bewitched tropes turned on their head. This is a pretty smart and clever episode that uses what could be a silly gimmick (a cow being in so much of the episode) and makes it pretty madcap. With the majority of events unfolding in a busy hotel lobby, it has the feel of a frenzied episode with so many layers to the story. One little thing that irritates me for the second episode in a row is Darrin's phone conversations, which are so obviously a "TV conversation" because nobody in real life repeats back everything that is said on the other line.
RATING: 9/10
95. The Trial and Error of Aunt Clara (2/2/67)
Aunt Clara is put on trial to potentially go earthbound and Samantha works to defend her.
This is an interesting idea for an Aunt Clara-themed episode, but I think the episode spends far too long getting to to the actual trial. We all know Aunt Clara has trouble with her magic. I don't know that the episode needed to spend time showing more examples of that with the Larry Tate/desk scene. Then we deal Samantha trying to hide the trial from Darrin, which could be funny if they hadn't already done so much with Larry. They don't really even have time to tell the good trial story. This episode also employs some very unusual camera angles that feel more like the 1960s Batman than Bewitched.
RATING: 5.5/10
96. Three Wishes (2/9/67)
Thinking that Darrin is up to no good, Endora gives him three wishes without him knowing to reveal his true intentions.
This episode feels a little bit like an amalgamation of several other Bewitched episodes: Endora is suspicious of Darrin, there's a beautiful new client, Endora gives Darrin three wishes. These are all things we've seen before on Bewitched, but they are well put together here and it's a very good episode. Samantha angrily trying to leave Darrin while invisibly packing her things is a funny sight gag. My favorite part of this episode is the ending though. The resolution of Darrin proving he's been faithful is quite clever and enjoyable. The tag scene is pretty amusing too. A very strong entry.
RATING: 9.5/10
97. I'll Remember You... Sometimes (2/16/67)
After Darrin forgets the name of a client, Endora gives him a watch that makes him remember everything.
This episode is a little bit of a one trick pony that I don't think has a developed enough story to be enjoyable for an entire 25 minutes. Darrin just spends most of the episode remembering details and we get the point pretty early on. Darrin is pretty insufferable here and I know that's the point, but I don't think he's redeeming enough. As opposed to the previous episode, this is a more lazy way of incorporating witchcraft into the story. And in the ever changing secretary situation, we see an entirely different "Betty" in McMann & Tate than we had in the previous episode.
RATING: 5.5/10
98. Art for Sam's Sake (2/23/67)
Samantha takes up art and Endora swaps her painting at an art show for a famous painter's work, causing problems when Samantha wins at the exhibit.
This is a good episode for the most part with a fun storyline and a clever resolution. Despite not being an art fan, I always seem to enjoy episodes that have to do with art auctions. However, there's an extremely lazy piece of direction/production here where a scene in the Stephens' bedroom then transitions to a scene in the Tates' bedroom and it's ridiculously obvious that it's the same set. I think some of the 60s shows issues like re-using the same actors for different clients can be forgiven in an era where binge watching was not even possible. However, this is in back to back scenes in the same episode. That's not okay.
RATING: 7/10
99. Charlie Harper, Winner (3/2/67)
An very rich college buddy of Darrin comes to visit and Samantha gets fed up with his snobby wife.
Samantha on a jealous streak is always fun to watch and this episode sort of serves as a longer version of the first episode scene with Sheila. Guest stars Angus Duncan and Joanna Moore add a lot to this episode. Duncan plays the rich, charming, "perfect" persona well while Moore does snobby quite well. It's fun to see Samantha being the one clearly in the wrong and both Endora and Darrin calling her on it. It ultimately is a great episode in the canon of the heart of Samantha and Darrin's relationship because Darrin starts to worry he can't provide Samantha with the things he needs. It's not as sweet as season one's "A is for Aardvark" but it serves a similar purpose and is one of the most heartwarming color episodes of the series.
RATING: 9.5/10
100. Aunt Clara's Victorian Victory (3/9/67)
Aunt Clara accidentally conjures up Queen Victoria and she struggles to adjust to the 20th century at the same time Larry brings over a client who admires her values.
I know a 100th episode wasn't something that was often celebrated in terms of being a special episode back in this era of TV, but it's still a disappointing episode for Bewitched's 100th episode. It's another "let's bring a historical figure to the present" episode - already the fourth time Bewitched has used this plot device in season three. It's also unfortunately a non-Darrin episode and Larry and a client are awkwardly forced into the plot without Darrin. Jane Connell does a good job as Queen Victoria though and that plus a few funny sight gags (she sees bikinis on the TV for example) helps the episode from being a complete miss.
RATING: 6/10
101. The Crone of Cawdor (3/16/67)
The Crone of Cawdor appears and tries to get Darrin to kiss her before 6pm by inhabiting the body of a beautiful young client.
I've always liked this episode for the sheer creepiness and suspense of it all. It's another one of those "race against a spell" episodes like season two's "We're in for a Bad Spell." I always like episodes like that because it raises the stakes for an average sitcom plot. The element of the old woman visiting the Kravitzes and being a part of it all makes it a somewhat creepy storyline. This is a fun play on the trope of Samantha being jealous of a beautiful client. It is done in a much more creative way.
RATING: 9/10
102. No More Mr. Nice Guy (3/23/67)
After another fight with Darrin, Endora puts a spell on him that makes every new mortal who meets Darrin take an immediate disliking to him.
As far as episodes where Endora puts a spell on Darrin at the beginning of the episode and that drives most of the action, this is a funny one. Everyone taking an instant dislike to Darrin and his subsequent inferiority complex is handled in a pretty funny way with some good guest turns by quite a few people. The resolution with Darrin not realizing the spell is off and making a fool of himself is a funny way to end the episode too. I liked that the episode didn't resolve things the typical way with a scene with Endora, Samantha, and Darrin. It was done in a more clever way.
RATING: 8.5/10
103. It's Wishcraft (3/30/67)
Samantha and Darrin are dealing with Tabitha "wishing" for Darrin and him suddenly appearing in front of her just as his parents are visiting.
Darrin's parents make their first appearance of the season in this episode and while I always enjoy Mable Albertson and Robert F. Simon, I feel like they always sort of serve the same function when they appear. Once again, we have a showdown between Phyllis and Endora and some passive aggressive attitudes from Phyllis. It's still funny, but I feel like I've seen the same general idea of this episode before. Endora making it rain on Darrin for Samantha crying, when she barely was, was a silly gimmick that I didn't find very funny.
RATING: 6.5/10
104. How to Fail in Business With All Kinds of Help (4/6/67)
After Endora helps Darrin at work, he becomes convinced she's helping him with another client and makes a fool of himself.
This is a little bit of a reversal of two episodes ago. This time, Endora makes a client take an immediate liking to Darrin and the episode deals with the fallout from that. I think this is a very "average" episode of Bewitched. It's not a standout or a dud. It's kind of just a standard "Endora messes with Darrin at work" episode. That's probably why this is one of the episodes I've gotten most bored during so far. Even with an exotic guest star, there's nothing about this episode that pops.
RATING: 5/10
105. Bewitched, Bothered and Infuriated (4/13/67)
Thanks to Aunt Clara accidentally whipping up an old newspaper, Darrin and Samantha think Larry is going to break his leg on a trip with Louise so they try to stop it.
This is one of my favorite color episodes of Bewitched for many reasons. First of all, it's an extremely clever plot with a very funny resolution. I think the concept of trying to stop the future is a very good one that Bewitched doesn't use enough. It's also funny how Darrin is the one leading the drive to use witchcraft (without any reservation) and being infuriating the entire episode. The befuddled manager is a nice touch as well. I also find it funny how any resort or destination episode seems to use the same pool scene (it's quite obviously the same set from "Divided He Falls" and "Charlie Harper, Winner").
RATING: 10/10
106. Nobody But a Frog Knows How to Live (4/27/67)
A frog who has been turned into a human bugs Samantha to try to get him changed back into a frog so he can be with his girlfriend.
We saw this type of episode in season two with a horse and this time it's a frog. So it's an animal episode and I just find it a little too silly and not clever at all. I'm normally a fan of John Fiedler, both as the famous voice of Piglet and as the hilarious Mr. Peterson on The Bob Newhart Show. But he is pretty annoying here as Fergus, the human frog. This is an episode that establishes the joke within the first minute of the episode and then just spends the rest of the episode making frog jokes and making Fergus increasingly annoying. It's also another example of how the new casting means the Kravitzes don't really add anything to the episode.
RATING: 5.5/10
107. There's Gold in Them There Pills (5/4/67)
When Darrin is sick, Endora summons witch doctor Dr. Bombay who helps him feel better instantly. Without realizing he's a warlock, Darrin and Larry think they have stumbled on a cure to the common cold.
Well, here we go. The beginning of my least favorite character on Bewitched. This is Bernard Fox's first appearance in the role and I know some fans like him, but I took an immediate dislike to him. I find his character horribly unfunny and it also becomes a gimmick for "witch illness" plots in the years to come. The episode is mildly funny, but it mostly is disappointing to me because it devolves into silliness too often when Dr. Bombay visits. It's not entirely the fault of Bernard Fox, who had a good guest performance (not as Dr. Bombay) in season two's "Disappearing Samantha." It's more that the episodes involving him are so uninspired. This is probably one of the better Dr. Bombay episodes, but still not a great one.
RATING: 5/10
AVERAGE RATING FOR SEASON THREE:
7.0/10
The Best Episodes
1. "Bewitched, Bothered and Infuriated" (#105) - 10/10
2. "Charlie Harper, Winner" (#99) - 9.5/10
3. "Three Wishes" (#96) - 9.5/10
4. "The Crone of Cawdor" (#101) - 9/10
5. "The Short Happy Circuit of Aunt Clara" (#83) - 9/10
The Worst Episodes
1. "A Gazebo Never Forgets" (#89) - 2/10
2. "A Most Unusual Wood Nymph" (#79) - 4/10
3. "Accidental Twins" (#78) - 5/10
4. "How to Fail in Business With All Kinds of Help" (#104) - 5/10
5. "There's Gold in Them There Pills" (#107) - 5/10
After a coven is held to determine if Tabitha is a witch, Endora and the witches in charge decide that Tabitha must be taken away to a magic school.
One of the real witchcraft themed episodes of the series, this is an interesting episode that puts the central theme of Bewitched back in the spotlight. As Endora, Hagatha, and Enchantra want to take Tabitha to Hagatha's school (Hogwarts perhaps?), it is fun to see Samantha, Darrin, Aunt Clara, and even Maurice all on the same page while Endora sides with the other witches. It's interesting to note that Reta Shaw plays Hagatha in this episode, but she was Bertha in a previous episode.
RATING: 7/10
While babysitting Tabitha and the Tate's son, Jonathan, Aunt Clara accidentally duplicates him.
This is a funny premise with some funny moments, but it doesn't completely work. This reminds me more of the direction the show starts to move in as the seasons progress. The story isn't as original or clever as seasons one and two. Instead, they just spend the entire episode trying to get out of Aunt Clara's blunder. This could have been really funny with the concept of two parties - it's been done well in other sitcoms (most notably Friends). But it just doesn't play with a ton of humor, it just seems like the same thing over and over again with stretches of improbability including the weak ending. One great moment is the reveal of Aunt Clara puttering around the nursery after her witchcraft went awry.
RATING: 5/10
79. A Most Unusual Wood Nymph (10/13/66)
A woman visits the Stephens claiming to be a family friend of Darrin, but Endora and Samantha discover she is a wood nymph who has put a curse on Darrin because of an action of Darrin the Bold many centuries ago.
This episode is called "A Most Unusual Wood Nymph" and it's a most unusual episode. One of the stranger ones of the series (and one they will revisit in Season 7), this episode introduces us to Darrin the Bold. I find this episode interesting, but it's definitely another episode that indicates where this show is headed with a heavy dose of fantasy that we didn't see in seasons 1 & 2, which were so grounded in reality. Dick York doesn't really commit as much to Darrin the Bold as he does to other crazy incarnations of Darrin such as work & fun Darrin in "Divided He Falls," but he is better than Dick Sargent's take on it later on.
RATING: 4/10
80. Endora Moves in for a Spell (10/20/66)
Uncle Arthur visits and gets in a big fight with Endora which comes to a head when Endora decides to move into a house she conjures up on a vacant lot near the Stephens.
I like this episode for several reasons. It's the second appearance of the great Uncle Arthur and there's a nice callback to his "yagazoozy" chant with Darrin in his season two appearance. It's also a great showdown between Endora and Uncle Arthur. Sometimes I forget that Endora and Arthur are brother & sister, but it's explicitly referenced here multiple times. There's also funny sight gags such as Arthur walking Tabitha down the street in her stroller on a red carpet although the house & lot backdrops disappearing and reappearing show that this was made in 1966. This is also the first appearance of Sandra Gould as Gladys Kravitz, but I have a very difficult time watching anything extended with her because I think she's so inferior to Alice Pearce.
RATING: 7.5/10
Endora decides to throw a Halloween party in exchange for getting rid of the house across the street which Uncle Arthur and lots of unusual witches and warlocks attend. Gladys Kravitz tries to get a councilman to investigate.
I remembered liking this episode more than I did watching it back this time around. I know 60s sitcoms don't really worry about continuity but this doesn't line up at all with the canon of Bewitched with Endora suddenly embracing Halloween after her hatred for it in seasons one and two. I do like that it has continuity with the previous episode but neither Endora or Uncle Arthur are as enjoyable in this episode and the episode just meanders into weird little subplots. The warlock with the cat is a particularly unusual one, not to mention the unnecessary cameo by Willie Mays. I like the look of this episode and the way they transform the house, but I don't think the story is very good or funny.
RATING: 5.5/10
82. Dangerous Diaper Dan (11/3/66)
A rival client hires Diaper Dan to spy on the Stephens via a bugged rattle to try to collect information for an ad campaign.
This is a fun and suspenseful episode with a good plot that hums along at a good pace. There are a few logic leaps (how do they not notice they big diaper van parked outside? And why did they not bug the office too?) Still, it's an episode that's fun to watch. Marty Ingels is amusing as the sleazy Diaper Dan and the resolution is satisfying as well. I like the episodes that deal this directly with the advertising business though I'm never all that impressed with Darrin's so-called brilliant advertising ideas.
RATING: 8.5/10
83. The Short Happy Circuit of Aunt Clara (11/10/66)
While babysitting Tabitha, Aunt Clara thinks she accidentally causes a blackout on the eastern seaboard.
This is a fun episode, inspired by a real life east coast blackout in 1965. I like a good blackout episode and I like that this storyline impacts three different but related plots: Samantha and Darrin with the Tates and a client, Aunt Clara at home, and the Kravitzes trying to figure things out. Despite the fact that the Stephens conveniently suddenly have a piano, Aunt Clara standing in the stairway with a huge piano is a funny sight gag. It feels pretty madcap in a good way once everyone comes back to the Stephens' house. Overall, one of the best season three episodes.
RATING: 9/10
84. I'd Rather Twitch Than Fight (11/17/66)
Darrin and Samantha get in a big fight over a sport jacket that Samantha gave away. Endora summons Sigmund Freud to help them.
I really like where this episode heads for a lot of the episode but then it takes a turn that kind of ruins it for me. Samantha and Darrin have one of their biggest fights in the entire series and the first half of the episode focuses on them trying to figure things out with a little magic sprinkled in. That is reminiscent of the first two seasons as Darrin seeks Larry's help and Samantha seeks Louise's help. But then Endora shows up and brings Sigmund Freud to life and the episode devolves into camp. I am generally not a fan of the historical figures coming to the present, a plot device Bewitched will use far too often over the rest of the series. And this was one of the more unnecessary ones because they already had a good plot going.
RATING: 6/10
When Darrin is stressed from work, Endora puts a hex on a bowl of popcorn that makes any mortal that eats it very lazy and carefree.
Unlike the previous episode, this is one where witchcraft enhances the episode. Although it's a little bit of a broken record as far as the plot goes, it's a sheer delight to see Darrin, Larry, a client, the milkman, a policeman, and the TV repair guy in such a state of delirium. This is another great showcase for Dick York and his carefree Darrin. It's not quite as dynamic as "Divided He Falls," but funny nonetheless. The snobby ladies committee that Samantha is reminiscent of a group Lucy Ricardo might join and it's a nice contrast to the hooting and hollering men.
RATING: 8/10
86. Sam's Spooky Chair (12/1/66)
Samantha gets a chair at an antique shop that she discovers is under a spell after they have already given it to a client's wife.
This is an interesting episode with a premise entirely centered on a bewitched object. What I like about this show is we don't know what's up with the show other than it is under some type of spell for most of the episode. That is a more layered plot than us finding out at the beginning that it's a former suitor of Samantha because once that happens, the episode isn't as funny. This show wisely realizes that the good story to tell is one of a spooky chair that is hard to figure out. J. Pat O'Malley and Anne Seymour as the clients add a lot to this episode with a very funny dynamic between the two of them.
RATING: 8/10
87. My Friend Ben Part 1 (12/8/66)
Aunt Clara tries to help Samantha fix a lamp and ends up accidentally summoning Ben Franklin, who finds himself in trouble when he heads into town.
As I mentioned just a few episodes ago, I'm not a big fan of Bewitched episodes bringing historical figures to the present. This is one of the better ones though with a strong and believable performance by Fredd Wayne as Ben Franklin (a role he was well known for outside of Bewitched). As usual, Marion Lorne is very funny here with her stammering, befuddled performance. I just can't stress enough how inferior Sandra Gould is to Alice Pearce. It turns the Gladys scenes from being uproarious to annoying. It also illustrates how Gladys just serves the same purpose in basically every episode she's in. I'm also not convinced this needed to be a two part episode.
RATING: 6.5/10
88. Samantha for the Defense Part 2 (12/15/66)
Samantha and Darrin try to help Ben Franklin as he stands trial for the theft of a fire truck he was testing out.
Part two of the Ben Franklin saga devolves a little more into silliness which is why I thought a second episode was not necessary. Samantha trying to sway public opinion with "Ben Franklin fever" just isn't very funny. Once the episode gets into the trial, it improves some with another strong performance by guest star Fredd Wayne. It actually gets a little sweet as Samantha and Darrin try to extol Ben Franklin's virtues and Wayne gives a thought provoking speech at the end. I just wish the show had tried to do the whole episode with a little more of that honesty.
RATING: 6/10
Aunt Clara accidentally summons a multi-colored elephant just as Samantha is trying to close on a loan at the bank.
This episode has the distinction of being the first "non-Darrin" episode. In general, non-Darrin episodes are some of the weakest entries in the series because the show is missing the essential dynamic of Darrin and Samantha's relationship. Even Marion Lorne can't save this dud of an episode that compounds Darrin missing with a very silly plot involving a multi-colored elephant that is so obviously actors inside the costume. Steve Franken returns playing a similar role that he played in the "Follow That Witch" two-parter of season two, but he's not as funny here. Overall, just a bad episode exasperated by no Darrin.
RATING: 2/10
90. Soapbox Derby (12/29/66)
Samantha and Darrin befriend a young boy who enters a soapbox derby when his father is too busy with work to be in his life.
This is an episode that has definite shades of season one's "Little Pitchers Have Big Fears" and feels in many ways like a pre-Tabitha episode with the Stephens helping out a kid with a problem. I like that it centers on soapbox derbys, a plot that firmly puts it back in the 1960s and one that couldn't be equaled on a sitcom with a contemporary setting. This is a better showcase for Sandra Gould than she has had so far, but I still don't think she makes the most of the comedy. It's still a sweet episode though thanks to the father and son storyline and a fun plot with its retro feel. Finally, outdoor episodes of Bewitched are always funny because there's no attempt to make it look like its Connecticut setting, it very clearly is California.
RATING: 8/10
91. Sam in the Moon (1/5/67)
Darrin becomes obsessed with the fact that Samantha has been to the moon and starts to believe she was there when she was actually out with Endora.
Another very 60s episode given its moon plot, this also has echoes of I Dream of Jeannie. I really like the way this episode moves along at the beginning. Darrin's paranoid worries about Samantha on the moon to the point that he's bringing substances to be analyzed is a funny plot. There's even a great Honeymooners line, a rare cultural reference on Bewitched. It loses its way when it goes through an unfunny dream sequence. However, it comes out on the other end with a good resolution. They really didn't even need the dream sequence, it's unfortunate that it broke up an otherwise good episode.
RATING: 6.5/10
92. HoHo the Clown (1/12/67)
While on the "HoHo the Clown" show, Endora puts a spell on HoHo that makes him obsessed with Tabitha which is a problem since McMann & Tate's client sponsors the show.
I don't know if it felt this way in 1967, but this episode despite its funny plot, feels a little creepy. Yes, it's an Endora spell but this entire episode is centered on a grown man acting lovesick over a little girl. It's interesting to see Dick Wilson playing a sober role since he's so commonly playing a drunk on Bewitched. This is also a great example of the direction the show is heading in its third season. They use witchcraft to completely alter the resolution instead of finding more clever ways to incorporate witchcraft into the episode.
RATING: 5.5/10
Trying to be nice to Darrin, Endora gives him a state of the art car that she got from a testing place before it even is available for sale.
This is a fun episode with a funny premise and good guest turns by Joe Ellis and a pre-Partridge Family Dave Madden as the befuddled men at the testing facility. Unlike the previous episode, this is a smarter plot because witchcraft sets the plot in motion, but then the plot develops from there. I always prefer that to witchcraft quickly solving everything at the end of an episode. One thing that is odd is that Irwin Charone is making his second guest appearance in eight episodes as a different client. I know Bewitched frequently re-used actors as different clients, but these two episodes were too close together.
RATING: 8/10
94. The Corn is as High as a Guernsey's Eye (1/26/67)
Samantha mistakenly thinks a cow in Darrin's building is Aunt Clara having trouble with witchcraft again.
I like this episode because it's a little bit different in the sense that it's Samantha who spends the episode mistaken and causing more trouble as a result. Usually she is the wise one but not so much here and it's fun to see some Bewitched tropes turned on their head. This is a pretty smart and clever episode that uses what could be a silly gimmick (a cow being in so much of the episode) and makes it pretty madcap. With the majority of events unfolding in a busy hotel lobby, it has the feel of a frenzied episode with so many layers to the story. One little thing that irritates me for the second episode in a row is Darrin's phone conversations, which are so obviously a "TV conversation" because nobody in real life repeats back everything that is said on the other line.
RATING: 9/10
95. The Trial and Error of Aunt Clara (2/2/67)
Aunt Clara is put on trial to potentially go earthbound and Samantha works to defend her.
This is an interesting idea for an Aunt Clara-themed episode, but I think the episode spends far too long getting to to the actual trial. We all know Aunt Clara has trouble with her magic. I don't know that the episode needed to spend time showing more examples of that with the Larry Tate/desk scene. Then we deal Samantha trying to hide the trial from Darrin, which could be funny if they hadn't already done so much with Larry. They don't really even have time to tell the good trial story. This episode also employs some very unusual camera angles that feel more like the 1960s Batman than Bewitched.
RATING: 5.5/10
Thinking that Darrin is up to no good, Endora gives him three wishes without him knowing to reveal his true intentions.
This episode feels a little bit like an amalgamation of several other Bewitched episodes: Endora is suspicious of Darrin, there's a beautiful new client, Endora gives Darrin three wishes. These are all things we've seen before on Bewitched, but they are well put together here and it's a very good episode. Samantha angrily trying to leave Darrin while invisibly packing her things is a funny sight gag. My favorite part of this episode is the ending though. The resolution of Darrin proving he's been faithful is quite clever and enjoyable. The tag scene is pretty amusing too. A very strong entry.
RATING: 9.5/10
97. I'll Remember You... Sometimes (2/16/67)
After Darrin forgets the name of a client, Endora gives him a watch that makes him remember everything.
This episode is a little bit of a one trick pony that I don't think has a developed enough story to be enjoyable for an entire 25 minutes. Darrin just spends most of the episode remembering details and we get the point pretty early on. Darrin is pretty insufferable here and I know that's the point, but I don't think he's redeeming enough. As opposed to the previous episode, this is a more lazy way of incorporating witchcraft into the story. And in the ever changing secretary situation, we see an entirely different "Betty" in McMann & Tate than we had in the previous episode.
RATING: 5.5/10
98. Art for Sam's Sake (2/23/67)
Samantha takes up art and Endora swaps her painting at an art show for a famous painter's work, causing problems when Samantha wins at the exhibit.
This is a good episode for the most part with a fun storyline and a clever resolution. Despite not being an art fan, I always seem to enjoy episodes that have to do with art auctions. However, there's an extremely lazy piece of direction/production here where a scene in the Stephens' bedroom then transitions to a scene in the Tates' bedroom and it's ridiculously obvious that it's the same set. I think some of the 60s shows issues like re-using the same actors for different clients can be forgiven in an era where binge watching was not even possible. However, this is in back to back scenes in the same episode. That's not okay.
RATING: 7/10
An very rich college buddy of Darrin comes to visit and Samantha gets fed up with his snobby wife.
Samantha on a jealous streak is always fun to watch and this episode sort of serves as a longer version of the first episode scene with Sheila. Guest stars Angus Duncan and Joanna Moore add a lot to this episode. Duncan plays the rich, charming, "perfect" persona well while Moore does snobby quite well. It's fun to see Samantha being the one clearly in the wrong and both Endora and Darrin calling her on it. It ultimately is a great episode in the canon of the heart of Samantha and Darrin's relationship because Darrin starts to worry he can't provide Samantha with the things he needs. It's not as sweet as season one's "A is for Aardvark" but it serves a similar purpose and is one of the most heartwarming color episodes of the series.
RATING: 9.5/10
100. Aunt Clara's Victorian Victory (3/9/67)
Aunt Clara accidentally conjures up Queen Victoria and she struggles to adjust to the 20th century at the same time Larry brings over a client who admires her values.
I know a 100th episode wasn't something that was often celebrated in terms of being a special episode back in this era of TV, but it's still a disappointing episode for Bewitched's 100th episode. It's another "let's bring a historical figure to the present" episode - already the fourth time Bewitched has used this plot device in season three. It's also unfortunately a non-Darrin episode and Larry and a client are awkwardly forced into the plot without Darrin. Jane Connell does a good job as Queen Victoria though and that plus a few funny sight gags (she sees bikinis on the TV for example) helps the episode from being a complete miss.
RATING: 6/10
The Crone of Cawdor appears and tries to get Darrin to kiss her before 6pm by inhabiting the body of a beautiful young client.
I've always liked this episode for the sheer creepiness and suspense of it all. It's another one of those "race against a spell" episodes like season two's "We're in for a Bad Spell." I always like episodes like that because it raises the stakes for an average sitcom plot. The element of the old woman visiting the Kravitzes and being a part of it all makes it a somewhat creepy storyline. This is a fun play on the trope of Samantha being jealous of a beautiful client. It is done in a much more creative way.
RATING: 9/10
102. No More Mr. Nice Guy (3/23/67)
After another fight with Darrin, Endora puts a spell on him that makes every new mortal who meets Darrin take an immediate disliking to him.
As far as episodes where Endora puts a spell on Darrin at the beginning of the episode and that drives most of the action, this is a funny one. Everyone taking an instant dislike to Darrin and his subsequent inferiority complex is handled in a pretty funny way with some good guest turns by quite a few people. The resolution with Darrin not realizing the spell is off and making a fool of himself is a funny way to end the episode too. I liked that the episode didn't resolve things the typical way with a scene with Endora, Samantha, and Darrin. It was done in a more clever way.
RATING: 8.5/10
103. It's Wishcraft (3/30/67)
Samantha and Darrin are dealing with Tabitha "wishing" for Darrin and him suddenly appearing in front of her just as his parents are visiting.
Darrin's parents make their first appearance of the season in this episode and while I always enjoy Mable Albertson and Robert F. Simon, I feel like they always sort of serve the same function when they appear. Once again, we have a showdown between Phyllis and Endora and some passive aggressive attitudes from Phyllis. It's still funny, but I feel like I've seen the same general idea of this episode before. Endora making it rain on Darrin for Samantha crying, when she barely was, was a silly gimmick that I didn't find very funny.
RATING: 6.5/10
104. How to Fail in Business With All Kinds of Help (4/6/67)
After Endora helps Darrin at work, he becomes convinced she's helping him with another client and makes a fool of himself.
This is a little bit of a reversal of two episodes ago. This time, Endora makes a client take an immediate liking to Darrin and the episode deals with the fallout from that. I think this is a very "average" episode of Bewitched. It's not a standout or a dud. It's kind of just a standard "Endora messes with Darrin at work" episode. That's probably why this is one of the episodes I've gotten most bored during so far. Even with an exotic guest star, there's nothing about this episode that pops.
RATING: 5/10
Thanks to Aunt Clara accidentally whipping up an old newspaper, Darrin and Samantha think Larry is going to break his leg on a trip with Louise so they try to stop it.
This is one of my favorite color episodes of Bewitched for many reasons. First of all, it's an extremely clever plot with a very funny resolution. I think the concept of trying to stop the future is a very good one that Bewitched doesn't use enough. It's also funny how Darrin is the one leading the drive to use witchcraft (without any reservation) and being infuriating the entire episode. The befuddled manager is a nice touch as well. I also find it funny how any resort or destination episode seems to use the same pool scene (it's quite obviously the same set from "Divided He Falls" and "Charlie Harper, Winner").
RATING: 10/10
106. Nobody But a Frog Knows How to Live (4/27/67)
A frog who has been turned into a human bugs Samantha to try to get him changed back into a frog so he can be with his girlfriend.
We saw this type of episode in season two with a horse and this time it's a frog. So it's an animal episode and I just find it a little too silly and not clever at all. I'm normally a fan of John Fiedler, both as the famous voice of Piglet and as the hilarious Mr. Peterson on The Bob Newhart Show. But he is pretty annoying here as Fergus, the human frog. This is an episode that establishes the joke within the first minute of the episode and then just spends the rest of the episode making frog jokes and making Fergus increasingly annoying. It's also another example of how the new casting means the Kravitzes don't really add anything to the episode.
RATING: 5.5/10
107. There's Gold in Them There Pills (5/4/67)
When Darrin is sick, Endora summons witch doctor Dr. Bombay who helps him feel better instantly. Without realizing he's a warlock, Darrin and Larry think they have stumbled on a cure to the common cold.
Well, here we go. The beginning of my least favorite character on Bewitched. This is Bernard Fox's first appearance in the role and I know some fans like him, but I took an immediate dislike to him. I find his character horribly unfunny and it also becomes a gimmick for "witch illness" plots in the years to come. The episode is mildly funny, but it mostly is disappointing to me because it devolves into silliness too often when Dr. Bombay visits. It's not entirely the fault of Bernard Fox, who had a good guest performance (not as Dr. Bombay) in season two's "Disappearing Samantha." It's more that the episodes involving him are so uninspired. This is probably one of the better Dr. Bombay episodes, but still not a great one.
RATING: 5/10
AVERAGE RATING FOR SEASON THREE:
7.0/10
The Best Episodes
1. "Bewitched, Bothered and Infuriated" (#105) - 10/10
2. "Charlie Harper, Winner" (#99) - 9.5/10
3. "Three Wishes" (#96) - 9.5/10
4. "The Crone of Cawdor" (#101) - 9/10
5. "The Short Happy Circuit of Aunt Clara" (#83) - 9/10
The Worst Episodes
1. "A Gazebo Never Forgets" (#89) - 2/10
2. "A Most Unusual Wood Nymph" (#79) - 4/10
3. "Accidental Twins" (#78) - 5/10
4. "How to Fail in Business With All Kinds of Help" (#104) - 5/10
5. "There's Gold in Them There Pills" (#107) - 5/10
Tomorrow: The Friday Five - Top 5 TV news stories of the week!
Next Thursday: A look at Season 4 of Bewitched!
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