"Bewitched" is a show I've seen since being very little. In 1972, just weeks before I turned 4, it was still on ABC and I remember seeing it's opening after ABC's logo on screen.
So, it has been in my life for 50 years. On Friday, March 25th, 2022 ...the 50th anniversary of it's final airing, I completed a (purposely) 6 month binge watch of the series, having bought the full series set. Mainly because in all that time, I still hadn't seen every one of them .
Now that I have , I can finally review it. (I'll leave as much behind the scenes gossip or history out as possible and try and stick to the series.)
The first 2 seasons (1964 - 1966) in black & white ... are actually two seasons of very witty, clever and in some cases, somewhat mature dialog (by network standards of that time) . No question it's a fantasy based series , but all involved managed to keep an equal balance in terms of the more real life elements and the fanciful / magic.
The story of each episode is concentrated on and witchcraft comes in when as needed for particular moments. If they'd made the special effects the star, that's a mistake just as much now as it was then. Otherwise what's the point of having actors? (There's an episode or 2 that are flashbacks using past shows.) Even the dialog is intelligent.
Montgomery, York, Moorehead, David White, Alice Pearce (Gladys Kravitz #1) and George Tobias (and supporting actors in other episodes) , though they barely know each other as people....in their acting together in these parts, they do a flawless job of balancing comedy, some light touching moments, a few borderline serious subjects and the special effects complete it.
Montgomery and York made a good team here. Samantha, somewhat naive' of the mortal world but sensible. Her character slowly changes as the series goes on.
Darrin, a good guy who loves her like crazy and accepts that it comes with the territory of marrying a witch, to have to deal with what may come of it. No matter how many family witches & warlocks pop in and cast spells or may turn him into something. Dick York's very expressive face brings Darrin's reaction across clearly.
His character, although close sometimes, doesn't let it overwhelm him and forget that love and walk out for good. Darrin stands up for himself but her family is always offended. York, despite his known physical limitations, put 100% of himself into this part. Emotions included.
Agnes Moorehead brings to life what most men back then, thought their mother in laws to be like. A witch, a nosey buttinsky and a woman who (even 8 years later, wont fully accept her son in law as family. She feels mortals are prejudiced against witches...but she and all in her circle are just as prejudiced about mortals.
David White as Larry Tate is essentially a two faces for one kind of character. He's a money hungry mortal and despite having a great talent like Darrin in his employ, takes advantage of his good nature and (very illegal these days) always threatens his employment, when Darrin wont agree right away. (Darrin DOES stand up to him though.)
The Kravitzes are a plain , ordinary "been married a long time" couple. When odd things start happening across the street, it's always Gladys only that sees them. Which prompts Abner to "get her medicine out".
In the watching of these 2 seasons, first, it was kind of a kick to see the Stephens house as they'd just gotten it, with absolutely nothing in it. Almost like to say to viewers, "Welcome to the Stephens home".
I liked that Samantha knew to just treat the Kravitses like friendly neighbors (and not the enemy.) Despite Gladys always peeking in their front window and sometimes just walking into their house unannounced. (Try doing that today and see what happens.)
Somehow, the 2 couples still stay friendly as neighbors.
That's what good writing, acting and directing does, makes it believable.
(Fall 1966 to Spring 1969) :
With all network shows going to color in Autumn 1966, when I got to their color episodes on my DVDs , I noticed something right away. More 'witchcraft' had been added. Still good storylines and the actors & all, still maintaining that balance. Although it seems like the end result alomost always 'has to be" , even in part , thanks to witchcraft.
I think they just wanted to show how amazing the tricks look in color and they knew it had to be 'dazzling' .
The other change, in the untimely passing of Alice Pearce, we now had Sandra Gould as Gladys...with all due respect to the actress, a much louder and nosier one. Leading writers for a few episodes to give Sam a stock line, "Ahh, some more of Gladys Kravitz's handy-work!"
Thankfully that line didn't last. I'll say overall the episodes in these years were good to great, one episode made me say 'What was the point of this?' ... but otherwise, still worth watching.
As Dick York's health slowly became more of an issue, I noticed that he was now conveniently "out of town" a lot. His dialog changed for the other actors. By the end of the 1968 - 1969 season of filming , Dick York was taken away one day in an ambulance from the set, unable to physically do his job anymore.
(1969 - 1972) :
ABC, after the departure of York, had an opportunity to do the right thing. They could have called it a day and made a public announcement, that with Dick York gone, they would just end it. ...but of course, they didn't.
Viewers tuned in and fond a shocking surprise.
Step in, Dick Sargent (again with all due respect) who only 'slightly' (I mean really use your imagination) looked like Darrin. I'm going to be honest while still being respectful. I know Sargent had an enormous place to fill within the show...and that couldn't have been easy, knowing what happened to York.
However, what Darrin becomes under Sargent, is someone who expresses love for his wife but overall , the facial expressions hardly show it. I don't feel I'm exaggerating when I say that for most of these seasons, Darrin always looks annoyed or casual.
When Sam and a relative laugh about something (even though not even directed at him), he just stands there looking humorless and further annoyed. In some shows , he actually throws out the first insult to Endora who actually, hadn't said or done anything (except stop by) to have him be rude.
Do I totally dislike Sargent or him in the role? Of course not. I have bigger things in life to worry about. It's only speculation where I say, he and the writers (maybe directors too) could have worked in making him more 'amiable' and less sardonic.
The topper for me, the final seasons, is what I can only call 'writers getting paid for laziness'. All of us know that later, many early series' scripts were rewritten and filmed with only slight changes in actions.
By this point, without getting detailed, Montgomery was wanting to move on to something else. You can't blame her really. What's the point of being an actress in a series if you have to do a script that you've already done? There's no challenge in that.
What's toughest for me to wrap my mind around is why ABC wanted to possibly renew this for season 9 and 10? (Money?) The show in it's final season had plummeted to the basement (89th place in the Nielsen Ratings) . On top of that, ABC had moved it to Saturday night.
Montgomery of course called it quits, the final filming took place on December 16th, 1971.....8 years and 4 weeks after pre-production began.
That episode (where again, Endora casts a spell forcing Darrin and all around him to be honest.) I didn't watch that one "last" though.
I saved a season 4 show to use as a finale. "Bewitched" had always been about prejudices and the sides of themselves that people hide or cover up in effort to feel superior or even perfect.
The April 4th, 1968 show, "I Confess" , where Darrin out of frustration, wants to tell everyone she's a witch and get it out in the open. Samantha, speaks to Darrin after he goes to sleep, telling him to dream about what can happen if friends or even the world finds out she and her family are witches & warlocks.
*Spoiler* - As a result of the dream confession, the Stephens family loses their privacy and freedom. It's not shown but they're told, their are certain people who want to "have a witch burning." (Which is not a comedy line.)
Martin Luther King Jr. , was killed the night this episode aired. I don't find it just a small coincidence. He was a fighter for freedom and equality. Sam's family does not see mortals as equals and settles every arguement and problem with witchcraft in a bullying fashion.
Sam and Darrin plus Tabitha and Adam, are viewed by them and the witches council as a 'mixed marriage'. Therefore they don't approve ...but , it makes them just as prejudiced as the very mortals they look down on.
I loved being able to see the entire series , and I salute the actors who gave their very best here. Near the end, like Montgomery, I wanted it to end too.
In conclusion - For all of the underlying themes of equality/prejudice, for it's greatest of storylines and scripts plus the very best of comedy they put into them and sometimes amazing special effects (of the era) ...
I give "Bewitched" a rating of 8. That's one star per season, because sometimes, even in Seasons 7 and 8, they did have some very good episodes.
1 star off for basically doing remakes of past episodes. I'm sorry but that , again is just lazy and insulting to a viewer. 1 more off fpr episodes where it seems either Darrin or Endora start up for no good reason.
But also, for the never ending battle between them . I'm a person who. Like reading book, wants a beginning , a middle and a satisfying ending. Closure basically, the series likely would have kept going in that circle m had it not ended in 1972.
I still love the show though, in it's own way, it was part of the changes in the mid-1960s / early 70s and despite Derwood's 'man in the family' style, it 'was' a very charming series. (END)
So, it has been in my life for 50 years. On Friday, March 25th, 2022 ...the 50th anniversary of it's final airing, I completed a (purposely) 6 month binge watch of the series, having bought the full series set. Mainly because in all that time, I still hadn't seen every one of them .
Now that I have , I can finally review it. (I'll leave as much behind the scenes gossip or history out as possible and try and stick to the series.)
The first 2 seasons (1964 - 1966) in black & white ... are actually two seasons of very witty, clever and in some cases, somewhat mature dialog (by network standards of that time) . No question it's a fantasy based series , but all involved managed to keep an equal balance in terms of the more real life elements and the fanciful / magic.
The story of each episode is concentrated on and witchcraft comes in when as needed for particular moments. If they'd made the special effects the star, that's a mistake just as much now as it was then. Otherwise what's the point of having actors? (There's an episode or 2 that are flashbacks using past shows.) Even the dialog is intelligent.
Montgomery, York, Moorehead, David White, Alice Pearce (Gladys Kravitz #1) and George Tobias (and supporting actors in other episodes) , though they barely know each other as people....in their acting together in these parts, they do a flawless job of balancing comedy, some light touching moments, a few borderline serious subjects and the special effects complete it.
Montgomery and York made a good team here. Samantha, somewhat naive' of the mortal world but sensible. Her character slowly changes as the series goes on.
Darrin, a good guy who loves her like crazy and accepts that it comes with the territory of marrying a witch, to have to deal with what may come of it. No matter how many family witches & warlocks pop in and cast spells or may turn him into something. Dick York's very expressive face brings Darrin's reaction across clearly.
His character, although close sometimes, doesn't let it overwhelm him and forget that love and walk out for good. Darrin stands up for himself but her family is always offended. York, despite his known physical limitations, put 100% of himself into this part. Emotions included.
Agnes Moorehead brings to life what most men back then, thought their mother in laws to be like. A witch, a nosey buttinsky and a woman who (even 8 years later, wont fully accept her son in law as family. She feels mortals are prejudiced against witches...but she and all in her circle are just as prejudiced about mortals.
David White as Larry Tate is essentially a two faces for one kind of character. He's a money hungry mortal and despite having a great talent like Darrin in his employ, takes advantage of his good nature and (very illegal these days) always threatens his employment, when Darrin wont agree right away. (Darrin DOES stand up to him though.)
The Kravitzes are a plain , ordinary "been married a long time" couple. When odd things start happening across the street, it's always Gladys only that sees them. Which prompts Abner to "get her medicine out".
In the watching of these 2 seasons, first, it was kind of a kick to see the Stephens house as they'd just gotten it, with absolutely nothing in it. Almost like to say to viewers, "Welcome to the Stephens home".
I liked that Samantha knew to just treat the Kravitses like friendly neighbors (and not the enemy.) Despite Gladys always peeking in their front window and sometimes just walking into their house unannounced. (Try doing that today and see what happens.)
Somehow, the 2 couples still stay friendly as neighbors.
That's what good writing, acting and directing does, makes it believable.
(Fall 1966 to Spring 1969) :
With all network shows going to color in Autumn 1966, when I got to their color episodes on my DVDs , I noticed something right away. More 'witchcraft' had been added. Still good storylines and the actors & all, still maintaining that balance. Although it seems like the end result alomost always 'has to be" , even in part , thanks to witchcraft.
I think they just wanted to show how amazing the tricks look in color and they knew it had to be 'dazzling' .
The other change, in the untimely passing of Alice Pearce, we now had Sandra Gould as Gladys...with all due respect to the actress, a much louder and nosier one. Leading writers for a few episodes to give Sam a stock line, "Ahh, some more of Gladys Kravitz's handy-work!"
Thankfully that line didn't last. I'll say overall the episodes in these years were good to great, one episode made me say 'What was the point of this?' ... but otherwise, still worth watching.
As Dick York's health slowly became more of an issue, I noticed that he was now conveniently "out of town" a lot. His dialog changed for the other actors. By the end of the 1968 - 1969 season of filming , Dick York was taken away one day in an ambulance from the set, unable to physically do his job anymore.
(1969 - 1972) :
ABC, after the departure of York, had an opportunity to do the right thing. They could have called it a day and made a public announcement, that with Dick York gone, they would just end it. ...but of course, they didn't.
Viewers tuned in and fond a shocking surprise.
Step in, Dick Sargent (again with all due respect) who only 'slightly' (I mean really use your imagination) looked like Darrin. I'm going to be honest while still being respectful. I know Sargent had an enormous place to fill within the show...and that couldn't have been easy, knowing what happened to York.
However, what Darrin becomes under Sargent, is someone who expresses love for his wife but overall , the facial expressions hardly show it. I don't feel I'm exaggerating when I say that for most of these seasons, Darrin always looks annoyed or casual.
When Sam and a relative laugh about something (even though not even directed at him), he just stands there looking humorless and further annoyed. In some shows , he actually throws out the first insult to Endora who actually, hadn't said or done anything (except stop by) to have him be rude.
Do I totally dislike Sargent or him in the role? Of course not. I have bigger things in life to worry about. It's only speculation where I say, he and the writers (maybe directors too) could have worked in making him more 'amiable' and less sardonic.
The topper for me, the final seasons, is what I can only call 'writers getting paid for laziness'. All of us know that later, many early series' scripts were rewritten and filmed with only slight changes in actions.
By this point, without getting detailed, Montgomery was wanting to move on to something else. You can't blame her really. What's the point of being an actress in a series if you have to do a script that you've already done? There's no challenge in that.
What's toughest for me to wrap my mind around is why ABC wanted to possibly renew this for season 9 and 10? (Money?) The show in it's final season had plummeted to the basement (89th place in the Nielsen Ratings) . On top of that, ABC had moved it to Saturday night.
Montgomery of course called it quits, the final filming took place on December 16th, 1971.....8 years and 4 weeks after pre-production began.
That episode (where again, Endora casts a spell forcing Darrin and all around him to be honest.) I didn't watch that one "last" though.
I saved a season 4 show to use as a finale. "Bewitched" had always been about prejudices and the sides of themselves that people hide or cover up in effort to feel superior or even perfect.
The April 4th, 1968 show, "I Confess" , where Darrin out of frustration, wants to tell everyone she's a witch and get it out in the open. Samantha, speaks to Darrin after he goes to sleep, telling him to dream about what can happen if friends or even the world finds out she and her family are witches & warlocks.
*Spoiler* - As a result of the dream confession, the Stephens family loses their privacy and freedom. It's not shown but they're told, their are certain people who want to "have a witch burning." (Which is not a comedy line.)
Martin Luther King Jr. , was killed the night this episode aired. I don't find it just a small coincidence. He was a fighter for freedom and equality. Sam's family does not see mortals as equals and settles every arguement and problem with witchcraft in a bullying fashion.
Sam and Darrin plus Tabitha and Adam, are viewed by them and the witches council as a 'mixed marriage'. Therefore they don't approve ...but , it makes them just as prejudiced as the very mortals they look down on.
I loved being able to see the entire series , and I salute the actors who gave their very best here. Near the end, like Montgomery, I wanted it to end too.
In conclusion - For all of the underlying themes of equality/prejudice, for it's greatest of storylines and scripts plus the very best of comedy they put into them and sometimes amazing special effects (of the era) ...
I give "Bewitched" a rating of 8. That's one star per season, because sometimes, even in Seasons 7 and 8, they did have some very good episodes.
1 star off for basically doing remakes of past episodes. I'm sorry but that , again is just lazy and insulting to a viewer. 1 more off fpr episodes where it seems either Darrin or Endora start up for no good reason.
But also, for the never ending battle between them . I'm a person who. Like reading book, wants a beginning , a middle and a satisfying ending. Closure basically, the series likely would have kept going in that circle m had it not ended in 1972.
I still love the show though, in it's own way, it was part of the changes in the mid-1960s / early 70s and despite Derwood's 'man in the family' style, it 'was' a very charming series. (END)