Last episode filmed by Dick York is a patchwork mess, but it's nobody's fault, really. York was only able to film one scene before he collapsed, was carted away in an ambulance and left the show for good, so the producers had to come up with a whole new episode based on the couple of minutes of film in which York appeared. Thus, what was supposed to be a brief gag involving Samantha's father Maurice temporarily turning Darrin into a mule (because he's stubborn) takes over the entire episode: That way Darrin could be played by the mule and they wouldn't need York at all. They almost pulled it off, too. Elizabeth Montgomery is so good that she's actually able to recreate the chemistry she had with York with the mule. You can really buy the idea that this animal is the man she loves. Unfortunately, due to the loss of York, the actual plot of the episode, which involves Maurice giving Darrin some of his powers is lost, as is a subplot involving Samantha's special announcement (which would have been that she was pregnant).
York himself looked pretty rough throughout this season - when he was well enough to appear - but he looks particularly bad here; thin, pale and in obvious distress. In fact, he hardly moves, spending nearly his entire scene standing in one spot.
Dick Sargent replaced York the following season, but he didn't have the same on screen chemistry with Montgomery that York did and the show's ratings took an immediate hit and never recovered.
York himself looked pretty rough throughout this season - when he was well enough to appear - but he looks particularly bad here; thin, pale and in obvious distress. In fact, he hardly moves, spending nearly his entire scene standing in one spot.
Dick Sargent replaced York the following season, but he didn't have the same on screen chemistry with Montgomery that York did and the show's ratings took an immediate hit and never recovered.
