User Reviews

One evening, my father came home from work with an unsettled look on his face. Apparently. My Dad had a trying day at his boiler shop with customers complaining, jobs not completed, and trying to collect payments from intractable clients. Just the hard daily grind for a typical business owner. I suggested my Father have a drink to calm his spirits. He looked at me as if I was deranged which was common in those days of my youth asking outrageous questions or claims to my Parents. I received my epiphany by Watching the Supernatural TV sitcom Called Bewitched. Dick York plays our male lead in this witchcraft-oriented sitcom. York portrays Darrin Stephens, a wannabe partner of an Ad agency called McMahon and Tate. Our real star and the centerpiece of the series is elegant and magical Elizabeth Montgomery who plays a WItch. Yes, not in the negative sense of a nagging housewife but a real. Enchanter with unlimited magical powers. With a twitch of her nose or an encantation, Samantha can make objects float, turn humans into animals, go back in time or just come up with a badly needed slogan when Darrin is stuck on an idea. You would think that Darin has won the lottery, but on the contrary, He is against his wife using witchcraft and strives for her to run a normal household. To put a wrench into the story, you have our third party The irascible Mother-In-Law Endora played by veteran actor Agnes Moorehead. Kudos to the comedic writing of Sol Saks with the unlimited verbal abuse Endora and Darrin exchange whenever she pops into the Stephens' living room which I personally enjoy. Every show has Darrin under the gun trying to put together a catchy slogan for a new campaign. Our fourth participant in the show is the silver-haired boss (as the weather blows,) Larry Tate (David White). Tate's character goes to no end in overly accommodating his new clients by having Samantha and Darrin have dinners at their home plus a two-drink minimum, to soften up the perspective client. Witchcraft somehow always gets in the way of things. In this story, Darrin is leisurely getting ready for work when dear old Mother-In-Law drops in with scroll in hand notifying the great Ticheba is coming to the Stephens' home. Endora and Samantha Tell Darrin that Ticheba (Ruth McDevitt) is Queen of The Witches. Upon her arrival, Ticheba tells them that she is abdicating her throne and the honor is placed on Samantha to the delight of Endora. Darrin on the other hand is staunchly opposed. Sam has no choice but to take the position of the new Queen with all the responsibilities. She ensures Darrin that she will do her duties during the midnight hours and fulfill her daily chores as a housewife. Meanwhile, a client of a lifetime offers a million-dollar account. Darrin is fantasizing about the implications of landing the deal but as I mentioned the client Mr. Rhorbach (J. Edward Mckinley) wants to see how the Stephens live. The conservative client is shocked by what he sees. The unexplainable events, (which I can't mention), are worth the wait. What I can tell you is this, You don't need to send in moving men when it comes to furniture. Plenty of the unexplained when it comes to the Stephens residence. I found myself laughing out loud. The appeal of this episode is credited to the special effects department. As I watch the reruns as an adult, there is a negative overtone of promoting alcoholism. During the run of the show Bewitched, hard drinks were paramount in every episode, i.e.fight with the wife? The result, go to the bar. Fight with the boss? The result, make it a double scotch. Watch Warlock Uncle Arthur dress up and fly like Superman? The result, have a triple scotch. Now I'll leak one spoiler here. Darrin loses the account as Mr. Rohrbach storms off the premises. Darrin's strategy in this episode is to go to the local tavern and drink endlessly till the Queen's (Samantha's) reign is over) which will take one calendar year to complete. As an impressionable youngster, I often wondered what I would drink after hard days' work? That's easy, a tall cream soda.