Bewitched

BBC1
1964 - 1976
USA (ABC)

Seasons 8 Episodes 254

The residents of 1164 Morning Glory Circle were a newlywed couple called Darrin and Samantha Stephens.  Darrin worked for an advertising company whilst Samantha stayed at home to cook, clean and create spells!

Bewitched is no doubt one of the US's biggest sitcoms to date and was a massive hit across the world.  The plot was fairly simple, Sam was a modern day witch who lived with her mortal husband.  Each show was based around Sam and her powers which no-one except Darrin and her family knew about.

Talking of family Sam, as you can image, had a rather strange collection of relatives.  Mother Endora was Darrin sworn enemy. She hated the fact that "Dagwood" was a human and felt that her daughter could do much better.

In fact Darrin was a very good husband and a fantastic father to daughter Tabitha and later to son, Adam.

Aunt Clara was one of my favourite characters, mad as a moose but extremely loveable.  She was always getting her spells wrong and zapping famous people from the past into mid-60's America, as you do!

The show was a great vehicle for its star Elizabeth Montgomery.  In the eight years of its life she managed to appear in every single episode.  Elizabeth was always known for her hard work and determination and carried on with her role right up until the bitter end.  Like most US hits, the series lost it way towards the end and the final episode was shown in the US in 1972.

Elizabeth always got on with her fellow co-stars. She had a close on-screen relationship with the original Darrin, Dick York, who left the show after 171 episodes due to ill health.  Gay comedy actor Dick Sargent stepped into Darrin shoes and stayed to the end of the series. Elizabeth and Dick would go to many Gay Pride events together both during and after the series was axed.

A Bewitched spin-off series call Tabitha, which centred on the grown-up antics of Sam's son and daughter, lasted just one series and was not shown in the UK.

Bewitched was first shown on BBC1 and was constantly used as a filler programme on Channel 4 for over twenty years.

Sadly most of cast are now dead including the delightful Ms Montgomery who passed away in 1995 with colon cancer, sniffle.  Their antics live on forever however on TV screens across the world.  A classic comedy that's immortal, Endora will be pleased!

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Credits Jason D'Arcy ©TV Fetish 2002-2007