And then there are child actors (another great way to ruin a series).  Now, I do have a problem with child actors - and the problem is a big one at that! 

Bewitched had the rare distinction of making both mistakes…and in its Sixth Season, the series pulled a now-legendary Kansas City Shuffle with the male star of the series and introduced a second child to the Stephens household.

Well, at least the rest of the family is still the same: Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery), her mother Endora (Anges Moorehead), her father Maurice (Maurice “Dr. Zaius” Evans), Uncle Arthur (the almost inimitable Paul Lynde - and I say “almost” because of Steve Carell’s damn fine impersonation in that awful big-screen take of Bewitched) that Tabitha kid (well, I think that’s still the same kid playing her…hard to tell with those children…they all look alike, you know) and Darrin’s thrifty, spineless employer, Larry Tate (David White).

I haven’t really watched Bewitched since I was in grade school, so seeing it again after about two decades really opened my eyes to all of those things I was too young and naïve to notice way back when…such as the repeated consumption of booze.  Take Larry Tate for example: Larry is such a lush that one wonders how he still has a driver’s license (not to mention a liver) and when he isn’t busy firing and re-hiring Darrin, Larry’s boozing it up at the Stephens’ house and driving home drunk.  It’s kind of disturbing for a “family” show.

So anyway…Dick York is gone.  Vamoosed.  Never to be seen again as Darrin Stephens.  And no explanation is given: we’re just supposed to accept it (much like Dirk Benedict in The A-Team - of course, we all liked him).  C’est la vie, I guess.  Enter Dick Sargent.  Hmmm.  Ooh, the neck begins to hurt from shaking my head so much at the sight of him filling York’s shoes…

It’s also really interesting to note how things really changed over the course of this series: whereas the 1964 Pilot Episode of Bewitched started in the era of the Nuclear Family, it later malformed and adapted to the hippie scene and swinger lifestyle that had engulfed a great deal of the nation by the time this season ended in 1970.  Read on and find out for yourself.

Disc One:
“Sam And The Beanstalk” - Jealous of her soon-to-be-born baby sibling, Tabitha transports herself into a Jack & The Beanstalk book, leaving Jack (Johnny Whitaker) in the Stephens household.  Former L.A. Rams defensive guard Deacon Jones plays the guard of Giant Ronald Long.

“Samantha’s Yoo Hoo Maid” - Endora brings in witch Esmeralda to play maid - only problem is she tends to become invisible (and played by the aptly named Alice Ghostley) and make furniture float when she sneezes.  J. Edward McKinley (from Blake Edwards’ immortal The Party) is one of Larry’s clients.

“Samantha’s Caesar Salad” - Esmeralda accidentally conjures up Julius Caesar himself (Jay Robinson, hamming it up big time) instead of a simple Caesar Salad.  John Harmon (whom B-Monster Movie fans will recognize as the lighthouse keeper from The Monster Of Piedras Blancas) plays a cabbie.

“Samantha’s Curious Cravings” - Whilst in her third trimester, Samantha finds herself unwillingly conjuring up foods by just talking about them (a spell I would kill for).  Bernard Fox makes his first Season Six appearance as Dr. Bombay and the great William Schallert also plays a doctor (albeit a mortal one).

“And Something Makes Four” - Sam’s warlock father Maurice shows up for the birth of the new baby, casting a spell on it that makes everyone who looks upon him to fall madly in love with him (which may have been amusing back then, but that shit just sounds wrong today!).

“Naming Samantha’s New Baby” - I’m guessing the writers were too busy thinking of ways to not call very much attention to Dick Sargent, because these episode titles really suck!  After much deliberation and arguing amongst the in-laws, the baby is finally given the name of Adam (what a horrid name to give a child).  All four in-laws are present in this one (Maurice Evans, Agnes Moorehead, Mabel Albertson, and Roy Roberts).

“To Trick-Or-Treat Or Not To Trick-Or-Treat” - Endora turns Darrin into the stereotypical witch.  Naturally, the cops think he’s a hippie.  The whole episode seems to be a great big UNICEF promo.

“A Bunny For Tabitha” - Uncle Arthur comes to entertain the kiddies at Tabitha’s birthday party (which includes a young Danny Bonaduce) and accidentally makes a cocktail bunny appear instead of a cottontail bunny.  To make matters worse, one of Larry’s clients (Bernie Kopell, The Love Boat, Get Smart) falls in love with the rabbit-woman (Carol Wayne).

Disc Two:
“Samantha’s Secret Spell” - The Homeland Security episode.  Larry goes all George W. at the office, locks some new plans in the cabinet, and hires a security guy while Darrin bans Endora from the house…and soon Sam has to find a counter-spell for Darrin so Endora won’t turn him into a mouse.

“Daddy Comes To Visit” - It was a long time coming: Maurice gives Darrin a pocketwatch with magical abilities so he can see how the other half lives.  Sam disapproves.  John Fiedler (the original voice of Piglet) guest stars.

“Darrin The Warlock” - Part Two.  Darrin’s newfound love for his new pocketwatch gets to be too much for Sam, so she stages an intervention.

“Sam’s Double Mother Trouble” - Esmeralda brings Mother Goose to life.  Then Darrin’s folks stop by.  Yawn.

“You’re So Agreeable” - Endora turns Darrin into the supreme ass-kissing yes-man whose foul stench rivals even that of most Hollywood executives, causing him to lose his job after losing the account of Mr. Shotwell (Charles Lane).  How many times has Darrin been fired and re-hired anyway?

“Santa Comes To Visit And Stays And Stays” - As if Julius Caesar and Mother Goose weren’t enough, how’s about the increasingly annoying Esmeralda bringing a British Santa Claus to the Stephens household?  How come she never accidentally brought Judge Crater or Adolf Hitler around for Larry to share a cocktail and/or discuss business strategies with?  Speaking of Larry the Lush, he delves deeply into the Christmas Spirits and gives his Holiday blessing to all…shortly before staggering over to his sports car to drive home.

“Samantha’s Better Halves” - After Larry brings the Stephens a PORTABLE BAR!, we are treated to a flashback (over a drink) with Darrin being split into two entities by Endora.  Richard Loo, wonderful Asian character actor that played in everything from After The Thin Man to the Mr. Wong series and onto The Man With The Golden Gun, guest stars.  Darrin guzzles down a quadruple bourbon at the end of the flashback!

“Samantha’s Lost Weekend” - Sam goes on an eating binge after drinking some milk hexed by Esmeralda.  This is why we don’t drink milk, kids: it’s evil and the government has been packing it full of hormones and unnatural additives for years!

Disc Three:
“The Phrase Is Familiar” - Another episode, another spell put on Darrin by Endora.  This time, Darrin speaks only in clichés (which he starts to act out).  The high point features Sam and Darrin putting on a charade to convince Larry and client that all of the things they’ve seen are the byproduct of the repeated consumption of alcohol (which isn’t that difficult of a feat to accomplish).

“Samantha’s Secret Is Revealed” - Darrin’s mum sees some witchcraft in action.  The innocent mortal woman gets committed as a reward.  Funny ha-ha.

“Tabatha’s Very Own Samantha” - Jealousy strikes again and Tabitha/Tabatha (choose your own spelling since the writer’s couldn’t decide!) makes another Samantha to play with (another spell I would kill to have).

“Super Arthur” - As with many old queens, Uncle Arthur finds his power isn’t quite what it used to be…so Dr. Bombay (what, Paul Lynde and Bernard Fox in the same episode!  Yes!) gives him a pill.  As with all of Dr. Bombay’s pills, there’s a side effect: Uncle Arthur turns into anything he thinks of!  Needless to say, the sight of Paul Lynde in a Superman outfit prancing about is worth its weight in gold.

“What Makes Darrin Run?” - Convinced he’s too lazy, Endora gives Darrin an abundantly large dose of ambition (wouldn’t mind having that spell, either).  Naturally, he goes overboard with a power trip.  The only other episode to feature the character of Mr. McMann (of McMann & Tate), played by Leon Ames.  McMann’s first appearance was in Episode 4.32, where he was portrayed by Roland Winters (both actors were regulars at Fox back in the 40s but oddly enough never appeared onscreen together).

“Serena Stops The Show” - Is it just me, or does Elizabeth Montgomery’s performance as Serena turn anybody else on?  Serena toys with Boyce & Hart (the once-famous duo that wrote songs for The Monkees) and forces them to sing a song she wrote (which just happens to sound like one of their real-life hits, “I’m Gonna Blow You A Kiss In The Wind).

“Just A Kid Again” - Tabitha turns the salesclerk at a toy store (Ron Masak) back into a 9-year-old (Ricky Powell).  Paul Smith (The Deadly Mantis) plays a cop (he was also in “Super Arthur” and several other episodes throughout the series).

Disc Four:
“The Generation Zap” - Endora and Serena put a hex on a client’s daughter (Melodie Johnson) so that she falls hard for Darrin (you’re barkin’ up the wrong tree, lady: he’s gay).

“Okay, Who’s The Wise Witch?” - The Stephens household is accidentally put under house arrest by an otherworldly smart-ass witch: any witch/warlock that pops in is unable to pop out (including Endora, Esmeralda, and Dr. Bombay).

“A Chance On Love” - Serena substitutes for Sam one night and flirts with Dinsdale (Jack Cassidy - who died in a fire six years later after falling asleep on the couch with a lighted cigarette) one of Darrin’s clients.  When Dinsdale meets Sam the next night, he thinks she is Serena.

“If The Shoe Pinches” - The great Henry Gibson (with big fake pointy ears and tights) guest stars as a mischievous leprechaun sent by Endora.  His mission: give “Darwood” a pair of shoes that will make him terminally lazy.  Doesn’t Endora have anything better to do?

“Mona Sammi” - For reasons better left unknown, Endora brings a vintage Da Vinci painting of Samantha’s look-a-like aunt, putting Darrin’s name down as the artist.  Alright, I’ve put this one off long enough: is Endora Sam’s mother or not?  I mean, she looks just like her aunt and her cousin…Endora looks more like a drag queen.  Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?

“Turn On That Old Charm” - The Bickersons: The Next Generation.  After Endora wonders why she’s being so nice to Darrin, she figures out that Sam’s given him a magical amulet.  She retaliates by putting a spell on them causing them to bicker endlessly.

“Make Love Not Hate” - A love potion concocted by Dr. Bombay (and meant for Esmeralda) somehow finds its way into the clam dip during a client dinner at the Stephens’ home.  A really creepy idea when you take into consideration all the swinging that was going on in real life at the time and the amount of alcohol Larry consumes on an hourly basis (perhaps this was an example of art parodying life).

Presentation
Considering these episodes were shot on old stock and aired on the tube from 1969 to 1970, I have to say they look pretty damn good!  Each ep is in its original 1.33:1 ratio, have very vibrant-looking colors and are relatively free of grain, blemishes, etc.  Sony has provided us with Mono Stereo soundtracks in English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese (with Subtitles also included in the latter two languages): the French and Portuguese soundtracks sound a bit echoey, and the Spanish version sounds like it was recorded over the telephone by a radio station.  The Foreign Language audio tracks do not contain the annoying laugh track (which is nice…but sounds downright surreal by comparison).  English Closed-Captions are also available.

Extras
Not much here, kids (sorry), except two of those useless ol’ Minisodes and a few Previews.

The Bottom Line
Uncle Arthur Sightings: 2
Dr. Bombay Sightings: 5
Cocktails Served: Oh shit, I lost count!…

(Note: never play a Bewitched drinking game and take a drink whenever anyone onscreen does - it could be the death of you.)