Bewitched Season 1 (1 Viewer)

[Jeff Willis]

I was also curious about the "Tabitha" release. How many here are planning on buying that release? I'm going to get that one.

 

[Charles Ellis]

The pilot is a classic- especially Darrin's reaction to Sam's powers. ("You're a witch!") A personal favorite is the Pleasure O'Reilly episode with its outrageous ending (Gladys Kravitz exposed in the press as "Passion's Plaything!"), and as a testament to Liz Montgomery's acting skills, witness her delicious impersonation of Agnes Moorehead in "Which Witch Is Which?". I am also looking forward to seeing the George the Warlock episode again, as it gives a glimpse of Sam's life pre-Darrin. I only wish Christopher George had been invited to do more episodes- imagine if Sam were playing matchmaker for George and Darrin's ex, Sheila Sommers (Nancy Kovack)!

 

[Garysb]

Any reviews of Season 1 yet ?

 

[David*P]

I'm getting both the colorized and b&w 1st seasons! Because I think the colorization looks really cool plus it seems that the colorized set is the only one that has the different language features...and since I practically have them all ready memorized in English it'll be fun to watch them in a different language. Who knows? Maybe I'll even learn a different language.

I'm also getting Tabitha because it's BW related.

 

[Jeff Willis]

DavidP:

Thanks for your info on BW on this forum. It's obvious that you're a real "McCoy" fan of this series

I'm curious...what is it that most appeals to you regarding this series? Is it the casting, timing (60's culture), writers/directors, or all of these?

For me, what I liked best about it in the 60's was the originality of the concept for a series. And, that BW opening theme tune's an all-timer

My late Dad was an Elizabeth Montgomery fan, more than I was at the time...but then...I was somewhat younger back then too

 

[David*P]

I would say that the thing that appeals most to me about BW is the magic aspect...or at least that's what first appealed to me as a youngster watching daytime reruns. And followed closely was my fascination with the beautiful Elizabeth Montgomery. I remember thinking, even at about five or six years old, that there had never been a more beautiful woman on TV.

As I've grown older I still feel the same about EM and as I've learned more about her I've come to realize there's very little difference between the personalities of Samantha and EM.

I also think the writing is brilliant (in at least the first five seasons). The zingers that Endora and Darrin come up with are hilarious.

The show is a safe haven for me. It brings me joy no matter how many times I watch it (and I would hate to think how many times I've seen each episode). I always day dream about how it would be if I were to bump into a beautiful witch like Samantha...I definitely would NOT take the route that her husband did. If my car got a flat, then there is going to be some twitchin' going on to remedy it! LOL

I also felt I could relate to Samantha's situation what with Darrin always being at odds with her family. It was very much like my mother and her sisters. They were beautiful like Samantha and her mother and her cousin Serena. My aunts and mother were also very classy just like the witches on the show. With the exception of my father, all my uncles were extremely "anti-Mom"'s family because they were jealous of how close my mom and her sisters were. They always forbade them to see each other and I always felt that's how it was with Darrin, though Samantha's family couldn't have cared less if he didn't want them around.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Great write-up, David

(OT: Sounds like me writing up a "Bionic Woman" review )

As for Bewitched, I loved the first 3-4 seasons but wasn't as fond of the later ones. It was hard to replace Dick York for sure. I guess Dick Seargent did fairly well considering that he had to replace the original Darrin.

 

[David*P]

Speaking of Dick Sargent I recently made this spoof poster of how the BW people may have advertised that a new Darrin was about to appear...of course, this is based on the BW movie poster.



I often refer to DS as Samantha's second husband...but I do have a lot of favorite episodes from those last three years...

 

[Carlos Garcia]

I just saw the trailer for the movie...all I can say is...thank GOD the TV show is FINALLY being released!

 

[JohnMor]

David*P: That poster is brilliant!

And I agree that there are some favorites in the last three seasons. I've even grown particularly fond of season eight, which I now tend to prefer over six or seven. I really love "3 Men and a Witch on a Horse" (Samantha: "That groom must be a real blabbermouth!") and "Serena's Youth Pill" (Serena: "Well, the children were upstairs playing at the time and there wasn't anything else to do...")

 

[David*P]

Thank you very much, John.

That episode "3 Men..." is one of EM's favorites.

I also really like "Serena's Youth Pill".

Some of my other 8th season favorites are the two Henry VIII ones because I think DS did a great job as well as Agnes Moorehead. I also really like "Samantha and the Loch Ness Monster" because Serena seems to be in top form plus I love mermaids (she becomes a mermaid in this episode). And I like the one's where Tabitha goes to school, especially when Mrs. Peabody comes snooping around and it ticks Samantha off so much so that she zaps her to the top of a tree.

But my all time favorite 8th season episode is "The Warlock in the Gray Flannel Suit". I just love how far out Alonzo the warlock hippie is. "Flurpity Flurp!"

 

[JohnMor]

Alonzo: "I didn't say 'flurpity flurp'. I said FFLUURRPITY FLUURRP!"

Yeah, great episodes as well. I also love the Henry VIII ones, especially Lizzie's songs. Are we placing bets on whether we'll ever see the 8th season released on DVD? I'll be quite happy with any releases we get, but I sure would love to have all of them!

 

[David*P]

Well, I would say that if Sanford and Son can have the entire series released than so can BW!

What I'm hoping happens is this: seeing as s.1 is being released in conjunction with the movie, I'm thinking s.2 will be released in conjunction with the DVD release of the movie, which I'm assuming will happen around Christmas which is about six months from now. So then I would hope they would just go along with that groove and release one season every six months. So if that's the way it goes then we won't be seeing the eighth season until 2008!! Hopefully they'll turn them out faster than that.

 

[David*P]

So I got a couple questions for those in the know about these things...(of course I'm thinking of Gord and Dave but anyone else who knows, feel free to answer):

1. How do some people obtain advance copies of shows? I saw that thread about someone getting an advance copy of Moonlighting and was wondering the same about BW.

2. Are there any pictures of the back of the boxes or the disc art? I know they showed the disc pictures in a preview of the DVD release on the net that I posted awhile ago but I want to see some clearer pictures.

3. Do we know if the release is going to involve the individual slip cases - like Seinfeld, to use a Sony example - or be fold out style - like Tour of Duty, to use another Sony example - (please forgive me for not knowing the technical terms for this stuff...I only major in Bewitched LOL)? And if it is individual slip cases, can we see the art for them?

 

[Pavan_P]

David*P:

1.) Advance copies are obtained by websites who review DVDs. SitcomsOnline.com TVShowsonDVD.com etc, are among those sites.

2.) Back art: http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photos/...1colorback.JPG
http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photos/...eds1bwback.JPG

The discs have a photo of Samantha on disc one, disc two has Darrin, disc three has Uncle Arthur and disc four has Endora.

3.) We (SitcomsOnline.com) will have a review up of Bewitched (one review - covering b&w and color) early this week, so you'll see what kind packaging the discs are in. Tabitha will also shortly follow.

 

[David*P]

Thanks for answering my questions, Pavan! I can't wait to read the reviews!

Man, I love the artwork on the back of the packages. It keeps in theme with the cartoon opening and is very bewitching!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the discs are each in their own individual case. I think DVDs are easier to handle that way.

BTW, Sony just posted the disc art for the black and white set only. It's funny that the disc art can have pictures from the first season but not the actual box. Oh well! As long as the episodes themselves are uncut I'll be happy!

 

[Garysb]

Was Uncle Arthur even in the first season . I know Paul Lynde played Samantha's driving instructor in the first season. I also know the 1st Uncle Arthur show was where he gives Darrin a phoney charm that he says can do magic but it is really the top of a lamp. When did that show air ?(Yaga Zoozy etc.) I know it is B&W so its the first or second season.

 

[JohnMor]

No, he wasn't. The first Uncle Arthur episode, The Joker is a Card, was from the second season, but as you said, Paul Lynde did play Sam's driving instructor in season one.

I'm surprised they chose Lynde for the 4th disc instead of Marion Lorne as Aunt Clara, who appeared in several first season episodes. Or even Alice Pearce as Gladys Kravitz would have been a great 4th disc. Oh well, the content of the disc is the main thing.

 

[David*P]

Yes, Aunt Clara should've been there or David White, but like JohnMor said, it's what's on the discs that count.

Now there is a picture of the discs inside the packaging, which looks like it folds out, over at the DVD Times, a UK website.

 

[David*P]

I know you may be busy but I'm DYING to read a review!

BTW, Erin Murphy aka Tabitha just posted on Harpies Bizarre that she received the set today along with Tabitha. She said later tonight (after a photo shoot, interview and parent teacher conferences) she'll answer questions about the set.

Also I wanted to make mention to you Agnes Moorehead (Endora) fans that you should purchase the new book about her by Charles Tranberg. I've all ready read it and I'm reading it a second time. It's excellent! And the best biography out of the ones out about BW people (EM, DY and AM). It's available on Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble.com.