# Bewitched, what are the "witches/warlocks"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 7, 2012, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705 "2012-01-07T04:47:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/21 "2012-01-08T12:06:22Z")
> [@Foggy](#): > > I realized that Darren was a jerk and that Sam must of had some issues to marry a controlling jerk like him. Then again given her immortality, she probably saw Darren as a change of pace. Which may explain why she hasn’t done the above.😃 Derwood is her pet. She’s living the equivalent of a year in the Peace Corps, or defending the old growth trees in some godforsaken wilderness, complete with local love interest. Eventually she’ll grow up and move on. [quote=“grude, post:14, topic:608705”] S > [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > There’s an established folklore about witches, some of it contradictory, but there’s quite a body of legends and such. > > In fact, self-consistency is a big problem in most fantasy stories, and in science fiction stories too. Once the writer has defined the limits of what a witch/alien can do, then that witch/alien had better abide by the limits, or figure out a way around them. We need Gaiman and Whedon to write the premise and Whedon to do the series. ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/22 "2012-01-08T13:16:27Z")
I have always had a problem with the word ‘warlock’ being applied to male witches. The word literally means ‘oath-breaker’. That has always bothered me. Other than that, I have always wanted Elizabeth Montgomery to share my bed. ---
**Author:** ![Cayuga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Cayuga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cayuga)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/23 "2012-01-08T14:32:37Z")
You’re scaring me a little, **Bea**. But in a good way. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Icerigger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icerigger/32/432_2.png) [@Icerigger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icerigger)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/24 "2012-01-08T15:30:11Z")
[QUOTE=Gagundathar] Other than that, I have always wanted Elizabeth Montgomery to share my bed. [/QUOTE] :)🙂 > **[Redirect Notice](https://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=564&tbm=isch&tbnid=O--9JN-ry2qTCM:&imgrefurl=http:%2F%2Fbluesun2600.posterous.com%2Felizabeth-montgomery&docid=R7ADwSYDlwT0dM&imgurl=http:%2F%2Fposterous.com%2Fgetfile%2Ffiles.posterous.com%2Fbluesun2600%2FpiHBbO7ZHHnWEayelaMH5abV995Wzc1ZfKhtShi5odQoK3djxdORreCmun0s%2F249_tumblr_kwxirgaYt01qabj53o1.jpg&w=1280&h=1018&ei=0bUJT9O2OYH00gHMyojDDg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=171&sig=109500637589436942029&page=10&tbnh=154&tbnw=183&start=109&ndsp=10&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:109&tx=130&ty=97)** ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/25 "2012-01-08T15:55:50Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I watched plenty of _Bewitched_ growing up, and I’m trying to remember if they ever addressed the whole issue of what Sam would do when Derwood was old and dying. Did they? It’s a non-issue. “Stevens” was just his latest alias. He was actually Derwood MacCleod of the clan MacCleod. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/26 "2012-01-08T15:56:13Z")
I met her once during the run of Bewitched. She was a serious babe. (Where is the drooling smiley?) ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/27 "2012-01-08T16:55:48Z")
> [@BeaMyra](#): > > Well witches are female and warlocks are male, although the term witches applies to the group as a whole. > > The rules change somewhat depending on plot needs, but generally it appears the older you get, the more power you have. Then as you get older and older, the power fades and you lose it all. You then become Earthbound. > > I don’t recall anything saying Samantha was immortal, just Endorra saying that, with witches the aging processes takes centuries. That said, no one says they die either. But it would seem they do die, it just takes centuries. > > Uncle Arthur, Endorra and Maurice are all of equal power. Arthur and Endorra being siblings. Endorra will declare to Maurice, “You may frighten Samantha, but you certainly don’t frighten me.” > > Samantha explains when she takes on another witch her own age. “I’d say zap for zap we’re evenly matched, sort of reduces us to the human level. How’d you like a punch in the nose.” > > Samantha is often shown to defeat her more powerful witch opponents by using her head. Mercedes Cambridge, played a witch even Endorra wouldn’t tangle with, and Samantha uses her head not her power, which she knows she can’t beat her, and winds up winning. > > Endorra does this to, as her and Maurice are evenly matched so she either says she will move back in with him or simply states, “If you don’t do XXX, I’ll make your life miserable and you KNOW I can” > > Aunt Clara proves to be stronger than any of them. When Endorra and her hag friends try to force Clara to be Earthbound, Samantha is her defense counsel. Samantha says she can do it only if Darrin isn’t home. When Darrin comes home early, in the middle of the trial, Clara banishes Endorra and the other hags into thin air. Thus they can’t make her Earthbound. > > While Samantha thinks it was luck, Clara declares it’s love and she still has it if something is important enough to her. > > The writers were clever to use the device that one witch can’t undo another’s spells. Though it appears to be, that one witch CAN undo another’s curse IF they know the exact spell. Since each witch would use a different spell they, in effect, control the situation. > > Many times Samantha can undo a spell if she finds out how the spell was cast. > > When Samantha puts a spell on another witch, Darrin asks how she can do that, Samantha replies, “It’s tricky but I caught him off guard.” > > This seems to be the reason why Endorra can catch Uncle Arthur. Yet it fails to explain if Endorra can limit Arthur and Serina’s power and even Samantha’s power, why can’t Samantha do the same to Tabitha to prevent her witchcraft. Which is a plot hole that creeps in every now and then. > > Other supernatural creatures appear like ghosts, crones, elves and such and it seems the witches always outrank them with power. > > If you watch the show from season 1 you can see the first two seasons are much different. Darrin doesn’t know Samantha is a witch when he marries her. This is a good move on the writers part. > > They also establish that witches have limited powers. This is lost after the color episodes start. Samantha declares to Darrin, she can’t force anyone love anyone else, as witches simply don’t have that power. They also have a couple episodes where a mortal and their charms can stop a witch cold. > > The first season especially explains that Samantha can have anything but what she wants is Darrin. What Darrin wants is a simple, suburban stay at home wife. > > So Darrin doesn’t hate what she IS, he didn’t know what he was getting into. Samantha WANTS to be what Darrin wants. And the show is about the struggle they both have. > > In one of the episodes where Darrin and Endorra are fighting she says, she tries to stay on neutral ground but sometimes you can try so hard to be everything to everyone that you wind up being nothing to no one. > > And finally the show is about love. Darrin loves Samantha despite what she is. He just needs time to adjust. Samantha also show Darrin that despite the fact she can have anything it only Darrin that she wants. > > When Samantha zaps up a fur coat out of thin air, Darrin’s hurt as he feels he can’t provide for her. And then he realizes he can’t give her anything she cant zap up for herself. Samantha responds by giving away the coat. The lady says “You can’t give away something so valuable.” Samantha says, “It’s easy when you have something that’s worth a lot more than that.” Of course meaning Darrin Wow. Do you, like, have a PhD in _Bewitched_ or something? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/28 "2012-01-08T17:00:13Z")
No mention of that stinker of a movie yet? Such a waste and it could have been so good. A reload would need to use divas with a few famous drag queens thrown in for that over-the-top intimidating/scary look that Endora pulled off so well. I’m thinking Dame Edna and similar characters. John Waters would guest star as Uncle Arthur. But I know they would just ruin it by making all the male stars hot metro-sexuals and throwing in a cat (that’s obviously a puppet) that dishes out puns for comic relief. At least 80% of the cast would have to be in their mid twenties (eye candy that can’t act) to appeal to the sponsors. I liked the simple FX and sounds for the magic - simple pyrotechnics and smoke for big spells and strong piano chords for teleportation. _ding_ And it was kinda cool the way magically-suspended objects would dangle or tremble in mid air as they moved across the room. We all know this was because they were using simple fishing line from overhead, but the effect was actually good, as if the conjurer was exerting effort to “steady” a suspended object. A reload would surely be ruined by today’s over-use of CGI. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_In_Black)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/29 "2012-01-08T17:59:59Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > It’s a non-issue. “Stevens” was just his latest alias. He was actually Derwood MacCleod of the clan MacCleod. [Nerd] That’s Macleod. Not MacCleod. [/Nerd] ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/30 "2012-01-08T21:22:34Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > [Nerd] That’s Macleod. Not MacCleod. [/Nerd] How about we split the difference, and say MacLeod? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/31 "2012-01-08T22:09:28Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I always hated him, he married a demigod that could transport them any place in time and space and instead he screams at her if she uses her powers and forces her to live as a housewife. In fairness to Derwood, she didn’t tell him she was a witch until after they were already married. He did not know what he was getting into, unlike Tony Nelson. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/32 "2012-01-08T22:24:24Z")
> [@brocks](#): > > How about we split the difference, and say MacLeod? fnord I THINK WE SHOULD SPELL IT ‘MAC[SIZE=8]LOUD’!!![/SIZE] ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/33 "2012-01-08T23:30:49Z")
Hey, you. Get off of Macleod. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2012, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/34 "2012-01-08T23:34:05Z")
Hugh. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mr\_Shine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mr_shine/32/464_2.png) [@Mr\_Shine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr_Shine)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/35 "2012-01-09T13:54:17Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > Hey, you. Get off of Macleod. Hey McLeod, get off of my ewe! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/36 "2012-01-09T14:15:30Z")
> [@levdrakon](#): > > I think I remember an episode when they went back to the Salem witch trials. Weren’t real witches being tried? I guess immortality and omnipotence must be a recent development for them. I remember thinking even as a little kid that was lame. How do you burn a witch at the stake who can do practically anything? IIRC, you’ve got that backwards; Samantha gets put on trial in Salem, effortlessly zaps her way out of the chains, points out how easy it was for a real witch, and patiently explains why they should rethink their policy of sentencing people who apparently can’t work a spell to save their lives. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/37 "2012-01-09T16:33:17Z")
Wasn’t there a Tabitha series in the late 70’s starring Lisa Hartmann (Clint Black’s wife)? ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/38 "2012-01-09T17:02:23Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#): > > Wasn’t there a Tabitha series in the late 70’s starring Lisa Hartmann (Clint Black’s wife)? [Yes](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075590/), and mentioned upthread (in post #9). Lasted all of 12 episodes. It made a number of changes to the characters, as well (Tabitha was now younger than her brother, her brother no longer had magical powers, and both of them went from childhood to adulthood in just a couple of real-life years). ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/39 "2012-01-09T17:21:10Z")
> [@BeaMyra](#): > > Well witches are female and warlocks are male, although the term witches applies to the group as a whole. > > The rules change somewhat depending on plot needs, but generally it appears the older you get, the more power you have. Then as you get older and older, the power fades and you lose it all. You then become Earthbound. > > I don’t recall anything saying Samantha was immortal, just Endorra saying that, with witches the aging processes takes centuries. That said, no one says they die either. But it would seem they do die, it just takes centuries. > > Uncle Arthur, Endorra and Maurice are all of equal power. Arthur and Endorra being siblings. Endorra will declare to Maurice, “You may frighten Samantha, but you certainly don’t frighten me.” > > Samantha explains when she takes on another witch her own age. “I’d say zap for zap we’re evenly matched, sort of reduces us to the human level. How’d you like a punch in the nose.” > > Samantha is often shown to defeat her more powerful witch opponents by using her head. Mercedes Cambridge, played a witch even Endorra wouldn’t tangle with, and Samantha uses her head not her power, which she knows she can’t beat her, and winds up winning. > > Endorra does this to, as her and Maurice are evenly matched so she either says she will move back in with him or simply states, “If you don’t do XXX, I’ll make your life miserable and you KNOW I can” > > Aunt Clara proves to be stronger than any of them. When Endorra and her hag friends try to force Clara to be Earthbound, Samantha is her defense counsel. Samantha says she can do it only if Darrin isn’t home. When Darrin comes home early, in the middle of the trial, Clara banishes Endorra and the other hags into thin air. Thus they can’t make her Earthbound. > > While Samantha thinks it was luck, Clara declares it’s love and she still has it if something is important enough to her. > > The writers were clever to use the device that one witch can’t undo another’s spells. Though it appears to be, that one witch CAN undo another’s curse IF they know the exact spell. Since each witch would use a different spell they, in effect, control the situation. > > Many times Samantha can undo a spell if she finds out how the spell was cast. > > When Samantha puts a spell on another witch, Darrin asks how she can do that, Samantha replies, “It’s tricky but I caught him off guard.” > > This seems to be the reason why Endorra can catch Uncle Arthur. Yet it fails to explain if Endorra can limit Arthur and Serina’s power and even Samantha’s power, why can’t Samantha do the same to Tabitha to prevent her witchcraft. Which is a plot hole that creeps in every now and then. > > Other supernatural creatures appear like ghosts, crones, elves and such and it seems the witches always outrank them with power. > > If you watch the show from season 1 you can see the first two seasons are much different. Darrin doesn’t know Samantha is a witch when he marries her. This is a good move on the writers part. > > They also establish that witches have limited powers. This is lost after the color episodes start. Samantha declares to Darrin, she can’t force anyone love anyone else, as witches simply don’t have that power. They also have a couple episodes where a mortal and their charms can stop a witch cold. > > The first season especially explains that Samantha can have anything but what she wants is Darrin. What Darrin wants is a simple, suburban stay at home wife. > > So Darrin doesn’t hate what she IS, he didn’t know what he was getting into. Samantha WANTS to be what Darrin wants. And the show is about the struggle they both have. > > In one of the episodes where Darrin and Endorra are fighting she says, she tries to stay on neutral ground but sometimes you can try so hard to be everything to everyone that you wind up being nothing to no one. > > And finally the show is about love. Darrin loves Samantha despite what she is. He just needs time to adjust. Samantha also show Darrin that despite the fact she can have anything it only Darrin that she wants. > > When Samantha zaps up a fur coat out of thin air, Darrin’s hurt as he feels he can’t provide for her. And then he realizes he can’t give her anything she cant zap up for herself. Samantha responds by giving away the coat. The lady says “You can’t give away something so valuable.” Samantha says, “It’s easy when you have something that’s worth a lot more than that.” Of course meaning Darrin This is enough to make me want to buy and re-watch the series. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2012, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705/40 "2012-01-10T12:25:26Z")
> [@simster](#): > > This is enough to make me want to buy and re-watch the series. I’m already doing so because of that post. Oh, and I noticed one episode where Samantha is able to undo someone else’s spell, or at least the consequences of an illness. Uncle Arthur is sick and keeps breaking mirrors by accident (when coming out of them). Darrin complains of 21 years of bad luck, so Samantha fixes one and says that now they’ll only have 14 years. Thus I think it’s not necessarily the strength of the caster, but the strength of the spell that’s important. I would just think it was because Arthur was weak from illness, but that’s contradicted both by how unsuprised Samantha was that she could undo it, and how she seems unable to undo any of the other faulty spells Arthur makes throughout the episode. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bewitched-what-are-the-witches-warlocks/608705.md?page=3)