# Picking apart "Bewitched" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 30, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523 "2003-01-30T03:24:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/1 "2003-01-30T03:24:38Z")
I doubt the show’s creators ever really gave it this much thought, but: These “witches” (and warlocks). They are NOT like the people in the Harry Potter books. They’re- they’re like friggin’ GODS!! At a _minimum_, their powers include: -Instaneous travel through space and time. -Living for centuries or millenia. (They do appear to finally age, but at a rate of maybe 20 - 50 times slower than “mortals”). -The ability to materialize any object they can mentally envision. -The ability to totally alter the mind and personality of mortals in any fashion they choose. (one can only imagine what warlocks do with mortal women.) -Their origin place is a nebulous realm that’s on another dimensional plane. I seriously propose that they are actually members of the Q Continuum. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/2 "2003-01-30T04:52:35Z")
And first Paul Lynde showed up as Samantha’s driving instructor, and the next thing you knew, he was her uncle! ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/3 "2003-01-30T05:09:15Z")
I have some fish in a barrel that need shooting. Are you volounteering? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/4 "2003-01-30T08:22:00Z")
But the writers made Samantha or Aunt Clara occasionally forget this or that spell, or its antidote, just to make things a little interesting. ---
**Author:** ![Pucky\_Schumer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/74df32/32.png) [@Pucky\_Schumer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pucky_Schumer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/5 "2003-01-30T08:49:36Z")
And look at the supposedly mortal husband. Died and came back – looking completely different. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/6 "2003-01-30T10:23:41Z")
I saw this thread, resisted, but am unable to stop myself… _I am the grand-nephew of Dick Sargent, the second Darren._ It’s true. He was my great-uncle, my father’s uncle. He was also a really terrific guy. Stories available upon request. C’mon, I couldn’t let a “Bewitched” thread go by without mentioning that, could I? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/7 "2003-01-30T12:00:18Z")
jackelope, Aren’t the two Darren’s related to each other? Aren’t you related to the first Darren too? ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/8 "2003-01-30T12:52:55Z")
Dr. Bombay, paging Dr. Bombay. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/9 "2003-01-30T13:29:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimboguy \* > **Aren’t the two Darren’s related to each other?** What the …? Cite? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/10 "2003-01-30T13:37:53Z")
“Dick Sargent…Dick York …Seargent York!” One of the few things Mike Myers has said with that I’ve actually liked. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/11 "2003-01-30T16:10:26Z")
Did you ever notice that they couldn’t keep Samantha and Endora’s ages straight? In one episode Samantha made a comment about spying on her mother’s date with Sir Walter Raleigh, but another time she said she was born after Blackbeard’s time. Endora could remember ancient Rome in one episode, but when Samantha was sent to the court of Henry VIII Endora said she didn’t have her powers because she wasn’t born yet. Use any reality you like, people, but keep it straight! Maurice absolutely kicked ass though. When I was a kid, he was who I wanted to be when I grew up. I’d love to hear some Dick Sargent stories- what did he say about his co-stars? I mean no offense, but I have to find out whether this is a UL: is it true that when Elizabeth Montgomery co-hosted the Gay Pride Parade with Sargent, she told a camera man “I’m here today because I love Dick?” I hope this one’s true… please be true… ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/12 "2003-01-30T16:40:38Z")
How about the fact that for most of the episodes the kids were “upstairs” I don’t think sam had kids. I think it was a cruel spell that she played on Darren. Either that or they were dead and they were covering up for it ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/13 "2003-01-30T16:41:24Z")
Haven’t watched it but… maybe there are restrictions we aren’t aware of? Or someone in charge who takes away your powers if you misuse them? > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Silentgoldfish \* > \*\*I have some fish in a barrel that need shooting. Are you volounteering? 😃 \*\* Just take this gun, and sit on this log… ---
**Author:** ![lothos2002](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/df788c/32.png) [@lothos2002](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lothos2002)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/14 "2003-01-30T18:42:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jackelope \* > > C’mon, I couldn’t let a “Bewitched” thread go by without mentioning that, could I? \*\* I’ve heard you mention this at least once before on the boards, on a marginally related thread. At least this time it is about Bewitched, making it only marginally relevant. Do you slip it into casual conversation as well? Random person (RP): Hi jackelope: hi there. RP: Did you see the super bowl? jackelope: where, on TV? RP: well, yeah. jackelope: Speaking of TV, did you know I am the grand-nephew of the second Darren from Bewitched? RP: mmmh… (just kidding, jackelope, I think it is very cool, and if I had some celebrity relative from the show, I would mention it everytime Bewitched came up too. I guess I’m just envious, since he is CLEARLY the better Darren 🙂 ) ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/15 "2003-01-30T18:44:36Z")
**yojimboguy** , as far as I know there’s no relation between Dick York and Dick Sargent. ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/16 "2003-01-30T18:50:30Z")
Yes, **lothos2002** , I bring it up whenever I can. A one-trick pony has to do its trick constantly, or else become a no-trick pony. 😃 I think I mentioned it before in the “Any famous Dopers?” thread. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/17 "2003-01-30T23:23:16Z")
So of course the nosy questions about Dick Sargent: -did he like his co-stars? -did he take care of his money? -did he have an actor ego? ---
**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 30, 2003, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/18 "2003-01-30T23:49:20Z")
Endora was absolutely right in protesting the way they brought up Tabitha. If Samantha wants to abstain from using her natural gifts that’s fine but to prohibit Tabitha from using her powers is just child abuse IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Kallessa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7993a0/32.png) [@Kallessa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kallessa)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2003, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/19 "2003-01-30T23:54:56Z")
Was Larry Tate the stupidest man ever, or just the most unobservent? Did he never stop to think about how many time Darrin was acting weird? Or how many time Endora (or another relative)was just suddenly there? And why didn’t Darrin ever figure out that Samatha must have been able to use her powers and still blend in with the “normal” world, or she never would have been around to meet him. Didn’t he realize all the problems started because he refused to let her use her powers? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/20 "2003-01-31T01:01:13Z")
I remember it as a show with a cool-for-its-era premise, decently good casting, and incredibly bad script authors. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523.md?page=2)