# 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:** 2
**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 31, 2003, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/21 "2003-01-31T03:38:50Z")
The Internet Movi Data Base doesn’t list any relationship between the two Darrins: [http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Sargent,%20Dick](http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Sargent,%20Dick) It _does_ tell us that Dick Sargent was born “Richard Cox”. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/22 "2003-02-05T16:42:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lumpy \* > \*\*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. \*\* Have to agree with you that the witches on Bewitched are like GODS compared to the other TV witches: Sabrina, Willow from Buffy, and the Charmed ones. Like when Prue accidentally blew up the attic and Piper was irked about the cleanup they’d have to do, heck, Samantha Stephens could just twitch her cute little nose and it’d be clean in an instant. Now THAT’S a witch! When I was six years old I wanted to grow up to be Samantha Stephens. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/23 "2003-02-05T17:06:13Z")
I blame my destructive fondness for martinis on Darren and Samantha. Not a show went by that Samantha wasn’t mixing up a pitcher of martinis or other mood-altering libation as soon as Darren walked in the door. Not to mention all the times Darren ended up at “The Club” with a mouthful of olives. What kind of club was it anyway? Moose? Elks? Loyal Order of Water Buffalo? ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/24 "2003-02-05T17:15:49Z")
I was a huge fan in my \ youth. I would even try to twitch my nose like Samantha seriously thinking that if I could do it, all my “troubles” would disappear. :rolleyes: I guess reality has to set in at some point. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/25 "2003-02-05T20:55:42Z")
There was that funny moment in Roseanne when the family was sitting around talking about ‘Bewitched’ and Sarah Chalke (Becky #2) said, ‘I like the second Darrin better.’ ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2003, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/26 "2003-02-05T23:30:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\* It _does_ tell us that Dick Sargent was born “Richard Cox”. \*\* No, that’s just too easy. No wonder he ended up gay. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/27 "2003-02-06T16:10:55Z")
I suspect that Samantha was subconciosly either uncomfortable with being a witch or wanted someone else to take charge. Look at how willing she was to abstain from using her powers when such a thing should have been unnatural for her while all the others (except the clearly senile Clara) would often casually employed their powers at the slightest whim. Since witches could time-travel any one of them could have a relationship with any person in any era as long as they were willing to do without their powers for the duration. ---
**Author:** ![MemoryGongs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/58f4c7/32.png) [@MemoryGongs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MemoryGongs)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/28 "2003-02-06T16:19:32Z")
All I know is that I had the mad hots for Liz Montgomery for years. Still do. What a gorgeous woman. ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/29 "2003-02-06T16:29:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fear Itself \* > \*\*I blame my destructive fondness for martinis on Darren and Samantha. Not a show went by that Samantha wasn’t mixing up a pitcher of martinis or other mood-altering libation as soon as Darren walked in the door. Not to mention all the times Darren ended up at “The Club” with a mouthful of olives. What kind of club was it anyway? Moose? Elks? Loyal Order of Water Buffalo? \*\* With a bitch of a mother-in-law regularly turning you into dogs, frogs, gophers, whatever, wouldn’t you drink too? Not to mention that she was contantly messing with him!! One day he’s the richest man in the world, king, a warlock, god’s gift to women etc, then it’s all gone. Come on!!! I’m surprised he wasn’t totally staggering drunk 24/7. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/30 "2003-02-06T16:58:17Z")
I loved it when Serena would flirt with Larry Tate, calling him ‘Cotton Top’, and he’d blush, get flustered and smile at her. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/31 "2003-02-06T17:21:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MemoryGongs \* > \*\*All I know is that I had the mad hots for Liz Montgomery for years. Still do. What a gorgeous woman. \*\* Agreed- she was the last stand of my heterosexuality. I particularly loved her in THE AWAKENING LAND miniseries a few years later, though she also made LIZZIE BORDEN hot. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/32 "2003-02-06T17:48:44Z")
I only remember one time when Darrin was happy to see Endora. It was when he was split into two Darrins: The workaholic Darrin and the fun-side Darrin who only wanted to play. It was the fun-side Darrin who greeted Endora with a genuine hi-endora-how-are-you-good-to-you salutation. Anyone ever seen the short-lived Tabitha spinoff starring Lisa Hartman? It wasn’t very good, from what I remember. My husband said he heard there is going to be a Bewitched movie starring Nicole Kidman. I wonder who they will cast as Darrin. Anyone heard anything about that? ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/33 "2003-02-06T18:07:58Z")
Darrin deserved everything Endora ever did to him. He was such a pill. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/34 "2003-02-06T18:08:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jeanster \* > \*\*Anyone ever seen the short-lived Tabitha spinoff starring Lisa Hartman? It wasn’t very good, from what I remember. > \*\* Oh yeah. A really weird story is this: Kasey Rogers, who played the second Louise Tate on the show (and is one of the few cast members still living) lives in a May-December thing with a guy named Mark Woods. They met because he’s a huge Bewitched groupie who moved to Hollywood for the express purpose of pimping the series “ADAM” about Tabitha’s half-warlock brother. In another “stranger than fiction” twist, Adam on the series was played by twin brothers Greg and David Mandelbloch (stage name Lawrence). They were adopted at birth and later sought their birth parents; birth mother was an actress, and birth father was [Tony Curtis](http://www.bewitched.net/adam.htm) [whose other chirren include Jamie Lee]). > [@](#): > > My husband said he heard there is going to be a Bewitched movie starring Nicole Kidman. I wonder who they will cast as Darrin. Anyone heard anything about that? \*\* According to E!, she and Mike Myers have been approached for the series but nothing’s definite. I’m guessing that it would take $50 million just to get the two of them, more than the movie would make unless it was really fantastic. Of course if there’s a sequel they have to switch Darrins, whereupon it would be Ben Stiller or perhaps Don Knotts. My pics for supporting cast: Darrin: Brendan Fraser Uncle Arthur: Nathan Lane Maurice: Derek Jacoby Endora: Emma Thompson Clara: Maggie Smith Mrs. Kravitz: Kathy Kinney Dr. Bombay: Bernard Fox (for continuity) Gandalf: Ian McKellen ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/35 "2003-02-06T18:39:00Z")
Good casting choices. So Bernard Fox is still alive? I remember him also as Colonel Crittendon from Hogan’s Heroes. Heeheehee, why’d you sneak in Gandalf on this list? I’d love to see him in Bewitched. Hey, anyone remember when Liz Montgomery in a cartoon Samantha form appeared on an episode of The Flintstones? ---
**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:** [February 6, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/36 "2003-02-06T19:11:03Z")
I don’t know how old Emma Thompson is, but she looks much too young and fairie-like to portray somebody who is old and hag-like. I often wonder why the present-day copies of Bewitched do so poorly compared to the original. I think one thing that’s lacking is the creepy sound effects that went along with any instance of magic. A piano chord when Samantha disappears or a BLATT on a tuba when Uncle Arthur shows up gave the show a creepy weirdness that anything presently showing on the WB lacks. ---
**Author:** ![photopat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e95f7d/32.png) [@photopat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/photopat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/37 "2003-02-06T20:01:44Z")
A couple of things I remember (besides the fact that I too thought Elizabeth Montgomery was hot), the halloween party episode with Willie Mays in attendance. Darrin asked Sam if Willie was a warlock too and she replied “How else do you think he hit’s all those home runs?” Then Willie looked at his watch and said he had to get to the ball park and disappeared. Proving that at least some of those Witch folk were comfortable moving in mortal circles. They also recycled at least 1 script. Both Ben Franklin and George Washington were accidentally pulled into the then-present (I think once was Aunt Clara and the other was the maid, what was her name? Alice Beasley’s character). Both episodes climaxed with the historic character making a speech in court, and the judge saying to Sam, “If he isn’t George/Ben, he ought to be,” and releasing him/them. As I recall each one featured a different Darrin, so maybe the producers figured nobody would notice the other similarities. ---
**Author:** ![jeanster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9fc348/32.png) [@jeanster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeanster)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/38 "2003-02-06T20:11:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by photopat \* > \*\*the other was the maid, what was her name? Alice Beasley’s character). \*\* The maid was Esmeralda, if I remember correctly. An annoying character, I thought. ---
**Author:** ![dwmacg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a183cd/32.png) [@dwmacg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwmacg)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/39 "2003-02-06T20:31:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MemoryGongs \* > \*\*All I know is that I had the mad hots for Liz Montgomery for years. Still do. What a gorgeous woman. \*\* If you’re into necrophilia… ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2003, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523/40 "2003-02-06T20:39:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CalMeacham \* > \*\*The Internet Movi Data Base doesn’t list any relationship between the two Darrins: > > [http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Sargent,%20Dick](http://us.imdb.com/Bio?Sargent,%20Dick) > > It _does_ tell us that Dick Sargent was born “Richard Cox”. \*\* [Beavis] Heh Heh Heh [/Beavis] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/picking-apart-bewitched/151523.md?page=3)