Search - Bewitched - The Complete First Season (Black and White) on DVD

K. K. (GAMER)
Reviewed on 11/5/2022...

Witchy fun!

Season one of this Elizabeth Montgomery sitcom is bedazzling

Robin Orlowski | United States | 04/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"At a time when interracial marriage was still making many Americans anxious, this sitcom helped to diffuse that real-life tension through a suburban fantasy. This show thus focuses less on the supernatural and more on issues of family, community, and idenity.

Thirty six episodes make up this 1964-1965 season. A 1963-filmed pilot episode is included in this season for good measure.

Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) is a witch who fell in love with and then married the mortal Darrin Stephens (who, for the first couple of seasons, is played by Dick York). Darrin accepts her `heritage' only on the condition that she now refrain from using witchcraft and `settle down' to be a normal American middle-class housewife.

To the horror of her mother Endora (Agnes Moorehead), Samantha has agreed to the request. But, Endora ultimately worried over nothing. Samantha herself soon discovers that giving up witchcraft was an impossible promise. Conflict between her promise and an often-more complicated reality drive this series' storylines.

Tensions immediately flare in the first season when an old flame of Darrin's (Nancy Kovak) invites them to a dinner party. Because Shelia Sommers is so obnoxious, Samantha breaks her promise in order to avoid being shown up in front of her husband. Beginning with this episode, Darrin recognizes that he cannot control when Samantha does/does not use her magic, and can only make suggestions. Whether this advice is taken then rests entirely with Samantha.

In "Be it ever so mortgaged" we meet Gladys and Abner Kravitz (Alice Pearce and George Tobias) who are the Steven's next door neighbors. Ever the busybody, Mrs. Kravitz begins a series-long tirade about `something weird going on over there'. Less concerned, her husband is a largely-silent type.

"It shouldn't happen to a dog" introduces us to Darrin's boss Larry Tate (David White) and his wife Louise (at this point being played by Irene Vernon). It also previews the many problems Darrin will have working at the McMahon & Tate advertising company.

"The witches are out" finds Samantha protesting the negative pop culture images of witches traditionally associated with American Halloweens. With the help of her beloved Aunt Clara (Marion Lorne) Samantha convinces an advertising client of Darrin's that using a pretty witch for their candy sales would be a better strategy through changing that executive's appearance: If he did not like being an ugly witch, neither did they! Aunt Clara has the distinction of being Samantha's only female relative who genuinely appears to like Darrin

Samantha meets her in-laws, Phyllis (Mabel Albertson) and Frank Stephens (Robert F. Simon) during "Samantha meets the folks". Aunt Clara's unexpected return and helping out upsets Darrin who had wanted his parents to believe that Samantha did all the housework by herself. Because she had wanted to find some fault with this housework (regardless of who actually did it), Phyllis was honestly disappointed by how perfect everything looked. Darrin's mother is later relieved to learn that her daughter in law is not actually a good housekeeper, and Darrin then makes up with Aunt Clara.

Aunt Clara makes another great appearance in "There's no witch like an old witch". Aunt Clara is a great babysitter until she accidentally tells the kids that she is a witch. Because witches supposedly do not exist, she is barred from babysitting. Although a judge (who had every reason to doubt her statement of being a witch) is instead impressed with Aunt Clara, the Stephens decide to send her to Miami for a convenient get away vacation with her friends. This will provide time for people to forget what they were told in this episode.

Forty years later, these episodes hold up great. Some sitcoms which cannot age well obviously depend on extras in the DVD sets in order to gain market appeal with `today's audience'. Bewitched is one of the rare titles which has always remained watch-able and really does not need the special features included in this release.

Even the 'black and white' filming of this season is not annoying. Bewitched was head and shoulders above many other sitcoms of the era to begin with.

The price for this product is really affordable considering the production quality AND all of the DVD extras. Exclusive DVD featurettes include bloopers, a feature how the 'magic' was performed, and a theatrical trailer for the upcoming Bewitched movie with Nicole Kidman.

I am only saddened that Montgomery and both `Darrins' are no longer around to participate in the DVD release for this series.

"

They don't make 'em like they used to

J. A. Overland | Mississauga, Ontario Canada | 10/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Maybe I'm stuck in the past, but I don't think that (most) modern TV programs can compare to the great writing and acting from the older shows. Bewitched is one of those shows from my childhood that still shines brighter than anything new on the air today. Unless you subscribe to one of those specialty TV stations that replay the oldies, this DVD set is a must!"

STILL "BEWITCHED" BY THIS MAGICAL TV SITCOM

Forrest C. Hopson | Burnsville, NC USA | 07/17/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Bewitched: Season 1" is absolutely amazing to see in the new colorized version from Sony. I'll admit I was skeptical at first about purchasing the colorized version, however, Target ran a great sale on all three of the "Bewitched" seasons 1, 2 & 3, so I got them all. They did not have the Black & White versions available, so I got the color versions, and what a surprise to see these beloved episodes in glorious color! It's as though they were originally filmed in color and with no harsh glares or sloppy blurs, that usually accompanies colorized movies. One "reviewer" claims that the "Bewitched Season 1 -colorized version" has been edited for syndication and is missing omitted footage. And that the "Bewitched Season 1 -B&W version" is not edited and features the full-length episodes as they were originally aired. If anyone here has viewed both the "Colorized" and the "B&W" versions of "Bewitched: Season 1" and have found this to be true, please let us all know here in a "review." Here is a listing of "Bewitched: Season 1" episodes:

BEWITCHED: THE COMPLETE FIRST SEASON (36 episodes)

I, DARRIN, TAKE THIS WITCH, SAMANTHA: Darrin and Samantha as newlyweds, with Samantha struggling to find the words to tell her new husband that she's a witch. Darrin gets zapped back to the hotel lobby in repeatedly funny sequences as he starts to enter the bedroom again and again.

BE IT EVER SO MORTGAGED: Darrin and Samantha find their perfect home on Morning Glory Circle, with nosy neighbor, Gladys Kravitz getting her first taste of magical mishaps, as Samantha and Endora zap the front yard of the new house with grass, trees, and flowers!

IT SHOULDN'T HAPPEN TO A DOG: Darrin's new client Mr. Barker gets zapped into a dog by Samantha, after he makes unwanted advances toward her.

MOTHER MEETS WHAT'S HIS NAME: Endora meets Darrin and immediately sparks fly as Endora warns, "mother will be watching."

HELP, HELP, DON'T SAVE ME: Samantha comes up with some great ideas for one of Darrin's clients, Caldwell Soups. Darrin accuses Samantha of using witchcraft to get the ideas, which infuriates Samantha. Darrin later discovers that she made up the ideas on her own, and apologizes.

LITTLE PITCHERS HAVE BIG FEARS: A neighborhood kid (Jerry Mathers look-a-like kid brother), with an over-protective mother (June Lockhart) wants to play baseball, and Samantha helps him out.

THE WITCHES ARE OUT: Darrin's new client is in the Halloween candy business and wants an ad with an old ugly witch in it, but Samantha and her elderly witch friends, change the new client's mind with a Scrooge-like visit in his sleep.

THE GIRL REPORTER: A young college girl interviews Darrin for her school's paper and also tries to steal him away from Samantha, who is confronted by the girl's football player boyfriend, "Monster."

WITCH OR WIFE? : While Larry and Louise are on a business trip in Paris, Darrin is left behind with a heavy workload. Samantha is alone and bored at home and accompanies her mother for lunch, in Paris! They meet up with the Tates and soon Darrin learns of Samantha's whereabouts and it furious! All turns out well in the end, as Samantha zaps herself on board the same airplane that Darrin is taking to surprise her in Paris.

JUST ONE HAPPY FAMILY: Darrin meets Samantha's father, Maurice, who believes Darrin to be a warlock. After he discovers Darrin is a mortal, he zaps him into thin air!

IT TAKES ONE TO KNOW ONE: In order to test Darrin's loyalty to Samantha, Endora sends a beautiful witch to be the new model in one of Darrin's new client's ads. Samantha discovers the girl is a witch, and aides Darrin in resisting her rival's magical charms.

AND SOMETHING MAKES THREE: Louise finds out that she's expecting a baby, and asks Samantha if she'll go to the doctor with her. While there, Larry overhears Samantha telling Louise, "I can't wait to see the look on Darrin's face when I tell him the good news!" Larry thinks Samantha is the one expecting and tells Darrin! Hilarious results follow in this classic episode.

LOVE IS BLIND: Samantha friend, Gertrude and Darrin's friend, Kermit (Adam West) are introduced and immediately take a shine to one another. Darrin believes Gertrude to be a witch, for she's not the kind of girl that Kermit usually likes.

SAMANTHA MEETS THE FOLKS: Samantha meets Darrin's parents, while her Aunt Clara is also visiting. Aunt Clara tries to help out with dinner and zaps up some very special dishes. Aunt Clara tells everyone that Samantha cooked the dinner, which makes Darrin's mother jealous of her daughter-in-laws cooking talents.

A VISION OF SUGAR PLUMS: A classic episode with Samantha and Darrin playing hosts to a young orphan boy (Billy Mummy) during Christmas. Seeing the boy's disbelief in Christmas and it's magic, Samantha and Darrin take him for a visit to the North Pole.

IT'S MAGIC: Samantha is nominated by a community charity group to hire the entertainment for their benefits' fundraiser. Samantha hires a has-been magician and even becomes his assistant. Samantha zaps him some help, which goes over big and lands him a spot on a local TV show!

A IS FOR AARDVARK: Darrin suffers a sprained ankle, which results in Darrin resting in bed until his ankle heals. Samantha becomes tired of running up and down the stairs to answer his requests, so she gives Darrin the power to be granted whatever that he asks. Darrin becomes more than comfortable with this new power, and Samantha sees that she's made a big mistake. Darrin asks that she take them back before any of it happened, so she "rewinds" time to before the accident.

THE CAT'S MEOW: Darrin disappoints Samantha by not celebrating an anniversary dinner with her and goes to see an important female client. Samantha teases him by suggesting that she turn herself into a cat and go with him. While at the client's, a Siamese cat appears, and Darrin thinks its' Samantha!

A NICE LITTLE DINNER PARTY: Darrin's parents come for dinner and his Dad feels old and useless after retiring from his job. Samantha's mother, Endora also comes for dinner and her charming compliments flatters Darrin's Dad. Darrin's mother becomes jealous and soon the two split up. Samantha uses her powers to reunite the two with a "rendezvous" from their past.

YOUR WITCH IS SHOWING: After Darrin refuses to let Sam go to a wedding in Egypt, Darrin has problems with his newest account. Larry helps Darrin out by hiring an assistant named Gideon Whitsett. Endora had warned Darrin that he was going to get into a heap of trouble, and Darrin believes that Gideon is a warlock sent by her to make him fail. Actually, Gideon is mainly stealing Darrin's ideas and making them as his own. Samantha uses her magic to make him confess.

LING LING: Darrin and Larry are having trouble with the art department's photographer, who can't seem to find the perfect girl to be in a jewelry ad. They need a girl that has mystery, beauty, and a foreign allure. So, Samantha turns a neighborhood Siamese cat into a girl and sends her down to the office!

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER: Endora tries to make Samantha seem older than she actually is by putting her face on an old painting dating back to 1690. Darrin notices this and wonders if he's growing old while she remains young. Samantha finds out that her mother is to blame for all this mess, and Endora tells her that she can age along with Darrin.

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT: The neighbors at Morning Glory Circle are having trouble crossing the street at a busy intersection. Samantha heads the committee to talk the Mayor into installing a traffic light at the intersection with the usual hocus pocus.

WHICH WITCH IS WHICH?: Endora zaps herself into Samantha's twin, so Samantha can keep to her busy schedule. While posing as Samantha, Endora meets a handsome author and they go out on several dates. The Author turns out to be a friend of Darrins and when Darrin brings him home to meet the real Samantha, hilarious results follow as Endora appears once again as Samantha's double and they tell the Author she's Samantha's twin sister!

PLEASURE O'REILLY: New female neighbor, Pleasure O'Reilly has Samantha seeing green! As Darrin is captivated by the beautiful new resident on Morning Glory Circle.

DRIVING IS THE ONLY WAY TO FLY: Samantha tries for her driving license and is instructed by none other than future-to-be Uncle Arthur himself, the great Paul Lynde!

THERE'S NO WITCH LIKE AN OLD WITCH: Aunt Clara feels old and useless until some friends of the Stephen's hire her to be their babysitter for an evening. Soon everyone in town wants the whimsical witch for their children's babysitter, except one trouble making neighbor who soon learns that Aunt Clara is truly a class act!

OPEN THE DOOR WITCHCRAFT: After using her powers to open and shut their garage door, Samantha is put on the spot by snoopy neighbors, the Kravitzs. Darrin has an automatic garage door opener installed, but a glitz in the wiring causes the door to open whenever an airplane flies over! Darrin accuses Samantha of using her powers to open and shut the door again, and Samantha is infuriated by his false accusations. Samantha and Darrin get trapped inside the garage and Samantha refuses to use her powers to open the door.

ABNER KADABRA: Mrs. Kravitz catches Samantha red-handed using her powers to arrange pictures in the living room. Samantha convinces Mrs. Kravitz that she's the one with the "powers" not Samantha! One of the series best episodes with Mr. & Mrs. Kravitz and the Stephens attending a séance that is truly hilarious!

GEORGE THE WARLOCK: Darrin is spending a lot of time with D.D. "Danger" O'Reilly, Pleasure's younger sister, who is house-sitting for Pleasure. Endora, as usual, tries to break up the marriage again by using a handsome male warlock named George from his harem to woo Samantha. When his plan (and Endora's) is unsuccessful, he turns himself into a raven with a lot of talent, so much talent that he creates a perfect image for Darrin's advertising campaign for typewriters. Samantha tells Darrin who is behind the raven, and George truns back into his old self and starts going after Danger O'Reilly. Endora has lost again when he returns to his girls.

THAT WAS MY WIFE: Darrin and Samantha try to spice up their marriage by reserving a suite at a fancy hotel. She arrives in a brunette wig and hugs Darrin, not knowing that they are being watched by Larry! Samantha later forgets a book and pops home to get it. Larry sees her at home and this causes a great misunderstanding. Louise tries to help out the supposedly doomed marriage and Larry sees her at the hotel with Darrin. After Darrin gets punched in the eye by Larry, the misunderstanding is cleared up when Darrin explains how Samantha got home and back to the hotel: She knew a short cut.

ILLEGAL SEPERATION: The Kravitzes have a fight and Abner is kicked out of the house. The Stephens welcome him with open arms, and Abner decides to stay with them permanently. Samantha gets them back together by having them dream about the day they proposed to each other. It works, and Gladys and Abner run out into the street -- in slow motion -- and embrace each other.

A CHANGE OF FACE: Darrin becomes totally insecure about his looks after Sam and Endora play Mr. Potato Head with his face while he is asleep. Samantha tries to build up his ego, but all efforts fail. What to do? Turn yourself into a very sexy French woman and convince your husband that it's what's inside that counts.

REMEMBER THE MAIN: Election fever sweeps Morning Glory Circle, and Sam and Darrin become campaign managers for a city council candidate. Endora's magic helps bring his corrupt opponent's dirty dealings to light.

EAT AT MARIO'S: Samantha and Endora enjoy lunch at a great Italian restaurant owned by Mario. It seems that he is not selling pizzas and his business is going down the tubes. Samantha and Endora try to help out Mario, but ends up getting Darrin's job in danger.

COUSIN EDGAR: Endora is not alone when she tries to break up the Stephens' marriage. It seems that a mute elf named Edgar voices his disapproval when he begins playing dirty tricks on Darrin. As a result of these tricks, a competitor named Fred Schulwiler almost gets the shoe account away from Darrin's firm. Edgar realizes that Samantha really loves Darrin and to show his appreciation, Edgar helps Darrin win the account by playing pranks on Schulwiler and winning Darrin the shoe account!

"