Starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, and Agnes Moorehead, Bewitched began its run in 1964 as the second highest-rated show for the year. The series remained in the top 20 for its first five seasons.
York left the show after five years, largely due to debilitating back pain following an accident on the set of a movie. He was replaced by Dick Sargent in one of the most well-known bits of recasting in TV history. Sargent carried on admirably but the show slipped into 25th place for season six.
The audience began to tire of the concept, scripts were being rehashed, and the face of television was changing. In its final year, Bewitched was aired opposite Norman Lear’s groundbreaking All in the Family sitcom and Bewitched’s viewership really fell.
Despite the poor ratings, it’s believed that a ninth season was planned. Ultimately, Montgomery decided against doing it. The show ended on March 25, 1972 and Darrin, Samantha, and Endora were never seen again.
The final episode, “The Truth, Nothing But The Truth, So Help Me, Sam” isn’t a particularly special one and is actually a remake of a 1965 episode called “Speak the Truth.”
The finale revolves around Endora testing Darrin’s devotion to Samantha by placing a spell on a pin that forces mortals to tell the absolute truth. Take a look…
What do you think? Why did Bewitched decline in popularity? Was it the new Darren or was it just time for the show to go?
I’ve always been of the opinion the show needed a mid-season reboot and perhaps season six should have started Sam and Tabitha at the grave site of Darren Stephens who had died suddenly. That would have broken the formula mode rut the show was in and allowed the suddenly widowed Sam to find a new man played by Dick Sargent and whole new plot lines for the show had gotten stale
Dick York lived up the street from me in the early 90’s in Darien CT. It was a broken down barn/shack – I drove by it twice a day thinking, that place really needs taken down. Not knowing Dick York lived there. He was completely broke. When he died, is when I found out he lived there. Seriously, it looked like an oversized storage shed that was ready to collapse.
Odd, York lived and died in Michigan, not Connecticut.
I believe it should have kept going the original cast were the best but it was still a good show my hope is they would remake the series with rare talents like the actors they found
I’d like to see any scripts that were not used in the last season & what the Season 9’s would have been
I enjoyed the show growing up as a boy.
did Darrin boss ever know that Samantha was a witch
No he never did.
I think they could have found a lot more story lines. If they let Larry in on Sam being a watch. And even maybe pushed Darren to let Sam use it more. Since Larry was always more free wheeling fun type. Ya think that would rub off on Darren sooner or later anyway. Plus, he was a bit of a ladies man. They could have even dove into divorce. To make the show more controversial.. since all in the family did all the heavy lifting. For them. I think they should have just went full in. And let the writer… Read more »
Yes (technically) there was an episode were Darrin said to Samantha some thing along the lines of “Why don’t we just tell everyone that your a witch” (in an argument) and when Darrin went to sleep Samantha put him in a dream were Larry and others found out. if you would like to try and find the episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bewitched_episodes
I was under 6 yrs old when I watched this show. Because I came from an abusive home, I hated the 1st Darren because he was constantly angry. I hated the nosy neighbor concept. I hated Endora, always causing friction between Samantha and Darren. I did love the aunt who loved doorknobs because she was sweetly silly. I loved Samantha’s character and wondered why people wouldn’t just let her be who she was and do what she wanted. I very much liked the new Darren. He was more soft-spoken and didn’t come off as a constant threat. Again, I was… Read more »
I thought the opposite. The second Darrin was more angry, critical and negative than the first Darrin, at least towards the Mother in law
Aunt Clara was the doorknob collector. Great character. I loved Uncle Arthur, played by Paul Lynde. And how could anybody not admire Samantha? I was so saddened when Elizabeth Montgomery passed in 1995. I watched Bewitched in syndication, as even my parents were young teens when it premiered.
Good mention of Paul Lynde. I’m surprised they mentioned everyone but him in these trivia tidbits.
Paul is wasn’t in very many episodes. Mind you they has 254 episodes and he was only in 10 episodes.
Sorry, you were being abused, sadly some people need to think before having kids if they aren’t mentally able to handle kids. I’m amazing you remember in such detail. I don’t really remember my thoughts as a child.
Interesting how the mind words so different in different people. No, wonder we often have trouble communicating with one another. Expecally when many don’t even try.
Dick York said in an interview once that he hated how his character was always angry. He said he felt that if it were him, I would never have wanted to throw all his stress on Sam. The script made his character that way and he said he tried his best to soften Darrin’s character. I’m willing to believe if York didn’t leave the show, he would have softened
Dick York was the best. Darin number 2 just was not as good…York rules !!
I thought that too for the longest time! Then once I realized he played the father in the 1980’s film Teen Witch, my perception changed. Not to mention, he did seem not as angry, and more accepting of Sam’s “abilities”. However, after being married for so long York’s character could have eventually evolved into that same character. I guess we’ll never know! Born in 1987, I used to watch reruns as a child. I still watch it now…and my 8 year old son now knows all the characters, and the actors who play them…even differentiating York and Sergeant. A GREAT… Read more »
I could watch either Dick. I was just watching season 7. It’s fine. Didn’t realize they did so many episodes in Salem at the time. And I don’t know why they started recycling episodes. Didn’t even know that was ever heard of. I wish someone would have asked that question in production all the info. And no one talks about who and why they chose to recycle episodes.
The network made a mistake by running bewitched opposite all in the family
I liked the show very much. I thought it would have become even more interesting, with more plot-lines involving Tabitha and Adam growing into their special powers. I’d love to see a reboot of this show.
Didn’t they reboot it with a movie already (Fail). They just rebooted Lost In Space on Netflix and it’s fighting to survive til its 3rd season. That didn’t turn out very well. However BSG on syfy did pretty well once it got its footing. Sometimes I wonder why they call these shows “reboots”. Often they change some of the basic foundations of the show retaining just one main idea and even change some of the basic premises of the show. Then they change the gender of the original characters and their relationships, their race and sexual preference and say.. Here’s… Read more »
Sometimes I think having sames with the same names rebooted. Can’t live up to people’s love for the original and I wonder if they would be better off just making a new show. (assuming it’s not just a quick one off money grab) but if they want a actual series to last. It’s got to be very good no matter the title.
So why not just make a whole new show.
I loved Bewitched, but when York was replaced by Sargent, I have to admit the whole atmosphere of the show changed and I lost interest!
The new Darrin was just a scapegoat for fans to complain. Personally, I prefer him over the first one. And, yes ABC wanted Asher and Montgomery to do a 9th season, but their marriage was on the rocks and Liz felt that it was time to put her true talent to use in some of her most controversial roles on television movies like A Killing Affair with OJ Simpson. If Bewitched were to have aired that 9th season I would have liked the finale to be Darrin getting a promotion at McMann and Tate. Hence, ending the show with McMann,… Read more »
Yeah, she could have went crazy. And just go wild on the last season if she wanted. But, maybe she wasn’t in the correct head space for that kind of work. I could imagine the role of sam was fairly boring. Maybe, Sam should have took on some of her counters personality more.. like they become close and they could have slowly changed Sam and Darren’s relationship also. Perhaps change the dynamics. Of the show. I mean, honestly. Bitchy Darren and sweet Sam and arguing with the step.mom. and turning different people into something else. And often Sam could have… Read more »
I enjoy watch their reruns, and honestly, any show after the first Darrin is simply boring.
Dick Sargent was the actor originally cast in the role of Darrin, but due to some scheduling conflicts with some other projects he had going, he wasn’t able to do it.
I much preferred Dick York in the role. Bewitched just wasn’t the same with the new Darrin portrayed by Dick Sargent.
I think if Dick York had stayed the series could
easily have done 9 or 10 season’s.
Unfortunately dick York, wasn’t fit to play the role. He was addicted to pain pills and it got so bad he wasn’t turning up for work. (Due to his back issues). It’s a sad story. He was great, while ON. I wonder how his like could be different (and history) if he was able or even seeked surgery for his back issue. I don’t know, if they had a lot of experience yet. With back surgery’s. I’m the early 70’s. But if he couldn’t even function would It be worth the risk? 2 bad the doctors let him get addicted… Read more »
I think it was just time yes I didn’t like the new Darin at first but after watching him for a while he was great in his own way!