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?
You are currently viewing the mobile version of our site. View the full site to get free email alerts, vote on your favorite shows, comment, and more.