Vote for why you think it jumped
Same Character, Different Actor (Dick Sargent for Dick York)
Never Jumped
Birth (Adam)
Death (Aunt Clara)
Color
Shark Bytes
Eric,
Just to be accurate, this information was already noted by the poster named Erin on June 13 below.
Just to be accurate, this information was already noted by the poster named Erin on June 13 below.
For the record Elizabeth Montgomery was not the first choice to play Samantha, Tammy Grimes was the first choice and Dick Sargent was the first choice to play opposite of Tammy Grimes. Once Grimes turned down the role, Sargent was not the first choice to play opposite Elizabeth Montgomery
i wonder why elizabet Montgomery likes both darrin when the 2nd one was lousy.however when someone says the other one is better she'll defend the other one.for eg in the bewitched book one of the writers think sargent's darrin is a more calmer darrin but elizabeth denied it and said when darrin need to be short tempered Dick sargent compared equally with Dick york and refers to them as both being fantastic
I think Bewitched should have ran for its 9th season (1972-1973) and had a proper conclusion. The last show episode 254 was a remake of an earlier episode so I feel we never had closure with this show... The 9th season would have brought closure and a sense of an ending. Too bad we will never see the episodes that were meant to be!
I grew -up watching 'Bewitched' and loved it when TVLand showed it about 3years ago eveyday.I taped many of the episodes and enjoyed them,I had never seen ANY of the 1st,2nd,3rd season episodes and they were a treat to watch and get familiar with. The problems that started to belagure the show was the recasting and the recycled storylines by the 6,7,and 8th years. First Irene Vernon was let go as 'Louise Tate' I was puzzled about that for years until recently I read that she was let go because she was friends with one of the writer/producers of the show who had left the series. Irene Vernon was classy,funny,and put Larry in his place whne he go out of line. Kasey Rogers was good in the part also. I developed a liking for her 'Louise' also. I felt that there could have been more done with the character as the series moved on when Ms. Rogers replaced Ms.Vernon in the part. There were times when 'Louise' appeared in seasons 6 and 7 and her part was nothing more than a 5 minute bit part in a particular episode. Gladys Kravitz first played by Alice Pearce was hiliarious then Sandra Gould
took over the part after Ms.Pearce died and I never quite accepted her portrayl. Sandra Gould was too loud,abravise,and young for the part. Aunt Clara played by Marion Lorne died and sensibly they didnot try to recast the part. They just never mentioned her again. Larry Tate became boring by seasons,5,6,7 all he did was say he had a million dollar account and threaten to fire Darrin when things went wrong.Then when Darrin saved his butt from disaster,suddenly Darrin became 'You son of a Gun'But Darrin was NEVER good enough to promote to a higher level position such as McMann,Tate,and Stephens or get a big raise or bonus for his efforts One good episode that everyone should see was when after he Darrin,Darrin decided to go into business for himself and was going to take over one of their biggest client. He had old Lary Boy sweating. Also Larry spent is other time just putting Louise down and calling her "OLD" Louise was by no means as old as he was and Larry should have been glad to have her. Who else would put up with him? and there was barely no mention of Larry and Louise son Jonathan. Jonathan appeared in about 3episodes and was never mentioned again afterwards.
...Agnes Moorehead was fabulous as Endora and contributed a great deal to the show's success she played off well with Liz Montgomery, Dick York,Marion Lorne,Maurice Evans(he should have been in more episodes)and Paul Lynde. Erin and Diane Murphy were very good as Tabitha. The recasting of Darrin's father Frank Stephens kind of threw me off a bit. Mabel Albertson as Phyllis Stephens was a bit overbearing at times,also I noticed that Tabitha never spent much time with her mortal grandmother as she did with Endora... Alice Ghostley as Esmeralda just didnot do it for me at. I wonder why they even brought her in as a Aunt Clara wannabe with her forgetting spells and all... Dick York vs. Dick Sargent. Unfortunately due to Dick York's back problems and addiction to pain killers he left the show and was replaced by Dick Sargent. Dick York at times was a bit controlling and neurotic when he didnot want Samantha to use witch craft in the earlier episodes but he has a gentle,loving,and sincerity in his portrayl of Darrin that Dick Sargent lacked when he took over the role. Dick Sargent's Darrin came acrossat times as being mean spirited,sarcastic,and just out of place. Dick Sargent was good in other televison shows that I saw him in but just wanot right as Darrin.This is what changed the chemistry of the show. Perhaps if Dick York had gone into rehab to kick his addiction to pain killers during the summer hiatus he could have come back and finished out the series. I read somewhere that he was heartbroken and felt that he let everyone down because he left the show.The addition of Adam near the last remaining years of the show was not too bad. It is just the the writers didnot develop his character fully but by that time the show was out of fresh ideas and on its last legs. I have good memories of 'Bewitched' and enjoy the episodes that I was able to tape and it will always remain a one fo a kind show.
took over the part after Ms.Pearce died and I never quite accepted her portrayl. Sandra Gould was too loud,abravise,and young for the part. Aunt Clara played by Marion Lorne died and sensibly they didnot try to recast the part. They just never mentioned her again. Larry Tate became boring by seasons,5,6,7 all he did was say he had a million dollar account and threaten to fire Darrin when things went wrong.Then when Darrin saved his butt from disaster,suddenly Darrin became 'You son of a Gun'But Darrin was NEVER good enough to promote to a higher level position such as McMann,Tate,and Stephens or get a big raise or bonus for his efforts One good episode that everyone should see was when after he Darrin,Darrin decided to go into business for himself and was going to take over one of their biggest client. He had old Lary Boy sweating. Also Larry spent is other time just putting Louise down and calling her "OLD" Louise was by no means as old as he was and Larry should have been glad to have her. Who else would put up with him? and there was barely no mention of Larry and Louise son Jonathan. Jonathan appeared in about 3episodes and was never mentioned again afterwards.
...Agnes Moorehead was fabulous as Endora and contributed a great deal to the show's success she played off well with Liz Montgomery, Dick York,Marion Lorne,Maurice Evans(he should have been in more episodes)and Paul Lynde. Erin and Diane Murphy were very good as Tabitha. The recasting of Darrin's father Frank Stephens kind of threw me off a bit. Mabel Albertson as Phyllis Stephens was a bit overbearing at times,also I noticed that Tabitha never spent much time with her mortal grandmother as she did with Endora... Alice Ghostley as Esmeralda just didnot do it for me at. I wonder why they even brought her in as a Aunt Clara wannabe with her forgetting spells and all... Dick York vs. Dick Sargent. Unfortunately due to Dick York's back problems and addiction to pain killers he left the show and was replaced by Dick Sargent. Dick York at times was a bit controlling and neurotic when he didnot want Samantha to use witch craft in the earlier episodes but he has a gentle,loving,and sincerity in his portrayl of Darrin that Dick Sargent lacked when he took over the role. Dick Sargent's Darrin came acrossat times as being mean spirited,sarcastic,and just out of place. Dick Sargent was good in other televison shows that I saw him in but just wanot right as Darrin.This is what changed the chemistry of the show. Perhaps if Dick York had gone into rehab to kick his addiction to pain killers during the summer hiatus he could have come back and finished out the series. I read somewhere that he was heartbroken and felt that he let everyone down because he left the show.The addition of Adam near the last remaining years of the show was not too bad. It is just the the writers didnot develop his character fully but by that time the show was out of fresh ideas and on its last legs. I have good memories of 'Bewitched' and enjoy the episodes that I was able to tape and it will always remain a one fo a kind show.
I felt they should have ended the show when Dick York left. He was the best and my favorite Darrin. The chemistry he had with Elizabeth Montgomery was magical, and his comedic timing and presence really made the show fun to watch and one of my favorites. The first 5 years of the show were definitely the best!!!
I have to agree with much of the critique of Bewitched that I have read here, but I have to disagree that the negative critiques are "jumping the shark". Remember the definition of "jumping the shark" is making an uncharacteristic change to a television series in order to inject new life into it. The changes to Bewitched were not for this purpose. Examples: Replacing an actor/actress due to illness or death is not jumping the shark. The additions of Tabitha and Adam were done because in both instances, Elizabeth Montgomery was pregnant in real life and as in I love Lucy years earlier, the real pregnancy was written into the storyline. The addition of color was not jumping the shark. Broadcast television went 100% color in 1966, every TV show went color. So for the few people who said adding color was jumping the shark, then you'll have to include every TV show that was on at the time. Recycling old scripts DEFINITELY did not inject new life into Bewitched, so DEFINITELY this was not jumping the shark. So I believe that Bewitched never jumped the shark. Bewitched was just a great TV show that had some unfortunate cast changes and just eventually ran out of steam. Lets's discuss Mr. Sargeant for a minute. I agree with the majority here that he was a poor joice for the new Darrin. His take on Darrin was just plain WRONG!!! His Darrin was smarmy and cold with no personality and had no chemistry with Liz. Since his Darrin was so different than Dick York's version, Liz and everyone else in the cast for that matter had to play off him differently and that changed the whole dynamic and personality of the show. One person wrote here that it wasn't all Dick sargeant's fault. He stated that a new director wanted him to play Darrin differently than York. I have to disagree with that. I saw a TV interview with William Asher talking about the Darrin switch and he said that in the beginning they constantly asked him to lighten it up a bit and be more animated. Asher said that he never figured out if Sargeant couldn't or wouldn't do it, but he never changed his style and after filming the 5th or 6th episode of season 6, they just gave up and let him play it the way he wanted to play it, so I don't believe a new director had anything to do with Sargeant's interpretation of Darrin. I agree he was a poor joice, but to be a little fair, they had to find someone FAST!! It wasn't like the change was done over the hiatus. Dick York did actually return for season 6 and filming of the first episode of the season had begun when he collapsed with a seizure on the set, so they didn't have alot of time to find an appropriate replacement. My critique of Sargeant has become less harsh over the years, especially after seeing many of the Sargeant episodes again recently. He did have his moments. He was pretty good in the episode where he had to paint a portrait of Louise using witchcraft, he was pretty funny in that episode, but overall he was an "SOB" and could never hold a candle to Dick York.
Erin you are SO right about the whole "original choice" thing. In fact it was Sargent himself who started that whole thing off. Even Bill Asher has stated on record that Dick York was his first and only choice for Darrin.
Contrary to the belief stated below by the guest who capitalizes the first letter of every word, Dick Sargent was NOT the first choice for Darrin. When the show was first being cast, the actress Tammy Grimes was being considered for the role of Samantha -- Sargent was briefly considered for the role of Darrin at that time. However, when Bill Asher and Elizabeth Montgomery got involved in the project, Dick York was always the choice for Darrin.
A favorite show from my long-ago childhood. As a kid, I never really knew that they changed Darrins....I knew that he seemed different in some way, but I never really caught on that there was actually someone different playing him. However, I knew that I didn't like him as much after a certain point. He just seemed to lose his sense of humor and wasn't the same old Darrin anymore.
Years later, when I came to figure out that Dick York had been replaced by Dick Sargent, a light went on in my head and I finally understood what had happened to Darrin in the show. My take on it is that Dick York was the "kinder, gentler" Darrin. Dick Sargent was just ok to me...like I said, he seemed to not have much of a sense of humor about him. York's Darrin may have had his temper tantrums over the years, but he still ended up taking things in stride and you knew he loved Sam very much. With Sargent's Darrin, I didn't feel that love.
Enough Dick Sargent bashing, though. I love Bewitched, especially seasons 2-5, and I get extremely nostalgic when I watch episodes now. I remember sitting in front of the TV as a youngster, fascinated whenever Sam twitched her nose and made something magical happen. I remember cracking up at Uncle Arthur's bad jokes and Aunt Clara's bad spells. I remember being shocked at Mrs. Kravitz's interminable snooping, and wishing she would get turned into a mouse. I desperately wanted to live in the Stephens' house -- just as much as I wanted desperately to live in the Brady Bunch's house. I had a fascination with Endora, whom I found to be mystical and sophisticated beyond words... and I loved her wardrobe (perhaps a strange obsession for a young boy?).
OK. Which Gladys Kravitz was the most irritating? Alice Pearce or Sandra Gould? I vote for Alice Pearce as the more irritating, but Sandra Gould as my favorite.
Years later, when I came to figure out that Dick York had been replaced by Dick Sargent, a light went on in my head and I finally understood what had happened to Darrin in the show. My take on it is that Dick York was the "kinder, gentler" Darrin. Dick Sargent was just ok to me...like I said, he seemed to not have much of a sense of humor about him. York's Darrin may have had his temper tantrums over the years, but he still ended up taking things in stride and you knew he loved Sam very much. With Sargent's Darrin, I didn't feel that love.
Enough Dick Sargent bashing, though. I love Bewitched, especially seasons 2-5, and I get extremely nostalgic when I watch episodes now. I remember sitting in front of the TV as a youngster, fascinated whenever Sam twitched her nose and made something magical happen. I remember cracking up at Uncle Arthur's bad jokes and Aunt Clara's bad spells. I remember being shocked at Mrs. Kravitz's interminable snooping, and wishing she would get turned into a mouse. I desperately wanted to live in the Stephens' house -- just as much as I wanted desperately to live in the Brady Bunch's house. I had a fascination with Endora, whom I found to be mystical and sophisticated beyond words... and I loved her wardrobe (perhaps a strange obsession for a young boy?).
OK. Which Gladys Kravitz was the most irritating? Alice Pearce or Sandra Gould? I vote for Alice Pearce as the more irritating, but Sandra Gould as my favorite.
Oh tommyboy, are YOU ever right!!!! I have the first 5 seasons of "Bewitched" on dvd, & have been pretty much watching them nonstop 
I was a kid in the 60's...I know old, old.....& the whole thing is like one big "nostalgia trip"....LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the first 5 seasons, but I am especially enamoured of season 3. ANYWAY, I recently bought the dreaded season 6....more out of a sense of morbid curiosity that anything else....I mean even as a KID, I knew that Dick Sargent sucked....but...."REALLY", {as Endora would say}. He is SO bad, that it defies belief. I love how the producers have a voice over ANNOUNCING...."Elizabeth Montgomery, in....Bewitched", because, like with all the CHANGES going on here, we might not recognize our favorite show. Ah the lovely Mr. York...you are missed.
I was a kid in the 60's...I know old, old.....& the whole thing is like one big "nostalgia trip"....LOVE, LOVE, LOVE all the first 5 seasons, but I am especially enamoured of season 3. ANYWAY, I recently bought the dreaded season 6....more out of a sense of morbid curiosity that anything else....I mean even as a KID, I knew that Dick Sargent sucked....but...."REALLY", {as Endora would say}. He is SO bad, that it defies belief. I love how the producers have a voice over ANNOUNCING...."Elizabeth Montgomery, in....Bewitched", because, like with all the CHANGES going on here, we might not recognize our favorite show. Ah the lovely Mr. York...you are missed.
Dick York, the original Darrin, was HANDS DOWN a better Darrin than Dick Sargeant. Most of the better episodes are the ones with York.
He injured his back in a movie, several years before Bewitched, and his back problems got worse over time. That's why he left the show, and that's when it really went downhill.
Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, Dick York and Paul Lynde were TERRIFIC.
He injured his back in a movie, several years before Bewitched, and his back problems got worse over time. That's why he left the show, and that's when it really went downhill.
Elizabeth Montgomery, Agnes Moorehead, Dick York and Paul Lynde were TERRIFIC.
I think Bewiched was a great show. I enjoy most of the episodes. There are some bad episodes. But most of them are very good. I don't mind the Dick Seargeant episodes. I actually have favorites from the Seargeant era as well as the York era. I have almost every episode of Bewitched sans 1 episode. One of my favorite situation comedies.
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