The final season of
Bewitched witnesses Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) hobnobbing with historical figures and literary characters--in other words, it's just another year in the life of a suburban witch. In the two-part opener, Sam and her mortal husband, Darrin (Dick Sargent), wind up in 16th-century England--where Henry VIII tries to make Sam his spouse. With help from Sam's mother, Endora (Agnes Moorehead of the electrifying eye shadow), her neck remains intact, and the three return to the era of miniskirts and plaid pants. In the episodes to come, they also mix it up with Hansel and Gretel and George and Martha Washington. After their trip to Europe, daughter Tabitha (Erin Murphy) turns a brat into a bullfrog, son Adam (David Lawrence) reveals his powers, cousin Serena (Montgomery in black bouffant) loses hers, and Darrin's ad agency boss, Larry (David White), experiences a
Big-like return to youth. Other season 8 regulars include jittery Aunt Esmeralda (Alice Ghostley) and skirt-chasing Dr. Bombay (Bernard Fox), while standout guest stars include
Batman's Julie Newmar as a seductive cat lady and
H.R. Pufnstuf's Billie Hayes as a child-eating witch (alas, Bernie "Doc" Kopell's over-the-top turn as a hippie warlock is more grating than laugh-generating).
If Frank Oz's postmodern take on Bewitched, with Nicole Kidman, boasted superior special effects, the original's low-budget visuals offer half the fun, notably a papier-mâché Loch Ness monster and visible wires when Grandpapa Maurice (Maurice Evans) makes his grandson levitate. After the fifth season departures of Paul Lynde and Dick York, some of the show's initial lunacy dissipated--airing opposite The Carol Burnett Show and All in the Family certainly didn't help--but this set still offers 26 episodes packed with more creativity than most of the supernatural comedies to follow in its wake. --Kathleen C. Fennessy
