I just got to the end of the Second Season DVD set was so glad to see that they went out paying tribute to the great Alice Pearce.

But I was wondering about the backstory to this final episode. Obviously told in flashback and obviously(from Pearce's good health) filmed during Year One, was it originally an episode they just decided to not air, then did so to show off Pearce in all her pre-illness glory?

The episode was filmed in June 1965, during Elizabeth Montgomery's pregnancy. For some reason they didn't air it in 1965, perhaps because they knew Pearce was ill and they wanted to save a "Gladys" episode for later in the season. After Pearce died, they filmed the flashback (to explain why Samantha is pregnant in the episode) and aired the episode as the season finale.

Pearce won a posthumous Emmy for this season, too.

I read some things on Alice and it mentioned her being diagonosed with cancer when she got the part of Gladys, and she kept it a secret. You could tell a big difference in her health from the first to the second season, it was really sad and she was a trooper to continue for as long as she could.

Thank you, Frank N. Myrrh. :)

Very smart and kind move by William Asher. 'Cause it's such a good episode, aside from the tragic circumstances.