This is what I tend to believe, that the first two seasons in black and white were the best ones. When they switched to color episodes, they started getting a little wild and over the top with the situations, and the show slowly went downhill. I Dream Of Jeannie had the same problem when that switched to color episodes. Bewitched though seemed to maintain a certain level of sophistication, while I Dream Of Jeannie was pure farce and more over the top. One plus about the first two seasons of Bewitched, it had the original Mrs. Kravitz, Alice Pearce. I'm not a big Elizabeth Montgomery fan, but I would give the first two seasons of Bewitched a thumbs up. After that, while there were still some good episodes the overall quality of the series went into decline. What do other posters think?

I pretty much liked all the seasons with Dick York. I agree that those first 2 seasons were very good.

I liked all the Dick York seasons however, I do think the first three seasons are the best. What I liked about the third season was you still had the continuity of the first two seasons. We get to see how Sam dealt with discovering that Tabitha is a witch and how she would break the news to Darrin. There was also a reference used about Darrin and Endora sharing a tender moment when Tabitha was born. The show went over the top after the departure of Danny Arnold, producers wanted more magic and shifted away from the love story part of the show.

I agree! I definitely liked the Dick York seasons the best. The first couple seasons are my favorite.

Love the first three seasons--if the show had ended there--it would easily be ranked among the greatest sitcoms of all time :D

YES.....
Same old story, network gets a great show, decides to tamper with it, its never quite as good after that.

I have to agree with you. Those episodes were fresh and funny. I love the episode where the conceited lady is sitting in the dinner table and Samantha is just messing her up.

Hey Ptooey! long time no see! :wave:

I prefer the black and white seasons, but I agree the show mostly held it's own for the first two color seasons also. I think season five was probably the benchmark for the show's decline, fewer quality episodes and the fact that Dick York was having health problems and there were a number of episodes that season where he did not appear.

I loved Bewitched with the original Alice Kravitz. I can't remember her name, but she was wonderful. I believe that she passed away and that is why there was a replacement. I also loved Agnes Moorehead in the part of Endorra. She was a scream.

The original Gladys Kravitz was played by Alice Pearce. Unfortunately, she had been fighting ovarian cancer before Bewitched even started. She died from it in March 1966. I noticed in some of the later season 2 episodes that she looked like she had lost a lot of weight. Evidentally, Elizabeth Montgomery and William Asher gave her husband Paul some directing jobs on future episodes, which I thought was nice of them. :)

Hey Ptooey! long time no see! :wave:


Hiya!!! :wave: I'm going to be coming here alot now.

This is what I tend to believe, that the first two seasons in black and white were the best ones. When they switched to color episodes, they started getting a little wild and over the top with the situations, and the show slowly went downhill. I Dream Of Jeannie had the same problem when that switched to color episodes. Bewitched though seemed to maintain a certain level of sophistication, while I Dream Of Jeannie was pure farce and more over the top. One plus about the first two seasons of Bewitched, it had the original Mrs. Kravitz, Alice Pearce. I'm not a big Elizabeth Montgomery fan, but I would give the first two seasons of Bewitched a thumbs up. After that, while there were still some good episodes the overall quality of the series went into decline. What do other posters think?

Color or B&W is not what makes or breaks the show for me but I guess with Bewitched maybe the color adds something because of the special effects. Jeannie too. But B&W did nothing to dampen my enjoyment of either show.

As for Bewitched, I think it jumped the shark when Dick York left. For that reason I'm not bothering with the seasons 6+--having the first 5 is enough for me. What really endeared me to Bewitched was Endora and Aunt Clara.

I prefer the black and white seasons, but I agree the show mostly held it's own for the first two color seasons also. I think season five was probably the benchmark for the show's decline, fewer quality episodes and the fact that Dick York was having health problems and there were a number of episodes that season where he did not appear.


Yes, DY was a much better Darrin. That's why S#1-5 are enuf for me!

Yes, DY was a much better Darrin. That's why S#1-5 are enuf for me!
Same here!! :D

The first 2 seasons of Bewitched weren't in syndication before Nick-at-Nite started showing just these seasons and the early seasons of My 3 Sons in the late 80's. I had never seen these episodes before. It was very interesting to see the pilot, and Darrin meeting Endora and Aunt Clara for the first time.

The first 2 seasons of Bewitched weren't in syndication before Nick-at-Nite started showing just these seasons and the early seasons of My 3 Sons in the late 80's. I had never seen these episodes before. It was very interesting to see the pilot, and Darrin meeting Endora and Aunt Clara for the first time.


Thats when I first saw the black and white episodes when Nick at Nite showed them. It was (to use a 60's term)mind blowing for me. I like all seasons of the show, but I got a special place for the first two seasons because they looked so good in black and white, and that is where I really really noticed what a hottie Liz Montgomery was. :happyface :happyface

I agree - the first season, I think, is the most magical. Danny Arnold was a fantastic writer. It's a testament to his writing talents that he was able to write a romantic/comedy/fantasy like Bewitched and later create a gritty police comedy like Barney Miller. Both are my two favorite shows. :cool: :D

Seasons 1 and 2 are definitely classics. BUT, seasons 3 and 4 are also absolutely GREAT! There are some very tender and romantic episodes of Sam and Darrin in seasons 3 and 4. One like "If They Never Met", where Darrin is about to get married to Sheila and he run's into Sam at a cocktail lounge/bar and they talk. He then tells her he will be right back and goes to call off the wedding with Sheila. Very good. Also the episode where Daphne wants Sam's fur coat. Very good show.:D

Seasons 1 and 2 are definitely classics. BUT, seasons 3 and 4 are also absolutely GREAT! There are some very tender and romantic episodes of Sam and Darrin in seasons 3 and 4. One like "If They Never Met", where Darrin is about to get married to Sheila and he run's into Sam at a cocktail lounge/bar and they talk. He then tells her he will be right back and goes to call off the wedding with Sheila. Very good. Also the episode where Daphne wants Sam's fur coat. Very good show.:D
Both episodes are classics. :love:

Just further proof had BW ended after DY left, we would have a show constantly ranked among the best ever produced for TV!

BTW, is WGN America showing the first two seasons?

Just further proof had BW ended after DY left, we would have a show constantly ranked among the best ever produced for TV!

BTW, is WGN America showing the first two seasons?
Is it even on WGN anymore?

I'm not a big Elizabeth Montgomery fan
:mad: :( :eek:

May I ask why not? That's sacrilege in these parts!

Beauty, charm, grace, sophistication, intelligence, humility, warmth, generosity - help me out here with this Tate, others! :D These must be things that Lee doesn't find all that appealing in a woman. :crazy:

And to the poster above.....yes, BW is on WGN America at 4pm M-F and it's on every day now that baseball is over in Chicago (thank God!). It's also on at midnight going into Monday morning most weeks as it's still a part of retro night. But unfortunately seasons 1 & 2 are not among any of their airings. Some other eps get skipped as well from seasons 3-8, not to mention how they all get butchered for more commercials. I actually didn't start to catch up on the show on there until May this year and I see the question asked above back in February. So my question is, how long has WGN America been running BW?

Oh, and speaking of the first two seasons, you've got to see "Driving is the Only way to Fly" from season one if you haven't yet. It's the one where Darrin teaches Sam how to drive (or at least tries to). It's just too funny/cute/charming for words. I think it's also Paul Lynde's first appearance, but not as uncle Arthur. He's a driving instructor for Samantha who's had a bunch of jobs that he can't hold down.

^ My mother has always been a fan of "Driving is the Only Way to Fly". She had a particularly hard time passing her driver's test. Once she finally got her license, this episode aired. Mom said she laughed until she cried watching Sam's special method of parallel parking, among her other near-mishaps. :rofl:

I will be soon restarting BW from season 1--once I finish plowing through season 8 (so many things to do, so little time)

and to the poster who responded to LeeG.....you won't get a reply from a banned poster.

I will be soon restarting BW from season 1--once I finish plowing through season 8 (so many things to do, so little time)

and to the poster who responded to LeeG.....you won't get a reply from a banned poster.
Pretty soon I'm going to watch all the Bewitched Halloween eps, then I'll probably start from the beginning again myself. Those early eps are still so fresh and romantic! :heart:

Pretty soon I'm going to watch all the Bewitched Halloween eps, then I'll probably start from the beginning again myself. Those early eps are still so fresh and romantic! :heart:

I don't know if I'm ready to say seasons 1 & 2, are the best, but I'm thinking back to when I first saw them on Nick-at-Nite (was it the early '90's), after watching the color episodes for years. In retrospect its seems strange they weren't in the syndication package. Samantha and Darrin first coming together! Darrin meeting Endora for the first time! The introduction of Aunt Clara! The realization that there was an original Gladys Kravitz! It was just all so awesome. But I still feel fond of later season episodes, too.

I don't know if I'm ready to say seasons 1 & 2, are the best, but I'm thinking back to when I first saw them on Nick-at-Nite (was it the early '90's), after watching the color episodes for years. In retrospect its seems strange they weren't in the syndication package. Samantha and Darrin first coming together! Darrin meeting Endora for the first time! The introduction of Aunt Clara! The realization that there was an original Gladys Kravitz! It was just all so awesome. But I still feel fond of later season episodes, too.
:cool: :D

Bewitched and Jeannie used to air the entire b/w and color episodes (TBS used to air the b/w Bewitched and Jeannie series in their entirity but then dropped the b/w spisodes in the mid 1980s). Stations stopped because they thought viewers didn't want to watch b/w. Then about a decade later Nick @ Nite thankfully started airing the first 2 seasons of Bewitched and shortly thereafter I Dream of Jeannie

Bewitched and Jeannie used to air the entire b/w and color episodes (TBS used to air the b/w Bewitched and Jeannie series in their entirity but then dropped the b/w spisodes in the mid 1980s). Stations stopped because they thought viewers didn't want to watch b/w. Then about a decade later Nick @ Nite thankfully started airing the first 2 seasons of Bewitched and shortly thereafter I Dream of Jeannie
Didn't both shows end up on TV Land right after that?

Just further proof had BW ended after DY left, we would have a show constantly ranked among the best ever produced for TV!

BTW, is WGN America showing the first two seasons?
I checked - right now WGN is on Season 3.