Much is made about Darrin being a patriarchal jerk when it comes to not wanting Samantha to use her magic. Besides providing a source of conflict for the show from which situations could arise, would the show as a whole have made as much of a cultural impact as it did had Darrin been nicer?

Case in point: if Darrin (and by extension, the rest of the mortal world) is portrayed as oppressive and fuddy-duddy, it makes the witch world (with its sheer freedom, powerful women, world-traveling, bohemian lifestyles, non-capitalism, free love, Alice B. Toklas brownies, gay uncles, etc.) look WAY more attractive and fun than the mortal status quo to the audience that would be watching the show. "Bewitched" as a whole is non-judgemental about all that; it's just the world Samantha's family comes from.

If Darrin was a super nice guy, you'd feel bad for him when witches cast spells on him. The witches would be the "bad guys" instead of the much cooler relatives. But since he deserves it sometimes, it's funny. (Schadenfreude!)

During which seasons? He was nicer in some seasons than he was in others.

Of course, you might be misconstruing being "mean" with just being freaked out at whatever vice Endora was putting him in.

Season 5 especially Darrin started being written as meaner, even though he had been put through worse things before.

I remember the episode where Darren and Sam stay at Larry's cabin in the woods. Samantha, with Darren's reluctant permission, magics up a fixed version of the cabin. Darren seems "nicer", but the truth is, he's hypocritical: 'no magic... unless I approve it.' Then, on the way home, at the end, he and Sam get stranded on the side of the road. Darren actually pushes Sam to fix the car using magic. This episode drove me crazy because it wasn't about magical spells being bad, but about Darren's approval being needed to use magic. In this episode, he feels like the "patriarchal jerk" Arfies mentions. I guess that does play into the Witch World being seen as more fun.

Something that stuck out to me in “The Magic Cabin” is when Samantha tries to convince Darrin to “let” her fix up the cabin, telling him he’s tired and deserves a vacation- Darrin refuses her help, saying “I’m not worried about me; I’m worried about you” (as she’s pregnant). She says, “okay; you talked me into it” and zaps it. Darrin looks genuinely impressed.

Something that stuck out to me in “The Magic Cabin” is when Samantha tries to convince Darrin to “let” her fix up the cabin, telling him he’s tired and deserves a vacation- Darrin refuses her help, saying “I’m not worried about me; I’m worried about you” (as she’s pregnant). She says, “okay; you talked me into it” and zaps it. Darrin looks genuinely impressed.

Maybe Sam's approach all those years was wrong, since she was able to play the pregnancy card and get him to change his mind. :lol:

Seriously; she should've played the "pregnancy card" more often, because Darrin was much more okay with witchcraft then! In "Take Two Aspirin," he's so worried about Sam that he doesn't even question following Aunt Clara's crazy directions to steal a black Peruvian rose, an ostrich feather, getting arrested, going to court, visiting a warlock apothecary, etc. He just does it.

Seriously; she should've played the "pregnancy card" more often, because Darrin was much more okay with witchcraft then! In "Take Two Aspirin," he's so worried about Sam that he doesn't even question following Aunt Clara's crazy directions to steal a black Peruvian rose, an ostrich feather, getting arrested, going to court, visiting a warlock apothecary, etc. He just does it.

Haha! Good point! :lol:

Haha! Good point! :lol:

Come to think of it, Darrin was just about ready to leave Sam in "Alias Darrin Stephens" ("Sam, it's through. Finished.") He loved her, but turning into a chimp was the last straw for him... until she told him she was having a baby!

During which seasons? He was nicer in some seasons than he was in others.

Of course, you might be misconstruing being "mean" with just being freaked out at whatever vice Endora was putting him in.

Darrin would flat out start insulting Endora as soon as he came into the room... I've always said, I think Darrin and Endora could have halfway gotten along if Darrin hadn't started in on her 95% of the time

I wonder if someone ever made a chart of “who started it” in every episode- Darrin or Endora. It varies.

I wonder if someone ever made a chart of “who started it” in every episode- Darrin or Endora. It varies.

It's true: they both "started it" many times. But with Darrin being at a distinct disadvantage, you'd think he would have zipped his lip a bit more. I mean, considering what Endora could do, it would have made sense for Darren to at least try to show some decorum. I do love the moments when they make peace temporarily.

Sitcoms are built on conflict and problems. Smooth 'em out an you don't have a show. The idea is probably to push the conflict to the limit without making the characters unlikeable. Bewitched worked, partly because the original actors were so talented at walking that line. Maybe soften characters a little, but don't change the basic idea. But characters and actors tend to go wrong after a while.

On the other hand, since Endora could literally turn Darrin into a twig and snap it, she could’ve just laughed in his face at the empty threats.

It’s like getting mad at Samantha’s angry pet hamster. He wouldn’t live very long at all compared to her, is not really a threat despite being a jerk sometimes, and makes her happy for the time being, so she could’ve just butted out. (I know her pride wouldn’t allow it).

Well, if she laughs it off they lose the conflict for that episode and have to find it somewhere else. And if they do that Agnes becomes less important and maybe walks away from the role. It also makes the show harder to write.

Well, if she laughs it off they lose the conflict for that episode and have to find it somewhere else. And if they do that Agnes becomes less important and maybe walks away from the role. It also makes the show harder to write.

Oh, I know; it's the conflict that creates the show. That's why things like "Darrin should be nicer to Endora!" ultimately don't make sense (in sitcom logic rather than real-world logic) because then you don't have a show.

Oh, I know; it's the conflict that creates the show. That's why things like "Darrin should be nicer to Endora!" ultimately don't make sense (in sitcom logic rather than real-world logic) because then you don't have a show.

That conflict definitely kept the show going. It never would have lasted so many years if Endora and Durwood had mellowed towards one another.

On the other hand, since Endora could literally turn Darrin into a twig and snap it, she could’ve just laughed in his face at the empty threats.

It’s like getting mad at Samantha’s angry pet hamster. He wouldn’t live very long at all compared to her, is not really a threat despite being a jerk sometimes, and makes her happy for the time being, so she could’ve just butted out. (I know her pride wouldn’t allow it).


I think maybe though, the Witches were kept in check by the Witches' council. If they just went around, hurting people or killing them for any or no reason, I get the feeling they would face consequences from their "ancients"

I think maybe though, the Witches were kept in check by the Witches' council. If they just went around, hurting people or killing them for any or no reason, I get the feeling they would face consequences from their "ancients"

I agree; the Witches Council likely also prevented them from doing huge things like starting/stopping wars and whatnot.

I wonder if someone ever made a chart of “who started it” in every episode- Darrin or Endora. It varies.

Funny, as I was reading this thread before I got to your post, I was thinking the same thing! Harpies Bizarre always had a lot of good tracking charts like this. You could also throw in the other witches and warlocks, like Maurice who destroyed him (twice!). I've always thought Endora was worse to Darrin than he could ever be to her, but it'd be interesting (to me at least) to see how it progressed over the series. During a full series rewatch a few years ago, I did notice like you that he seems to be written more mean in various episodes as time went on, ramping up a lot in season 4 and 5.

I do love the moments when they make peace temporarily.

Such as when Tabitha was born. That was nice to see, and Eve Arden was a great addition to that episode.

I agree; the Witches Council likely also prevented them from doing huge things like starting/stopping wars and whatnot.

I often wondered if the witches COULD have made world peace, fed the hungry, helped kids being abused, etc... IMO it would be HUGELY immoral to not do those thing if you had the power to and it would cost you nothing. I would go so far as to say it would a moral obligation

I often wondered if the witches COULD have made world peace, fed the hungry, helped kids being abused, etc... IMO it would be HUGELY immoral to not do those thing if you had the power to and it would cost you nothing. I would go so far as to say it would a moral obligation

They had the power to do so, of course, but my guess is the Witches' Council would've prevented it for various reasons, as it's established they can immediately strip powers if they want to. Maybe large-scale interference is where they draw the line. They don't like mortals anyway, so why help them.

Samantha uses her powers to help mortals on the small scale (Marshall Burns, Zeno, Johnny Mills, etc.) I'd like to think if she encountered any abused children, for example, she'd help them too, but that likely would've been far too heavy for a sitcom (the latter being the real reason the witches didn't do any "big" things, of course: it's a sitcom).

Although she had the power to instantly make mortals change their minds about something, she'd usually have them do it on their own after using magic to make them see the error of their ways (the racist client in "Sisters at Heart," the park owner in "Samantha Fights City Hall," etc.)

Such as when Tabitha was born. That was nice to see,

Yeah, the part where they were crying together in the hospital was very nice. Durwood even hugs Endora!


and Eve Arden was a great addition to that episode.

Yeah, she was kind of the "Gladys Kravitz" of the episode, seeing things that "weren't there".

Yeah, the part where they were crying together in the hospital was very nice. Durwood even hugs Endora!

Yeah, she was kind of the "Gladys Kravitz" of the episode, seeing things that "weren't there".

Since Dr. Anton (named after EM's real-life ob/gyn) was mentioned again in the Adam episodes, I wish they brought Eve Arden back! But maybe Nurse Kelton had too much and retired...

Sitcoms are built on conflict and problems. Smooth 'em out an you don't have a show. The idea is probably to push the conflict to the limit without making the characters unlikeable. Bewitched worked, partly because the original actors were so talented at walking that line. Maybe soften characters a little, but don't change the basic idea. But characters and actors tend to go wrong after a while.

Yep. Conflict is good for sitcoms. The producers probably felt that making Darrin a jerk who didn't want his wife to practice witchcraft would create numerous plot lines.

I was never a big fan of this series (except for Paul Lynde!), but how was Darrin a jerk exactly? I think he had a problem with his mother in law. Endora was a witch and not in the literal sense. She made his life difficult, and having magical powers could punish and did punish Darrin a lot.

Imagine if this was a show about race and this was an interracial couple and the mother in law hated you only because you were of a different race and made life very difficult for you. Not so much different here. Except the mother in law can turn you into a frog if you make her angry. Samantha was powerless to change the situation.

Of course, if I had a wife with supernatural powers, I would ask to be a billionaire and have mansions all over the most beautiful parts of the World and can instantly go to one at any time. Then I could put up with Endora's BS, but again, still fear her wrath at any slight.

I was never a big fan of this series (except for Paul Lynde!), but how was Darrin a jerk exactly? I think he had a problem with his mother in law. Endora was a witch and not in the literal sense. She made his life difficult, and having magical powers could punish and did punish Darrin a lot.

Imagine if this was a show about race and this was an interracial couple and the mother in law hated you only because you were of a different race and made life very difficult for you. Not so much different here. Except the mother in law can turn you into a frog if you make her angry. Samantha was powerless to change the situation.

Of course, if I had a wife with supernatural powers, I would ask to be a billionaire and have mansions all over the most beautiful parts of the World and can instantly go to one at any time. Then I could put up with Endora's BS, but again, still fear her wrath at any slight.

Honestly I think Darrin started the conflict first. Endora was using witchcraft and he started harping on her not to do it in his house.... If he'd just let her be herself and let Samantha be herself, I don't think there'd be half the issue between them... Endora was also pissed because Darrin didn't want Samantha using witchcraft.

If I had a spouse with powers I would just request them endow ME with powers so I could do what I wanted, rather than getting them to grant requests for me all the time