Bewitched Seasons 5-8 better than Seasons 1-4? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

7777MJ · 04-04-2019, 02:12 PM

How many people are afraid to admit that they enjoyed and even preferred Seasons 5-8 of Bewitched over Seasons 1-4? Explain why or why not. P.S. I"m not saying that this is my opinion. Just a question.

warp9p65 · 09-06-2019, 09:47 PM

No way. Seasons 3 and 4 were my favorites because they featured Aunt Clara more often in great episodes and, of course, Dick York was playing Darrin!

OH Nuts! · 09-07-2019, 12:26 AM

No way for me too; the later seasons don’t have Dick York or Aunt Clara.

KatieAnn · 09-08-2019, 11:05 AM

If I'm looking at Bewitched from season to season I'd say the first season is my favourite, when it was just Darrin and Samantha and they were learning things about each other, and about themselves.

The Dick Sargent years turn out to be a relief after too shrill Dick York for too long. The show is more relaxed and easier during DS's years on the show, and a few of my favourite episodes were aired during those years.

Aunt Clara wasn't always that amusing to me. She was just too bumbling and that stammer of hers became too much to take after a while, but she was also wonderful on occasion. I'm not sure I miss her once she's no longer there, or even really notice.

MichaelKeith · 11-14-2019, 01:34 PM

My personal favorite seasons are 1, 3 and 4. However, I have to admit that season 7 is also one of my faves! I love the story lines in Salem, MA. Also, Liz looked good in season 7 and I always enjoy seeing her when she looks nice.

By season 7, they needed some new story lines and the Salem episodes provided just that.

My very least favorite is the last, season 8. To me, the show had really gone downhill by then. And I've read that Liz also didn't enjoy doing the last season very much.

Hazel Anyday · 11-14-2019, 10:11 PM

No, the last years of Bewitched were not the best, I'd think that was obvious, but Donald Trump is the greatest president since Ronald Reagan is also obvious to anyone with a brain.

But to those who seem clueless, I'll tell you so that you'll know from now on, ALL of the Dick York years were the best years for Bewitched, and further the colorized 1st 2 seasons are better than the b/w versions. OK, now that you know, let's move on, I have spoken.

Larry Tate · 11-16-2019, 12:49 PM

Thank God we had 3 more seasons of Bewitched with Dick Sargent

Others see what they choose to through a prism that is distorted by the affection that they feel for DY, hence I believe the place from where all the hatred for DS comes from by the Yorkies who express it.

What I saw was DS as Darrin clearly in love & devoted to Samantha with great affection for her & totally devoted to being with her evermore.

Most Yorkie's have the view that you express but most Bewitched fans in total, although may prefer DY, still very much like & enjoy DS as Darrin & his seasons a great deal.

He was very popular with the original generation of Bewitched fans that count the most the & although they are not as vocal as the Yorkie's they exist just as much to the same extent.

Although the ratings which are a relative thing to other shows did go down, the actual number of Households & people watching Bewitched were actually higher in the DS years then the early DY years for example.

As well the changeover prior to season 6 was not publicized & was largely unknown to the Bewitched Fan base till it happened. So when the fans tuned in to see the first episode of Season 6 they were expecting to still see DY, the ratings for this episode where they were tuning in to see DY were exactly the same as they were for the rest of the season when when they were tuning in to see DS, as they knew of the switch after seeing the first episode.

As well after the switchover there was no reaction from Bewitched fans, nobody called or wrote & cared or had a problem with it.This according to Screen Gems executives of the time like Bill Asher, Harry Ackermen, Richard Baer & Richard Michaels.

Thank goodness that the show did not end after season 5, that would have been a huge mistake & instead it should have been as it was done with the show continuing onwards for 3 more Wonderful Seasons.

Yes, Liz & DS were very good friends in a personal sense while she & DY were merely fellow workers who otherwise were not acquainted & were nothing more, which is why they had zero contact after DY left the show.

The Dynamics of the show as to how the characters such as Darrin, Samantha & Endora etc. interrelated & the Premise of the show was unchanged by the changeover from DY to DS, everything was maintained as it had been with consistency.

The 8th season was excellent & very enjoyable, all this Liz was bored,unhappy, hated being there, was a hateful Samantha & changed the character is a lot of Rubbish & is not what one sees on the screen, rather one sees the opposite of all this hateful comments.

Furthermore Elizabeth Montgomery is on record in many interviews that she loved doing all 8 years of the show, was never ever bored for a minute or unhappy doing the show during the 8 seasons & that it was a great experience throughout the entire run of the show & that she would not change anything about her experience in doing the show.

Her words are the truth & after all she should know as they were her feelings.
In fact what one sees is a happy & joyful Samantha, more so even then the previous seasons & that is saying something.

Good examples of this are Bewitched,Bothered & Baldoni, Three Men & a Witch on a Horse, where Adams powers were tested & the final episode, all that i have described is clearly delineated in those episodes.

TV Guy · 11-16-2019, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hazel Anyday

But to those who seem clueless, I'll tell you so that you'll know from now on, ALL of the Dick York years were the best years for Bewitched, and further the colorized 1st 2 seasons are better than the b/w versions. OK, now that you know, let's move on, I have spoken.

LOL. Some three year old could scribble the Mona Lisa with magic marker, and you’d proclaim that colorization the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Larry Tate · 11-16-2019, 02:45 PM

The colorization of the first two seasons of Bewitched were the best ever seen of the technology,further it was superb & very realistically done.

We are all fortunate that we have the choice of Color & B/W for the first two seasons of Bewitched, even thought he B/W version is actually just a grey scale one with the color turned off on the factory DVD sets.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TV Guy

LOL. Some three year old could scribble the Mona Lisa with magic marker, and you’d proclaim that colorization the greatest thing since sliced bread.

1960'sTVfan · 11-16-2019, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry Tate

We are all fortunate that we have the choice of Color & B/W for the first two seasons of Bewitched, even thought he B/W version is actually just a grey scale one with the color turned off on the factory DVD sets.

I prefer watching seasons 1 and 2 of Bewitched in black and white/grey scale because it seems to fit the mood better. Same reason why I prefer watching season 1 of I Dream Of Jeannie in black and white/grey scale. It fits the mood better.

1960'sTVfan · 11-16-2019, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7777MJ

How many people are afraid to admit that they enjoyed and even preferred Seasons 5-8 of Bewitched over Seasons 1-4? Explain why or why not. P.S. I"m not saying that this is my opinion. Just a question.

I like all the seasons equally, I can't really say that I prefer 5-8 over 1-4, or vice versa. All 8 seasons are good.

Willbo · 11-22-2019, 10:00 AM

I liked seasons 1 to 7. Did not care for season 8 as much.

stevea · 11-26-2019, 04:10 PM

I actually like the later seasons better. I did enjoy Aunt Clara as a character in the early years, but no one has mentioned the brilliant casting of Alice Ghostley as Esmeralda; she made an excellent replacement "bumbling" character. She fades out and there's just a pair of glasses floating there...hilarious!

The DS version of Darrin to me was way more tolerable than the DY version--I do realize this goes against the majority opinion. Also late in the series they gave Liz a new hairdo that was an improvement, if that's possible. And the alter-ego character Serena really came into her own during these years.

One nice thing they could have done would be to have a closing episode, where Darrin and Endora kind of make peace with each other--kind of like that brief truce when Tabitha was born.

Larry Tate · 11-26-2019, 04:27 PM

A classic finale closing episode would have been nice but sadly when season 8 wrapped and everyone went their separate way it was with the knowledge and expectation of a 9th season yet to come.

Bewitched had been renewed for a 9th season and only a few months later Elizabeth Montgomery had a change if heart and decided to move onto other new projects and hence the chance of a special final episode was lost.

As she was Bewitched that ended the series and any chance of a special finale episode such as was the case with MASH,Dallas,Seinfeld or Cheers for example.

stevea · 11-26-2019, 06:45 PM

Yes, she certainly was Bewitched. I didn't know about the plan of a 9th season. Too bad it didn't happen--fortunately the episode that turned out to be the last, was a really good one.

04-04-2019, 02:12 PM	#1
7777MJ Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Mar 26, 2019 Location: Iowa Posts: 9	Bewitched Seasons 5-8 better than Seasons 1-4? How many people are afraid to admit that they enjoyed and even preferred Seasons 5-8 of Bewitched over Seasons 1-4? Explain why or why not. P.S. I"m not saying that this is my opinion. Just a question.

11-14-2019, 10:11 PM	#6
Hazel Anyday Member Senior Member Join Date: Apr 12, 2002 Posts: 2,135	Once and For All No, the last years of Bewitched were not the best, I'd think that was obvious, but Donald Trump is the greatest president since Ronald Reagan is also obvious to anyone with a brain. But to those who seem clueless, I'll tell you so that you'll know from now on, ALL of the Dick York years were the best years for Bewitched, and further the colorized 1st 2 seasons are better than the b/w versions. OK, now that you know, let's move on, I have spoken.
	__________________ Haaazeelll!!

09-06-2019, 09:47 PM	#2
warp9p65 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Feb 15, 2019 Location: AR Posts: 49	No way. Seasons 3 and 4 were my favorites because they featured Aunt Clara more often in great episodes and, of course, Dick York was playing Darrin!

09-07-2019, 12:26 AM	#3
OH Nuts! Member Forum King Join Date: Feb 15, 2005 Posts: 133,383	No way for me too; the later seasons don’t have Dick York or Aunt Clara.

09-08-2019, 11:05 AM	#4
KatieAnn Member Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 15, 2011 Posts: 520	If I'm looking at Bewitched from season to season I'd say the first season is my favourite, when it was just Darrin and Samantha and they were learning things about each other, and about themselves. The Dick Sargent years turn out to be a relief after too shrill Dick York for too long. The show is more relaxed and easier during DS's years on the show, and a few of my favourite episodes were aired during those years. Aunt Clara wasn't always that amusing to me. She was just too bumbling and that stammer of hers became too much to take after a while, but she was also wonderful on occasion. I'm not sure I miss her once she's no longer there, or even really notice.

11-14-2019, 01:34 PM	#5
MichaelKeith Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 01, 2007 Posts: 1,139	My personal favorite seasons are 1, 3 and 4. However, I have to admit that season 7 is also one of my faves! I love the story lines in Salem, MA. Also, Liz looked good in season 7 and I always enjoy seeing her when she looks nice. By season 7, they needed some new story lines and the Salem episodes provided just that. My very least favorite is the last, season 8. To me, the show had really gone downhill by then. And I've read that Liz also didn't enjoy doing the last season very much.

11-16-2019, 12:49 PM	#7
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	Thank God we had 3 more seasons of Bewitched with Dick Sargent Others see what they choose to through a prism that is distorted by the affection that they feel for DY, hence I believe the place from where all the hatred for DS comes from by the Yorkies who express it. What I saw was DS as Darrin clearly in love & devoted to Samantha with great affection for her & totally devoted to being with her evermore. Most Yorkie's have the view that you express but most Bewitched fans in total, although may prefer DY, still very much like & enjoy DS as Darrin & his seasons a great deal. He was very popular with the original generation of Bewitched fans that count the most the & although they are not as vocal as the Yorkie's they exist just as much to the same extent. Although the ratings which are a relative thing to other shows did go down, the actual number of Households & people watching Bewitched were actually higher in the DS years then the early DY years for example. As well the changeover prior to season 6 was not publicized & was largely unknown to the Bewitched Fan base till it happened. So when the fans tuned in to see the first episode of Season 6 they were expecting to still see DY, the ratings for this episode where they were tuning in to see DY were exactly the same as they were for the rest of the season when when they were tuning in to see DS, as they knew of the switch after seeing the first episode. As well after the switchover there was no reaction from Bewitched fans, nobody called or wrote & cared or had a problem with it.This according to Screen Gems executives of the time like Bill Asher, Harry Ackermen, Richard Baer & Richard Michaels. Thank goodness that the show did not end after season 5, that would have been a huge mistake & instead it should have been as it was done with the show continuing onwards for 3 more Wonderful Seasons. Yes, Liz & DS were very good friends in a personal sense while she & DY were merely fellow workers who otherwise were not acquainted & were nothing more, which is why they had zero contact after DY left the show. The Dynamics of the show as to how the characters such as Darrin, Samantha & Endora etc. interrelated & the Premise of the show was unchanged by the changeover from DY to DS, everything was maintained as it had been with consistency. The 8th season was excellent & very enjoyable, all this Liz was bored,unhappy, hated being there, was a hateful Samantha & changed the character is a lot of Rubbish & is not what one sees on the screen, rather one sees the opposite of all this hateful comments. Furthermore Elizabeth Montgomery is on record in many interviews that she loved doing all 8 years of the show, was never ever bored for a minute or unhappy doing the show during the 8 seasons & that it was a great experience throughout the entire run of the show & that she would not change anything about her experience in doing the show. Her words are the truth & after all she should know as they were her feelings. In fact what one sees is a happy & joyful Samantha, more so even then the previous seasons & that is saying something. Good examples of this are Bewitched,Bothered & Baldoni, Three Men & a Witch on a Horse, where Adams powers were tested & the final episode, all that i have described is clearly delineated in those episodes.

11-22-2019, 10:00 AM	#12
Willbo Member Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 10, 2012 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 863	I liked seasons 1 to 7. Did not care for season 8 as much.

11-26-2019, 04:10 PM	#13
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,731	I actually like the later seasons better. I did enjoy Aunt Clara as a character in the early years, but no one has mentioned the brilliant casting of Alice Ghostley as Esmeralda; she made an excellent replacement "bumbling" character. She fades out and there's just a pair of glasses floating there...hilarious! The DS version of Darrin to me was way more tolerable than the DY version--I do realize this goes against the majority opinion. Also late in the series they gave Liz a new hairdo that was an improvement, if that's possible. And the alter-ego character Serena really came into her own during these years. One nice thing they could have done would be to have a closing episode, where Darrin and Endora kind of make peace with each other--kind of like that brief truce when Tabitha was born.

11-26-2019, 04:27 PM	#14
Larry Tate Member Senior Member Join Date: Dec 26, 2001 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 1,569	A classic finale closing episode would have been nice but sadly when season 8 wrapped and everyone went their separate way it was with the knowledge and expectation of a 9th season yet to come. Bewitched had been renewed for a 9th season and only a few months later Elizabeth Montgomery had a change if heart and decided to move onto other new projects and hence the chance of a special final episode was lost. As she was Bewitched that ended the series and any chance of a special finale episode such as was the case with MASH,Dallas,Seinfeld or Cheers for example.

11-26-2019, 06:45 PM	#15
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,731	Yes, she certainly was Bewitched. I didn't know about the plan of a 9th season. Too bad it didn't happen--fortunately the episode that turned out to be the last, was a really good one.