What Would Have Made Season 6 Better:

[icecream]

There wasn't room for this in the thread title: Make Uncle Arthur and Cousin Henry regulars instead of recasting Darrin.

Dick Sargent was horrible on Bewitched, no chemistry with Elizabeth Montgomery whatsoever. Elizabeth should have been ashamed of how nasty she treated Dick York if it wasn't just his back problems that caused him to leave, but pressure from her to the higher-ups as well. Considering her producer husband had good things to say about York, William Asher wouldn't have felt that way if Dick had truly done anything wrong. All of the season 5 episodes without Darrin were still miles better than anything from the Dick Sargent era. Uncle Arthur and Henry replacing Darrin would have been feasible for season 6 anyway. To explain his absence for awhile they could say a witch with a grudge had banished Darrin and Larry Tate permanently away from earth with Samantha unable to reverse the spell. Darrin's mother and Gladys Kravitz could also get even more suspicious as to why Darrin was gone, with Samantha having to make up a cover story to them while trying to keep Tabitha from spilling the beans.

[Willbo]

Dick York

[Arfies]

Montgomery may or may not have wanted York gone (if one is going to take William Froug as a reliable witness- read my thread on Froug) but either way, it wasn't up to her. It was up to William Asher, who fought to keep him as long as possible because he knew how good York was. So whatever happened there was irrelevant.

I'm trying to think of 1960s actors who would've been better replacements and the only one I can think of would've been Dick Van Dyke. I think I might've liked him as Darrin even more than York, but doing "Bewitched" would've been a demotion for him, after being the star of "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

Apparently the third person considered for Darrin after York and Sargent was Richard Crenna, and I can't picture him as Darrin at all. So I actually think, given the circumstances, that Dick Sargent was the right choice for a replacement. But perhaps the storylines could've shifted to the witchy relatives like you mentioned, or focused more on the children. It would've changed the tone of the show, but those became the more "fun" episodes in the later seasons anyway vs. Darrin-and-the-client stuff. And remaking York episodes was just a bad idea.

[Monliz]

Season 6 was great, I enjoyed all the episodes from that season

[torcan]

Originally Posted by Monliz

Season 6 was great, I enjoyed all the episodes from that season

I agree. There are a couple of clinkers in the 6th season, but for the most part I think it was a very strong season. Lots of enjoyable episodes that year.

I think it started going downhill in the 7th season. The Salem episodes were great, plus the Christmas episode "Sisters at Heart", "Mother in Law of the Year" and "Mixed Doubles". After that, there's a lot I really don't care for. Same with the 8th season, although I think the 8th was slightly better than the 7th overall.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by Arfies

Montgomery may or may not have wanted York gone (if one is going to take William Froug as a reliable witness- read my thread on Froug) but either way, it wasn't up to her. It was up to William Asher, who fought to keep him as long as possible because he knew how good York was. So whatever happened there was irrelevant.

I'm trying to think of 1960s actors who would've been better replacements and the only one I can think of would've been Dick Van Dyke. I think I might've liked him as Darrin even more than York, but doing "Bewitched" would've been a demotion for him, after being the star of "The Dick Van Dyke Show."

Apparently the third person considered for Darrin after York and Sargent was Richard Crenna, and I can't picture him as Darrin at all. So I actually think, given the circumstances, that Dick Sargent was the right choice for a replacement. But perhaps the storylines could've shifted to the witchy relatives like you mentioned, or focused more on the children. It would've changed the tone of the show, but those became the more "fun" episodes in the later seasons anyway vs. Darrin-and-the-client stuff. And remaking York episodes was just a bad idea.

Couldn't they fill the role with someone NOT named Dick?

Only kidding. I could maybe see Dick Van Dyke as Darrin, but his association with the DVD show might have been very hard to overcome. And, as you say, playing second fiddle to Elizabeth Montgomery might have been a kind of demotion.

[merlinjones]

They shouldn't have fired Dick York but kept him in a reduced number of episodes.

Idea: Have Sam go to work at McMann & Tate and shift her shenanigans to the workplace while Darrin stayed home with Tabitha to rest his nervous condition.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by icecream

There wasn't room for this in the thread title: Make Uncle Arthur and Cousin Henry regulars instead of recasting Darrin.

Dick Sargent was horrible on Bewitched, no chemistry with Elizabeth Montgomery whatsoever. Elizabeth should have been ashamed of how nasty she treated Dick York if it wasn't just his back problems that caused him to leave, but pressure from her to the higher-ups as well. Considering her producer husband had good things to say about York, William Asher wouldn't have felt that way if Dick had truly done anything wrong. All of the season 5 episodes without Darrin were still miles better than anything from the Dick Sargent era. Uncle Arthur and Henry replacing Darrin would have been feasible for season 6 anyway. To explain his absence for awhile they could say a witch with a grudge had banished Darrin and Larry Tate permanently away from earth with Samantha unable to reverse the spell. Darrin's mother and Gladys Kravitz could also get even more suspicious as to why Darrin was gone, with Samantha having to make up a cover story to them while trying to keep Tabitha from spilling the beans.

I agree that Dick Sargent had much less chemistry with Elizabeth Montgomery.

Maybe they could have kept Dick York in a part-time role, or reduced his workload, or removed any stunts, much like his appearance in S05-E04, "Darrin, Gone and Forgotten": there in the beginning and end of the episode, but no strenuous activity. Having Darren just sitting in a chair reading the newspaper and talking with Samantha in intros, or putting the kids to bed, while the show focused mainly on Samantha's exploits with Uncle Arthur, Serena, or Endora. That would have been better than recasting Darrin.

[RetroGuy2000]

Originally Posted by merlinjones

They shouldn't have fired Dick York but kept him in a reduced number of episodes.

Yep. That would have worked for me.

Idea: Have Sam go to work at McMann & Tate and shift her shenanigans to the workplace while Darrin stayed home with Tabitha to rest his nervous condition.

I'd watch! Not sure that would been acceptable in the 1960s, but this show always was about powerful women.

[tcr1701]

I don't think Liz hated York at all. But his issues by season (where he didn't look well at all) took their toll on everyone (which York said he knew this was happening) especially Liz. Possible marital issues with Bill Asher may have been taking a toll on her too.

I actually like the first couple of episodes Sargent filmed in season 6 (they are not shown in order he filmed them on the DVD) where he tried to mimic York a bit. It gave his performances some life. The opening episode where he is practicing golf as Samantha works on the crib is quite jarring as Sargent plays up the angry irritation here instead of lightly joking with Samantha as York would have done. It almost looks like he wants to hit her with that golf club....

[Dick York was Darrin]

Originally Posted by merlinjones

They shouldn't have fired Dick York but kept him in a reduced number of episodes.

Idea: Have Sam go to work at McMann & Tate and shift her shenanigans to the workplace while Darrin stayed home with Tabitha to rest his nervous condition.

All it takes is talented writers...

I can see an episode where Tabitha is watching a cartoon, and turns her father into a cartoon character. And for that episode, all York has to do is voice over...

[Arfies]

Originally Posted by tcr1701

I actually like the first couple of episodes Sargent filmed in season 6 (they are not shown in order he filmed them on the DVD) where he tried to mimic York a bit. It gave his performances some life. The opening episode where he is practicing golf as Samantha works on the crib is quite jarring as Sargent plays up the angry irritation here instead of lightly joking with Samantha as York would have done. It almost looks like he wants to hit her with that golf club....

I just rewatched "Samantha's Curious Cravings" and "And Something Makes Four" in season 6 and quite liked Dick Sargent in those- as you said, he's more animated in some of them. William Asher said he tried to get Dick Sargent to be more animated, in the style of Dick York, early on before giving up. I think if Sargent had continued that York-esque more animated style of acting instead of stiffening up later, the difference wouldn't have been as jarring.

[tcr1701]

Originally Posted by Arfies

I just rewatched "Samantha's Curious Cravings" and "And Something Makes Four" in season 6 and quite liked Dick Sargent in those- as you said, he's more animated in some of them. William Asher said he tried to get Dick Sargent to be more animated, in the style of Dick York, early on before giving up. I think if Sargent had continued that York-esque more animated style of acting instead of stiffening up later, the difference wouldn't have been as jarring.

Interesting. Sargent was quoted in the Bewitched book that he wanted Darrin to be less angry all the time. But that's literally the only way he played it. Lila Garrett (BW writer) said that she thought he just was not a romantic leading man. He was more suited to playing a detective. Bea Arthur said that Esther Rolle was a good actress, but "did not have a funny bone." Meaning she could never play up the comedy of her role in Maude. I think that applies to Dick Sargent as well. He just was not a natural comedienne. Although he was mostly amusing as a country lawyer on an episode of I Dream of Jeannie.

[Monliz]

Originally Posted by icecream

Elizabeth should have been ashamed of how nasty she treated Dick York if it wasn't just his back problems that caused him to leave, but pressure from her to the higher-ups as well. .

Watch this video of Dick York talking about Liz in a lecherous way.



After listening York reducing Liz to a sexual object, now everybody understands why Liz wanted him fired, he was a creep, he was infatuated with Liz and he made her feel uncomfortable, to the point Liz asked Asher to fire him.


York should have been ashamed of his inappropriate behavior towards Liz, and he should have been ashamed of how he talked about her in his book, reducing LIz to a sexual object, York wasn't a good human being.

[Arfies]

*sigh* I thought you were gone.

Wasn't this thread about season 6?