The Magical Message of 'Bewitched': 60 Years After Its TV Debut

Photo byMill Creek Entertainment

Bewitched, starring Elizabeth Montgomery as "twitch-witch" Samantha Stephens, originally ran on ABC from 1964 to 1972. That makes 2024 the magical sitcom's 60th Anniversary, and a celebration of all the show's stars, including Dick York and Dick Sargent (who shared the role of Darrin, Samantha's mortal husband), Agnes Moorehead (who played Samantha's feisty supernatural mother, Endora), David White (who played Darrin's self-absorbed boss Larry Tate), and more.

During the show's popular eight-year run, Bewitched, the entire series of which will be released on Blu-ray early next year, featured several superior episodes. Namely, "A is For Aardvark," from the first season.

What's it All About?

In "A is for Aardvark," Elizabeth Montgomery's Samantha and her mortal husband Darrin (this time, played by Dick York - a few years before Dick Sargent stepped into the part) express their most heartfelt emotions.

The story centers around Darrin getting a cold, and how Samantha tires of running up and down the stairs at his beck and call. Now, keep in mind, that she gave up the magical life to live the mortal way, but that doesn't mean she didn't have her challenges living on Earth.

That said, in "A is for Aardvark," Samantha decides to give Darrin the "power," as in "magical powers," so that he could zap up a glass of water and some lunch whenever he wants, instead of wearing his wife down.

Unfortunately, Darrin goes mad with the power, which disheartens Samantha. Her mortal husband becomes just like all the self-absorbed warlocks she had known before.

Fortunately, just before her heart is about to break, Darrin comes to his senses. By the end of the episode, he realizes that having things without working for them is empty and meaningless. He apologizes to Samantha and then asks her to remove his special powers. To her and his delight, Samantha does so.

Afterward, Darrin purchases for her, with his hard-earned mortal money, a beautiful watch with the inscription, "I love you every second."

Upon reading the inscription, Samantha cries real tears (the only time in the series), and the two go on to continue their unique love affair.

"A is for Aardvark" explores several key themes of Bewitched, including a strong work ethic, family priorities, prejudice, and of course, true love.

It's A Love Story

At its core, Bewitched is a love story. Samantha and Darrin love each other despite their differences. She is a witch, and he's a mortal, but they focus on what makes them the same:

Ironically, their common humanity. Samantha's kindness, understanding, and compassion are human traits. Such characteristics are certainly in direct opposition to the stereotypical evil witch persona that has been played out in movies and television and on stage for decades.

Bewitched premiered in the tumultuous 1960s, which was rife with political assassinations, race riots, and the horrors of the Vietnam War. The series, like many fantasy/sci-fi shows of the time (including I Dream of Jeannie, which many consider as being directly influenced by Bewitched), offered an escape from the challenging times.

That's also the reason the show remains so popular today amid an invasion of so much divisive thought. Assuredly, many would agree that we all could use a little of Samantha's magic now and again.