The Scene That Took Bewitched off the Air

Do you remember watching Bewitched when you were little? It was a unique show about a witch trying to adapt to "normal" American suburban life. The show ran for 8 seasons with a total of 254 episodes. But it ended rather abruptly with the final episode. So what was it about this final episode? What was the

scene

that made the studio decide that Bewitched had to come to an end? And, if we're going to talk about endings, what about how Bewitched begins? Bewitched was one of the best American sitcoms of all time. Fans were undoubtedly disappointed when it finally came to an end, and to this day, they still wonder why the show ended so abruptly.

Let's learn about the

scene

that

took

Bewitched off the air... HOW BEWITCHED CAME TO BE Bewitched first hit our television screens on September 17, 1964. We were introduced to Darrin and Samantha Stephens. Darrin Stephens, played first by Dick York and then by Dick Sargent, was the typical suburban American husband that audiences were already accustomed to seeing. But what made the show unique was Samantha Stephens, who was not the "typical" suburban American housewife. She was a witch who often had to keep her magical powers a secret from others. This unique backstory to the show had been attempted several times before.

The show's creator, Sol Saks, had several inspirations for the show. He was inspired by the movie I Married a Witch and the movie and play Bell, Book and Candle. These works were about seemingly ordinary humans who possessed supernatural and magical powers. Audiences clearly loved Bewitched and found the dynamic between "real" life and the magical world hilarious. One of the biggest challenges the show's creators had to face was when Dick York left the show. Dick York had become exhausted as the show became more popular. The show was one of America's most popular sitcoms, and as such, the cast was expected to work around the clock.

This had a great impact on Dick York's well-being. During the production of the fifth season, he suffered from a very high temperature. He continued to work in this high temperature and ended up in the hospital due to his poor health. He was already fed up with the show and wanted to get away to focus on his health. Dick Sargent replaced Dick York as Darrin Stephens for the remainder of the series. The replacement of characters was unusual for the time, but the audience didn't mind and the show continued. Dick Sargent played the role from seasons 6 to 8. But the show finally came to an abrupt end with its final episode...

Are you enjoying this video so far? Before I tell you more about the scene that

took

Bewitched off the air, why not like this video and subscribe to FactsVerse for more breaking news and interesting stories? Now, back to the video… “THE TRUTH, NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH, SO HELP ME SAM” While audiences seemed to love Bewitched until the end, it seemed like it couldn't compete with other great sitcoms of the time. By the end of season six, ratings were low and it was clear that the show couldn't continue (in this case). But the studio had agreed to allow the show to continue for the final two seasons.

A ninth season was rumored to be planned, although this would not come to fruition due to the show's waning popularity. The show had to end somehow and in such situations, the creator of the show should come up with a compelling ending. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case for Bewitched. Elizabeth Montgomery had also grown tired of playing the role and she wanted to move on. At the same time, it was unusual in those days for creators to know if their shows would be renewed for another season. As such, there was no need for the show to come to a definitive end.

A normal episode with a normal story would be enough. So what was the scene that took Bewitched off the air? Instead of a single scene, it was the realization that the final episode was a thinly disguised remake of an earlier episode. In the final episode, titled “The Truth, Nothing But the Truth, So Help Me Sam,” Endora gives Darrin a pin that forces him to always tell the truth. It was a remake of an episode that aired in 1965 titled "Tell the Truth." After 7 years, it seemed like the studio was hoping audiences would have forgotten about the previous episode and not notice the blatant reworking of an old story.

The story is supposed to expose whether Darrin was really engaged to Samantha. Since the show ran for 8 seasons and over 250 episodes, it was clear that this was the case. One of the notable features of this final episode is that it featured Sara Seeger, who had made some guest appearances on the show before. But sadly, this wasn't the episode fans wanted to see. By this time, the show had lost its initial charm and this final episode did not live up to the quality of the previous episodes from previous seasons. As such, it wasn't one particular scene but an entire episode that took Bewitched off the air.

But with continued low ratings, it was clear that the show's time had come. Perhaps one would have wished things were different. But the show had a great run and is still fondly remembered today... BEWITCHED NO LONGER While Elizabeth Montgomery is best remembered for her role as Samantha Stephens on Bewitched, she had a love-hate relationship with acting. After her role in Bewitched, she became very selective with her choice of roles and she did not want to commit to such a long television series again. She mainly focused on acting in television movies for the rest of her career.

Certainly, in addition to acting, she was an astute businesswoman. She owned 20% of Bewitched and earned royalties from the show every time it aired for the rest of her life. This financial security gave her the freedom to be more selective with her roles. Reportedly, she did not always enjoy working with Dick York, who had a crush on her, but did not feel the same way about her on-screen characters. She originally wanted to leave the show after the fifth season. But the offer of more money is what kept her going for the remaining seasons, and she endured a show she was already tired of.

Perhaps the lack of enthusiasm on set from the cast and crew members is what caused the show's popularity to fade. Elizabeth Montgomery was married to Bill Asher, who was the show's producer. Since Bewitched had been a financial success, it was completely understandable that she wanted the show to last as long as possible. Fortunately, the show managed to become one of the longest-running sitcoms of its time. In fact, as far as “fantasy” sitcoms go, it was the longest-running sitcom of its time! While Dick Sargent loved the role and was happy to replace Dick York, it seemed that by the mid-1970s, creators and audiences were no longer under the spell...

THE BEWITCHED LEGACY Even though the Popularity declined after the fifth and sixth seasons, there was an audience for Bewitched until the end. The show's cancellation was abrupt, but one wonders if a ninth season would have been successful. However, it remains one of the most popular American sitcoms of all time. While ratings dropped drastically with the recasting of Dick Sargent, there were also many fans who loved the change and the show continued. Agnes Moorehead, who played Endora, was not very interested in the change and she loved working with Dick York. However, this did not affect the quality of the show until the end and it continued to be watched regularly.

The program became part of the American lexicon. For example, nosy neighbor Gladys Kravitz had such an impact that the very name “Gladys Kravitz” became a euphemism for someone who doesn't mind her own business. This occurred even though the current Gladys Kravitz was a relatively minor character. It was one of the first television shows to make the transition from being filmed in black and white to being filmed in color. The change came with the second season, episode 38. The show received several Primetime Emmy nominations and won 3 awards. Bill Asher won an Emmy Award for his direction of the show in 1966.

The same year, Alice Pearce won an award for Best Supporting Actress. Marion Lorne won a Best Supporting Actress award for her role as “Aunt Clara” in 1968. The show is often written about as one of the most beloved American sitcoms of all time. It remains a classic show that is still loved by older generations and continues to be discovered by new generations. While he eventually left the show, Darrin Stephens remains one of Dick York's best-known roles. And some of us will always be spellbound by Elizabeth Montgomery and Samantha Stephens' portrayal of her... Are you a fan of Bewitched?

What do you think of the final episode? Now we would like to know your opinion: Do you think Bewitched still holds up today? Or is the humor and acting style too dated for newer audiences? Let's hear your opinion in the comments. If you liked this story, hit the like button and be sure to subscribe to FactsVerse for more great stories. Press the bell icon to receive regular notifications! See you in the next video!