History Analysis / Bewitched

As Diana Wynne Jones points out in "The Shape of the Narrative in The Lord of the Rings" in J. R. R. Tolkien: This Far Land, "all the stories of [[InterspeciesRomance Elf women loving mortal men]] ... [point out the consequence that] [[MayflyDecemberRomance when the lover dies, the immortal woman grieves for ever]]."

Lynn Spigel points out in "From Domestic Space to Outer Space." Close Encounters: Film, Feminism, and Science Fiction, "In the fantastic sit-com, the elements called into question are not the fantastic aspects per se . . . Rather, the moment of hesitation takes place in the realm of the natural. We are, in other words, made to question the 'naturalness' of middle-class existence. We are asked to hesitate in our beliefs about the normative roles of gender, class, and race that so pervade the era's suburban lifestyles. In this sense, the fantastic unmasks the conventionality of the everyday".

->''Bewitched'' was as antifeminist, antisexual, and procentrist as a sitcom could be. It was, however, peculiarly ineffective in selling its own point of view.... [Samantha] was tempted to use her powers often, usually allowed herself a little magical cheat. She wasn't resisting magic for her own happiness but for Darrin's. She helped him so often with his work and his personal life that we knew he'd never be able to survive without her.... ''Bewitched'' was a concession and a plea from American men to American women--or girls. "We know you'd be happier if you broke from domesticity and led the lives you secretly desire," said the men; "but we'd be lost without you. Stay in this life and take care of us poor inferior fellows... not for you sake but for ours."

However, other scholars have pointed out that ''Bewitched'' often [[PredudiceAesop intentionally subverted and satirized antifeminist, antisexual, and procentrist thought]] (particularly when stars Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York had anything to say about it). Darrin mirrored the {{everyman}} 1960s male grappling with feminism, constantly failing but also trying repeatedly and eventually, over the course of the series, getting it right.

Similarly, with the exception of Maurice's Oberon excesses, the series presents witchdom as an overt matriarchy, with queen (or high priestess) but no king and with most of the young male witches clearly overpowered by and inferior to the young female witches -- how many ex-suitors did Serena turn into bed warmers and Loch Ness monsters and leave that way for several centuries? On the sexual front, the series was surprisingly up front about Endora and Maurice's "open marriage" and Uncle Arthur was so obviously a [[HideYourLesbians camoflauged LGBTQ+ figure]] (his actor was gay and he liked to adopt the CampGay persona) that he continues to be a rallying figure today.

# Samantha has some kind of “witch disease” that makes her act in strange and inappropriate ways, and Darren has to explain this to the client, usually Charles Lane. Dr. Bombay must be consulted, and is called by incantation.
# Aunt Clara or Esmeralda (or Uncle Arthur in later seasons) try to cast an innocuous spell, but it all goes wrong because: reasons.

# If Larry Tate sees something, he’ll want a drink.

# Gladys Kravitz (the Saundra Gould version) trying to spread malicious gossip about the Stevens and particularly Samantha.

David Marc points out in Comic Visions: Television Comedy and American Culture that "Darrin, the increasingly alienated male breadwinner, must now contend with a houseful of women, children, and non-blood relatives, all of whom can turn him into a cockroach at will".
** Why does no one remember that Maurice murders Darrin the first time he meets him and then demonstrates the divine power to bring him back to life? And Samantha does not begrudge her father for murdering Darrin once he resurrects him? That Darrin is not left a traumatized wreck is the least realistic aspect of the series, and the fact that no one seems to take into account the horror story aspects of his daily life is one of the more cruel habits of those who analyse the series as a whole.

As Diana Wynne Jones points out in “The Shape of the Narrative in The Lord of the Rings" in J. R. R. Tolkien: This Far Land, “all the stories of Elf women loving mortal men ... [point out the consequence that] when the lover dies, the immortal woman grieves for ever."

** However, other scholars have pointed out that ''Bewitched'' often intentionally subverted and satirized antifeminist, antisexual, and procentrist thought (particularly when stars Elizabeth Montgomery and Dick York had anything to say about it). Darrin mirrored the everyman 1960s male grappling with feminism, constantly failing but also trying repeatedly and eventually, over the course of the series, getting it right. His moments of sexism always blow up in his face, he often ends the episode apologizing to Samantha for his sexism and neurotic conformity, and a number of episodes he tries to ease his way out of her life in heartbreaking sincerity because he genuinely fears he is smothering her and holding her back. By series end, he has become comfortable with Samantha's using magic when it does not devastate the mortal world -- if only he could be free of her relatives pleasure in bullying mortals! Similarly, with the exception of Maurice's Oberon excesses, the series presents witchdom as an overt matriarchy, with queen (or high priestess) but no king and with most of the young male witches clearly overpowered by and inferior to the young female witches -- how many ex-suitors did Serena turn into bed warmers and Loch Ness monsters and leave that way for several centuries? On the sexual front, the series was surprisingly up front about Endora and Maurice's "open marriage" and Uncle Arthur was so obviously a camoflauged LGBTQ+ figure that he continues to be a rallying figure today.

''Bewitched'' may superficially appear to just be a lighthearted sitcom, but it can be interpreted as an allegory for the immigrant experience, with Samantha's and Darrin's marriage representing an interracial or interreligious marriage. Samantha is from a different culture than mainstream American culture, and she has many conflicts because of her differences with mainstream American culture. Darrin tries to smooth over Samantha's differences to turn her into a "normal" woman, while Endora treats Samantha like a child in the name of defending witch culture. Both of these are common experiences for an immigrant who feels torn between two cultures. Samantha also condemns anti-witch prejudice and media portrayals whenever she finds them, and displays sympathy for African-Americans and Japanese-Americans due to similar experiences of prejudice. For a more detailed explanation, read [[ https://www.google.com/amp/s/janothar.tumblr.com/post/143084576746/bewitched-an-unorthodox-view-by-jonathan-z-s/amp this excellent essay]] by Johnathan Pollack, which argues that ''Bewitched'' is allegorical Jewish representation.

''Bewitched'' may superficially appear to just be a lighthearted sitcom, but it can be interpreted as an allegory for the immigrant experience, with Samantha's and Darrin's marriage representing an interracial or interreligious marriage. Samantha is from a different culture than mainstream American culture, and she has many conflicts because of her differences with mainstream American culture. Darrin tries to smooth over Samantha's differences to turn her into a "normal" woman, while Endora treats Samantha like a child in the name of defending witch culture. Both of these are common experiences for an immigrant who feels torn between two cultures. Samantha also condemns anti-witch prejudice and media portrayals whenever she finds them, and displays sympathy for African-Americans and Japanese-Americans due to similar experiences of prejudice. For a more detailed explanation, read [[http://ultimatehistoryproject.com/bewitched.html this excellent essay]] by Johnathan Pollack, which argues that ''Bewitched'' is allegorical Jewish representation.

# Phyllis Stephens sees everything and Frank Stephens sees nothing.

David Marc points out in Comic Visions: Television Comedy and American Culture in Darrin's defense that "Darrin, the increasingly alienated male breadwinner, must now contend with a houseful of women, children, and non-blood relatives, all of whom can turn him into a cockroach at will".
** Why does no one remember that Maurice murders Darrin the first time he meets him and then demonstrates the divine power to bring him back to life? And Samantha does not begrudge her father for murdering Darrin once he resurrects him? That Darrin is not left a traumatic wreck is the least realistic aspect of the series.

# Aunt Clara or Esmeralda try to cast an innocuous spell, but it all goes wrong because they have witch Alzheimer’s disease.

-->''Bewitched'' was as antifeminist, antisexual, and procentrist as a sitcom could be. It was, however, peculiarly ineffective in selling its own point of view.... [Samantha] was tempted to use her powers often, usually allowed herself a little magical cheat. She wasn't resisting magic for her own happiness but for Darrin's. She helped him so often with his work and his personal life that we knew he'd never be able to survive without her.... ''Bewitched'' was a concession and a plea from American men to American women--or girls. "We know you'd be happier if you broke from domesticity and led the lives you secretly desire," said the men; "but we'd be lost without you. Stay in this life and take care of us poor inferior fellows... not for you sake but for ours."

All the Possible Plots of the show Bewitched:
1) Darren makes some member of Samantha’s family mad, and they place some kind of spell on him.
2) Samantha has some kind of “witch disease” that makes her act in strange and inappropriate ways, and Darren has to explain this to the client, usually Charles Lane. Dr. Bombay must be consulted, and is called by incantation.
3) Aunt Clara or Esmeralda try to cast an innocuous spell, but it all goes wrong because they have witch Alzheimer’s disease.
4) Samantha has to do something with the witch’s council and somehow brings Darren into it, grousing all the way.
5) Some outsider to the witch side of the family (Ex: Gladys Kravitz) sees Samantha or another witch doing magical things and a convoluted explanation must be contrived.
6) Tabitha innocently does a trick, not understanding that most of the people she interacts with are muggles, and everyone thinks she is gifted in some way—until Samantha can think of a convoluted explanation.

Things you can expect to see on Bewitched:

1) Charles Lane as the client.
2) Gladys Kratitz sees everything, and Abner Kratvitz sees nothing.
3) Phyllis Stevens sees everything and Frank Stevens sees nothing.
4) If Larry Tate sees something, he’ll want a drink.
5) Somehow the spell on Darren will be explained as some novel and unique advertising campaign that Darren has wanted to spring on the client, who will think it is a masterstroke of genius!
6) Uncle Arthur’s visual puns.
7) Gladys Kravitz (the Saundra Gould version) trying to spread malicious gossip about the Stevens and particularly Samantha.
8) Dick Wilson (Mr. Whipple) will appear as a drunk.

6) Tabatha innocently does a trick, not understanding that most of the people she interacts with are muggles, and everyone thinks she is gifted in some way—until Samantha can think of a convoluted explanation.

6) Tabatha innocently does a trick, not understanding that most of the people she interacts with are muggles, and everyone things she is gifted in some way—until Samantha can think of a convoluted explanation.

7) Gladys Kravitz (the Saundra Gould version) trying to spread malicious gossip about the Samantha.