Bianca Larzoのブログ

Quick. Before "Roseanne" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" what television series made a point of having great Halloween episodes. Why, "Bewitched" of course. Collected on these VHS are the two Halloween episodes from the first two seasons of the series, which means we are still on the first Darrin and the shows are still in black & white:

"The Witches Are Out" is from the first season and finds Darrin (Dick York) stuck between the demands of his job at McMann & Tate and his wife. It seems his client, Mr. Brinkman (Shelley Berman), wants to advertise his Halloween candy using images of ugly, frightening witches. Of course, Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) is upset. As a child she and her mother used to leave the country so they would not have to look at those ugly masks. So Sam gets a protest rally of witches together to make a stand against those who are bigoted against witches. Note: This episode was written by Bernard Slade, who would go on to write the Broadway play "Same Time, Next Year."

"Trick or Treat" from the second season tells a similar story. Samantha and Darrin are having the Tates (David White and Irene Vernon) and a client, Jack Rogers (Jack Collins), who makes costumes, over on Halloween. However, Endora (Agnes Moorehead) is outraged that her daughter would celebrate a holiday that condones bigotry. So Endora shows up as a young trick-or-treater (Maureen McCormick, the Kirsten Dunst of her generation) and turns Darrin into a werewolf. The problem is that everybody else at the party thinks it is just a great costume. Meanwhile, Sam takes Endora to task for having lived up to the very stereotype of the evil witch that she abhors.

Of course, there is an interesting sub-text for both of these episodes dealing with the subject of prejudice, although the message might be a bit too subtle for some viewers. But that is okay because Sam is a good witch, and Elizabeth Montgomery was a fine actress who managed to make all of this nonsense work. However, I have to wonder if I am the only one who remembers the "National Lampoon" version of "Bewitched," drawn by Berni Wrightston, when they see these classic Halloween episodes.

true classics

All I have to say is, these two episodes are a true stand out in "classic tv". "Bewitched" is my favorite of all tv series, for I grew up with it, but just in all areas these shows make you want to say, "Ah yes, those were the days". If you like television at it's best, buy this tape...you won't be sorry.

Very Cool!

This is certainly an endearing Halloween classic! With "Bewitched" being such a good show in itself, it's not suprising to see this well-made, well-acted collection of shows on video to really enjoy yourself this Halloween- or anytime!