Customer Reviews

Bewitched - The Complete Second Season

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Never before seen in color, Season 2 has been colorfied with the power of computer technology. Season 1 looked fantastic. Season 2 looks a bit artificial on some of the episodes, but they look about as good as they did for Season 1 and considering they had to color a massive 38 episodes, that's quite a feat and I really have nothing to gripe about. A few of the episodes are basic flashbacks from Season 1, which is a bit annoying because they are just recordings from the previous season. Sure there are only a few, but why do episodes that were in the previous season? Very odd. Anyway...They are getting very close to really getting those skin tones right, and to the naked eye, most won't know these are artifical colors for the new color addition.

Season 2 contains a whopping 38 wonderful episodes in all, one gigantic Season for true fans that want to enjoy some serious bewitching entertainment. As fans know, these timeless episodes have easily withstood the test of time, even here in 2005 I'm loving it all. Season 2 still includes the very funny antics of Alice Pearce and George Tobias (Kravitz's)as they reprise their roles as the nosy neighbors across the street. Alice Pearce is a wonderful actress as her nosy-self just makes the series all that more enjoyable. Her relationship with her husband reminds me of the "Roepers" from Three's Company, the crazy one liners from the two will draw chuckles every time!

Unfortunately you'll only be able to enjoy her throughout season 2 as she (sadly) does not return for Season 3 and is replaced by a lesser known, so enjoy the very best Mrs. Kravitz now! Alice Pearce (Mrs. Kravitz) developed cancer in the middle of Season 2 and ask you can see by watching, her weight and health deteriorated. She is missing for most of the second 1/2 of the season and they actually saved an earlier episode with her in it to save it for the last one. I for one believe Bewitched would never have been as successful without her in it.

Season 2 also really shines as Marion Lorne (Aunt Clara) is throughout this season and she is wonderful. I would have loved to have an Aunt as sweet and funny as her. Sadly, more tragedy. In the real world, Lorne suffered a massive heart attack during Season 2 and explains her absence the second half of the season. Dick York, the most famous Darrin of them all also suffered "unbeknownst to many" through his life as Darrin. He suffered from a constant back ailment and it slowly progressed to the point where he simply could not continue his role. York recalls his feelings every day as Darrin. " "I took pain pills to get to sleep because I didn't want to go to work the next day exhausted." York suffered, and suffered, but fans know he never let anyone know, he fought the pain and made everyone laugh, and that's why he's so special, he just wanted to make people laugh. York finally succombed to lung cancer and passed away in 1992. Sam (Montgomery) life was also cut short due to "colon cancer" and she died at a very youthful 62 years old. Just a little tidbit note, Montgomery was also a very "avid smoker" and was noted as smoking during breaks of the show and was difficult for her not lightup during filming when everyone else on the show usually did. Ok, enough sad stories!

Lookout for Endora and Darrin really battling it out in this grand season. The episode where she turns him into a warewolf on Halloween is priceless entertainment. And I never stop laughing as she still continues to never remember his name...Darwood, Darwin, Darewood, Damian, David, just simply hilarious. And don't worry about Dick York (the favorite Darrin of them all)leaving the series anytime soon, even with his rotten back, he will be around for several more DVD packs, specifically Season 5 and then eventually replaced by Dick Sargeant for Season's 6-8. The big news early in this season is that Sam is going to have a baby! Think she'll be a witch? Do you know what episode Tabitha is born in? If you're fan, you already know the answer! Wiggle your nose and get your copy of Bewitched the Season Season now!

1. Alias Darrin Stephens
2. A Very Special Delivery
3. We're in For a Bad Spell
4. My Grandson the Warlock
5. The Joker is a Card
6. Take Two Aspirin
7. Trick or Treat
8. The Very Informal Dress
9. And Then I Wrote...
10. Junior Executive
11. Aunt Clara's Old Flame
12. A Strange Little Visitor
13. My Boss the Teddy Bear
14. Speak the Truth
15. A Vision of Sugar Plums
16. The Magic Cabin
17. Maid to Order
18. And Then There Were Three
19. My Baby the Tycoon
20. Samantha Meet the Folks
21. Fastest Gun on Madison Avenue
22. The Dancing Bear
23. Double Tate
24. Samantha the Dressmaker
25. The Horse's Mouth
26. Baby's First Paragraph
27. The Leprechaun
28. Double Split
29. Disappearing Samantha
30. Follow That Witch (1)
31. Follow That Witch (2)
32. A Bum Raps
33. Divided He Falls
34. Man's Best Friend
35. The Catnapper
36. What Every Young Man Should Know
37. The Girl With the Golden Nose
38. Prodigy

Well, believe it or not, even a kid who's my age can appreciate the spells of Bewitched, and enjoy it to the most of my "appreciation level." It seems like JUST yesterday when I recieved Bewitched Season one in the mail, the day after it was released from Amazon, and now I'm ALREADY ready to preorder Season two! How fast was that!? Well... at least it's this year. I'm STILL on the edge of my seat biting my nails for the release!
Here is some tips for anyone hesitant about which version to buy: The b/w version is for lovers of the original "feel" of the first two seasons. The colorized version is for the folks who want to see the first and second seasons of Bewitched in a different way. The color way. The colorization of the first season was actually done pretty well, and I'm sure seeing any mistakes in the first season's colorization, Sony Pictures will improve the quality for season two.
I've only seen maybe 3 episodes in season 2 on tv, but I'm sure that having the whole collection on dvd is going to be a treat for my whole family. If there's anyone who loves the show, but is reluctant to buy the set, you can watch Bewitched on Tv Land or on Broadcast MeTV.
[...]
THIS SET IS AN OBVIOUS CHOICE FOR BEWITCHED FANS TO ADD TO THEIR BEWITCHED COLLECTION!!!!

Season Two of BEWITCHED features some of the all-time classic episodes from the entire series, with the main focal point of the season being the impending birth of baby Tabitha.

Sadly though, this proved to be the final season featuring the entire original cast. Alice Pearce, who played nosey neighbour Gladys Kravitz, passed away from ovarian cancer shortly after the filming wrapped on the season (but not before picking up a well-deserved Emmy Award for her work). For the remainder of the series Gladys was played by Sandra Gould who managed to bring her own comedic touches to the role. Paul Lynde so impressed the writers with his performance as Samantha's harried driving instuctor in Season One, he was invited back with the recurring role of Uncle Arthur. Also introduced in this season is Sam's devious look-alike cousin Serena.

Elizabeth Montgomery (Samantha), Dick York (Darrin) and Agnes Moorehead (Endora) are in peak form in this season. Choice eps include "A Very Informal Dress" where Aunt Clara (Marion Lorne) conjures up clothes for Sam and Darrin to wear at a very important function; "My Boss the Teddy Bear" where Darrin thinks Endora has transformed Larry Tate (David White) into a plush toy; "Maid to Order" where Sam hires a clumsy helper; and "My Baby the Tycoon" where Darrin starts to suspect newborn Tabitha of magical capabilities. There are also two episodes that originally appeared in Season One; using the device of the flashback, Sam and Darrin look back at their adventures in "Sam Meets the Folks" and "Visions of Sugar Plums".

Extras consist only of a gag reel called "Bewitched Bewildered and Be-blooperd" which points out the various mistakes in continuity and locations featured in the season.

So let's return to our favourite witch-and-mortal couple at 1164 Morning Glory Circle!

COMPLETE EPISODE LISTING:

"Alias Darrin Stephens" - Sam can't wait to tell Darrin the news of her pregnancy. There's only one problem: Aunt Clara has transformed him into a chimpanzee.

"A Very Special Delivery" - Endora decides that Darrin needs to know exactly how it feels to be pregnant.

"We're in For a Bad Spell" - Sam must find a way to lift a 200-year-old spell.

"My Grandson the Warlock" - Mistaking Larry and Louise's baby for Samantha's, Maurice takes the child for it's education at the London Warlocks Club.

"The Joker is a Card" - Feuding Sam and Darrin accuse each other of silly practical jokes, unaware that Uncle Arthur is the real culprit.

"Take Two Aspirins and Half a Pint of Porpoise Milk" - Sam loses her powers when she comes into contact with a Peruvian rose, so Darrin must put together the restorative potion.

"Trick or Treat" - When Darrin refuses to let Sam attend the witches' Halloween ceremony, Endora turns him into a werewolf.

"The Very Informal Dress" - Aunt Clara attires Sam and Darrin in some magical haute couture.

"And Then I Wrote" - In order to get inspiration for a play she is writing, Sam brings her characters to life.

"Junior Executive" - Wondering what her grandchild will look like, Endora turns Darrin into an eight-year-old.

"Aunt Clara's Old Flame" - Clara is reluctant to meet up with her old boyfriend until they both realise they have the same problem.

"A Strange Little Visitor" - Darrin becomes the victim of a burglary.

"My Boss, the Teddy Bear" - When she believes that Larry won't let Darrin attend an important function, Endora turns him into a teddy bear.

"Speak the Truth" - To prove a point, Endora gives Darrin a statue that causes people to tell the truth.

"A Vision of Sugar Plums" - To help a Santa-doubting boy, Sam takes him on a magical journey to the North Pole. A MID-SEASON REPEAT EPISODE FROM SEASON ONE.

"The Magic Cabin" - Larry offers to let Sam and Darrin use his Catskills cabin for the weekend.

"Maid to Order" - Sam's new maid Naomi (Alice Ghostley) is a total klutz.

"And Then There Were Three" - Sam finally gives birth to baby Tabitha.

"My Baby the Tycoon" - Suspecting Tabitha of early magical tedencies, Darrin discovers that stocks given to the baby by Gladys and Abner have soared in value.

"Samantha Meets the Folks" - Endora is accused of trying to steal away Mr Stephens when she joins Sam and Darrin's parents for dinner. A MID-SEASON REPEAT EPISODE FROM SEASON ONE.

"Fastest Gun on Madison Avenue" - A heavyweight champ makes a play for the affections of Sam.

"The Dancing Bear" - Mrs Stephens buys Tabitha the same bear that Endora has already bought. But to sweeten the deal, Endora makes her bear do magical dances.

"Double Tate" - Unaware that Endora has given him three wishes for his birthday, Darrin wishes to be Larry.

"Samantha the Dressmaker" - Sam's magical creations become the talk of society.

"The Horse's Mouth" - Sam transforms a runaway horse into a woman to discover why she escaped her owner.

"Baby's First Paragraph" - Tired of hearing stories about Gladys' baby nephew, Endora gives Tabitha the ability to talk.

"The Leprechaun" - Brian O'Brian, a leprechaun claiming to belong to Darrin's family, comes to America in search of his pot of gold.

"Double Split" - Larry and Darrin have a huge fight so Sam resolves to help them patch things up.

"Disappearing Samantha" - When Sam angers a professional witch debunker, he causes her to become invisible.

"Follow That Witch (Part One)" - A private detective catches Sam in the middle of a spell.

"Follow That Witch (Part Two)" - In exchange for his silence, the private detective blackmails Sam into making him wealthy, a decision he'll soon regret.

"A Bum Raps" - Expecting Uncle Albert, Sam unknowingly opens up the house to a thief.

"Divided He Falls" - When Darrin can't leave work to go on vacation with Sam, Endora turns him into twins.

"Man's Best Friend" - Rodney (Richard Dreyfuss) a warlock in love with Sam, decides to break up her marriage.

"The Catnapper" - Turned into a cat by Endora, Toni Devlin is stolen by the ruthless private detective who offers to return it for a reward of a million dollars.

"What Every Young Man Should Know" - When Sam wonders what would have happened if Darrin knew she was a witch from their very first meeting, Endora sends them back in time to find out.

"The Girl With the Golden Nose" - Sam teaches Darrin a lesson when he accuses her of using magic in his office.

"Prodigy" - Gladys' brother Louis refuses to play the violin in public until Sam intervenes.

I really feel sorry for the "B&W People". And to think I was almost one of them! I could go on and on (and ON) about "the show" but then we already know Bewitched up until possibly Dick Sargent is 5 stars, right?

Anyway, when I went to buy Season One I was SO intent on buying these in black and white... after all they were aired in B&W and there was NO way I was going to go against history. Me? nEvEr! But when I got to the store... all they had was color! As hard of a head as I have I'm surprised I even bought the color version of S1. Though now I see sometimes being flexible has its rewards. For instance; seeing Liz Montgomery in full flower of motherhood here in S2 is one of them (not seeing her in full color when it is possible should actually be a citable offense), many of the outdoor sequences like in the Magic Cabin or Junior Exec (park scene) simply flower under the tutelage of Sony's coloring "scheme", witnessing Endora in color simply ratchets up her often menacing presence. Sure, S3 will be in "actual color" but why not get a jump on it?

Hopefully, you do not think I take the reshaping of these episodes lightly, but when it is done with such care you have to just... let go. I simply do not know how they did the colorizing for some of the materials; like a two-tone tweed suit? Magnificent! They must have had some kind of source code for the process. There is a down side here and there, at times teeth appear "gray-ish" and sometimes face complexions fluctuate but that is a small price to pay in a much bigger picture.

Also, a tip of the cap to Sony/Tri-Star or whoever decided to go with "one side only discs" complete with artwork. Universal is simply giving me fits with; Quincy, then Dragnet, now Leave it to Beaver has hit a rough spot all because of cost cutting measures and two sided discs (sporadic freezing, pixeling).

In closing I have to wonder if all these years ago whether they knew how long lasting these shows would be? I kind of doubt it. Harry Ackerman, William Asher, Liz Montgomery, Dick York, Agnes Moorhead, David White, and all the rest are forever a part of my life.
A final question; sure these "aired" in black and white but if you were on the set (<---the TRUE source) when these were "filmed," would you have seen them in black and white?

There was temptation to rate this season based only on the colorization, which I would have given one star. But it's "Bewitched", so I am giving the review three stars.

I should have gone with my gut instinct as soon as I learned that the studios were colorizing the black and white seasons of certain shows (I Dream of Jeannie, Bewitched). I should not have purchased the fake color seasons. Well, you live and you learn. The reason I am writing this review is because there may be folks who are on the fence, undecided about buying this. Yes, several of the Amazon reviews here are glowing, suggesting the colors are very nicely rendered. I should not have believed them. It seems beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. These colors are far too too intense and weird looking. (Now, I do realize that this is just an old sitcom to some people and not Citizen Kane; but I cherish classic TV and feel that I needed to address this coloring issue.)

I bought the colored version of the second season and then was disappointed. Luckily I don't need to buy the original black and white set; when I watch this set I simply turn the color off on my television. Problem solved. I no longer need to be assaulted visually with hues that are far too garish, or shades that don't make sense. Example: neighbor Abner Kravitz's pajamas are the same shade of gray as his pillows and sheets? Please. Endora's hair is an insanely intense, flourescent orange. Ridiculous. Some of the wallpaper, draperies, tablecloths and furniture look horribly unnatural. It's not all terrible but it's fairly close.

What I do not understand is how people writing reviews here can compliment and praise this colorization so strongly when it is not really good. Watching these episodes, one is constantly reminded that these were filmed in black and white; the manmade colors just do not look normal or natural or appropriate. Very seldom does a color look right. Unfortunately most major colors used are far too loud. So the colorization gets a one star grade.

Bewitched itself is great fun, a silly diversion that, while flawed, is very enjoyable. The characters are beloved by many; I am particularly charmed by Endora and Aunt Clara. The comedy is fun and clean. Gladys Kravitz is always a hoot as she continues to think she's going insane. The show succeeds in its slapstick and also in its sentiment.
As the show progressed, in later seasons, it seemed to rely too much on the formula of "how can Darrin and Sam explain the presence of a (animal, mythical beast, or historical figure) in their home, so that it could become part of the advertising campaign". But these earlier episodes don't rely quite so heavily on that plot point.
And these seasons have a generous amount of episodes. You get a nice quantity of 38 on the second season. There are a couple of repeats/flashbacks from the first season thrown in (Samantha Meets the Folks, and a Christmas episode) but that's no big deal. They did the same thing on "I Love Lucy" when she was pregnant.

While seeing this on dvd, I am reminded how much Elizabeth Montgomery and Agnes Moorehead raised the quality of the material. These two actresses really made this show better than it would have been had other actresses been cast.
It's nice to watch these episodes now that they are impossible to find on my basic cable lineup. It seems that good TV from the 50's and 60's isn't so easy to find on television anymore. Luckily dvd is here.

I hope this review helps people who are unsure about which set to purchase.

Once again, I highly recommend purchasing these Second Season episodes in Black And White. as they were originally broadcast:

During Season One of "BEWITCHED", director William Asher craftily and cleverly shot around the pregnancy of his then real-life wife and the series shining star Elizabeth Montgomery. She was again pregnant at the start of
the Second Season. But this time, instead of concealing it, Samantha and Darrin become the proud parents of Tabitha in the episode "And Something Makes Three." This episode also features a memorable guest appearance by Eve Arden as the nurse who attends Samantha. Moreover, this extra special episode features
Montgomery's debut performance as Serena, Samantha's brunette, sultry, look-alike Cousin. When Darrin (Dick York) first sees Serena, he thinks she is baby Tabitha, magically transformed into an adult!!
OTHER SECOND SEASON HIGHLIGHTS:

In "We're In For A Bad Spell", Samantha, Darrin and Aunt Clara (Marion Lorne) try to save a friend of Darrin's from being the victim of a centuries' old spell. In "The Joker Is A Card," Samantha lifts the lid off a serving dish to reveal Uncle Arthur (Paul Lynde).
In the series' second Halloween episode, Endora (Agnes Moorehead) becomes infuriated with Darrin and transforms him into a werewolf. The werewolf make-up and York's performance in this episode is superb.
Bernard Fox makes his initial series appearance in "Disappearing Samantha." Fox plays Osgood Rightmire, a smug, phony witch-hunter who mutters an incantation that causes Samantha, and later Endora, to vanish. Fox would, of course, become a series regular as Dr. Bombay, the wacky-quaky witch doctor in the final episode of the Third Season titled "There's Gold In Them There Pills." Richard Dreyfuss makes his professional acting debut as a rotten warlock named Rodney in the episode "Man's Best Friend."
** The series bids an especially regrettable and sad farewell to Alice Pearce, who died of cancer during production. In her final appearances as neighbor Gladys Kravitz, Pearce is heartbreakingly thin and frail. Luckily, these episodes from the First And Second Seasons survive as a lasting testament to Pearce's comedic genius. Pearce won a well-deserved posthumous Emmy for her outstanding performance. Sandra Gould stepped into the role of Gladys in the Third Season, offering a more annoying and abrasive, ultimately unsympathetic, interpretation that never equalled the inspired work of the priceless Alice Pearce,
**Pearce's death was one of several behind the camera tragedies that "BEWITCHED" weathered. One of the series' best episodes "Divided He Falls" unintentionally forshadows a real tragedy yet to come. In this episode, Endora divides a seriously overworked Darrin into two, so the Serious Darrin can stay working, while the Fun Darrin takes Samantha on vacation. Dick York has a ball as Serious Darrin/Fun Darrin; although it is obviously a double and not York who first jumps off and then back on to a swimming pool dividing board in one scene. When she first discovers what Endora has done, an infuriated Samantha exclaims, "Mother, I only want ONE DARRIN!" Behind the camera, York sustained an agonizingly painful back injury years prior to "BEWITCHED."
York developed a serious addiction to painkillers, and eventually couldn't handle the physical comedy requirements of the role. Actor Dick Sargent was brought in as an emergency replacement as Darrin at the start of Season Six in 1969.
On a happier note, I wrote Elizabeth Montgomery a long overdue letter of appreciation in 1990. One year later, I received a beautiful autographed picture from her. That photo is one of my most cherished possesions.
It hangs on my kitchen wall, along with several other photos of lovely Elizabeth Montgomery.

Bewitched peaked in its second season (all of the first four seasons were generally great, with only a minimum of fillers and at least ten truly great episodes every year). In the second season, nearly every episode was a classic; the first appearances of Uncle Arthur and Serena, along with the birth of Tabitha and more memorable visits from Maurice and Aunt Clara,
make one want to wallow in nostalgia. But since these are appearing in color for the first time, something new is also in store, and the colorization is for the most part GREAT. Bewitched was a series that always deserved to be in color and having the first two seasons like this had me thinking it was Christmas. This colorization was more important than that for, say, I Dream Of Jeannie or Gilligan's Island, because they always outfitted Elizabeth Montgomery and Agnes Moorehead in stunning fashions very evocative of the decade. The series was really getting into gear, and a lot of the trademarks of later seasons first appear here (like Sam saying "Oh My Stars!"). The humor is fresh, Darrin is still somewhat appealing, and there are no "formula" episodes to speak of (a situation that would cripple the fifth, sixth and seventh seasons). There are touching moments, too, Tabitha's birth being the most obvious.
I hope season four comes out soon...

I still love Bewitched always have always will. The show seems never to age. It was actually funny & sweet so I had to get this season as well as the others. It's worth the price , not only for me to see my favorite show again but because now with kids of my own they like it & it's a safe show for kids. The dvds themselves were good quality. For me it was a good buy all the way around.

Bewitched: the complete second season is just as good as the first season. The color is great & so are the shows. However, if you watch the shows, a couple of them are the same as the first season. Darrin & Samantha are reminiscing about past shows. In episode # 15 A vision of sugar plums, it starts out with Darrin & samantha getting a Christmas card from the boy they took home the year before & then it goes back to the same show from season one. In episode #20 Meet the folks, the same thing happens. They start out different & then go into the first season shows that we have already seen. The rest of the episodes are great! I don't have a problem with it. I just don't understand why they did this. Neverless, If your a bewitched fan as I am you will enjoy Bewitched: The complete second season just as much as the first. The coloring of the shows is wonderful. You can't tell that they were once B&W.

It's great that Bewitched Season 2 has arrived so promptly on DVD. Once again consumers get the choice of buying the original B&W version, or the new colourised version. I must admit, after buying the first season colourised, I was a bit sceptical as I wasn't overly impressed. The colourisation seemed ok at first, but after watching three episodes in the row, the skin tone colour just got annoying. Too pink!

In Season 2, the colourisation seems to work better. Skin tones are improved, although not perfect. Still, I hate watching B&W so this is the next best thing.

Season 2 is full of some wonderful episodes, particularly the first one where Endora turns Darren into a monkey (hilarious stuff). Billy Mumy and Maureen McCormick also return for the second season as different child characters. These episodes are also hilarious. I must admit, I am not a fan of the actress who played Gladys in the first two seasons, so am hanging out for Season 3 when we see the new actress who took over the role until the end. Special features include another set of bloopers (similar to Season 1).

It's so great to have Bewitched Season 2 on DVD. The colour version is recommended.