Bewitched was so much more than just a show about a witch - it gives us a sense of wonder and fun that a lot of TV doesn't (or in the case of this 60s classic, didn't). It inspired a lot of shows. I Dream of Jeannie followed in 1965, just a year after Samantha twinkled onto our sets. Sabrina the Teenage Witch came along in 1996 (although she originally appeared in the Archie comic books in 1962, a full two years before Bewitched) and Charmed in 1998 (although it was probably more inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer than anything else). And today we have Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place. Dozens of other shows have toyed with magic and carried on plots with witches and wizards but Bewitched seems to do it best... even 38 years after it ended its original run.
Still, as much as I love it, one thing always irked me about the show. I understand that the show took place in a different time and that values were not what they are today (that that as you will). But the idea that Darren could command his wife to follow his strict set of rules, based on a misguided moral compass, was always troubling. Yes, Sam routinely ignored his orders and comedy would ensue, but the idea that she might be the slightest bit willing to let go of her witching ways upset me.
In that way, I totally understand Endora's complaints. Why would any self-respecting witch allow a mortal to take away the thing that made her unique and special? Love? Maybe. But more likely it was simply the whim of the writers who needed drama to propel the show forward.
I also can't ignore the switching of the Darren's... but that's for another day and another diatribe.
