Okay… I’m not ashamed to admit it. I had a HUGE crush on Elizabeth Montgomery. It wasn’t the only reason I watched “Bewitched,” but it was really high on the list. I became a big fan of the series in syndication as a youngster, finding it to be refreshingly funny, like most of the shows from that era. The premise was great, with Montgomery starring as Samantha Stephens, a witch who wanted to live in a human’s world. She tried to keep her powers a secret, married a man named Darren (Dick York), and in the 2nd season, welcomed a beautiful little girl… who seemed to have inherited her mother’s powers. Throughout the course of the show, keeping Samantha’s powers a secret were tantamount. Though, it always seemed odd to me that her husband didn’t want her to ever use her magic. Personally, I would never have had a problem with her making it a little easier on herself at least when doing housework (very sexist of me, don’t you think?).

No one in Samantha’s family agreed with her life choice, and most took their turns being the most annoying possible for an in-law to be. The biggest bane on Darren’s life was Sam’s mother, Endora (Agnes Moorehead), who considered him to be no more than an insignificant bug. Of course, some of this makes the series sound like it was a drama, which it decidedly was not. Easily one of the best sitcoms of the time, “Bewitched” was undeniably funny, the magic in the series used for a limitless string of humorous situations.

Sony / Columbia Tristar / MGM has already released the first three seasons of “Bewitched” over the last few months and have followed it up with a new 4th season set. The early episodes were originally filmed in Black & White, and both the 1st and 2nd season sets were made available in Black & White and Colorized versions, catering to the preferences of the consumer (a wise move). Being somewhat of a traditionalist, I would prefer the original B&W versions, but didn’t mind the fact that I received the colorized ones. Fortunately, the studio did a terrific job with the colorization and these episodes look almost exactly like the later ones that were filmed in color.

This new set offers up all 33 episodes of the 4th season, which gave us further proof that Elizabeth Montgomery had a much in the way if comedic chops as she did ethereal beauty. This was also thenext to the last season for actor Dick York, who would be replaced by actor Dick Sergeant in the show's 6th season. I was a bit disappointed in the fact that there were no extra features this time around, but beggars can't be choosers.

“Bewitched” was one of the great classics of television comedy and I welcome Sony / Columbia Tristar’s eventual release of the rest of the seasons.

Episodes:
Long Live the Queen
Toys in Babeland
Business, Italian Style
Double, Double… Toil and Trouble
Cheap, Cheap
No Zip in My Zap
Birdies, Bogeys and Baxter
A Safe and Sane Halloween
Out of Sync, Out of Mind
That Was No Chick, That Was My Wife
Allergic to Ancient Macedonian Dodo Birds
Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember
Solid Gold Mother-In-Law
My, What Big Ears You Have
I Get Your Nannie… You Get My Goat
Humbug not To Be Spoken Hear
Samantha's Da Vinci Dilemma
Once in a Vial
Snob in the Grass
If They Never Met
Hippie Hippie Hooray
A Prince of a Guy
McTavish
How Green was my Grass
To Twitch or Not to Twitch
Playmates
Tabitha's Cranky Spell
I Confess
A Majority of Two
Samantha's Secret Saucer
The No-Harm Charm
Man of the Year
Splitsville

Starring: Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York, Agnes Morehead
Extras: None
Specifications: Full Frame
Studio: Sony / Columbia Tristar
Release Date: 10/24/2006
Region: 1
MPAA Rating: NR
Website

We'll give Bewitched: Season 4 a B-.