We have an exciting two-parter this week - Samantha's very identity as a witch is at risk of being exposed! We're not entirely sure she handles the situation well, but at least there's so much to talk about here as we consider Sam's willingness to use her own magical abilities.  We hope your 2026 is off to a great start! History Highlights: https://asginvestigations.com/private-investigator/history-of-private-investigations/ 

What happens when there are magical forces at work that even Sam and Endora might not know how to handle? That and other questions will be answered this week...except we don't think we'll ever be able to answer why Samantha lets "Uncle Albert" into her home without picking up on any of the red flags. Wishing you and yours all the very best in 2026! History Highlights: https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-witches

Merry Christmas Eve! While we wish we could sprinkle some seasonal magic to...spruce up?...these two episodes, we had a great time thinking a bit more deeply about the different dynamic that we see here between Sam and Darrin. And for the very first time, we just might have a grievance with out dear Samantha!  We hope that you and yours enjoy a blessed and beautiful holiday.    History Highlights:  https://womenshistory.si.edu/blog/voices-independence-four-oral-histories-about-building-womens-economic-power https://www.oneadvisorypartners.com/blog/the-history-of-women-and-money-in-the-united-states-in-honor-of-womens-history-month https://www.chase.com/personal/investments/learning-and-insights/article/women-in-wealth-throughout-history-a-united-states-timeline  

We certainly see the more competitive side of our beloved characters this week! Samantha turns a race horse into a human; a friend of Darrin's turns to sports betting to earn some extra money; and Endora lets her annoyance with Gladys get the better of her when she makes it seem like little Tabitha has already started to talk... History Highlights: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/c.php?g=1108872&p=8085578 https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/seabiscuit-horseracing-us/  

What would you do if you were granted three wishes for your birthday? We don't recommend wishing to be your boss for the day - of course, if you're like Darrin in these episodes, you wouldn't even know you had three wishes to begin with. We are also all for the body positivity that shines through here - but Samantha, did you really need to steal a famous fashion designer's work to finish your own?   History Highlights: https://daily.jstor.org/dressmaking-liberated-american-women-then-came-the-men/  

This week on Sitcom Studies, Darrin's parents meet Endora for the first time (yikes!) and Darrin becomes a new heavyweight champion? While these two episodes were not our favorites so far, we do think these episodes offer plenty of food for thought surrounding some interesting gender role discussions. We just wish Tabatha were able to enjoy her little teddy bear in peace!  Historical Highlights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Edison

We get another flashback episode this week and get to see what happened when Samantha met Darrin's parents for the first time. Is Phyllis overbearing from the very beginning? Should Darrin really feel guilty for the way he treats Aunt Clara? Oh, and then in the present day, there's also the possibility that Tabitha might be trying to influence the U.S. stock market... Happy Thanksgiving, wherever you are! We are eternally grateful to you if you've been along with us for the ride over the past ten months. Let the holidays begin! History Highlights: https://www.nyse.com/history-of-nyse

Welcome to the world, sweet Tabitha. This week we finally get to meet the Stephens' little girl, as well as Sam's cousin Serena - and a nurse who gives Gladys a run for her money?  History Highlights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabitha  

This week, time away at Larry Tate's cabin is supposed to help ease Darrin's burnout and Samantha feels pressured to hire a maid as her due date approaches. While we noticed some significant plot holes this week, the visual gags continue to impress. We hope all of your meal prep during the upcoming holiday season goes much more smoothly than it does for our Bewitched families! History Highlights: https://www.tastingtable.com/1278237/important-differences-between-broth-consomme/

We have two episodes this week that surprisingly see everything turn out for the best. Some of our favorite characters' innermost thoughts are revealed; Samantha shows once again how golden her heart is; and the Stephens are able to bring the joy of Christmas to a young boy in desperate need of some holiday cheer. We wholeheartedly encourage you to listen to this episode while decorating for the holidays. But wait - did Santa just call Darrin the wrong name, like Endorra would?   Stream Marlessa's favorite I Married a Witch (1942) on HBO Max, Hulu, and Amazon Prime!   Historical Highlights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Leech_(caricaturist)

Happy Halloween! We are thrilled to be joined this week by Herbie J Pilato for a very special conversation about some important episodes of Bewitched not included in Season 2. Herbie is a renowned actor, writer, producer, and TV scholar who has devoted much of his career to preserving the history of Bewitched and other beloved classic sitcoms. He has written Bewitched Forever: The Immortal Companion to Television's Most Magical Supernatural Situation Comedy (2004) and Twitch Upon A Star: The Bewitched Life And Career Of Elizabeth Montgomery (2012), among many other authoritative books on this period in television history. Herbie graciously discusses the time he spent with the Bewitched cast while researching these books - what we wouldn't give to have watched an episode with Dick York! Herbie, we are so grateful for your time and for all that you do to make sure that future generations are able to discover this bewitching sitcom.    Please find out more about Herbie and all of this work at his website here: https://www.herbiejpilato.com/ and be sure to follow him on social media!    Bewitched Episodes Discussed: 1.17 A is for Aardvark 3.13 My Friend Ben 3.25 Charlie Harper, Winner 4.12 Samantha's Thanksgiving to Remember 6.11 Darrin the Warlock 7.13 Sisters at Heart

You would think that babysitting a young warlock and confronting a jewel thief would be enough excitement for one week. But since this is Samantha and Darrin we're talking about...well, there's also the possibility that Larry Tate has been turned into a teddy bear.    Historical Highlights: https://www.fastcompany.com/90220227/the-history-of-how-we-got-paid-vacation-in-the-us

This week Bewitched dives into questions of nostalgia, with Darrin...revisiting?...his childhood while working on a toy advertisement campaign and sweet Aunt Clara reuniting with her "one that got away"! We really enjoyed how much heart there was in these two episodes, but we also have a few notes on the writing - couldn't Samantha have turned herself into young Darrin so that all could be present at this important meeting? These episodes are all about looking back, but they make us all the more excited for what's to come this season.    History Highlights: https://www.museumofplay.org/blog/toys-and-u-s-history-in-playthings-magazine/ https://www.nps.gov/articles/playthings-of-the-past.htm    

This week's two episodes are all about the costumes and physical comedy, with Sam imagining characters from the Civil War era and Darrin ending up in jail after attending a work event with Aunt Clara. But some much deeper themes are explored here: Where do writers find their inspiration? How do we come to a more nuanced understanding of certain overlooked aspects of our history? And of course, the gaslighting of Gladys Kravitz continues...   History Highlights: https://americanindian.si.edu/why-we-serve/topics/civil-war/ https://www.civilwarmed.org/civil-warriors-native-american-soldiers-1861-1865/ https://www.nps.gov/articles/the-civil-war-in-american-memory.htm

Happy October! This week Darrin tries desperately to get the ingredients for a medicine that Samantha needs, and our favorite couple hosts the Tates for a Halloween party. Oh, and Endora turns Darrin into a werewolf? Let spooky season begin... History Highlights: https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-halloween

Please welcome a very special guest, podcast pioneer Kevin T. Porter, as he discusses with us this special episode of Bewitched, the first to feature Paul Lynde as Samantha's Uncle Arthur. Kevin is a comedian and renowned co-host of the Gilmore Guys podcast, included on Time's List of the 100 Greatest Podcasts of All Time, and he currently hosts the Good Christian Fun podcast. We had the best time discussing the life and influence of Paul Lynde; his role as a practical joker on Bewitched; and...Joker Faux a Deux? We are so grateful that you were able to join us for this conversation, Kevin!    Find information about all of Kevin's podcasts and links to his social media here: https://www.kevintporter.com/   Historical Highlights: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Beatles

Sam and Darrin have a lot on their plates this week, between trying to save their friend Adam from a centuries-old curse to watching the Tates' son while they’re away. We meet Sam's father; Dick York once again proves he is a MASTER of physical comedy - but is Gladys Kravitz once again the true star here?   Historical Highlights:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1969_Texas_vs._Arkansas_football_game https://blog.nixonfoundation.org/2022/04/beyond-the-first-pitch/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Nixon

We meet both Gladys Kravitz and Aunt Clara in our first two episodes of Season 2, and we could not be more excited. But Darrin being turned into a chimpanzee AND experiencing pregnancy symptoms? Hopefully it's only up from here!   Historical Highlights: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9745905/

Welcome to Season 3 of the Sitcom Studies Podcast! We are kicking off September by beginning one of Marlessa's absolute favorites, an absolute classic during Spooky Season (and year-round) - Bewitched! We focus this introduction on considering some of the show's hidden themes, and Marlessa explains why she chose a Dick York season for our deep dive. Thank you for being along with us for what's sure to be a magical ride! 

Please join us in welcoming a very special guest, expert on all things enneagram, Tyler Zach! Tyler is an author, enneagram coach, and founder of the EnneaSummit, a virtual event that brings together experts on the enneagram to share their insights and experiences. You have heard us mention the enneagram many times on this podcast, and we decided that before kicking off Season 3 we wanted to give this personality framework a little more attention. Fellow Friends fan Tyler discusses with us the iconic Friends bottle episode The One Where No One's Ready, and we analyze the types of some other classic sitcom characters as well. We had such fun with this conversation and are so grateful for your time, Tyler! Could we BE any more excited?    To learn more about all of Tyler's work and to keep updated about the Fall 2025 EnneaSummit, visit Tyler's website: https://www.tylerzach.com/ Follow Tyler on Instagram: @gospelforenneagram