Bewitched: "Trick Or Treat"

Premiered October 28, 1965.
"Mother, when I married Darrin, it was for better or for worse. Halloween is part of the worse."
-Samantha Stephens
On the morning of Halloween, Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) is visited by her mother Endora (Agnes Moorehead).

It's an annual tradition for witches like them to gather at the "sacred volcano" every Halloween.  Endora doesn't want her daughter to have to deal with trick or treaters' "barbaric" customs.

Samantha's husband Darrin (Dick York) is hosting a Halloween dinner for his boss Larry (David White) and an important advertising client and he needs Samantha's help that night.  Endora thinks Darrin is bigoted against witches.  Her argument is bolstered when they receive a  gift package from Darrin filled with brooms and witch hats.

We learn that the witch gear was sent by Larry as party favors (they're sold by one of their ad client's companies).  This angers Darrin, but he can't explain why without revealing that Samantha is a witch.  He tells Larry that witches hats don't fit into Samantha's "decorating scheme."

Endora blames Darrin for Samantha's unavailability and pays him a visit at the office.  She tells Darrin that she wants to take Samantha to the sacred volcano, but Darrin doesn't want his wife to participate in any "weird rites."  So Samantha will stay at home on Halloween night.

Later, when trick or treaters begin arriving at the Stephens' house...

...Endora turns into a little girl in a "gypsy" costume and joins them.

She puts a curse on Darrin...

...which causes him to grow facial hair at a rapid pace. Endora's curse on Darrin will turn him into a werewolf!  Endora is the only one who can remove the curse.  Darrin and Samantha freak out because their dinner guests are about to arrive.  Endora says she's not sure she knows how to reverse the spell.  To make matters worse for Darrin, there's a full moon in the sky!

Can the Stephenses get through an important business dinner without their guests realizing that Darrin is a werewolf?  Or will their Halloween (and Darrin's career) be ruined by Endora's witchcraft?

J.A. Morris says:
This is basically a typical episode of Bewitched (Samantha's witchery collides with Darren's job, Endora meddles in the Stephens' life, something magical happens that isn't easily fixed, someone comes close to discovering that Samantha is a witch, etc, a and hilarity ensues!).  However, in "Trick Or Treat," the witchcraft is dialed up a bit for the Halloween setting.

It's interesting to see how much gender politics have changed since 1965.  Darrin forbids Samantha from partaking in the ceremony at the volcano.  There's no discussion about it, he just says it's not happening.  This would likely (thankfully) not happen in a comedy series today.

Darrin's werewolf makeup looks pretty good, especially when you consider the limits of 1960s TV makeup budgets.  It's very reminiscent of Lon Chaney Jr.'s makeup from The Wolfman, which I'm sure was intentional.

When Endora turns into a little girl, she's played by Maureen McCormick.  Four years later, McCormick would become TV icon when she played Marsha on The Brady Bunch.

"Trick Or Treat" is no classic, but it's an enjoyable Halloween episode.  If you're a fan of Bewitched, you'll like it.  If you've never watched this series, I believe "Trick Or Treat" could serve as a good introduction to the world of Samantha, Darrin and Endora.

J.A. Morris' rating:

3 jack o'lanterns.