Original blueprint for the soon-to-be-overused premise of Endora trying to drive a wedge between Sam and Darrin with jealousy, has Meddlin’ Mama soliciting the aid of a femme-fatale with measurements only a 1960’s businessman could love: 37-23-37! (translation: “voluptunousness” squeezed into a bullet bra and girdle).
Enter “Miss Jasmine”. Described before we even see her as “provocative, dazzling, ethereal” and “Wow!” – pretty awesome adjectives to live up to – our little Miss-Maidenform ain’t even close to being ONE of those. Robotically played by Lisa Seagram, she’s nothing more than a “sort of gorgeous” model, who’s probably best suited to “acting” on Playmate calendars and Nudie-Cutie playing cards.
But all blame for this clunky effort should not be burdened on to Miss Seagram’s broad shoulders alone: awkward pacing (especially whenever a special effect is about to take place); cliché music (the overused “sexy” saxophone theme); silly props (the giant plastic kissing fish?) and most especially, cheap-cheap special effects ranging from tacky (Samantha “freezing” the restaurant) to downright creepy (her disembodied head appearing ghost-like in a superimposed shot while twitching) all add up to an episode clumsily materialized but forgiven for its infancy.
Re-made in the last season with Dick Sargent and Julie Newmar (episode #240 "The Eight-Year-Itch Witch") this episode is one of the only times its remake was better than the original (which really doesn’t say much, providing that THAT episode is not much better) , proving that just because it was in the first season, it wasn’t necessarily a gem and
though it may have been the first… it may very well be the worst.
LOOK FOR: Liz looking pregnant in the final scene.
Curious prop: Endora holding a hot comb in the kitchen, even though we never see her use it. For those who don't know, a hot comb was used to heat over a stove and then take the curl out of your hair. Interesting choice.
© Review Copyright 2005 by SCOTT VIETS