Highly enjoyable and different change of pace plot with a dash of mystery, adventure, suspense and fun, this episode is like watching "Bewitched," "The Twilight Zone," and "Dragnet" all rolled into one!
With careful attention paid to story-telling here, you have to really listen to pick up all the intricacies woven into this mystery spell and you soon find yourself nervously anticipating just how in the world Sam, Darrin and Aunt Clara are going to save poor Adam from his "bewitched" fate. William Redfield as Adam is sincerely charming and befuddled as the three crazies around him get him to kiss a spotted dog ("Now we can all have breakfast!"), toss him into a pool and finally convince him to ride through the streets of the "market" on a horse yelling "Witches are Good, Witches are Dear!"
Marion Lorne's appearance is, as usual, a delight and it's always great fun to see her included in Sam and Darrin's adventures, especially here where the three of them together are almost like a witch's version of the "Three Musketeers," joining forces to undo the deed that once was done! Besides, no matter how many times we see Aunt Clara bang into a wall, it's still hysterical as if we're seeing it for the very first time! Dick York is also wonderful here, going along with the flow and at many times seeming as much a witch as Clara and Sam in his desire to help Adam. The zest he puts into wanting to be a part of it all shows that York's Darrin (though claiming to want a normal life) really gets off on all this witchy stuff and he's wonderfully boy-like in his morbid curiosity to see the "Spell-ee" book that's written in "RED and white." Liz, looking very pregnant and very beautiful here, is so full of energy you'd never know that she was ready to go into labor any day now.
But perhaps my favorite moment is the end, after all the mystery and adventure has been played out, Darrin takes the time to say in a heart-felt and touching way, "some of my best friends are witches." It's so beautiful in its simplicity and nicely segues into a final scene where we see Sam reading, Clara polishing door knobs and Darrin snuggling close to Sam that you just want to freeze that moment, sigh and go, "That's family!" Ahhhhhh.....!!!!!
GUEST STARS: William Redfield goes on to appear in several classic movies, including "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," Barbra Streisand's "For Pete's Sake" and "Death Wish".
Richard X. Slattery (Detective) makes his first of NINE appearances here, usually playing cops.
© Review Copyright 1997 by SCOTT VIETS