Easily one of the funniest "Bewitched" episodes ever, this showcase for Endora has her losing her powers after coming in contact with a Dodo while inadvertently transfering all her magical endowments to none other than that "swinger who likes to swing," Aunt Clara!
Agnes Moorehead deserved an Emmy for this episode. Playing a temporarily "mortalized" Endora and looking as if she really were ill (less made-up eyes narrowed down to slits and a hairdo that's REALLY going out to lunch) she plays all her sickbed scenes to the hilt! Whether attempting to levitate a newspaper (very funny!) or lift a coffee pot manually ("It's so heavy!"), this is a side to Endora we've never seen before and it's enough to make this episode a classic... but there's even more!
Marion Lorne explodes upon the scene as a now powerful Aunt Clara, who after all these years finally gets the chance to give Endora a little payback for all the trials (literally!....episode #95) and tribulations she's been put through. Everyone's performance here is perfect with loads of wonderful character nuances: Samantha's genuine concern that her mother could be seriously ill; Darrin's initial glee at Endora losing her powers only to find she's capable of terrorizing him MORE without them; Samantha's flagrant use of witchcraft in front of Darrin during this time (no one can slam a door better than Sam!); and my favorite, the entire "Derwood, help me!" patio scene which ends with a priceless moment: Endora's impishly smug look of gleeful satisfaction in knowing she's driven Darrin wacko.
Past episodes are harkened back to with references to black Peruvian roses (episode #42), Dr. Bombay's mention of Sam's loss of powers "a few weeks ago" (episode #113) and most interestingly, Sam's "old" twitch sound effect not heard regularly since early in the first season.
GUEST STARS: Janos Prohaska (Dodo Bird) actually owned the bird costume and reappeared in it again for "Sam's Witchcraft Blows a Fuse," #253. He used the same costume in a "Lost in Space" episode and appeared in several TV shows in the 60's, including "Star Trek" and "Gilligan's Island" as "Monster," "Gorilla," or "Ape, all costumes which he created and appeared in.
FAVE QUOTE: Samantha: "Darrin, don't you think mother should see a doctor?"
Darrin: "I've always thought that!"
DIANE WATCH: Endora's holds her in the opening scene while showing the Van Gogh.
GERALD WATCH: Seen as "Altoro," the waiter Clara conjures up with the celebration dinner (check out Vic's "New York" section for a photo of Gerry as Altoro!)
OOPS!: Doctor Bombay has a hard time putting a stethescope in his pocket before he finally succeeds on the third try.
©Review Copyright 1998 by SCOTT VIETS