I, Darrin, Take This Witch, Samantha

 is the first episode of the first season of Bewitched. It is the series premiere. The episode was completed by December 6, 1963.

Plot
Darrin Stephens and Samantha bump into each other several times. Darrin insists they need to talk and they start dating. They fall in love with each other and decide to get married.

Darrin does not know that Samantha is a witch. On their wedding night, Samantha's mother, Endora, visits her daughter. Regretting that her daughter has married a mortal, she is bent on breaking up the marriage, but Samantha insists she loves him and is going to tell him she is a witch. Endora is not convinced, and believes she will be home by morning.

Samantha tells Darrin she is a witch, but he does not believe her. To convince Darrin of her magic powers, Samantha performs a series of tricks. Darrin is shocked and needs time to think. Darrin realizes he loves Samantha and cannot give her up. He does not think witchcraft is a "proper" way to live and wants Samantha to learn to live like a mortal. Samantha is willing and able to learn.

Sheila Sommers, Darrin's ex-fiancée, invites the newlyweds to a dinner party, saying it is "casual". Instead, it is a formal event. She embarrasses Samantha by making her think she can help her with her hair, dress and even suggests a plastic surgeon for her nose. At first, Samantha tries not to get too upset, but gets pushed over the edge watching Sheila hanging all over Darrin. She then uses her extraordinary powers to humiliate Sheila in front of everyone. After returning home, Darrin tells Samantha she was not entirely wrong, and Sheila had it coming.

Spells

 * Samantha - to make Endora disappear
 * ''One re or re ickery Ann,
 * Phillison follison Nicholas John!


 * (Result: Spell fails)


 * Samantha - trying again to make Endora disappear
 * ''One re or re ickery Ann,
 * ''Phillison follison Nicholas John.
 * ''Queevy quavy English navy,
 * ''Stiglum, staglum Buck!
 * B - U - C - K spells “Buck” and out goes you!


 * (Result: Spell fails)

Background

 * Samantha was named Cassandra in the original draft of the pilot.
 * In the original script, Endora was not named and was addressed as "Mother".
 * In the original script, Darrin's last name was Douglas.
 * Dick Sargent successfully auditioned as the original Darrin, but he was under contract at the time as a regular on "Broadside", the studio's spin-off of "McHale's Navy". This was before Elizabeth Montgomery and William Asher were attached to the project.
 * The role of Samantha was originally offered to Tammy Grimes, but this was also before Montgomery and Asher were attached to the project.

General

 * The title alludes to the traditional marriage vows.
 * This is the only time that Endora calls warlocks "male witches".
 * This is the only time that a window opens for Endora to come into the room.
 * After Samantha promises Darrin she will not use witchcraft and she leaves to make him an Old Fashioned, Darrin breaks the fourth wall and says to the camera, "So my wife's a witch. Every married man has to make some adjustment."

Production

 * Rehearsals for the pilot were supposed to begin November 22, 1963. However, the rehearsal was postponed because of the assassination of President Kennedy.
 * After Samantha causes Sheila to put her elbow in the soup, the musical underscore plays, "Nanny, nanny, boo, boo".

Casting

 * The actress playing Mrs. Rutherford (the woman speaking to Darrin at the dinner table) was uncredited.
 * The actress playing Darrin's secretary Helen was uncredited.
 * The actress playing the dinner maid was uncredited.

Bloopers and Continuity Errors

 * This is the first and only time that Darrin's office nameplate lists him as Vice President. After this episode and until season eight (when only his name is used on the nameplate), his nameplate lists him as Account Executive.
 * At the dinner party, after Samantha's sudden gust of wind sends Sheila's wig flying and Sheila flying up the stairs, Darrin returns to the table with his hair messed up. But after a quick cut away to Samantha, his hair is neat again, not a lock out of place.
 * During the scene when Samantha magically moves the ashtray back and forth, Elizabeth Montgomery briefly looks past the camera, then smiles and laughs, breaking character.

Cast

 * Elizabeth Montgomery as Samantha Stephens
 * Dick York as Darrin Stephens
 * Agnes Moorehead as Endora
 * Gene Blakely as Dave
 * Lindsay Workman as Doctor Koblin
 * Paul Barselow as Bartender Al
 * Nancy Kovack as Sheila Sommers
 * José Ferrer as the Narrator (uncredited)
 * John Graham as Man Speaking with Samantha at the Dinner Table (uncredited)
 * Bryan O'Byrne as Hotel Desk Clerk (uncredited)