Posted by Dr. Bombay on August 26, 2011, 12:35 am Resident Bewitched Historian
...tonight, ABC aired Episode #226, "Samantha’s Magic Mirror" which originally aired April 8, 1971.
Esmeralda fades in depressed because her old boyfriend, Ferdy, has reappeared and wants to renew their relationship. She is very nervous as it’s been over four hundred years since she dated him and, as her powers are kaput and she’s older, she asks Samantha to help her look younger and more pretty. While they are discussing Esmeralda’s plans, Larry shows up and so Samantha takes Esmeralda upstairs for a little witch-to-witch talk. As they are going up the stairs Esmeralda sneezes up a baby elephant which baffles Larry, who has come to hide out from a fight he’s been having with Louise.
Upstairs, Samantha covers up the bedroom mirror because she wants to surprise Esmeralda with her makeover, which she is going to give her the mortal way. When she’s finished, she asks Durwood to come and shower compliments on Esmeralda to give her a shot of confidence. Esmeralda comes out of the bedroom wearing a bathrobe, however, Durwood lets the compliments fly more than necessary. Esmeralda is flattered and goes back in the room to change into a dress and without her knowing, Samantha zaps the mirror to improve Esmeralda’s appearance. When she pulls the cover off the mirror Esmeralda is absolutely pleased with her makeover and can’t wait to show Ferdy, who she has asked to meet her at Samantha’s that afternoon. Durwood is nervous as Larry won’t leave but Samantha assures him if Esmeralda can renew her love with Ferdy, she may not show up as often, and so Durwood tries to convince Larry to leave. They find Esmeralda flirting with Larry, who suggests that he and Durwood go golfing, bowling, or anything so they can get out of the house!
Later on, after Ferdy has arrived, Durwood calls from the golf course to say they are coming back, but Samantha tells him to buy another bucket of balls to keep stalling. Ferdy is pleased to see Esmeralda again though he’s not so taken by her new dolled up looks and when she suggests that they have some drinks, he asks for a scotch on the rocks. She goes to make it but he thinks that’s strange and tells her to zap it and she does, however it’s an actual Scotch on a pile of rocks! Samantha, who had been spying from the kitchen, comes in laughing say what a marvelous sense of humor Esmeralda has. The Scotchman soon disappears and Samantha slyly zaps a scotch on the rocks in Esmeralda’s hand. Ferdy zaps up a cigar and lights it with his finger as Samantha asks Esmeralda to come help her with dinner. When they leave there is a knock at the window from a young man who happens to be Ferdy’s nephew. It turns out that Ferdy’s powers are kaput too and so he’s had his nephew there to do his zapping for him. Esmeralda comes back in and Ferdy tells her he should’ve brought flowers and asks for some roses which his nephew zaps up, complete with thorns! Just then the police see the young man lurking at the window and when one of them ask the young man what he’s doing, he disappears. Meanwhile, the phone has rang again with Durwood calling causing Samantha to lose her sight on Esmeralda who tries to zap up a smoked salmon for dinner but only succeeds in getting a salmon smoking a pipe. She gets nervous again and sneezes up a pair of seals and as she’s twisting Samantha’s pearl necklace around her hands it breaks. Knowing that her powers aren’t any good, Esmeralda asks Ferdy to zap it back together and when he asks the necklace to go back the way it was, it materializes as a string of oysters! Ferdy admits his power loss and Esmeralda is relieved. Meanwhile, Samantha is still on the phone with Durwood who tells her that he can’t stall anymore and she is interrupted by Ferdy and Esmeralda who have come in to announce their engagement. They ask her to try and correct the bad zaps and they find that the seals and salmon have disappeared, though the oyster necklace remains intact. Just then the doorbell rings and Samantha asks if they would possibly leave as she knows it’s Larry and just as they disappear Larry walks in with Durwood close behind. Samantha explains that Larry’s just been having a bad day because of his fight with Louise. He later finds that he hadn’t been able to reach her by phone all day to makeup with her because the phone lines have been down.
I'd only give this one star. I have to say that I thought it was weird how Esmeralda got back into the whole sneezing thing especially since she hasn't done that forever! And her forlorn sighs were really irritating. I do, however, like when she says that maybe she'll "turn myself into an inanimate object, like a plant, and then I can just sit in my pot and look pretty." For some reason, that line always strikes me as funny.
I did think it was weird that Ferdy is brought in and not Ramon Verona. And then, after having not seen each other in centuries, Esmeralda and Ferdy are engaged?! And I'm thinking 'Ferdy' is short for Ferdinand, but they should've had Esmeralda call him that when she was acting all prim and proper and have him remind her that he just likes to go by 'Ferdy.’
Esmeralda looked way silly with that hair and that dress, but I did think it was funny when she came down the stairs and flirted with Larry. And I thought Ferdy's nephew totally looked like David Cassidy! In fact, I always thought it was him when I was younger.
I really liked Liz’s purpley outfit. Too bad Agnes Moorehead wasn't around to enjoy it as lavender was her favorite color.
Ferdy was played by Tom Bosley who in a few years would become better known to audiences and the Fonz as Mr. C(unningham) on Happy Days.
Esmeralda’s reflection was played by Nancy Priddy in her second appearance on the show, the first being a stewardess earlier this season in “The Salem Saga.”
Three days earlier, Oliver McGowan, who played Mr. Harding in Season Two’s “Junior Executive” as well as Mr. Waterhouse in “The Girl with the Golden Nose,” passed away.
"I never did dig what Sammy dug about that dodo." ~ Serena
Re: 40 Years Ago...
Posted by zipzip on August 26, 2011, 10:59 am, in reply to "40 Years Ago..."
cool! 29 years ago today I was born!
zipzip
Re: 40 Years Ago...
Posted by MrMortimer on August 26, 2011, 4:55 pm, in reply to "Re: 40 Years Ago..."
Happy Birthday zip zip. I love the write up Doc. I agree that Esmeralda's only funny moment is when she sits on the sofa and muses over turning herself into a plant or something. It seems to crack up EM too.
Re: 40 Years Ago...
Posted by Beth on August 29, 2011, 7:24 am, in reply to "Re: 40 Years Ago..."
Thanks much Doc! I love all of your reviews and as i have many times before, I always agree with what you have written. I love your reviews! I hope that the book is coming along great! Happy belated birthday zip zip!
Re: 40 Years Ago...
Posted by Sammy74 on August 30, 2011, 11:05 am, in reply to "Re: 40 Years Ago..."
Happy Belated zipzip!!
I watched this on tv the other day & noticed for the 1st time that Ez. WAS prettier after Samantha got done with her!! There really wasn't a need to have the "spoofed up" version in the mirror. The whole episode is kind of an insult to Ms. Ghostly. I'm a stay at home mom, just like Samantha!
Re: 40 Years Ago...
Posted by maurine on August 30, 2011, 12:27 pm, in reply to "Re: 40 Years Ago..."
I agree, Sammy! And I agree with all your comments, Doc. Those sighs are so annoying that I might just sigh one of them myself as I think about it!
Belated Happy Birthday, zip-zip! You are such a bright spot on our board. I wish you a year full of successful spells and incantations!"Witches are good! Witches are dear!"