We did this before but at that time I couldn't remember which one it was. Thanks to my Season 2 DVDs, I figured out which was the first episode I ever saw.
It was fall 1968, I was 5 years old. CTV stations in Canada starting airing reruns that fall and CFTO in Toronto aired it weeknights at 6 PM.
The first episode I ever saw was "Maid to Order". I distinctly remember the scene in the living room where Darrin gets Samantha a glass of milk as being the first I saw of the show. I saw this episode a few times on TVLand but I never thought to write down which one it actually was!
I was hooked and wanted to watch it every night. After a few months, CKCO, the CTV station in Kitchener (which we could receive) started airing it at 6:30 - so I had a full hour of the show every night! That thrilled my parents because I always wanted to watch the show when we were eating supper! CKCO even aired it on Saturday night as well.
One thing I remember about the CTV reruns is that many of the episodes retained the original openings (minus the sponsors). For example, although many season 2 episodes CFTO ran had the altered season 1 music, there were a few that retained the season 2 starting because I remember seeing that variation when I was young. Same with seasons 3 and 4. Almost every season 5 episode had the correct music on those reruns.
I discovered the ABC daytime reruns later on and was surprised that all the episodes started with the season 1 music. Even then I preferred the more upbeat opening music!
CTV stations would drop the show by 1972 and it was syndicated in Canada. CHCH Hamilton (about 40 miles from Toronto) starting airing the show then, right from the black and white episodes. Again, many of the openings were correct.
In 1976 WUTV Buffalo picked it up, and almost every Dick York episode they ran had the season 1 music It was around that time I noticed that many of the openings were being altered.
I don't remember a lot about the primetime run because I was too young to stay up that late! But I remember watching a few episodes here and there, especially when we got into the '70s and I was a bit older.
I really don't remember the first episode I saw, but I do remember my personal jump the shark moment.
I was watching the "Super Arthur" episode, and as Uncle Arthur was flying around I remember saying "They'll just say it's an advertising campaign." and I went outside to play.
It was at this point I started noticing just how repetitive it was getting. I would still watch the reruns every day, but if it wasn't the must see that it had been.
I think the show should have been cancelled after season 5. You are right zapper, after a period of time, scripts do get repetitive especially when the producers get to the point where they are recycling scripts.
Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it went 8 seasons. I think I even like the George Washington remake better than the Ben Franklin 2 parter, but that might just be because it was neat to see Grandpa Walton on Bewitched. However most of the remakes were not as good as the originals.
I think greed and laziness hurt the show more than anything else.
Back when the board was more active, I remember threads where people posted what they would have liked to have seen. There were also ideas for a final episode. A lot of those ideas were pretty darn good. As a matter of fact, I seem to recall there were enough good episode ideas from the posters, that season 8 could have been remake free. If a bunch of amateurs on a message board can have so many ideas, a group of writing pros should have even more. I don't think the well had run dry. I think if they had put more effort in to coming up with new stories instead of just remaking the same scripts, the final seasons would have been much better.
That being said, I am still thankful for all eight seasons.