Bewitched / Walter Metz.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Metz, Walter, 1967-

Series:

Contemporary approaches to film and television series. TV milestones.

TV milestones

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bewitched (Television program).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (161 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Detroit : Wayne State University Press, c2007.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

A study of the sitcom Bewitched that examines its entire run to discover the show's numerous interlocking themes, tensions, and innovations. The classic situation comedy Bewitched chronicled the everyday lives of Samantha, a witch, and Darrin Stephens, her mortal husband, dramatizing the often-humorous troubles caused by their "mixed marriage." For much of its eight-year run, Bewitched enjoyed strong popularity because of its broad appeal. A parade of magical characters, animals, special effects, and gimmickry used to portray witchcraft ensured that the series appealed strongly to children, while its domestic tensions, feminist undertones, and hints at gay and lesbian subculture grabbed the attention of adult viewers. Bewitched also participated in industrial innovations, like the shift from black-and-white to color television production, and found itself caught in the political shift from Lyndon Johnson's Great Society to Richard Nixon's staunch conservatism. With all of these factors in mind, Walter Metz considers the series an important touchstone in 1960s and 1970s culture. Previous academic criticism on Bewitched only considers a handful of episodes. This book considers the Bewitched series as a whole, demonstrating that the show can look very different depending upon which of its episodes are being examined. Metz draws several interlocking themes from the series, including the political identity conflicts that arise from the Stephenses' marriage, the significance of history raised by characters popping in and out of the past, the postwar surveillance culture represented by the fear of discovery of Samantha's secret, and the show's self-reflexive stance toward television itself. In addition, Metz situates Bewitched in television history, examining the ways that its production techniques, storylines, and characters both borrowed from the past and contributed their own innovations to the medium. A cult favorite that continues to air regularly more than forty years after it first premiered, Bewitched has claimed a prominent place in television history. Scholars of film and television studies, along with fans of the show, will appreciate Metz's careful look at the show's appeal and the serious issues raised by this beloved and deceptively simple sitcom.

Contents:

Cover

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Introduction: A Queer Children's Show

An Industrial History of Bewitched

Contextualizing Bewitched: Witches, Film, and Television

Previous Criticism of Bewitched

A Sample Run of Bewitched Episodes

Valuing 1960s Telefilm Aesthetics

Identity Politics and Bewitched

An Aristocracy of Witches: Class Politics in Bewitched

Love the House, Hate the Work: Bewitched and Feminism

The Politics of History in Bewitched

From Past to Present: George Washington Was a Hippie!

"Oh My Stars!": Bewitched and the Space Race

A Metatextual Masterpiece

Conclusion: Television in the Aura of Film

NOTES

WORKS CITED

INDEX

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

Z.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 141-145) and index.

ISBN:

9780814335802

0814335802

OCLC:

755624523