WITCHCRAFT AND SORCERY IN SITCOMS

When TV stations started dotting the landscape in the late 1940's and early 1950's people marveled at the newfangled technology. Pastors preached that
this would bring about the decay in morality but also spirituality.

For the first decade and a half TV shows generally fell in to three groups, police
procedurals, Westerns, and comedies.  The comedies attempted to be apart of that poastwar conformity,middle class white families living in suburban splendor
with out a care in the world.  That, however changed considerably by the mid 1960's.  Counter culture was beginning to change how people felt and thought,
and the white bread conservatism of the 1950's bored audiences.  Around 1964 TV shows, especially with or geared to families, were taking pages from the
popular titles of science fiction and horror movies of the time.

What would two of those shows from the Silver Age Of TV look like today?  Let's take a creepy
walk down memory lane.

Bewitched- Airing from 1964-1972 this chronicled the Stevens family, Darren, Samantha, and later on Tabitha and Adam. They lived that suburban life
that was common at the time, but Samantha was a witch. Her daughter, Tabitha was half witch, and in later episodes caused mischief at school.

Initial reviews were mixed with some stations, especially in the Southern United States not wishing to air the show due to its witch craft.

How about in the world of 2020?

It might remain pretty much the same, however rather than the campy 1960's vibe it would take on a far more macabre tone.

 Samantha would undoubtedly work outside the home, and Darren might have to try protecting her from witch hunters.

I Dream Of Genie-  From 1965-1970 Major Tony Nelson, Larry Hagman was in charge of Barbara Eden simply known as Genie.  Scantily clad, and really
rather sensual this really had the sensors in a bind of how much to or not to cover on a weekly basis.  There was also a considerable amount of sexual
tension between Genie and Major Nelson, but little was done until Major Nelson made an honest woman out of her on the final episode.

"I Dream of Genie" would be considerably different.

For one thing, a truly middle Eastern actress or at least south Asian would be used, and maybe Major
Nelson might or might not act on his urges.  The Jury's out on if Major Nelson would be gay.  People no longer frown on that.

Gillie