Posted in fantasy, writing

Bewitched! The Reboot

Posted on by D. D. Syrdal

Ok, people, Variety reports Bewitched is getting a reboot! While I’m all kinds of excited about this, my enthusiasm for this dropped several notches when I read who the producers are.

Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher, the married couple behind the 2005 film version, are onboard to exec produce through their Red Wagon shingle. Marc Lawrence (“Did You Hear About the Morgans?”), who will write the script, is also an exec producer.

But let’s think good thoughts.

I think if they can get the right cast it could succeed. Will Ferrell may not have been the worst choice they could have made for Darren in the movie, but he wasn’t good. There, I said it. So, any suggestions for casting?

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Writer of vampire stories and science fiction. First novel, "Revenants Abroad", available now at Amazon. If you like a vampire you can go out drinking with and still respect yourself in the morning, I think you'd like Andrej.

23 thoughts on “Bewitched! The Reboot”

  2. Hi Maria,

    I think he might have been ok if this was 10 years ago, I think he’s a little old for the part now (at least if they stick with the basic premise of the young couple starting out in the world). I also don’t think stars of the big screen would want to get locked into a television series. I watch so little tv now I can’t even think of anyone off the top of my head. I’m trying to come up with a good suggestion for Endora. She’s my idol 😉

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  3. Oh, cool! This is funny, because I’ve actually thought that a reboot of Bewitched would be a lot of fun. And now…they are doing one! 🙂

    I love the original, but it never made sense that Darren would be asking…err… telling Samantha not to use her witchcraft to help him. No wonder Endora couldn’t stand him!

    For this to work they need a great cast and writers, plus add a modern sensibility to it. No way would a Samantha of the 21st century put up with a Darren telling her not to twitch her nose. 😉

    Maybe for Endora… Marg Helgenberger? She’s in her early 50s, she just quit CSI, and if you ever saw her on her earlier emmy-winning show China Beach, you’d know she’s one hell of an actress. Plus, her natural hair color is red. So she could easily dye it back from the blonde it is now.

    Or, Polly Walker. After seeing her in Rome, I think she’d also have fun in the part.

    No idea for Samantha or Darren.

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  4. Hi Tasha,

    You and me both! I know they tried a spin-off based on Tabitha many years ago (with a then-very young Lisa Hartman) but it tanked after one or two episodes I think.

    Darren was so controlling because that’s how men were in the early 60s (like in Mad Men). Women typically did not work outside the home. I remember my mom telling me about a neighbor trying to cope after the sudden death of her husband, the poor woman didn’t even know how to get gas in her car (and this was even before you had to pump your own, as we do now in many places). The husbands kept a shockingly tight grip on their spouses and families. I watched an old Doris Day/James Garner movie a couple months ago, “The Thrill of it All” and Garner’s character treated Doris Day (his wife in the flick) the same way. I was appalled. He had a childish temper tantrum because she wanted a job.

    We’ve definitely come a long way, baby. I would imagine they’ll have to find another reason for him to object to her magic, like just not having to explain it to his family/friends/co-workers.

    Heather Locklear might be a good Endora, she’s about to hit 50 and she’s still glamorous and could totally rock the part as a hip, cultured witch 🙂 I still can’t think of a good Samantha, but how about Betty White as Aunt Clara??? 😀

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  5. Egads, woman! What are you doing reading blogs whilst galavanting around Ireland???

    Re: Christina: Like Carrey, I think she might be a bit old for the role (turns 40 in a couple months). Apart from that, I’d agree. If they stick with the format of young newlyweds starting out, having babies and so on, I’m not sure. As far as Sharon Osbourne, Brilliant!!! She’s got the persona of a strong-minded, sophisticated, stylish woman 🙂 I’ve never actually seen her act, tho, is she any good? You know who else would be dynamite if she wasn’t already busy? @Kateylous (Katey Sagal). I could SO see her as the ever-so-slightly menacing m-i-l. 😈

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  6. Oh damn, Katy would be awesome as Endora! There’s a computer in the hotel so I’m trying to catch up a little before flying home tomorrow. Yesterday I saw a friendly dolphin swimming with guys in scuba suits in Doolin Harbour, down the road from our inn. Google “Donegal Dolphins” and you’ll see that there are a lot of them here off the western coast this summer.

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  7. I like Mary J’s idea of Christina. She’s cool and has good comedic timing. Regarding the age issue, she has a timeless sort of look to her. As long as they don’t actively mention how old they’re supposed to be, I think she’d work just fine.

    I’m still holding out for Marg or Polly for Endora…but I do like your suggestion of Katy.

    Really hope the reboot takes off. It’s funny, usually I dislike all the constant remakes Hollywood is doing of late. But this is a great example of a show that would be so perfect to update.

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  8. Ideally, (and I know I’m wishing for the moon here) I would like to see the reboot diverge from the original format. I’d like it to be less fluffy comedy, and edgier somehow. I’m not sure how to explain it, maybe something along the lines of Vampire Diaries? Or even Charmed, especially the first two or three seasons before it got so ridiculous. I hope they take a cue from the popularity of shows like VD, and TrueBlood, that the time for “Sabrina the Teenaged Witch” is over. If they give up the idea of a 1-1 translation to the 21st century, Christina might be fine. I’m just afraid with the crew they’ve got producing it, they’re going to try to duplicate it too closely and it’ll fall flat.

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  9. A smart, witty comedy would be great. Those are sadly rare. And you’re dead right about the fact that it shouldn’t try to copy the original.

    I didn’t see the Bewitched film but did hear less than kind things about it. Maybe the writers will have learned something? I shall be optimistic!

    ah…True Blood. Am currently rewatching season 3 while I wait to be able to watch season 4 over here.

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  10. I saw the movie. I can tell you it was god-awful, my distaste for Will Ferrell in general notwithstanding. Nicole Kidman was kinda cute in parts, but it was eminently forgettable. Ferrell was more cringe-inducing than ever as Darren, I don’t even remember who played Maurice (Samantha’s father). It was all about Samantha wanting to be human and have bad hair days (apparently witches’ hair is unaffected by damp humid weather). It was idiotic beyond description.

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  11. Nicole Kidman has been really good in some things (I’m thinking of “To Die For” and “Moulin Rouge,” especially) but she doesn’t have that kind of snappy comic timing that I like in a situation comedy. There’s a stage actress named Kate Baldwin who could be good – I saw her in this little of-off-Broadway sketch thing and she was much funnier than you’d expect from a girl who’s pretty in a plain-vanilla sorta way: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1477061/

    Who’s gonna to play swishy Uncle Arthur? In my dream cast it would be Harvey Fierstien but he almost never does TV – maybe Nathan Lane would do it?

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  12. Oh I like Nicole Kidman, I think she’s quite good. In this case, it was just the role that was bad. She could have been a really charming Samantha, but the part was written to make her look like a 2D ditz. She was really good as Gillian in “Practical Magic.” If they could do something of that calibre I’d be all over it. I’m hoping they DON’T try for a sitcom, it’s giving me nightmarish visions of “Good Times.”

    David Hyde Pierce would be a good Uncle Arthur. I can’t see Nathan Lane doing a tv series, though, can you? Isn’t he pretty busy with theater?

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  13. I know this will sound weird but I can imagine Drew Barrymore as a re-booted Cali-style Samantha. My rationale is that “Darren” will be some sort of striving Silicon Valley type now. Don’t throttle me, but I’d pair her with Adam Sandler again, too. But then again, there are boatloads of great (albeit nameless) TV actors out there now that deserve a shot to make it their own….

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  14. I’ll go for Drew – she can pull off that not-as-flaky-as-she-looks quality that’s right for Samantha, but Sandler gets on my last nerve. Hyde-Pierce would be a hoot as Uncle Arthur – can I have Fran Drscher as Gladys Kravitz?

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  15. I think your last suggestion is probably the best: Get a couple of unknowns and let them put their own stamp on it. I could see them relocating it to CA, it would simplify a lot of things for the producers.

    This gal had a bit part in an episode of Charmed (but has done lots more) and she was pretty cute. I think she’d make a good Samantha: Becki Newton

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  16. I don’t think we need worry about either Drew or Adam taking on a tv series. I’m with MJ on Adam, though, he makes me want to claw myself. I’d like to see someone a little frumpier than Fran as Gladys, unless they totally retool the characters of Abner and Gladys into kind of snooty yuppies.

    What about Larry and Louise? Dr. Bombay?

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  19. Ooo, I like Amy for Gladys! She’s still really cute, but I think she could pull off the kvetching neighbor. 🙂

    I hadn’t heard about Hoffman’s latest, thanks. “Practical Magic” was ok, but that’s one instance where I actually preferred the movie over the book. I always thought that would have made a really good tv show. I guess the whole ‘supernatural’ theme is still hot, there’s a teen drama coming on called “The Secret Circle” about teen witches, too. I think they’re trying to capitalize on the success of “The Vampire Diaries.” There was a void after “Charmed” went off the air, looks like the networks are making up for lost time.

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