Hippie hippie hooray

Bewitched was one of my favourite shows as a kid. Hippie Hippie Hooray (episode 128, first broadcast in season 4 on February 1, 1968) is probably my favourite episode of the supernatural sitcom.

Samantha's lookalike cousin Serena pays a visit, and she's part of the happening hippie scene. When she gets arrested at a riot, everyone think it was Samantha. Darrin's worried that Serena's antics and being mistaken for Samantha) might cost him a lucrative ad account with a very conservative client.

Serena's not going to be helpful - of course - so the usual misktaken-identity hijinks occur. Here's how one episode guide describes it:

Serena, coming to apologize, hears Darrin speak unkindly of her. Bent on revenge, Serena, in full hippie regalia, shakes up Darrin's office by pretending she is Samantha. To convince Larry, Darrin invites the Tates to see Serena and Samantha at the same time. Unable to summon Serena, Samantha zips back and forth from Serena's identity to her own. With the table set for five, Darrin admits defeat and is sorry he started with Serena. Appeased, she appears and Larry sees Serena and Samantha together.

What makes the show stand out for me, though, are Elizabeth Montgomery's performance (as Serena) of two songs with a psychedlic guitar: a rocking lullabye, Rockabye Baby (To A Rock 'N' Roll Beat) for Tabatha, and the cool Iffn for Darrin, Larry and Louise.

Here are the lyrics for Iffn:

Iffn iffn iffn iffn
Iffn you want to feel my embrace
Don't you ever wash your face
Iffn you really care for me
Don't you comb your hair for me
Iffn you want to leave me weak and weepy
You gotta look wild and weird and creepy
Iffn iffn iffn iffn
Yeah yeah yeah

The episode was written by Michael Morris and directed by William Asher. TV Guide in the US did a cover story about the show that week. Also, syndicated versions of the episode do not feature a laughtrack. But the audio file I have of Iffn clearly has a laughtrack present.

Season 4 of Bewitched isn't out on DVD yet. But since the first three are, let's hope no. 4 will be out soon so that you can rent or buy a copy of this funny episode.