Taking a Chance on Love

 In the sultry, jazz-tinged Season Six episode of *Bewitched* titled “Taking a Chance on Love,” which aired on March 19, 1970, the series delivered a masterclass in romantic farce and magnetic star power, thanks in no small part to the electrifying guest appearance of Jack Cassidy as George Dinsdale—a smooth, debonair, and utterly smitten advertising client who falls headlong for Serena, the bewitching, raven-haired alter ego of Elizabeth Montgomery. From the moment George strides into McMann & Tate with his tailored suit, smoldering gaze, and voice like velvet over whiskey, it’s clear Darrin (Dick Sargent) is in trouble—not because the account is at risk, but because George’s charm is laser-focused on the mysterious, free-spirited woman who just so happens to be lounging in the Stephens’ living room, draped in a sequined caftan and radiating dangerous allure. Serena, ever the thrill-seeker and expert at unraveling mortal decorum, is instantly intrigued by George’s polished confidence and old-Hollywood charisma; she bats her lashes, delivers double entendres with a sly grin, and toys with his affections not out of malice, but sheer, playful mischief—though, as always with Serena, the line between game and genuine feeling blurs deliciously. What unfolds is a high-wire act of flirtation, deception, and escalating absurdity: George begins canceling meetings to “coincidentally” run into Serena at cafés, sends her roses with notes quoting Cole Porter, and even rewrites his own ad campaign to mirror the lyrics of “Taking a Chance on Love”—all while Darrin sweats bullets, convinced his biggest client is about to vanish into a whirlwind romance with a witch who doesn’t even technically exist. Elizabeth Montgomery, in one of her most dazzling dual-role performances, slips between Samantha’s composed concern and Serena’s intoxicating bravado with effortless finesse; as Serena, she’s all smoky eyes and impulsive laughter, a force of nature who thrives on chaos, yet beneath the bravado, Montgomery lets us glimpse fleeting moments of vulnerability—was Serena ever truly immune to mortal affection, or does George stir something even she didn’t expect? Jack Cassidy, a Broadway legend and master of sophisticated charm, matches her beat for beat, making George not just a caricature of infatuation but a genuinely compelling figure—charming enough that we almost root for him, even as he threatens Darrin’s professional and domestic stability. Dick Sargent, meanwhile, delivers a beautifully nuanced performance as the exasperated but devoted husband, torn between jealousy, panic, and the desperate hope that Samantha can somehow undo this enchantment before George proposes under a full moon. Of course, magic being what it is, things spiral gloriously out of control—George ends up serenading Serena from a floating gondola in the Stephens’ backyard (conjured, naturally, by her impulsive whim), and Darrin is left explaining to Larry Tate why their client believes he’s in 1930s Venice. In the end, Serena—perhaps touched, perhaps simply bored—gently releases George from her spell, letting him return to reality with only a faint memory of “the most fascinating woman I never really knew.” As he departs, wistful but wiser, Samantha and Darrin share a quiet laugh over cocktails, their bond reaffirmed. “Taking a Chance on Love” stands as one of *Bewitched*’s most stylish and emotionally layered episodes—a glittering cocktail of romance, comedy, and magical ambiguity, reminding us that while love may be blind, it’s never quite as complicated… or as thrilling… as a witch who winks before she vanishes