Overview of Bewitched’s Run
Bewitched aired on ABC from September 1964 to March 1972, spanning eight seasons and 348 episodes. The sitcom debuted as a mid-season replacement on September 17, 1964, and concluded its network run on March 25, 1972. After its broadcast network lifecycle, the series entered syndication, where it has remained in distribution for decades. These dates define the core period when new episodes were produced and officially scheduled for audiences.
What Years Did Bewitched Run on Television?
The series originated on ABC in the 1964–65 television season and remained on the network through the 1971–72 season, making its years 1964 to 1972 the primary answer for when new episodes aired. This section outlines the schedule across seasons and year boundaries, including premiere and finale dates.
Seasonal Schedule and Year Boundaries
Each season reflects the calendar years during which new episodes were broadcast, with fall premieres typically in September and finales in spring. The table below summarizes the network run with start and end dates per season, episode counts, and approximate years.
| Season | Season Start | Season End | Episodes | Years Represented |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 17, 1964 | April 15, 1965 | 30 | 1964–1965 |
| 2 | September 16, 1965 | April 20, 1966 | 34 | 1965–1966 |
| 3 | September 15, 1sy | April 20, 1967 | 32 | 1966–1967 |
| 4 | September 11, 1967 | April 24, 1968 | 32 | 1967–1968 |
| 5 | September 25, 1968 | April 24, 1969 | 32 | 1968–1969 |
| 6 | September 24, 1969 | April 29, 1970 | 32 | 1969–1970 |
| 7 | September 24, 1970 | April 1, 1971 | 24 | 1970–1971 |
| 8 | September 20, 1971 | March 25, 1972 | 24 | 1971–1972 |
Together, these seasons produce a total of 348 episodes over approximately eight broadcast years.
First and Last Episodes
The first episode, "Samantha’s Bad Day in Salem," premiered on September 17, 1964, establishing the premise of a witch navigating suburban life. The final episode of the original run, "A Moveable Beast," aired on March 25, 1972, concluding the narrative arc on network television. These markers anchor the core period when Bewitched was actively producing new content for audiences.
Transition to Syndication
After the 1972 network finale, Bewitched entered off-network syndication, where it continued to reach viewers through local stations and cable. This phase extended the series’ public lifespan far beyond the original eight years, but the period of first-run production is consistently identified as 1964 to 1972.
Key Dates Summary
- Premiere: September 17, 1964
- Series finale: March 25, 1972
- Total seasons on ABC: 8
- Total episodes: 348
- Network: American Broadcasting Company (ABC)
FAQ
Reader questions
Did Bewitched ever move to another network?
No; the show remained on ABC for its entire original run and did not switch networks.
Are there TV movies or continuations beyond 1972?
A sequel television film, "Bewitched: House Call," aired in 1976, but it is separate from the original series run.