Bewitched (1964) s08e18 Episode Script

Samantha on Thin Ice

Hi.
This is Elizabeth Montgomery, inviting you to stay tuned for Bewitched.
[SNAPS FINGERS.]
[.]
Needs more salt.
That's enough.
Does it need pepper too? Mother, you may be the salt of the earth, but I wish you wouldn't do that.
I can season my stew without your help.
Well, I was just trying to make things easier.
No point in working yourself into a stew.
Stew.
[LAUGHS.]
Oh, Samantha, you've lost your sense of humor.
DARRIN: Hi, honey, I'm home.
And I'm not surprised, living with that drudge.
Sam, what a wonderful surprise.
Your mother's here.
And I might have a surprise for you.
How would you like to be a carrot growing in a field of rabbits? Mother.
Hi, Mommy.
Hi, Daddy.
Oh, hi, Grandmama.
Guess what.
We give up.
I'm invited to a party.
Terrific.
Whose? Janice London's.
She lives down the street.
Her birthday is a week from Saturday and I'm invited to go ice skating with a bunch of other girls.
Now just calm down, Tabitha.
There's one thing you've forgotten.
What's that? You don't know how to ice skate.
Tabitha can't ice skate? Uh Honey, why don't you get cleaned up for dinner and Daddy and I will talk about it, okay? Okay.
Samantha, it's disgraceful that Tabitha can't ice skate.
Well I remember when you took your first lesson.
You were 3 years old.
It was a morning lesson.
And that same afternoon you qualified for the cosmic Ice Capades.
Blabbermouth.
And she learned by witchcraft.
How terribly clever of you to figure that out.
Well, Tabitha is going to learn to skate the mortal way.
I haven't skated since then, so I'm probably a little rusty, but if you would like me to, I will personally teach Tabitha.
I wouldn't like you to.
If anyone is gonna teach my child how to ice skate it'll be a mortal instructor on a mortal skating rink, the mortal way.
You're in a mortal rut.
ENDORA: Samantha.
The prospect of my granddaughter floundering on the ice with them has given me a splitting migraine.
And now that you've made a perfectly marvelous person sick, she's leaving.
Sam, when you take Tabitha for her lesson, I want a promise.
During the lesson, neither student will use witchcraft.
Well, of course not.
We want Tabitha to What do you mean, "neither student"? Can you learn to skate normally? From scratch, without witchcraft? Why would I wanna do that? Could you or couldn't you? Darrin, why is it you think that witches need witchcraft for everything? Not everything, just everything difficult.
Well! Can you learn to skate the mortal way? Are you challenging me? Yes.
I accept.
And if I can't, I will be more careful in the future about accepting challenges.
NARRATOR: [.]
[.]
[.]
Hold on, Mrs.
Stephens.
Now, don't be afraid to hold on.
I'm not, I'm not.
By the way, is there a Mr.
Stephens? Yeah.
Then I guess it would be foolish to ask for a date.
I guess so.
Hold your ankles straight.
I'm trying.
Mommy, I'm getting tired.
Yes, sweetheart, I know.
This is tough on both of us, but Come on over here.
Sit over there and rest.
Good idea.
Me too.
Whoa! Ah! Help! Put me down.
Hello, precious.
Hello, Grandmama.
Oh, what a dismal place.
The least your mother could do is take you to the Swiss Alps.
How is it going, sweetheart? Terrible.
I'll be the worst skater at Janice's party.
Oh, will that upset you? Yes, all the other kids will laugh at me.
Oh, indeed they will not.
Your grandmama on your good side will not permit it.
Will you put me down? If you don't mind my saying so, you're some looker.
Most housewives who come down here look like they should be on brooms instead of skates.
Well, that's cute.
Yeah, they're regular witches.
You know what I mean? [MAGICAL CHIME.]
Right on, granny.
[MAGICAL CHIME.]
Your mama's a showoff.
[CHUCLKES.]
Well, here I go again.
Well, careful now.
Be careful.
No flesh of my flesh Shall be flawed.
To the skating world.
A star is born Tabitha.
Tabitha.
It's a It's a miracle.
You're right.
But whose? Lady, you've been putting me on, right? Trying to make me think she's a beginner? No, not at all.
She's just, uh, a very fast learner.
That child is a virtuoso on ice.
She just picked it up as if by magic.
Now that she knows how to skate, I think I'll take her home.
[ALL APPLAUD.]
[.]
Let's see that again.
Tabitha, stop that.
Tabitha.
In spite of your grandmama, your mother orders you to stop.
Holy Hans Brinker.
Oh, hi, sweetheart.
Hi, honey.
Hi, Daddy.
Tabitha.
Adam give you any trouble? Not a bit.
He's upstairs playing in the nursery.
How'd the ice skating go? Fine.
Lots of fun.
We both kept our promises.
Good.
I'm proud of you.
Who did better? You or Tabitha? Well, um, we started out equally.
Equally bad, that is.
But at the end, Tabitha was terrific.
I think I'll go upstairs and play with Adam.
Sam, this was a big day.
We hoped Tabitha would learn an important lesson and she did.
In here.
Mm.
Ow! What's the matter? I learned my important lesson someplace else.
News bulletin.
Two children fast asleep.
Darrin? Uh, honey, I'm trying to read.
Is the book very interesting? Very.
Oh.
Well, would you mind putting it down, anyway? I'd like to talk to you.
What's up? Two consciences, Tabitha's and mine.
We talked it over and we agreed that honesty is the best policy, right? Right.
Well, here goes.
Uh, today at the skating rink [DOORBELL RINGS.]
Saved by the bell.
Mr.
and Mrs.
Stephens? Yes? I'm Billy Blades Bookoltzer.
Who? Don't you recognize my name? No, I'm afraid we don't.
Billy Blades Bookoltzer.
The dean of American figure skating.
Winner of 11 national and international championships, five Olympic medals, two introductions from the studio audience by Ed Sullivan.
May I come in? What for? Madam, with my credentials, I should think you at least owe me the chance to be heard.
About what? [.]
Please, be seated.
Thank you.
A few hours ago, I received a phone call from the young man who gave your daughter her first skating lesson.
To tell you she's a prospect for the Olympics? Correct.
It is? I hoped I was kidding.
BILLY: I get these tips from all over the country.
Usually from crackpots.
But since I happen to live nearby, I decided to check this one out.
Well, Mr.
Bookoltzer, you have just heard from another crackpot.
Tabitha's only skated one day in her life.
[CHUCKLES.]
I was informed that your daughter may be the greatest figure skater since me.
Gee, I wonder how she got that good that fast.
Uh, Mr.
Bookoltzer, Tabitha is just a beginner.
Mrs.
Stephens, the judgment of how good she is must be made by an expert.
I am that expert.
You bring your daughter to the same rink tomorrow morning at 10:00 before it opens to the public, and I shall grant a private audition.
If my information is right, we have an Olympic Games prospect.
But But But Mr.
Bookoltzer, we're not interested in our daughter skating in the Olympics.
If I see that she's championship material, I shall become her personal coach.
We can settle my fee later.
Your fee will be nothing.
Yes, you see, this year we're a little strapped, so I'm Payment may be deferred.
Blades Bookoltzer doesn't care about money.
He cares about the art of figure skating.
He cares about winning the Olympics.
He cares about honor and glory, not for himself nor any individual.
For the United States of America.
Uh, well, Mr.
Bookoltzer, thanks anyway, but we pass.
Pass? Pass, pass, you can't pass.
You can't shut the door on patriotism.
If your child possesses this natural talent, to suppress it would be treason.
Uh, Mr.
Bookoltzer, Tabitha's natural talent is not ice skating.
I shall determine that tomorrow.
You have her there tomorrow at 10:00 sharp or I shall never let up on you.
If she's not there, I will haunt this very threshold.
I will follow you wherever you may go, track you down no matter what the cost may be.
I shall never surrender.
Okay, Sam, what happened? You want the truth? Yes, the whole truth.
You make a guess, I'll bet you get it.
Your mother.
You got it.
[.]
[.]
Oh, hi, Mommy.
Are we the first ones up? No, no, that honor went to your brother at 6:00.
But I got him back to sleep at 7:30.
Why are we eating in the dining room? Well, I, um I thought we'd make a big deal out of breakfast.
Why? For diplomatic reasons.
And to put your father in a good mood.
Is he mad at us? No, sweetheart, he isn't mad at you.
He's a tiny bit mad at me.
And a large bit mad at Grandmama.
And when he sees this fancy breakfast, he'll be all smiles.
Good morning, sweetheart.
Good morning, Daddy.
Good morning.
Well, for Sunday breakfast, you have your choice of First, I want to check the sports section.
Pancakes, waffles Maybe Tabitha's in it.
French toast, Spanish omelet Ah.
Here it is.
"Seven-year-old beginner is poetry on ice.
" or eggs Benedict.
Oh, come on.
How could that get in the paper? Did it? Not yet.
Sam, the table is beautiful, and I know you went to a lot of trouble.
Oh, it was nothing.
And it's not going to do any good.
Daddy, can I still go to Janice London's party? No.
Uh, yes.
I don't know.
Tabitha, why don't you get your daddy's orange juice? Okay.
Sweetheart, you can't punish her for something that was beyond her control.
I agree with you, but who knows what else is beyond her control.
Mother's had her kicks.
The spell is off.
And I think we should keep our appointment with Blades.
Why? Because he won't give up until we convince him that Tabitha is not a candidate for the Olympics.
And that it's his patriotic duty to forget the whole thing.
Maybe he forgot it already.
Maybe last night we discouraged him.
[PHONE RINGING.]
Hello? Hello.
Billy Blades Bookoltzer here.
Oh, hello, Blades.
I'm calling to remind you of your daughter's audition.
He didn't forget.
What shall I tell him? Tell him that That Tell him we'll be there.
Blades, we'll see you at the rink.
I'll be there.
Tabitha's star is about to be eclipsed.
These are rented skates, and she doesn't have her own costume, but I think Blades will take that into account.
Okay.
Warm up a little, princess.
What happened? Oh, well, you remember yesterday.
She's a slow warmer-upper.
I see my spell needs a booster shot.
Now that's more like it.
I'll go get Blades.
Your mother, the Wicked Witch of the West, strikes again.
Mother, where are you? Mother! You come over here.
Samantha? You called? Endora, knock off that spell or I'll I haven't put a spell on Tabitha.
Not completely.
No, just on her feet.
[CHUCKLES.]
Endora, if you don't Darrin, this is an occasion that calls for unique handling.
Mother.
What, dear? We beg you, out of love, please, take that spell off Tabitha.
Mother.
What? Tabitha's life is about to be taken over by the dean of American figure skating.
He's talking about the Olympic Games.
If she wins the Olympics DARRIN: And with all that activity, she'll have very little time for her family.
Especially her dear grandmama.
Oh, well.
Oh.
Tabitha To spare you From that mortal fate.
By the blue cosmos That is above you.
You'll find you don't know How to skate.
It's done.
Because I love you.
Well, that's more like it.
Right, sweetheart? Right.
[.]
[.]
[.]
Blades is here.
The audition may commence.
Um, Billy Blades Bookoltzer, uh, this is my daughter, Tabitha, and this is my Please, no talking.
I wish to observe the child in silence.
Uh, Tabitha, go on and skate for Mr.
Bookoltzer.
Is this some kind of joke? It looks like she can't stand up under pressure.
It looks like she can't stand up on skates.
Two minutes ago she was brilliant.
Uh, maybe she's tired.
How can she be tired when all she's doing is sitting down? Madam, your child is a klutz.
What does he mean, "klutz"? Now that's someone who's hopelessly clumsy.
Oh! Blades, I tell you, that kid can really skate.
You've always been neurotic and it finally happened.
BILLY: You've wigged out.
Oh, Mother, that's mean.
Thank you, Mother.
Yes, Endora.
Thank you and goodbye.
[LAUGHS.]
[SAMANTHA LAUGHS.]
Well, I'm sorry, sweetheart, but you asked for it.
Whoa! Klutz.
[.]
[.]

Previous EpisodeNext Episode