Question: I love Bewitched, ...

Question: I love Bewitched, but I thought Samantha's cousin Serena was played by the same person. One day I just happened to see the credits and saw it was played by someone name Pandora (didn't catch the last name). I was shocked. Whatever happened to that person? Can you tell me more about her? She looks so much like the Samantha in the show.

Televisionary: Oh, come now. Do you really want me to ruin the magic of television and reveal all the "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" details?

Of course you do.

In this case, you were right the first time. A mischievous rebel, cousin Serena was indeed played by star Elizabeth Montgomery, though she was credited as Pandora Spocks in a development along the lines of Barbara Eden playing Jeannie's evil dopplegänger in I Dream of Jeannie.

(Wait a minute: Two shows about beautiful, magical women who must hide her abilities from the mortals? Why, it's almost enough to suggest that TV is formulaic! Nah.)

Actually, the TV landscape, though offering only three networks at the time, was roomy enough for both shows. Bewitched was certainly a success in its own right, earning several Emmys during its 1964-72 run on ABC. In fact, it was the most successful show produced by the network up until that time. It was the highest-rated show of all the new entries in its first season and turned in consistently strong numbers in its first five years on the air.

Not only that, but it earned a pretty penny for star Montgomery and hubby William Asher, who directed the series. The two got a cut of the show's profits and also laid claim to a percentage of the merchandising, which included a doll, jewelry and even a Bewitched ice cream.

Obviously, the formula hasn't gone stale, what with the witchy Charmed and Sabrina still in production.