After a third-year slump, "I Dream of Jeannie" bounced back a bit by embracing the silliness and taking full advantage of the stars' comedic talents. Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden have great chemistry and comic timing as an easily flustered astronaut and the doting genie he found on an island one splashdown. Though the show only made it into the Nielsen Top-30 its first year, a kind of underground following of Eden navel-watchers emerged.
Censors wouldn't permit Eden's navel to be shown, and never have high-waisted pants caused such a stir, especially in an era of drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll. If "Bewitched" appealed to women because of Samantha's deus ex machina role in helping her husband solve his problems, "I Dream of Jeannie" was a hit with males because of Eden in that harem costume and the male-fantasy concept that drove the show. I mean, it's politically incorrect to admit it, but what guy wouldn't want a sexy genie to attend to his every wish and whim? It's sexist, of course, but if you can get past that, there's talent at work here. The material may be limiting--some routines are positively dumb--but Hagman, Eden, and their co-stars (Bill Dailey as swinging bachelor astronaut Roger Healey, and Hayden Rorke as the Air Force doctor who keeps trying to prove there's something up with Hagman) really make the most of it. In Season Three, it seemed as if every other episode was about jealousy. In Season Four, at least, the writers stretched a bit more.
Here's a rundown on the fourth season's 26 color episodes:
1) "U.F.Ohh! Jeannie"--It's Clampett time, as Tony and Roger are taken prisoner by a hillbilly family who think's they're Martians. Never mind that they're wearing American flags on their flight suits, the flying saucer-looking experimental craft is enough to dupe the dopes.
2) "Jeannie and the Wild Pipchicks"--In an era of hash brownies, why not a candy made by Jeannie's mother that turns people into superhumans, with the perfect '60s side effect: they lose all their inhibitions.
3) "Tomorrow is Not Another Day"--When Jeannie accidentally blinks tomorrow's newspaper for Tony instead of the one the paper boy lost, he sees that an astronaut has broken his leg, and breaks his neck trying to keep Roger from becoming a victim.
4) "Abdullah"--Jeannie's infant nephew comes to stay for a week of non-stop crying, which drives Tony nuts and puts the baby in the incapable hands of Roger.
5) "Have You Heard the One About the Used Car Salesman?"--After she has an accident and tries to get it fixed, Jeannie is cheated out of Tony's car and decides to expose the man as the crook he is.
6) "Djin, Djin, Go Home"--The infamous invisible dog episode, that has Hagman showing off his comic talents. Mrs. Bellows takes a shine to Jeannie's little dog, and after she "adopts" the orphan Tony has to get it back.
7) "The Strongest Man in the World"--When Tony knocks out a bunch of thugs defending Jeannie's honor (with a little help from his genie), a general who saw the whole thing tabs Tony to represent the Air Force in an Armed Forces boxing tournament.
8) "The Indispensable Jeannie"--Jeannie puts the house on auto-pilot when Tony sends here away because Dr. Bellows (Rorke) is going to be running extensive compatibility tests on the two astronauts. Auto-pilot as in "your wish is my command."
9) "Jeannie and the Top Secret Secret"--Jeannie thinks Tony is having an affair when he's engaged in top-secret meetings and finds himself next to an attractive woman on a plane.
10) "How to Marry an Astronaut"--Jeannie's dark-haired sister returns in this hokey, gimmicky episode involving a plan to help Jeannie hook up with her Master.
11) "Dr. Bellows Goes Sane"--Dr. Bellows develops Gladys Kravitz syndrome, where he discovers that if he says anything to anyone about the evidence he's documented about the strange goings on at Tony's house, he's the one people think is crazy.
12) "Jeannie the Guru"--A general's teenage daughter catches Jeannie blinking herself here and there and blackmails her into turning Tony's house into a "crash pad" for a bunch of flower children like herself.
13-14) "The Case of My Vanishing Master, Pts. 1-2"--More marriage farce as Tony is off on another secret mission, leaving a NASA double in his place . . . that Jeannie thinks is her Master.
15) "Ride 'Em Astronaut"--Jeannie becomes queen of a local supermarket and the Cocoa Beach Rodeo (yeah, right) after she's the millionth customer. The rodeo winner gets a date with the queen, and so Tony signs up (despite a fear of big animals) to save Jeannie from the brute who's favored to win her favors.
16) "Invisible House for Sale"--A misunderstanding about selling the house gets more complicated when a potential buyer is a NASA specialist.
17) "Jeannie, the Governor's Wife"--Jeannie pushes Tony into running for governor, and campaigns to beat the band in an episode that has Bellows skulking about again.
18) "Is There a Doctor in the House?"--Tony keeps falling asleep in mid-sentence, and Jeannie seeks help from her mother, who (shades of "Bewitched") might be behind the whole thing.
19) "Biggest Star in Hollywood"--This unique episode features the whole cast of "Laugh-In," as Jeannie is invited to appear on the show and Roger poses as her manager.
20) "The Case of the Porcelain Puppy"--Jeannie accidentally turns Tony's hat and briefcase into porcelain, and the cover story has Tony scrambling to turn out more amateur crockery.
21) "Jeannie for the Defense"--This one comes straight out of "The Andy Griffith Show" playbook. Tony, off on a fishing trip, gets caught in a speed trap and is victimized by another carload of people claiming personal injury.
22) "Nobody Loves a Fat Astronaut"--Sis is back again, this time meddling in Tony's moon mission.
23) "Around the Moon in 80 Blinks"--Jeannie tries to attend to her Master's cold while he's orbiting the moon.
24) "Jeannie-Go-Round"--Jeannie II traps her sister in a bottle and tries to steal Tony.
25) "Jeannie and the Secret Weapon"--Jeannie turns a top-secret project into a scale model, but the "toy" ends up in the hands of toy manufacturers, and Tony is in deep doo-doo.
26) "Blackmail Order Bride"--A sneaky reporter plants cameras and tape recorders all over Tony's house in an attempt to get evidence of the astronaut's guarded personal life.
The episodes are housed on four single-sided discs in two slim, clear-plastic keep-cases with an attractive (groovy flowers and pink and blue) slip-case--the perfect package for a show from this period.
Censors wouldn't permit Eden's navel to be shown, and never have high-waisted pants caused such a stir, especially in an era of drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll. If "Bewitched" appealed to women because of Samantha's deus ex machina role in helping her husband solve his problems, "I Dream of Jeannie" was a hit with males because of Eden in that harem costume and the male-fantasy concept that drove the show. I mean, it's politically incorrect to admit it, but what guy wouldn't want a sexy genie to attend to his every wish and whim? It's sexist, of course, but if you can get past that, there's talent at work here. The material may be limiting--some routines are positively dumb--but Hagman, Eden, and their co-stars (Bill Dailey as swinging bachelor astronaut Roger Healey, and Hayden Rorke as the Air Force doctor who keeps trying to prove there's something up with Hagman) really make the most of it. In Season Three, it seemed as if every other episode was about jealousy. In Season Four, at least, the writers stretched a bit more.
Here's a rundown on the fourth season's 26 color episodes:
1) "U.F.Ohh! Jeannie"--It's Clampett time, as Tony and Roger are taken prisoner by a hillbilly family who think's they're Martians. Never mind that they're wearing American flags on their flight suits, the flying saucer-looking experimental craft is enough to dupe the dopes.
2) "Jeannie and the Wild Pipchicks"--In an era of hash brownies, why not a candy made by Jeannie's mother that turns people into superhumans, with the perfect '60s side effect: they lose all their inhibitions.
3) "Tomorrow is Not Another Day"--When Jeannie accidentally blinks tomorrow's newspaper for Tony instead of the one the paper boy lost, he sees that an astronaut has broken his leg, and breaks his neck trying to keep Roger from becoming a victim.
4) "Abdullah"--Jeannie's infant nephew comes to stay for a week of non-stop crying, which drives Tony nuts and puts the baby in the incapable hands of Roger.
5) "Have You Heard the One About the Used Car Salesman?"--After she has an accident and tries to get it fixed, Jeannie is cheated out of Tony's car and decides to expose the man as the crook he is.
6) "Djin, Djin, Go Home"--The infamous invisible dog episode, that has Hagman showing off his comic talents. Mrs. Bellows takes a shine to Jeannie's little dog, and after she "adopts" the orphan Tony has to get it back.
7) "The Strongest Man in the World"--When Tony knocks out a bunch of thugs defending Jeannie's honor (with a little help from his genie), a general who saw the whole thing tabs Tony to represent the Air Force in an Armed Forces boxing tournament.
8) "The Indispensable Jeannie"--Jeannie puts the house on auto-pilot when Tony sends here away because Dr. Bellows (Rorke) is going to be running extensive compatibility tests on the two astronauts. Auto-pilot as in "your wish is my command."
9) "Jeannie and the Top Secret Secret"--Jeannie thinks Tony is having an affair when he's engaged in top-secret meetings and finds himself next to an attractive woman on a plane.
10) "How to Marry an Astronaut"--Jeannie's dark-haired sister returns in this hokey, gimmicky episode involving a plan to help Jeannie hook up with her Master.
11) "Dr. Bellows Goes Sane"--Dr. Bellows develops Gladys Kravitz syndrome, where he discovers that if he says anything to anyone about the evidence he's documented about the strange goings on at Tony's house, he's the one people think is crazy.
12) "Jeannie the Guru"--A general's teenage daughter catches Jeannie blinking herself here and there and blackmails her into turning Tony's house into a "crash pad" for a bunch of flower children like herself.
13-14) "The Case of My Vanishing Master, Pts. 1-2"--More marriage farce as Tony is off on another secret mission, leaving a NASA double in his place . . . that Jeannie thinks is her Master.
15) "Ride 'Em Astronaut"--Jeannie becomes queen of a local supermarket and the Cocoa Beach Rodeo (yeah, right) after she's the millionth customer. The rodeo winner gets a date with the queen, and so Tony signs up (despite a fear of big animals) to save Jeannie from the brute who's favored to win her favors.
16) "Invisible House for Sale"--A misunderstanding about selling the house gets more complicated when a potential buyer is a NASA specialist.
17) "Jeannie, the Governor's Wife"--Jeannie pushes Tony into running for governor, and campaigns to beat the band in an episode that has Bellows skulking about again.
18) "Is There a Doctor in the House?"--Tony keeps falling asleep in mid-sentence, and Jeannie seeks help from her mother, who (shades of "Bewitched") might be behind the whole thing.
19) "Biggest Star in Hollywood"--This unique episode features the whole cast of "Laugh-In," as Jeannie is invited to appear on the show and Roger poses as her manager.
20) "The Case of the Porcelain Puppy"--Jeannie accidentally turns Tony's hat and briefcase into porcelain, and the cover story has Tony scrambling to turn out more amateur crockery.
21) "Jeannie for the Defense"--This one comes straight out of "The Andy Griffith Show" playbook. Tony, off on a fishing trip, gets caught in a speed trap and is victimized by another carload of people claiming personal injury.
22) "Nobody Loves a Fat Astronaut"--Sis is back again, this time meddling in Tony's moon mission.
23) "Around the Moon in 80 Blinks"--Jeannie tries to attend to her Master's cold while he's orbiting the moon.
24) "Jeannie-Go-Round"--Jeannie II traps her sister in a bottle and tries to steal Tony.
25) "Jeannie and the Secret Weapon"--Jeannie turns a top-secret project into a scale model, but the "toy" ends up in the hands of toy manufacturers, and Tony is in deep doo-doo.
26) "Blackmail Order Bride"--A sneaky reporter plants cameras and tape recorders all over Tony's house in an attempt to get evidence of the astronaut's guarded personal life.
The episodes are housed on four single-sided discs in two slim, clear-plastic keep-cases with an attractive (groovy flowers and pink and blue) slip-case--the perfect package for a show from this period.
After a third-year slump, "I Dream of Jeannie" bounced back a bit by embracing the silliness and taking full advantage of the stars' comedic talents. Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden have great chemistry and comic timing as an easily flustered astronaut and the doting genie he found on an island one splashdown. Though the show only made it into the Nielsen Top-30 its first year, a kind of underground following of Eden navel-watchers emerged.
Censors wouldn't permit Eden's navel to be shown, and never have high-waisted pants caused such a stir, especially in an era of drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll. If "Bewitched" appealed to women because of Samantha's deus ex machina role in helping her husband solve his problems, "I Dream of Jeannie" was a hit with males because of Eden in that harem costume and the male-fantasy concept that drove the show. I mean, it's politically incorrect to admit it, but what guy wouldn't want a sexy genie to attend to his every wish and whim? It's sexist, of course, but if you can get past that, there's talent at work here. The material may be limiting--some routines are positively dumb--but Hagman, Eden, and their co-stars (Bill Dailey as swinging bachelor astronaut Roger Healey, and Hayden Rorke as the Air Force doctor who keeps trying to prove there's something up with Hagman) really make the most of it. In Season Three, it seemed as if every other episode was about jealousy. In Season Four, at least, the writers stretched a bit more.
Here's a rundown on the fourth season's 26 color episodes:
1) "U.F.Ohh! Jeannie"--It's Clampett time, as Tony and Roger are taken prisoner by a hillbilly family who think's they're Martians. Never mind that they're wearing American flags on their flight suits, the flying saucer-looking experimental craft is enough to dupe the dopes.
2) "Jeannie and the Wild Pipchicks"--In an era of hash brownies, why not a candy made by Jeannie's mother that turns people into superhumans, with the perfect '60s side effect: they lose all their inhibitions.
3) "Tomorrow is Not Another Day"--When Jeannie accidentally blinks tomorrow's newspaper for Tony instead of the one the paper boy lost, he sees that an astronaut has broken his leg, and breaks his neck trying to keep Roger from becoming a victim.
4) "Abdullah"--Jeannie's infant nephew comes to stay for a week of non-stop crying, which drives Tony nuts and puts the baby in the incapable hands of Roger.
5) "Have You Heard the One About the Used Car Salesman?"--After she has an accident and tries to get it fixed, Jeannie is cheated out of Tony's car and decides to expose the man as the crook he is.
6) "Djin, Djin, Go Home"--The infamous invisible dog episode, that has Hagman showing off his comic talents. Mrs. Bellows takes a shine to Jeannie's little dog, and after she "adopts" the orphan Tony has to get it back.
7) "The Strongest Man in the World"--When Tony knocks out a bunch of thugs defending Jeannie's honor (with a little help from his genie), a general who saw the whole thing tabs Tony to represent the Air Force in an Armed Forces boxing tournament.
8) "The Indispensable Jeannie"--Jeannie puts the house on auto-pilot when Tony sends here away because Dr. Bellows (Rorke) is going to be running extensive compatibility tests on the two astronauts. Auto-pilot as in "your wish is my command."
9) "Jeannie and the Top Secret Secret"--Jeannie thinks Tony is having an affair when he's engaged in top-secret meetings and finds himself next to an attractive woman on a plane.
10) "How to Marry an Astronaut"--Jeannie's dark-haired sister returns in this hokey, gimmicky episode involving a plan to help Jeannie hook up with her Master.
11) "Dr. Bellows Goes Sane"--Dr. Bellows develops Gladys Kravitz syndrome, where he discovers that if he says anything to anyone about the evidence he's documented about the strange goings on at Tony's house, he's the one people think is crazy.
12) "Jeannie the Guru"--A general's teenage daughter catches Jeannie blinking herself here and there and blackmails her into turning Tony's house into a "crash pad" for a bunch of flower children like herself.
13-14) "The Case of My Vanishing Master, Pts. 1-2"--More marriage farce as Tony is off on another secret mission, leaving a NASA double in his place . . . that Jeannie thinks is her Master.
15) "Ride 'Em Astronaut"--Jeannie becomes queen of a local supermarket and the Cocoa Beach Rodeo (yeah, right) after she's the millionth customer. The rodeo winner gets a date with the queen, and so Tony signs up (despite a fear of big animals) to save Jeannie from the brute who's favored to win her favors.
16) "Invisible House for Sale"--A misunderstanding about selling the house gets more complicated when a potential buyer is a NASA specialist.
17) "Jeannie, the Governor's Wife"--Jeannie pushes Tony into running for governor, and campaigns to beat the band in an episode that has Bellows skulking about again.
18) "Is There a Doctor in the House?"--Tony keeps falling asleep in mid-sentence, and Jeannie seeks help from her mother, who (shades of "Bewitched") might be behind the whole thing.
19) "Biggest Star in Hollywood"--This unique episode features the whole cast of "Laugh-In," as Jeannie is invited to appear on the show and Roger poses as her manager.
20) "The Case of the Porcelain Puppy"--Jeannie accidentally turns Tony's hat and briefcase into porcelain, and the cover story has Tony scrambling to turn out more amateur crockery.
21) "Jeannie for the Defense"--This one comes straight out of "The Andy Griffith Show" playbook. Tony, off on a fishing trip, gets caught in a speed trap and is victimized by another carload of people claiming personal injury.
22) "Nobody Loves a Fat Astronaut"--Sis is back again, this time meddling in Tony's moon mission.
23) "Around the Moon in 80 Blinks"--Jeannie tries to attend to her Master's cold while he's orbiting the moon.
24) "Jeannie-Go-Round"--Jeannie II traps her sister in a bottle and tries to steal Tony.
25) "Jeannie and the Secret Weapon"--Jeannie turns a top-secret project into a scale model, but the "toy" ends up in the hands of toy manufacturers, and Tony is in deep doo-doo.
26) "Blackmail Order Bride"--A sneaky reporter plants cameras and tape recorders all over Tony's house in an attempt to get evidence of the astronaut's guarded personal life.
The episodes are housed on four single-sided discs in two slim, clear-plastic keep-cases with an attractive (groovy flowers and pink and blue) slip-case--the perfect package for a show from this period.
Censors wouldn't permit Eden's navel to be shown, and never have high-waisted pants caused such a stir, especially in an era of drugs, sex, and rock 'n' roll. If "Bewitched" appealed to women because of Samantha's deus ex machina role in helping her husband solve his problems, "I Dream of Jeannie" was a hit with males because of Eden in that harem costume and the male-fantasy concept that drove the show. I mean, it's politically incorrect to admit it, but what guy wouldn't want a sexy genie to attend to his every wish and whim? It's sexist, of course, but if you can get past that, there's talent at work here. The material may be limiting--some routines are positively dumb--but Hagman, Eden, and their co-stars (Bill Dailey as swinging bachelor astronaut Roger Healey, and Hayden Rorke as the Air Force doctor who keeps trying to prove there's something up with Hagman) really make the most of it. In Season Three, it seemed as if every other episode was about jealousy. In Season Four, at least, the writers stretched a bit more.
Here's a rundown on the fourth season's 26 color episodes:
1) "U.F.Ohh! Jeannie"--It's Clampett time, as Tony and Roger are taken prisoner by a hillbilly family who think's they're Martians. Never mind that they're wearing American flags on their flight suits, the flying saucer-looking experimental craft is enough to dupe the dopes.
2) "Jeannie and the Wild Pipchicks"--In an era of hash brownies, why not a candy made by Jeannie's mother that turns people into superhumans, with the perfect '60s side effect: they lose all their inhibitions.
3) "Tomorrow is Not Another Day"--When Jeannie accidentally blinks tomorrow's newspaper for Tony instead of the one the paper boy lost, he sees that an astronaut has broken his leg, and breaks his neck trying to keep Roger from becoming a victim.
4) "Abdullah"--Jeannie's infant nephew comes to stay for a week of non-stop crying, which drives Tony nuts and puts the baby in the incapable hands of Roger.
5) "Have You Heard the One About the Used Car Salesman?"--After she has an accident and tries to get it fixed, Jeannie is cheated out of Tony's car and decides to expose the man as the crook he is.
6) "Djin, Djin, Go Home"--The infamous invisible dog episode, that has Hagman showing off his comic talents. Mrs. Bellows takes a shine to Jeannie's little dog, and after she "adopts" the orphan Tony has to get it back.
7) "The Strongest Man in the World"--When Tony knocks out a bunch of thugs defending Jeannie's honor (with a little help from his genie), a general who saw the whole thing tabs Tony to represent the Air Force in an Armed Forces boxing tournament.
8) "The Indispensable Jeannie"--Jeannie puts the house on auto-pilot when Tony sends here away because Dr. Bellows (Rorke) is going to be running extensive compatibility tests on the two astronauts. Auto-pilot as in "your wish is my command."
9) "Jeannie and the Top Secret Secret"--Jeannie thinks Tony is having an affair when he's engaged in top-secret meetings and finds himself next to an attractive woman on a plane.
10) "How to Marry an Astronaut"--Jeannie's dark-haired sister returns in this hokey, gimmicky episode involving a plan to help Jeannie hook up with her Master.
11) "Dr. Bellows Goes Sane"--Dr. Bellows develops Gladys Kravitz syndrome, where he discovers that if he says anything to anyone about the evidence he's documented about the strange goings on at Tony's house, he's the one people think is crazy.
12) "Jeannie the Guru"--A general's teenage daughter catches Jeannie blinking herself here and there and blackmails her into turning Tony's house into a "crash pad" for a bunch of flower children like herself.
13-14) "The Case of My Vanishing Master, Pts. 1-2"--More marriage farce as Tony is off on another secret mission, leaving a NASA double in his place . . . that Jeannie thinks is her Master.
15) "Ride 'Em Astronaut"--Jeannie becomes queen of a local supermarket and the Cocoa Beach Rodeo (yeah, right) after she's the millionth customer. The rodeo winner gets a date with the queen, and so Tony signs up (despite a fear of big animals) to save Jeannie from the brute who's favored to win her favors.
16) "Invisible House for Sale"--A misunderstanding about selling the house gets more complicated when a potential buyer is a NASA specialist.
17) "Jeannie, the Governor's Wife"--Jeannie pushes Tony into running for governor, and campaigns to beat the band in an episode that has Bellows skulking about again.
18) "Is There a Doctor in the House?"--Tony keeps falling asleep in mid-sentence, and Jeannie seeks help from her mother, who (shades of "Bewitched") might be behind the whole thing.
19) "Biggest Star in Hollywood"--This unique episode features the whole cast of "Laugh-In," as Jeannie is invited to appear on the show and Roger poses as her manager.
20) "The Case of the Porcelain Puppy"--Jeannie accidentally turns Tony's hat and briefcase into porcelain, and the cover story has Tony scrambling to turn out more amateur crockery.
21) "Jeannie for the Defense"--This one comes straight out of "The Andy Griffith Show" playbook. Tony, off on a fishing trip, gets caught in a speed trap and is victimized by another carload of people claiming personal injury.
22) "Nobody Loves a Fat Astronaut"--Sis is back again, this time meddling in Tony's moon mission.
23) "Around the Moon in 80 Blinks"--Jeannie tries to attend to her Master's cold while he's orbiting the moon.
24) "Jeannie-Go-Round"--Jeannie II traps her sister in a bottle and tries to steal Tony.
25) "Jeannie and the Secret Weapon"--Jeannie turns a top-secret project into a scale model, but the "toy" ends up in the hands of toy manufacturers, and Tony is in deep doo-doo.
26) "Blackmail Order Bride"--A sneaky reporter plants cameras and tape recorders all over Tony's house in an attempt to get evidence of the astronaut's guarded personal life.
The episodes are housed on four single-sided discs in two slim, clear-plastic keep-cases with an attractive (groovy flowers and pink and blue) slip-case--the perfect package for a show from this period.
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