Before I get into my review I wanted to say publicly congratulations to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on their nuptials. I got up early to watch and loved it. Admittedly the dress was plainer than I would have imagined, however she still looked amazing in my opinion. Congratulations once again.
When it came to fantasy funny 60’s TV two shows stand out. One of them might come up a little later on so I want to focus on the other TV show featuring a blonde bubbly iconic fantasy in a bottle. Of course I’m talking about the hit show I Dream of Jeannie. From 1965 until 1970 this show took a fantasy and made it into a slapstick comedy hit. It was so funny and cute way back then and today while a few others have passed it Jeannie still holds a special place in many hearts for her mischief, costume and so much more. Spoilers ahead as usual.
After a mission goes wrong handsome astronaut Tony Nelson (Larry Hagman) (who started as captain before becoming a major late in the first season) is stranded on an island in the South Pacific. While waiting for a rescue Tony comes across a bottle that seems to be rolling on its own. When he removes the stopper and rubs out pops a beautiful woman speaking Persian. After wishing she could speak English Tony meets Jeannie (Barbara Eden) who is a genie capable of granting wishes. He wishes for a helicopter to rescue him and being grateful sets her free, however Jeannie wants to have fun while being free; more specifically with Tony whom she has fallen madly in love with. She follows Tony back to Coco Beach, FL and he reluctantly accepts her although he does grow very fond of Jeannie despite her antics eventually falling for her as well. Other characters are important to this wacky show Tony’s best friend Roger Heely (Bill Daily) who did not know about Jeannie for most of the first season before discovering her powers. He is very girl crazy, often tries to make a quick buck and sometimes uses Jeannie to make it happen; he does learn his lesson rather quickly after and respected Tony and Jeannie’s relationship. Dr. Alfred Bellows (Hayden Rorke) a psychiatrist on the base who believes Tony is hiding something thanks to Jeannie’s antics trying to please her master, although they somehow manage to stay one step ahead of him from proving it. We also meet Dr. Bellows’ wife Amanda (Emmaline Henry) who often meddles in their personal lives. Barbara Eden also plays female relatives of Jeannie however none more famous than Jeannie II, her evil twin sister who often schemes to get Tony for herself but fails.
For five seasons Jeannie and Tony’s relationship grows and it is kinda hilarious watching it. Watching Jeannie “helping” Tony before fixing it or seeing Dr. Bellows scramble trying to prove Tony is crazy is pretty funny (some episodes are better than others I will admit). Now is it the funniest show I’ve ever watched, no; nor is it the cutest. However Jeannie is still very adorable; she is a joy to watch. The costume and bottle are some of the most iconic accessories in television history and I am pretty positive are at a museum somewhere but do not quote me on it. I think you can find the show on TV if you search for it, but I’m also sure it is on Hulu or Amazon. If you like cute fantasy and funny shows then I would recommend watching I Dream of Jeannie; I promise it will not let you down.
Films or Television Worth Watching 