| Series cast summary: | |||
| Barbara Eden | ... | Jeannie / ... 139 episodes, 1965-1970 | |
| Larry Hagman | ... | Major Anthony Nelson / ... 139 episodes, 1965-1970 | |
| Bill Daily | ... | Major Roger Healey / ... 131 episodes, 1965-1970 | |
| Hayden Rorke | ... | Dr. Alfred Bellows / ... 129 episodes, 1965-1970 | |
Captain Tony Nelson is an astronaut. While on a mission, he discovered a mysterious bottle. Opening it, he released Jeannie (a Genie) who was so overjoyed at her release she promised to serve Captain Nelson. Nelson is unsure what to make of Jeannie, especially given that his work is highly secret and his superiors tend to keep a close eye on him. Written by Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>
I would say that "I Dream of Jeannie," "Bewitched" and "The Flying Nun" constitute the trifecta of ultimate 1960's TV shows. That is, they were all fantasies and had very loony premises. In all three cases, a new kind of person enters the scene and upsets the status quo.
In Jeannie's case, when Maj. Nelson brings her home, she turns Cocoa Beach, Florida, upside down. The whole city goes from being a drab, old-order bastion, to a wacky, hippie-like enclave. In that sense, Jeannie's colorful outfit is a great contrast to Maj. Nelson's monochromatic uniform.
On a given episode, Maj. Nelson can expect Jeannie to do something like put an elephant in his house or repaint his office like an Arabian palace. Her antics always catch the attention of psychiatrist Dr. Bellows, who reports it to the general. But, as is always the case in silly comedy, she fixes it before Dr. Bellows can show the general, and Dr. Bellows ends up looking like an imbecile.
Maj. Nelson's hopeless romantic friend, Maj. Healey, hilariously has the worst luck of all. Every time he asks Jeannie for help, it always gets him in trouble.
One of the funniest aspects of this show is the fact that even people who do not know that Jeannie exists get affected by her magic. Dr. and Mrs. Bellows suffer the most, but even guest characters see their lives turned crazy when some misused magic messes something up.
So that's "IDOJ." This is one show that I never miss a chance to watch on TVLand. One thing that would have been really neat would have been if Jeannie and Samantha ("Bewitched") could have teamed up. Knowing what each woman did individually, just imagine what they could have done if they had combined their magic!
In conclusion, I will always dream of Jeannie.