looking back on it now, their whole relationship before they get married is a bit confusing, because frankly, it's anything but a "platonic" relationship. they seem to me to be an obvious couple. they date, they kiss, in the 4th season especially they are openly affectionate with each other and there weren't even any other girls for tony that whole year- him and jeannie are obviously together

which makes the whole "roommate" situation that much more dodgy, imo. yeah ok, so jeannie technically sleeps in a bottle, but other than that they're basically living as husband and wife. it's extremely easy to watch this show and notice that it's about an unmarried couple living together

i wonder if that's the reason the network demanded that they finally get married- it was just too obvious and unbelievable that their relationship was not really platonic, and the show wasn't even really pretending that it was anymore

It started as a plutonic relationship, but it was obvious as the season progressed, they fell in love with each other. I know it was the network's idea for them to get married. From what I understand Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden were opposed to the idea, because they felt the way things were made the show work. Maybe they were right because when they got married, it was the last season.

yeah, i guess they were right- but i honestly don't think there's any real difference in how funny the show is after they're engaged/married. there are still some really funny episodes and barbara and larry's chemistry is still there in spades

but if them not being married was essential to the show's success, it doesn't seem like it was necessary for them to get married anyway, because it's not like they weren't "together." she's even referred to as his girlfriend a few times in season 4 (i just rewatched it recently). i was surprised when i looked back on it to notice how clear it was that they really were an item, even before the marriage

.....before Tony accepted Jeannie as more than [as he referred to her, in 1965's "Too Many Tonys"] his "bosom friend" {yes, there's some double entendre in that, but that's what he said!}. By "Tony's Wife" (1967), he asks her why she's "pushing" Helen Wheeler to be his girlfriend, adding, "I thought that you and I had something (going)....".

What Tony originally objected to was Jeannie's insistance on "supervising" his private and military life [so that she could be closer to him], and his insistance on going out with girls of his choice, which she objected to {and usually ruined}. I suspect that, as time wore on, he got used to her being around, doing "little things" for him, and being a beautiful companion [and lover]....by season four, they became somewhat close to each other, and the matter of "other women" in his life vanished.

Creator/executive producer Sidney Sheldon didn't WANT Tony and Jeannie to be married in season five. He tried to explain to NBC president Mort Werner that their relationship was basically a "battle of the sexes", and that marriage would destroy that kind of relationship. Werner said, "Do you want to be on the air next season?". "Of course", Sheldon answered. "Then get them married, or you won't be", Werner insisted. "I'll get them married", Sheldon promised. Larry Hagman didn't like the idea, either...head writer James Henerson recalled several meetings between Werner and Sidney, producer/director Claudio Guzman, Larry, Barbara and himself- yet, "The network was adamant. 'You gotta get them married'."

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.....before Tony accepted Jeannie as more than [as he referred to her, in 1965's "Too Many Tonys"] his "bosom friend" {yes, there's some double entendre in that, but that's what he said!}. By "Tony's Wife" (1967), he asks her why she's "pushing" Helen Wheeler to be his girlfriend, adding, "I thought that you and I had something (going)....".

What Tony originally objected to was Jeannie's insistance on "supervising" his private and military life [so that she could be closer to him], and his insistance on going out with girls of his choice, which she objected to {and usually ruined}. I suspect that, as time wore on, he got used to her being around, doing "little things" for him, and being a beautiful companion [and lover]....by season four, they became somewhat close to each other, and the matter of "other women" in his life vanished.

Creator/executive producer Sidney Sheldon didn't WANT Tony and Jeannie to be married in season five. He tried to explain to NBC president Mort Werner that their relationship was basically a "battle of the sexes", and that marriage would destroy that kind of relationship. Werner said, "Do you want to be on the air next season?". "Of course", Sheldon answered. "Then get them married, or you won't be", Werner insisted. "I'll get them married", Sheldon promised. Larry Hagman didn't like the idea, either...head writer James Henerson recalled several meetings between Werner and Sidney, producer/director Claudio Guzman, Larry, Barbara and himself- yet, "The network was adamant. 'You gotta get them married'."

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and they canceled it anyway.

Were there any so called bedroom scenes? QWhen I saw this show as a child, I just look at as a show with a man and a magical female friend.

...the closest they ever came to "bedroom scenes" were the ones in the pilot episode, when Tony chases Jeannie out from behind the door {"Oh, no, you don't!!! Jeannie, stop that!!!! Out!!!! OUT!!!!!!!!!!!"}; the beginning of "Watch the Birdie", when she blinks into his bedroom as he's dressing; the one at the beginning of "Always On Sunday", when she smokes out of her bottle on his night table to face him; "There Goes the Best Genie I Ever Had", where she floats into his room, cross-legged, holding a breakfast tray....and a few more examples. But that's about as intimate as they ever got in there.

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after they were married there was an episode where jeannie is making the bed in the morning while he's getting dressed. and i think she's in some kind of pajama/robe outfit too- so that scene was obviously meant to indicate that they both slept in there now

When the show was on, I was between ages 5 and 9. I still define feminine beauty by Barbara Eden, she is the first woman I "noticed" in that way and looking back she made me know I was definitely heterosexual. That said I was too young to read anything into the relationship. They were master and Jeannie and she had to sleep in the bottle. I was age 9 when the show ended and even I knew then that them getting married was a total mistake.