Why I Prefer Samantha Compared To Jeannie

[Umbrella Girl]

Jeannie was very immature and selfish. Her childish jealousy and insecurity…via her powers…wound up constantly wreaking havoc in Tony’s life. She could be sweet and endearing, and she sometimes meant well, but I just did not care for Jeannie, overall. And I didn’t watch the show anywhere near as much as Bewitched…

At the opposite end of the spectrum was Samantha, who was mature and secure within herself and within her relationship with Darrin, despite constant conflict from her family. She only ever used her powers to help and to show kindness to Darrin and others…

Samantha was beautiful…both inside and out. She had a lovely soul…

[RetroGuy2000]

Yeah, I definitely would have preferred being around Samantha. Jeannie could be downright petulant. Sam was almost never that way; quite the opposite, usually: she was the one pointing out when her relatives were being petulant or spiteful.

[Umbrella Girl]

Originally Posted by RetroGuy2000

Yeah, I definitely would have preferred being around Samantha. Jeannie could be downright petulant. Sam was almost never that way; quite the opposite, usually: she was the one pointing out when her relatives were being petulant or spiteful.

“Petulant” is the perfect word to describe Jeannie!

[tcr1701]

Jeannie is season 1 was quite different. She caused trouble for Tony mainly because she didn't understand the modern world. But she had a more relaxed personality and was a bit sophisticated for a woman out of her time.

Barbara Eden said the studio hated Jeannie being like the above and wanted the character toned down and less capable - supposedly "test audiences didn't like a smart genie." So Sydney Sheldon ran with that and made her more childish from season 2 on. By season 5 Jeannie was much less intelligent than she started out as.

So IDOJ became a silly comedy with no reality to it. Bewitched was always more sophisticated and adult.

[Fallon97]

Originally Posted by Umbrella Girl

Jeannie was very immature and selfish. Her childish jealousy and insecurity…via her powers…wound up constantly wreaking havoc in Tony’s life.

To be fair, if there was no havoc, there would be no point of the show. However, the havoc is what makes the show fun. Besides, Jeannie does also help Tony out as well and apparently he likes it. And I don't mind that Jeannie isn't always perfect. I think that makes her relatable. Plus, she can be very sweet and I love her youthful energy. Also, Samantha sometimes caused havoc in Darrin's life as well and she allowed her family to wreak havoc in Darrin's life. She even tricked Darrin into marrying her. Samantha also used her magic a lot behind Darrin's back even though she promised she would not. So, apparently, Samantha could be "childish" and "jealous" as well.

Originally Posted by Umbrella Girl

She could be sweet and endearing, and she sometimes meant well, but I just did not care for Jeannie, overall. And I didn’t watch the show anywhere near as much as Bewitched…

Well, I agree with you about Jeannie being sweet and endearing, except the part about not caring for Jeannie, overall and watching Bewitched more. I'm a big Jeannie fan and I watched the show as much as I watched Bewitched.

Originally Posted by Umbrella Girl

At the opposite end of the spectrum was Samantha, who was mature and secure within herself and within her relationship with Darrin, despite constant conflict from her family. She only ever used her powers to help and to show kindness to Darrin and others…

Samantha was beautiful…both inside and out. She had a lovely soul…

Again, to be fair, Samantha was married to Darrin, so of course, she was more secure about that. Jeannie was not married to Tony. So, of course, she was insecure or not sure of herself with him. Plus, he would date other women. Darrin was married to Samantha and he did not date other women. However, there were times when Samantha was jealous and not secure within herself or her relationship with Darrin. And Samantha did not always use her powers for kindness. She used them for revenge as well. Samantha was beautiful.....both inside and out and had a lovely soul, but I feel that Jeannie was also beautiful......both inside and out and had a lovely soul.

[Fallon97]

Originally Posted by tcr1701

So IDOJ became a silly comedy with no reality to it. Bewitched was always more sophisticated and adult.

If that's the case, isn't Bewitched also a silly comedy with no reality to it? Bewitched was a show about a magical witch with magical powers, the show consisted of werewolves, elfs, hanzel and gretal, jack & the beanstalk, mermaids, ghost, sleeping beauty, mother goose, superman, santa claus, the loch ness monster, the tooth fairy, talking animals, floating pumpkin heads, adults turning into children, witches floating in the air, people turning into animals and other objects, UFOs with flying martians, and witches losing their powers with polka dot stripes on their faces. Samantha even had an antique bed warmer following/stalking her and Endora turned Darrin into a pig head. How is that more "sophisticated" and "adult?"

[TheLittleFaerie]

It makes sense, seeing as how Samantha has lived 100s of years in the world, Jeannie had been in the bottle isolated from society 2000 years... it makes sense she might be socially awkward, I noticed in the 2 follow up movies, Jeannie is much more mature

Ppl compare Jeannie's sister to Serena, but IMO Jeannie was more on the level of Serena, as far as erratic personality

[Fallon97]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

It makes sense, seeing as how Samantha has lived 100s of years in the world, Jeannie had been in the bottle isolated from society 2000 years... it makes sense she might be socially awkward, I noticed in the 2 follow up movies, Jeannie is much more mature

Yeah, Jeannie was fun, energetic and social, but she was a fish out of water type. And that was kinda the point of the show. It's funny that people claim that Jeannie is a "rip-off" of Samantha/Bewitched, but then they complain about how different they are and constantly point out the differences. I don't understand why some can't simply like Samantha without tearing down Jeannie.

[TheLittleFaerie]

Originally Posted by Fallon97

Yeah, Jeannie was fun, energetic and social, but she was a fish out of water type. And that was kinda the point of the show. It's funny that people claim that Jeannie is a "rip-off" of Samantha/Bewitched, but then they complain about how different they are and constantly point out the differences. I don't understand why some can't simply like Samantha without tearing down Jeannie.

I love both shows, there are similarities, but they are different enough to be enjoyable. I thought basically I Dream of Jeannie became Bewitched when Jeannie and Tony get married, but still I like those episodes.

Watching the shows as an adult, the really seem very different. Samantha was very involved with Darrin and his friends, and she had a very full social life, friends, get-togethers, etc... Where as Jeannie was hidden from everyone, aside from Tony, no one even knew she existed but Roger... her whole world was basically Tony's house.

I also thought Darrin and Samantha had a bigger social life than Tony and Jeannie.. Darrin was not only Larry Tate's employee but were good friends outside they office, Tony never had that type of friendship with Dr. Bellows... And I don't think Tony and Jeannie hung out with the Bellows like Darrin and Samantha hung out with the Tates. Jeannie and Tony stayed to themselves most of the time

[Fallon97]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I love both shows, there are similarities, but they are different enough to be enjoyable. I thought basically I Dream of Jeannie became Bewitched when Jeannie and Tony get married, but still I like those episodes.

Even when they married, I never thought they were similar. Unlike, on Bewitched, we actually saw the relationship, romance, and friendship grow. So, to me, it was much more exciting to finally see Jeannie as a wife and to see Jeannie and Tony finally married. We got to root for them. Plus, it was far more interesting seeing Jeannie, as a fish out of water, fitting in with Tony's friends/co-workers. Plus, in-laws was not the basis of Jeannie, even when married. Whereas with Bewitched, the in laws were a major source of the show's storyline with them not liking Samantha's husband. So, to me, this was a huge difference.

[Fallon97]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

Watching the shows as an adult, the really seem very different. Samantha was very involved with Darrin and his friends, and she had a very full social life, friends, get-togethers, etc... Where as Jeannie was hidden from everyone, aside from Tony, no one even knew she existed but Roger... her whole world was basically Tony's house.

No. Jeannie was not always hidden. She and Major Nelson and Major Healy often went out together and took trips together. Sometimes, Jeannie even met some of Tony's friends and co-workers. She even met Dr. Bellows, Amanda Bellows and the General before she and Tony were married. She sometimes also visit her family offscreen. Her whole word was not just Tony's house.

[Fallon97]

Originally Posted by TheLittleFaerie

I also thought Darrin and Samantha had a bigger social life than Tony and Jeannie.. Darrin was not only Larry Tate's employee but were good friends outside they office, Tony never had that type of friendship with Dr. Bellows... And I don't think Tony and Jeannie hung out with the Bellows like Darrin and Samantha hung out with the Tates. Jeannie and Tony stayed to themselves most of the time

Major Nelson socialized with two co-workers......Major Healy and Dr. Bellows. Tony was closer to Major Healy but he was also friends with Dr. Bellows. Most of the time Jeannie and Major Nelson hung out with Major Healy.

[dougiezerts]

Jeannie was headstrong, childish and very jealous. She would grant wishes for Tony just because she thought he'd be better off with them, even if he didn't want them granted. And whenever he was with another girl--forget it!
At least Tony didn't forbid her from practicing her craft!