How many Jeannie fans dislike Bewitched?

[likewow]

I grew up watching both shows but didn't really appreciate Jeannie until high school. Now I definitely prefer it! Mostly because I'm crazy about physical comedy!

But I also dislike the anti-human spin the writers put into Bewitched. The witches are very haughty. It seems rather mean spirited to continually make trouble for a person who can't fight back.

Jeannie has a great sense of fun that I can't resist!

[OH Nuts!]

IDOJ had its funny aspects, but I'm definitely a hard-core Bewitched fan. And since I really like Barbrara Eden, all of you have given me pause to think why I like Bewitched so much more. Jeannie was definitely more charismatic than Sam, but what IDOJ lacked, that Bewitched had, was an amazing supporting cast--Marion Lorne as the eternally edearing, yet equally bumbling Aunt Clara; Paul Lynde as Uncle Arthur, and the fine Agnes Moorehead as the haughty and proud Endora. And of course Alice Pierce and Sandra Gould as the two Gladys Kravitzes. IDOJ, had decent supporting actors to be sure, but they didn't sparkle like those in Bewitched. I also thought the photographic effects were better in Bewitched, even though I know there may be many who would disagree.

However, with this being said, I've always thought Barbara Eden was a very unappreciated and underutilized talent, and AN EXTREMELY BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. I also thought she was FABU in Harper Valley PTA, and made that show sizzle. It's just that Miss Eden can't carry the bulk of a show alone; and neither could Elizabeth Montomery for that matter, it's just that EM wasn't put in that position. Only an actress of Bette Davis's calibre could pull off a feat like that.

Also likewow raised an interesting and perceptive point abt Bewitched. I never thought of the underlying bigotry but YES it was there on both sides. Some of the witches could indeed be haughty but by the same token, Darrin was no saint either. I always thought Endora was amazingly tolerant of Darrin--compare her to Maurice.

Thank you all. I know we can be passionate about our favorite shows, and some devotees can take umbrage at criticisms on the shows they love; I am not of that ilk. What you have done is make me REALLY THINK ABOUT WHY I PREFER Betwiched, you've raised my consciousness and I thank you for it.

And even though I like IDOJ but LOVE Bewitched, I can appreciate why others have the reverse opinion.

[Lee G]

As I said before, I think Bewitched took itself much too seriously. I Dream Of Jeannie is pure fantasy fun. The problem with it is they started going crazy and nonsensical with the episodes starting with the third season. IDOJ rivals THE MONKEES for 1960's sitcom mayhem and nonsense, but they did have a lot of fun doing it. I prefer IDOJ because of the lovely Barbara Eden and I like the supporting cast of characters better as well. The 4th season is available now. Like season 3 it has it's share of crazy episodes, but I think season 4 is a little better overall than season 3.

[OH Nuts!]

Lee, IDOJ rivaling the Monkees is a interesting observation. Now that you mention it, I think so too. And of course, IDOJ is fun, and IMO, Barbara deserves the lion's share of the credit for that. I also think Bewitched tried to inject an undercurrent of seriousness, but I don't consider that a negative. However, we all have our own take on things and I can appreciate why others could.

[catlover79]

I think one of these days I'm going to check the first four seasons of IDOJ out of the library, so I can post a more well-rounded opinion. I haven't seen Jeannie NEARLY as much as I've seen Bewitched (and I OWN the first five seasons of that show on DVD). So, when I do watch the episodes, I'll let everyone know!!

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by catlover79

I think one of these days I'm going to check the first four seasons of IDOJ out of the library, so I can post a more well-rounded opinion. I haven't seen Jeannie NEARLY as much as I've seen Bewitched (and I OWN the first five seasons of that show on DVD). So, when I do watch the episodes, I'll let everyone know!!

Even though I was 11-12 when IDOJ came on originally, I remember IDOJ vividly as I lived in FLA at the time. And of course have seen it thru the yrs on syndication & borrowed it from the library. I bet you'll enjoy it. And as I have said earlier, while Bewitched is my clear preference, IDOJ is a fun show, definitely worth watching and quite entertaining.

[storrs19]

I believe The Monkees preceded IDOJ in 1966 and 1967 then for the fall of 1968 (I think) it moved to 7:30pm which was the slot occupied by The Monkees.

[OH Nuts!]

Originally Posted by Keith L.

I like both shows. Two entertaining beautiful blondes, whats not to like?

Absolutely. What a great way to put it!

[comedyfreak]

I liked both shows equally, both shows made mistakes. Bewitched replacing Dick York and IDOJ went down when Jeannie married Tony.

[80sTrivia]

I have to say I love both, but I think I always loved I Dream of Jeannie just a bit more than Bewitched, although they are both classics in my book, and both the late Elizabeth Montgomery and Barbara Eden were truly wonderful in their roles...

[Subspace]

I am an ardent IDOJ fan and never really got into Bewitched that much. I wouldn't say I dislike Bewitched per se, but I definitely do not find it nearly as enjoyable as I find Jeannie to be. I always feel that the sense of sexism was much more overt in most Bewitched episodes than in most IDOJ episodes, and for me that was a major turn-off regarding Bewitched.

[TV Knowledge Fan]

...what I dislike is what Al Hine {writing as "Dennis Brewster"} did to Jeannie in his 1966 original paperback novel based on the show [Pocket Books]. He originally wrote a novelization of "BEWITCHED" for Dell in 1965 under his own name, using seven first season scripts, but he literally depended on the scripts and his own imagination to tie them together...and it was somewhat enjoyable in print- but he took SOME liberties with the characters and situations {"Dobson" is Samantha's family name? "John Dobson" is her deceased father, burned at the stake at York in 1538??? HORRORS!!!}. With "JEANNIE", he practically rewrote everything that made it so memorable on TV, and practically turned it into a "BEWITCHED" clone, complete with Jeannie's mother and sister [the "baby sister" she mentioned from time to time in early episodes] eventually living right next door to Tony's house! Obiovusly, Hine {"Brewster"} never saw any of the TV episodes, and depended on network publicity releases to "frame" the story. Example: one of the early publicity stories mentioned that "Jeannie travels in her familiar smoke swirl"- and "Brewster" accepted that as fact. She NEVER "blinks out" and vanishes once in the entire story without becoming smoke...and she lives in her bottle {or "vase" and "jug", as he variously described it during the entire novel, never settling on what HE thinks it really was} AS smoke! Another example: "Dr. Bellows" is always referred to as "Colonel Bellows"; NEVER is he identified otherwise! Early in the book, Jeannie starts calling Tony by HIS name, more than "Master"- "Brewster" ultimately "liberates" her {he even has Jeannie's mother refer to Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique" as a book she's read} and makes her more of a "mortal" by the book's conclusion. And ulimately, it becomes less Tony and Jeannie's story as it becomes HERS....and the ending....that's why there was never a follow-up. I'm certainly glad most of YOU have never read that!!!

[James28]

If Samantha and Jeannie dislike each other, shouldn't they get into some sort of catfight?

[jehobden]

Originally Posted by Heidi Dawn

Sandra Gould and Paul Lynde both appeared on I Dream of Jeannie before making their appearances on Bewitched.

It is impossible for Paul Lynde to have appeared on IDoJ first, as he made a first season appearance on Bewitched as driving instructor "Harold Harold" before IDoJ was even on the air. He also made his first appearance as Uncle Arthur in the second season in the early fall ("The Joker Is a Card", original airdate 10/14/1965), and I do not recall seeing him on IDoJ until the second season, when he played an IRS agent.

[clj2]

I love Jeannie, and like Bewitched. It used to be vice versa, but after watching Jeannie and Bewitched over on DVD, my favorite is definately IDOJ. Bewitched is still a great show, though.