'I Dream Of Jeannie' Was No Fairy Tale For Women Viewers...Agree? Disagree? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Brian Damage · 12-27-2010, 05:35 PM

I spent summer evenings watching reruns of the half hour sitcom about a NASA astronaut and the two thousand year old genie whose bottle he found, from the 1960s, as a child, and Barbara Eden's pink harem costume is still a reference point when my friends and I see bolero jackets for sale (especially those with braid and/or in a hot pink color!). When I watched the show as a child I was amused by Jeannie's antics, dazzled by Major Anthony Nelson's classic good looks - and my only question was why - with all of the magic available to her - Jeannie so infrequently changed her outfit or hairstyle.

Watching I Dream of Jeannie as an adult though, gave me a very different perspective. Rather than finding Jeannie's contant pining for Anthony's approval and love sweetly romantic, I found myself gnashing my teeth as she bobbed her head and repeated "Yes, Master," over and over. I saw Jeannie's jealousy of other women override her better judgment, forcing Anthony to treat her as a child rather than an adult. Even in the later episodes when Anthony finally marries Jeannie (the ultimate happy ending, right?), she still refers to him as "Master," and defers to him on even the smallest decisions. Throughout the show, she is shown to be petty (once putting Anthony's career as an astronaut in danger over a pair of shoes) and vindictive, and despite her purported magical powers, too flighty to survive without the solid Anthony. No, I Dream of Jeannie's fantasy is not a happy one for women. Even her belly baring, low cut, harem costume is the fantasy of men, not women - as is the bottle that Anthony could send her to when she couldn't figure out that her presence was problematic.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...le.html?cat=41

TV Knowledge Fan · 12-28-2010, 02:35 AM

"She was saying 'Yes, Master', but she was doing her own thing."
-Barbara Eden

Sidney Sheldon was probably the only writer who really understood what Jeannie and "Master"'s relationship was all about: an ongoing battle of the sexes- with one having more power than the other that could tip the scales in her favor.

But Jeannie wasn't the "slave" she appeared to be- she was too impetuous and jealous to ever be "subservient". However, she wanted to fulfill her ancient obligation and heritage as a genie, and do what she thought was best for "Master" (even if it literally almost killed him)...because she loved him.

ROGER: Why do you let Jeannie do these things to you?
TONY: (somewhat ironic) Jeannie does them to me because she loves me.
-"My Master, the Rich Tycoon"

And Tony Nelson, who loved her, just didn't know how to handle a female genie who insisted on "pleasing" and staying with him ["Thou hast set me free! That means that I am free to please thee- and I am going to please thee very much..."- "The Lady in the Bottle"] That's why he often treated her as a "spoiled child" at times {"All right, young lady...", he'd often scold} whenever she wanted to do something her way. Unlike "us", Tony is probably the ONE person in the entire world who doesn't WANT someone like Jeannie granting his every wish, and constantly insists on her staying out of his personal and professional life. But, because he does care about her, he'll put up with her. And to him, Jeannie's harem outfit is no more enticing than, say, her wearing a common housedress, a pair of jeans- or a robe and slippers.

biffbronson · 12-28-2010, 04:29 PM

"I found myself gnashing my teeth..."

Why are you trying to put 21st century sensibilites and political correctness into this show, or the viewing of it? See also my response on the Bewitched board. I find it disturbing when people try to read way too much into a good, innocent show. Just my opinions -- but don't feel frustrated when viewing something produced decades ago.

Edit: I now see that you were quoting an outspoken feminist named Shayna Leah. Please use quotation marks in the future -- I was having trouble linking to the article and didn't know that you quoted from it directly. Sorry for the confusion -- my apologies. Personally I think the author is a revisionist screwball.

biffbronson · 12-29-2010, 08:57 AM

Once again and for the Bewitched board, I apologize to Brian Damage. I'll be sure that I can link to the article before commenting in the future.

TV Knowledge Fan · 01-02-2011, 12:30 AM

....it always amuses me whenever a dedicated feminist sees "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" for the first time, and comes away with a completely distorted view of what she's seen. Susan J. Douglas was the same way, in her 1994 book "Where the Girls Are". In one chapter, she went into detail about one "JEANNIE" episode (first season), "The Americanization Of Jeannie" [my guess is, that's the ONLY episode she bothered to see]....we must have seen different episodes, from what she wrote. And she had the gall to suggest that Jeannie's bottle was a "phallic symbol", and that's why it was picked for use on the series. What a "doity" mind!

12-27-2010, 05:35 PM	#1
Brian Damage I'm Rich Bitch Forum Icon Join Date: Feb 03, 2002 Location: What Ain't No Country I Ever Heard Of...They Speak English in What? Posts: 63,107	'I Dream Of Jeannie' Was No Fairy Tale For Women Viewers...Agree? Disagree? I spent summer evenings watching reruns of the half hour sitcom about a NASA astronaut and the two thousand year old genie whose bottle he found, from the 1960s, as a child, and Barbara Eden's pink harem costume is still a reference point when my friends and I see bolero jackets for sale (especially those with braid and/or in a hot pink color!). When I watched the show as a child I was amused by Jeannie's antics, dazzled by Major Anthony Nelson's classic good looks - and my only question was why - with all of the magic available to her - Jeannie so infrequently changed her outfit or hairstyle. Watching I Dream of Jeannie as an adult though, gave me a very different perspective. Rather than finding Jeannie's contant pining for Anthony's approval and love sweetly romantic, I found myself gnashing my teeth as she bobbed her head and repeated "Yes, Master," over and over. I saw Jeannie's jealousy of other women override her better judgment, forcing Anthony to treat her as a child rather than an adult. Even in the later episodes when Anthony finally marries Jeannie (the ultimate happy ending, right?), she still refers to him as "Master," and defers to him on even the smallest decisions. Throughout the show, she is shown to be petty (once putting Anthony's career as an astronaut in danger over a pair of shoes) and vindictive, and despite her purported magical powers, too flighty to survive without the solid Anthony. No, I Dream of Jeannie's fantasy is not a happy one for women. Even her belly baring, low cut, harem costume is the fantasy of men, not women - as is the bottle that Anthony could send her to when she couldn't figure out that her presence was problematic. http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...le.html?cat=41
	__________________ The Key to the Kingdom of Heaven: John 3:3 *Money Doesn't Buy Happiness...But I'd Rather Cry in My Private Jet*

12-28-2010, 04:29 PM	#3
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,502	"I found myself gnashing my teeth..." Why are you trying to put 21st century sensibilites and political correctness into this show, or the viewing of it? See also my response on the Bewitched board. I find it disturbing when people try to read way too much into a good, innocent show. Just my opinions -- but don't feel frustrated when viewing something produced decades ago. Edit: I now see that you were quoting an outspoken feminist named Shayna Leah. Please use quotation marks in the future -- I was having trouble linking to the article and didn't know that you quoted from it directly. Sorry for the confusion -- my apologies. Personally I think the author is a revisionist screwball.
	__________________ In memory of lovely Erin Moran 1960-2017 ~ Missing you "For you are beautiful ~ And I have loved you dearly ~ More dearly than the spoken word can tell..." "What's the word?" (Paul Martin) ~~ "I don't want money for nothing." (Timmy Martin) -- Lassie ROCKS! WORD UP "It's just a dugout that my dad built... In case the reds* decide to push the button down..."* Last edited by biffbronson; 12-29-2010 at 09:03 AM.

01-02-2011, 12:30 AM	#5
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	OH, Shayna Leah.... ....it always amuses me whenever a dedicated feminist sees "I DREAM OF JEANNIE" for the first time, and comes away with a completely distorted view of what she's seen. Susan J. Douglas was the same way, in her 1994 book "Where the Girls Are". In one chapter, she went into detail about one "JEANNIE" episode (first season), "The Americanization Of Jeannie" [my guess is, that's the ONLY episode she bothered to see]....we must have seen different episodes, from what she wrote. And she had the gall to suggest that Jeannie's bottle was a "phallic symbol", and that's why it was picked for use on the series. What a "doity" mind!

12-28-2010, 02:35 AM	#2
TV Knowledge Fan Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 29, 2006 Location: Long Branch, N.J. Posts: 2,577	*"She was saying* 'Yes, Master', but she was doing her own thing."** -Barbara Eden Sidney Sheldon was probably the only writer who really understood what Jeannie and "Master"'s relationship was all about: an ongoing battle of the sexes- with one having more power than the other that could tip the scales in her favor. But Jeannie wasn't the "slave" she appeared to be- she was too impetuous and jealous to ever be "subservient". However, she wanted to fulfill her ancient obligation and heritage as a genie, and do what she thought was best for "Master" (even if it literally almost killed him)...because she loved him. ROGER: Why do you let Jeannie do these things to you? TONY: (somewhat ironic) Jeannie does them to me because she loves me. -"My Master, the Rich Tycoon" And Tony Nelson, who loved her, just didn't know how to handle a female genie who insisted on "pleasing" and staying with him ["Thou hast set me free! That means that I am free to please thee- and I am going to please thee very much..."- "The Lady in the Bottle"] That's why he often treated her as a "spoiled child" at times {"All right, young lady...", he'd often scold} whenever she wanted to do something her way. Unlike "us", Tony is probably the ONE person in the entire world who doesn't WANT someone like Jeannie granting his every wish, and constantly insists on her staying out of his personal and professional life. But, because he does care about her, he'll put up with her. And to him, Jeannie's harem outfit is no more enticing than, say, her wearing a common housedress, a pair of jeans- or a robe and slippers.

12-29-2010, 08:57 AM	#4
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,502	Once again and for the Bewitched board, I apologize to Brian Damage. I'll be sure that I can link to the article before commenting in the future.