I Dream of Jeannie: Season 1

A few years ago I started watching IDOJ for the first time since I was a kid on cable TV reruns. As an adult, I was able to perceive many things that simply went over my head as a child. This was actually quite an edgy show by mid 1960's standards. Oh how I wished this show would be released on DVD, and lo and behold it my wish was granted!(And, I bought the B&W version because I prize historical accuracy. I want to see exactly what was shown on TV back then, without the lousy TV's we had back then.)You've got a blond bombshell, who is eager to please in every way a man could imagine, living out of wedlock with an astronaut, who represented the most heroic all-american roll models we had back in the 1960's. And somehow, for years, this show provided good clean TV fun for millions of viewers.Part of why it worked I suppose is that Jeannie really wanted to marry Tony, and slowly but surely she broke down his resolve not to marry her until toward the end of the series, when they actually do get married. The meta-narrative of the show is thatJeannie got her wish. (Oh yeah, and she slept in her bottle until she did!)Is IDOJ really a "knockoff" of Bewitched? Yes and no. I rather think of IDOJ as an improvement.For example, the last scene in the pilot has Tony walking into his bedroom and closing the door, Jeannie turning to smoke and entering his bedroom under the door, Tony yelling "Knock it off!!" or something like that, and Jeannie coming back out from under the door and reappearing with a wink to the camera. It's all left to the imagination what happened in there and it's funny!And that's where IDOJ is very different from Bewitched. In IDOJ, the hottie with the supernatural powers gets to be sexual, whereas in Bewitched she does not.In Bewitched, Samantha is the sane one with a world of lunacy around her in which she tries to maintain order and survive the crisis of the week. She is usually uptight and in crisis mode and after a while I just start to wonder what she ever saw in Darrin in the first place. Also, this formula gets repetitve. I doubt that I'll ever order the Bewitched series for that very reason: it's much the same story every week.In IDOJ, Tony is the sane one in a world of lunatics, and Jeannie is often part of the chaos. Jeannie gets to be beautiful, sexual, smart, mischevious, and most importantly, unpredictable. Will she be part of the problem or the solution this week? Or, will she try to be part of the solution and instead bring on more chaos? You really don't know whats coming.Also, I really appreciate the work that went into some of the props and stunts that often only provided a gag lasting a few seconds. In particular when Jeannie makes herself small and has to hide in items like coffee cups, pencil holders, and things like that. Those kind of scenes take a lot of work to set up. There's some genuine special effects work in this series beyond just objects dissappearing and reappearing.Oh, and one more thing. The DVDs are single sided!! I can actually look at them and see what disc I'm holding! I can handle them without going into "brain surgeon" mode in order to avoid damaging them! They actually did the packaging correctly! WOW!So, here you've got a properly packaged example of the best that 1960's sitcoms had to offer, and for under $30. Stop wishing and start buying!Postscript: My one dissappointment with this DVD set is the commentary on the pilot episode. I expected great things since the commentators would be the main three actors in the cast, but it's like they didn't understand the purpose of a commentary or didn't prepare. Don't expect a lot of additional insights into the series. I tried to watch this with my wife and got so embarrassed for them that we turned it off and just watched the pilot episode without the commentary.

It's a real Pleasure to see this original TV series finally on DVD and in what appears to be a complete format. The initial episodes have a narrative style introduction, similar to the way BEWITCHED started in season one.All of the classic episodes from this season are there, and a total joy to watch. Mostly the wire work is not as bad as MY FAVORITE MARTIAN, but not as Good as BEWITCHED... and some boom shadows are clearly evident, anyway, considering that each episode was 3 days from read through to filming, they did quite a job.Supposedly Larry Hagman was discovered doing a Soap Opera, but discovering Barbara Eden was not quite the act of Serendipity that the creator of the Show states; Barbara Eden was in the film THE BRASS BOTTLE, done about 1-2 years before, and it was glaringly obvious that someone that beautiful could be an asset if the Genie was female.The Extras on this set are small but superb. The Commentary on the pilot is mostly Barbara Eden. Larry could have phoned his words in, but he makes up for it on the 4th disc in the featurette OUT OF THE BOTTLE. On the pilot commentary Barbara asserts that the show was filmed in color on or after the 13th episode, however, this is contradicted in the featurette. It's clear that the production design is for Black and White, but Sheldon was quite willing to pay the extra per show to do it in colour.One Bonus "trivia" is at the end of the show ... Watch for one show that still retains the SCREEN GEMS music and logo signoff... kind of intriguing seeing that instead of the Sony signoff on the rest of the series :-)It's a real joy to see a show that still works well after 40 years. The pay-off is watching the show with all the bits, and nothing edited out by the networks wanting extra commercial time.

I am most of the way through the first season ANNND...loving it. I bought the original black and white version of ID of J S1 because I hate it when an actor's mouth and teeth are grey, but the rest of them is in vibrant, living color as is usually the case with colorization. Besides, I'm a purist.I think that if you loved this show on television you'll really flip for it on DVD. The actors do a fine job. Who doesn't breakout into a grin just thinking of the look on Tony Nelson's face whenever Jeannie pops up unexpectedly? Bill Daily and Hayden Rorke are always superb, especially Mr. Rorke who has the job of imposing rationality on a wacky universe as Dr. Bellows. I have to agree with Larry Hagman when he says in the bonus interview on disk 4, "I Dream of Jeannie - Out of the Bottle," that Mr. Rorke was very important to the show's success.What I like most about ID of J and the others of its era is the fact that it does not descend into what I call Junior-High-Boy's-Locker-Room-Stuff. I guess this may be due to the strict censorship that kept television "inoffensive" in those days. Personally, I find nothing wrong with a belly button once in awhile; however, it is nice to watch something that is purely entertaining without four-letter words and general nastiness. Although the situations are "far-out" there is sophistication to this show that underlies the cartoon-like situations; it attacks your sense of humor and leaves your sensibilities alone, unless of course, you are an ultra-prude or something.My recommendation: buy it; you'll love it.

I ordered this dvd and found that not only it is just what I was looking for, the price was very reasonable. The most impressive point I would like to make is that POLSKI FILM company is one I now appreciate for the simple fact that the package I received was so nicely put together in an old school type if manner. Everything was so neatly done and put together. For example, my name and address were printed and taped so carefully, actual stamps were used instead of just a fast ink stamp to pay the shipping and put very neatly in order, and the dvd was wrapped with my bill with such tender loving care. Very much appreciated!

小学生の頃？にＴＶで見てた番組で、ヒロインがとてもかわいいんで、毎回見ていました。このようなDVDが有るんですね。

Nice for my sister

子供のころ見ていたジニーに再び会えるなんて。しかも、今見てもちっとも色あせていない。かわいく、お茶目で、そしてセクシー。ホント、こんな女性に振り回されるトニーがうらやましい。字幕スーパーに日本語や英語がない分、２点マイナス。けれども（全くプライベートな理由だけれど、）スペイン語とさらにありがたいことに、ポルトガル語字幕もあることは、両言語を学習している者にとってホントにうれしいこと。だから1点プラス。プラスマイナス1点マイナスの★４つ。もうジニー最高！！絶対、全シリーズそろえます。追記さらに☆追加（H27 8/31)字幕に英語と日本語が無いことで、最初は★四つでしたが、クローズドキャプションでの英語字幕の存在を知り、捜したところ英語字幕で鑑賞できました。（残念ながら、日本語字幕まではありませんが）外国語を学習するものにとっては、まさに天啓。★5つに変更します。

It was in great condition! Very pleased