Supernatural sitcoms were plentiful in the 60s, with Bewitched reigning supreme. Sidney Sheldon took on the challenge of creating a worthy competitor, resulting in I Dream of Jeannie, starring Barbara Eden and Larry Hagman. The show featured a genie and her master who shared a forbidden attraction. Initially, NBC’s leaders were skeptical of its success and refused to fund color film. However, fans quickly proved them wrong, as its first season became the second most-watched TV show in the US. Although it never topped the ratings again, it remained a beloved staple until one fateful decision led to its downfall.
The show’s publicity department was known for elaborate stunts to captivate viewers, like guessing random locations their characters ended up in. One stunt, however, backfired significantly: a fake wedding to promote a real wedding episode. Nearly the entire cast and crew had warned producer Mort Wagner that marrying off the characters would ruin the show’s charm. Despite this, he went ahead with the episode, and the show ended after its fifth season. They had a better ending planned—a clip show that turned out to be a dream, which would have kept the will-they-won’t-they romance alive.
Barbara Eden is the only surviving cast member, but the show continues to live on in syndication alongside its competitor, Bewitched. Its theme is forever remembered for heralding the era of color television, and Jeannie’s iconic bottle remains a popular exhibit in the Smithsonian.
