Sex? - I Dream of Jeannie (1965) Discussion

[–] i-hate-raisins 11 years ago

Intentions of the writers and what the fans interpret can be different things. I'd say that the writers could have slipped a lot of things into the show just to get it past the censors and have one over on them, but they also had to adhere to the guidelines so nothing could be too obvious. What you want to see as a fan can be up to you though. They had an incredibly physical flirty relationship so all the signs are there that something may have happened, but nothing is explicitly pointed too.
Also, remember in Who Are You Calling a Jeannie?, the episode where Jeannie lost her memory, she woke up and Tony was explaining that she knew him and they lived together. Then she was happy they were married and he basically said um no we aren't married, we just live together. She then replied about how she isn't that kind of a girl and she intended to stop fooling around with him. It was not necessarily intended as a scene to say what exactly went on there, but they did kinda explain what Jeannie's viewpoint on the whole issue would be if she was reset and became a regular 1960's woman.

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

I'm sure they had sex, but couldn't show anything on TV at that time.

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] michaelsmith30 11 years ago

Her bottle was never allowed in his room.

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

But maybe she was

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

For me personally, I would say no.

I know it's considered prudish in this day and age. However, I would like to believe that Tony was far nobler than the average man. Jeannie might've occasionally enjoyed teasing him in an erotic manner. But, I would think that she was appreciative of his self-control and respect for her as a person.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

Yea yea yea, I still think they did it; it was pretty obvious. They lived together for 5 years, she showered in his room, both attracted to each other and were practically a couple.

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

Ditto! I know the idea of them doing it seems strange for some because they were just so cute and Tony was a true gent....but I always saw both sides. I saw the side of him that wanted to drag her into his bedroom and do his own BLINKING on her lol.

They were just so hot together. I can't stand it!

Damn the man, Save the Empire!

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

Agreed lol, I'm sure at first he tried to stay a gentleman, but he was only human.

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] CajunGenie 11 years ago

I would have to agree with you, HoneyBear, and I think we are in the minority here!

I think Tony was too much a gentleman to take advantage of a situation like that, and it was apparent in his behavior. He wouldn't allow Jeannie in his bedroom unless she knocked, wouldn't allow her to remain in there, wouldn't let her watch him dressing. If they were lovers, those things wouldn't be an issue.

His respect for all women in general was apparent to his superiors as well - how many times was he asked to escort some beautiful girl, on the basis that he was a decent, respectable guy? They never asked Roger - because of his playboy reputation. Women all flocked to Tony rather than Roger - most women can smell a player a mile away, and Roger was way too eager! Tony was more reserved and humble, so that made him more attractive to women. (Besides him being incredibly hot!)

Tony was also much more serious about maintaining his status as one of the top astronauts at NASA. His career came first. Sex with Jeannie would have complicated his mental stability, on top of what he already had to deal with Dr. Bellows on. How do you keep a genie from getting pregnant? Then, how do you explain it? How do you explain a genie baby who makes rattles, toys, etc appear out of nowhere? He didn't need pressure like that!

And let's not forget about Jeannie - she was born into a very conservative culture that had women pretty much covered up, and if a daughter was dishonored by a man, someone would be stoned, beheaded, tortured, cast out - you name it. (And this could be either the girl or the man, but that's a different story). For Jeannie to have had sex with her Master, I think she would have wanted a commitment first. And she tried in vain to get that for 4 seasons!

Yes, they kissed and flirted a lot because of their intense attraction for each other. I think they only took it so far, though. Tony would have hated himself in the morning for taking advantage of Jeannie, and she would not have wanted to force him into marriage for that reason alone. Tony had to be the one who proposed marriage, of his own free will.

This opens up another related question: Was Tony a virgin?

Hmmm...I can see this as both 'yes' and 'no'. Yes - because he was a decent guy. No - he could have lost his virginity in high school or while serving during wartime, as that was common. But probably only once or twice, before realizing how that could hurt those involved, and later, careers.

Roger was definitely not a virgin!

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

For me if I follow the guidelines of the show then I say they definitely had sex prior to marriage, but I see it happening a few times or maybe just ONCE....and then you have Tony taking her aside and letting her know how much he loves and respects her and wants to do the right thing by not doing it anymore!

I can think of different episodes where they just took things too far and then talked it out and carried on from there. But 5 years no sex, I just can’t with that lol. And I think when it did happen it was mutual and full of love and passion…not just something sleazy because Tony wants to take advantage. That’s me though. Of course all of your points are good ones. Tony was very concerned about his image and his career and he didn't know what to do with Jeannie in the beginning. I honestly didn't see anything really happening like that till much later in the series so I agree with almost everything you said. :) Almost hehe.

Now my fandom side of me….well that is completely different! I don't see enough stories of Jeannie and Tony being intimate. I am spoiled with that in my Harry Potter, Hunger Games fandom....but this one I dunno. There is too much fluff and not enough smut! You can write them having sex and it can be sweet and not raunchy! Sometimes these stories are written as if Tony and Jeannie are both from Pleasantville or everything is ***implied*** I will be writing some Jeannie and Tony making passionate love and I hope somebody out there enjoys it, because I sure do!

But to be fair to you great writers I must say there are many great stories I’ve read that have no sex at all... I certainly do enjoy those because they have Jeannie and Tony down perfectly…I just want a variety to fulfill my OWN SELIFSH needs as a fan lol.

Jeannie and Tony->https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] CajunGenie 11 years ago

WHAT??!! Even the Harry Potter kids are having sex?? Oy Vey!! :)

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

Well they are a little OLDER now!

I must be bad because I think Tony needs Roger to remind him he’s a man and men have NEEDS!!!!

But you know I am not completely against Tony being the to good to be true perfect guy, because I got enough sleazy from him as J.R.!

Jeannie and Tony->https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

Very well thought out, CajunGenie! I totally agree!

I feel that if Tony was eager to have pre-martial sex with Jeannie then he would have been no better than Roger. Actually, Tony would have been worse since Roger was willing to marry Jeannie.

Good point about pregnancy. There's a tendency to forget that sexual relations between a man and woman of reproductive age can lead to that.

Was Tony a virgin?

I would say no; given his age and the cultural expectations of that time. I think it's highly likely Jeannie was a virgin until marriage.

Roger was definitely not a virgin!

Forgive me, but the idea of Roger as a virgin is hilarious! That would be superb if his playboy image was a total sham. No wonder he was so twitchy!

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] CajunGenie 11 years ago

Forgive me, but the idea of Roger as a virgin is hilarious! That would be superb if his playboy image was a total sham. No wonder he was so twitchy!

You are right - what a twist in his character backstory if that were true! :)

"Not everything is as it seems..." - I think that's from Aladdin.

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[–] BareKnuckles 11 years ago

We don't really know if they had sex before marriage. If you just go by what the show presented to the audience, then no. They slept in separate beds/areas all the way up to the wedding. Even in season 1 when Tony was engaged to that other girl, she never spent the night with him.

If you go by common sense and think realistically, yeah they probably did at some point off screen. But it was 60's fantasy TV, audiences weren't really ready for it. Jeannie sometimes playfully sat in Tony's lap (and of course lots of tongue-free kissing); that was as far as they were willing to go when it came to sexuality.

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

They had sex, but they just couldn't show anything to prove it.

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] Fletcherj119 11 years ago

It's not that TV audiences weren't ready for it; it was that the bigwigs in the TV industry (and censors) weren't ready for it.

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

Exactly, they just wanted to keep shows pure and family friendly. I think they went a little over the top though. What's the big deal about seeing Barbara belly button lol?

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] Fletcherj119 11 years ago

No idea what the hell that was about. I can understand if it had been Roseanne, but the ratings probably would've been even better if Ginger and Maryanne romped around in bikinis. What about Gidget? I never really noticed if Sally Field showed hers (never one of my favorite shows).

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

I think that the show's subtle suggestiveness worked in its behalf. It gives it a timeless quality that all ages can enjoy. If the show had blatant vulgarity, it would've repulsed those with delicate sensibilities and been inappropriate for young children. As it stands, it has the most appeal for the widest audience. I love the nature of the series with its balance of objective versus subjective. It makes the viewing experience both general (something everyone would get) and personal (something particular people would interpretatively appreciate).

BTW, there is IDOJ porn.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] Fletcherj119 11 years ago

Lol - I wasn't suggesting porn - I just think its absurd about the belly button thing. I doubt anyone was offended by all those Avalon/Funicello movies.

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

That's okay I will take the porn lol. She might be referring to the fan-fiction? I like the Jeannie/Tony smutty fanfics any day of the week. I like the fluffy stuff too though. I write both!

And I commented this on another thread, but there are some scenes where you can see Jeannie's belly-button.

Damn the man, Save the Empire!

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[–] Fletcherj119 11 years ago

Yah, I noticed too. It's just ridiculous that they weren't supposed to be seen. It was the late 60s, not the 40s!

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

There is live action porn. As for porny fan-fiction, that goes without saying.

I have no explanation for the bellybutton thing. My only guess is that covering it up, makes it more titillating. We're still discussing it in the 21st Century. I can only surmise that if Barbara's bellybutton was fully exposed in the series perhaps there wouldn't be such a fascination with it.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

The belly button thing was just silly. Barbabra even said it was ridiculous. One episode when they were at the beach all of the extras could show their belly buttons but she couldn't. She had to wear a one piece and they were all in bikinis. I guess even though it was the 60's there were still things that couldn't be shown. They wanted it to remain a family show. If they wanted they could have made this show racy and sexy. There was definitely a lot of chemistry between Barbara and Larry. They were both hot together and the plot was there for it to become a more mature show. A hot Genie moves in with a single astronaut. She would do anything to please him and she loves him. They were both attracted to each other and did a lot of kissing. They were living together and didn't really date anyone else. I think it was sort of implied they were sleeping together, it would be hard to believe if they weren't.

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] i-hate-raisins 11 years ago

You should read some fanfiction (fanfiction.net/tv/I-Dream-of-Jeannie/), people have taken time to "fill in" the endings of episodes and continue the series. It definitely gives you a taste of what the show would be like if it weren't for the censors

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

Yeah she wasn't just his room-mate or "Jeannie-Mate" I should say lol. I mean it wasn't a Three's Company situation although it would be funny to see Tony, Jeannie and Rog all live together haha. Too bad they didn't do a 70's spin off with those three!

I mean why keep her around anyway? You don't use her for her powers but you don't allow her to meet or see anybody else. She isn't a pet, Jeannie wasn't dumb like that. Tony was giving her something, and I just don't mean sex but obviously those two "mutally" wanted to be together.

I love the fan-fics out there. I've been working on some new ones that I hope to post sometime. It definitely helps fill in those blanks of what things might have been after they were married or even in between!

Jeannie and Tony->https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

I just always assumed they slept together right after they kissed at the end of episodes or when we saw them in her bottle.

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] Fletcherj119 11 years ago

I'm sure they did on occasion, but I can picture Tony trying to keep it to a minimum.

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 11 years ago

Fletcher, I agree. Probably in season 1, 4 and obviously 5 they did it. Seasons 2 and 3 they were more like friends, so maybe not as much.

Lifes a gift and I don't intend on wasting it!

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[–] dbrockskk1 11 years ago

you need to get out more

suzycreamcheese RIP Heath Ledger 1979-2008

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[–] talkinturtles 11 years ago

Don't over think it. It's not reality. They didn't have sex on the show, so no they didn't. Jeannie and Tony didn't have a real life inbetween the scenes taped for the show. It's acomedy. It's fantasy. Why is everyone taking everything that happens so seriously?

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

It's an escape and I love it!

This fandom is pretty mild and laid back on this stuff compared to others. You should see the craziness that goes on in the Once Upon A Time fandom.

Jeannie and Tony->https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

I agree. The sexual innuendo exists for Rule of Funny.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] xenophile2002 11 years ago

If it were being done today, you'd have to explain why two beautiful young people who are so attracted to each other and are living together IN THE NINETEEN SIXTIES aren't having sex.

Unless they are, of course. Then you don't have to explain anything.

I disagree with you, but I'm pretty sure you're not Hitler.
- Jon Stewart

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

Don't bother with applying real life logic to a fantasy situation because one of those young "people" isn't human but a magical entity. Tony would basically be screwing a goblin. Deconstructed further and think about how Jeannie is ridiculously powerful and immortal. There would be so many barriers and problems to having an actual relationship. Imagine if one day after the lust has waned and Tony does something annoying for the umpteenth time. BLAM! Time for a new master.

Besides, if the show took place today, I doubt Jeannie would be so blindly and single-mindedly devoted to Tony. Refraining from premarital sex and solely having one sexual partner for life tends to be considered outdated by the majority. She would probably spread her wings with a few lovers before finally settling for him. In the modern era, Roger would really give her back to Tony totally exhausted. Perhaps, Jeannie could also have a fling with that Russian cosmonaut, "Betsy Ross". Might as well, throw in some post-martial infidelity for the Nelsons, because that's expected of modern entertainment.

BTW, pondering about topics not discussed back then:

Does Jeannie menstruate? Does she go to the bathroom? Does the bottle have a restroom? What about food in the bottle? Can she cook or order take-out in there? How in the world did she stay in her bottle for 2000 years? I believe that out of all likelihood she was in suspended animation for the duration. However, I still wonder just how "human" is she. I don't think she once mentioned needing to go to the bathroom.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] xenophile2002 11 years ago

First of all, I wouldn't have a problem "screwing a goblin" if the goblin looked like Barbara Eden.

Menstruation... I don't know. Not if she doesn't want to, I'd guess.

Yeah, I'll go for suspended animation.

As for food, I assume that she doesn't need it, but eats it for pleasure.

Bathroom? Well when she's not eating or drinking she doesn't have to, and when she is eating and drinking, she has an old-fashioned chamber pot, which she blinks clean.

A sexually voracious and promiscuous Jeannie would be quite a different character, but an interesting one. Sort of Barbarella with magic powers?

I disagree with you, but I'm pretty sure you're not Hitler.
- Jon Stewart

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

First of all, I wouldn't have a problem "screwing a goblin" if the goblin looked like Barbara Eden.

That's understandable.

I was wondering how much biological functioning akin to a normal mortal woman goes on for Jeannie. I'm thinking that: Jeannie (PMS + nigh unlimited magical powers) = Aw, crap!

But if Jeannie doesn't have to cope with mortal physiological unpleasantness; then that's a sweet deal.

A sexually voracious and promiscuous Jeannie would be quite a different character, but an interesting one. Sort of Barbarella with magic powers?

That would sell in today's market. She would still be able to want Tony without being so dependently needy and desperate for marriage. The dynamic pairing with a conservative Tony Nelson could still exist, with her eventually loosening him up to enjoy the good life.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] i-hate-raisins 11 years ago

I was wondering how much biological functioning akin to a normal mortal woman goes on for Jeannie. I'm thinking that: Jeannie (PMS + nigh unlimited magical powers) = Aw, crap!

Well they did have an episode of the show where Tony thought Jeannie was pregnant and in the movies they did have a son and, so I'd assume there was some kind of biological compatibility and similarity there.

That would sell in today's market. She would still be able to want Tony without being so dependently needy and desperate for marriage. The dynamic pairing with a conservative Tony Nelson could still exist, with her eventually loosening him up to enjoy the good life.

Forgive me if this sounds ridiculous but I'd think the modern version of their relationship would be something like Fran and Maxwell from The Nanny (ok, not that modern but more modern than the 1960's). They had an obvious attraction to each other, they lived together, he refused to acknowledge that he was in love with her for years but everyone else could see it, she was openly into him, and it took them 5 years of sexual tension before they actually got married.
I'm sure there are other similar TV situations, sexual tension and anticipation is a TV formula used pretty often, but that the one I was most reminded of.

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[–] CajunGenie 11 years ago

Yes, The Nanny does mirror IDOJ in that respect. Plus, even after both weddings, the two beautiful brides were still very insecure about their relationships, always wondering if some other woman would turn their man's head (Bonnie Crenshaw and C.C. Babcock).

Two shows that lost their sexual tension and ratings, after the two main characters finally had mind-blowing sex, were Moonlighting and Northern Exposure. There are others, but I always think of these two first.

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

I don't feel that the 1960s was all that librated in terms of female sexuality. Jeannie was confined to only wanting Tony, while Tony and especially Roger had many girlfriends. I wonder if there was the attitude that if Jeannie willingly had a real romance with someone other than Tony that she would be considered "loose". Nowadays, she would fully explore the world around her. Of course, she could fall in love with Tony. However, I think modern viewers wouldn't have an issue with Jeannie being romantically interested and involved with other people before getting in an exclusive relationship with Tony.

I'm not that familiar with The Nanny. Did Fran date other people besides Maxwell? Was she a secret mostly confined to the residence? Having only one friend who happened to be the best friend of her employer? I would assume that Fran, a woman of the 90s, had more independence than Jeannie.

Well they did have an episode of the show where Tony thought Jeannie was pregnant and in the movies they did have a son and, so I'd assume there was some kind of biological compatibility and similarity there.

I think there's a sci-fi rule that humans are sexually compatible with everything in existence.

Jeannie is a fantasy girl, likely with all the benefits of human sexual femininity without the mess.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] i-hate-raisins 11 years ago

Jeannie was confined to only wanting Tony, while Tony and especially Roger had many girlfriends. I wonder if there was the attitude that if Jeannie willingly had a real romance with someone other than Tony that she would be considered "loose". Nowadays, she would fully explore the world around her. Of course, she could fall in love with Tony. However, I think modern viewers wouldn't have an issue with Jeannie being romantically interested and involved with other people before getting in an exclusive relationship with Tony.

Was this a scripting and writing choice to reflect the socially acceptable behaviour, or was it a character choice to reflect who Jeannie was, a one-man woman. She only went out with Roger and Tony Millionaire to make Tony jealous, she wasn't off dating random men. I know what you mean about her having a real romance and whether it would change peoples perception of Jeannie. Lets pretend that Tony Millionaire was a real person, the audience didn't see Jeannie blink a man out of nowhere, would she have really continued the relationship the way she did? They were pretty flirty with each other but the audience knew her whole aim was to make Tony jealous. What if she actually did love someone else, or was doing the kind of things she did with Tony (Nelson) with Tony Millionaire, would people consider her less worthy of Tony when they finally did get together? She wasn't allowed to show her belly button, nor was her smoke allowed in his bedroom, so I'd assume that for her to have a big romance with another man, break up with him and get with Tony (Nelson) would have some impact on how people (characters and the audience) perceived her.
In the show they didn't really address Jeannie's previous relationships or anything like that. Tony does refer to her as a kid a lot in the beginning (which makes it even more confusing that she was supposedly 29 when locked in her bottle) but then also makes mention of how she kisses with skills not found in a book so she must have experience from somewhere . Whereas with Tony they had him engaged to Melissa, date multiple women (he was a gentleman though), date Diane (Where'd You Go-Go?)who spoke like they did a lot more than kiss, and then introduced his ex-girlfriend Bonnie Crenshaw. Then everyone knows about Roger, he was a total womaniser who was never seen with the same woman twice. You're right that if Jeannie acted like Roger then she'd be considered a "loose" woman.

I'm not that familiar with The Nanny. Did Fran date other people besides Maxwell? Was she a secret mostly confined to the residence? Having only one friend who happened to be the best friend of her employer? I would assume that Fran, a woman of the 90s, had more independence than Jeannie.

For the sake of the story there were basically 4 adult main characters in the show (the butler (Niles), the business partner (Cece), the main man (Maxwell) and the nanny (Fran)). Niles was almost Maxwell's best friend, but he was also good friends with Fran, they'd both confide things about each other with him, he got both sides of the story when they would fight or something would happen, therefore almost played the Roger role, he was a big cheerleader for them to get together. Fran dated other people, but as like Jeannie it was often to make Maxwell jealous so he'd realise how he felt about her, but she definitely had more freedom in who she dated and how much they showed on TV. It was the 1990's compared to the 1960's though, so I'd hope that women had progressed a little more in society. They made a point that the main characters didn't have sex until after they were married though and neither of them was sleeping with anyone else during the 5 years the show was on. I do think the show dynamics are similar though, it's hard to explain in evidential sentences but when watching both shows I do see similarities and things that mirror each other.

Jeannie is a fantasy girl, likely with all the benefits of human sexual femininity without the mess.

I'm a girl and sometimes even I wish I could be more like Jeannie

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

I loved The Nanny. I swear there was an episode when Fran was going to marry this guy and Max flipped out. He was so devastated and was trying to think of ways to break them apart! But the Butler always said tell her how you feel!!!!! Yeah you can see some Jeannie like elements in that show!

I think Tony called Jeannie a kid because that’s how she acted. It was almost like having a teenager to look after….and so that’s probably why she freaked him out so much in the beginning. I mean he is this popular astronaut bachelor on the top of his game and now he has this big responsibility that he has to take care of and keep a secret!!!! Poor guy.

And if Tony millionaire had been real Tony wouldn’t have allowed it to progress. He would have confessed his love to Jeannie as he was about to before he found the guy to be a fake! But your asking if they had the show go that way then no I wouldn’t have thought less of Jeannie. I just know without Tony with her all of the time she wouldn’t know what to do. She’d need more people to find out about her and help her when she gets in a mess. Roger is out of the question.

It would just be a completely different show. The only way I see it working is to make it a Three’s Company type deal with Roger, Jeannie and Tony living together each doing their own thing but Tony is still her master looking after her. And Roger helps when he can lol.

But it was the 60's though. I mean even in the 70's they had to say Jack was gay in order for him to room-mate with the girls! Lord.

Jeannie and Tony->https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

i-hate-raisins: Tony does refer to her as a kid a lot in the beginning (which makes it even more confusing that she was supposedly 29 when locked in her bottle) but then also makes mention of how she kisses with skills not found in a book so she must have experience from somewhere.

I'm not sure but maybe Tony treating Jeannie as a child could be due to commonplace sexist behavior of the era. A woman could be referred to as a "girl" and treated as such way beyond the age of what would be acceptable by today's standards. I don't believe it means Tony thought any less of Jeannie. It merely seemed to be normal conduct for that time. The joke was that even though Tony treated Jeannie in a patronizing manner, she was an immensely powerful being that could destroy him in the blink of an eye.

I can only surmise that Jeannie got her kissing skills from practicing on the pillows in her bottle.

i-hate-raisins: They made a point that the main characters didn't have sex until after they were married though and neither of them was sleeping with anyone else during the 5 years the show was on. I do think the show dynamics are similar though, it's hard to explain in evidential sentences but when watching both shows I do see similarities and things that mirror each other.

Thanks for the summary of The Nanny. I got the gist of the series to understand the parallels with IDOJ. I believe that IDOJ is similar in that the Tony and Jeannie waited too. Additionally, during the course of the series, I highly doubt Tony had any sexual relations until his marriage with Jeannie. As for Jeannie, as I said before, she probably was a virgin 'til her honeymoon. I see it as the adage: All good things come to those who wait.

i-hate-raisins: I'm a girl and sometimes even I wish I could be more like Jeannie.

Oh, heck yeah, I can relate!

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yauchiejo: And if Tony millionaire had been real Tony wouldn't have allowed it to progress. He would have confessed his love to Jeannie as he was about to before he found the guy to be a fake!

I totally agree! I wonder if Tony was reluctant to immediately get into another commitment relationship because he had nearly dodged a bullet with his ex-fiancée, Melissa. It seemed to be a loveless relationship that might have given him emotional scars. It took some time for Jeannie to get him to open his heart and have him willing to be vulnerable again.

yauchiejo: It would just be a completely different show. The only way I see it working is to make it a Three's Company type deal with Roger, Jeannie and Tony living together each doing their own thing but Tony is still her master looking after her. And Roger helps when he can lol.

But it was the 60's though. I mean even in the 70's they had to say Jack was gay in order for him to room-mate with the girls! Lord.

IDOJ seemed like a precursor to Three's Company since Roger practically lived at the Nelson residence. Also, there's a lot of sexual innuendo without anything actually going on. Dr. Bellows could be considered Mr. Roper with Amanda as Mrs. Roper. I guess Jeannie would be the one designated to pretend to be homosexual for the arrangement to work.

The main difference with TC was that there never was any romance between the roommates. Tony and Jeannie would have to find ways to keep Roger busy so that they could get busy.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] i-hate-raisins 11 years ago

I'll just do what you did HoneyBear5000 and reply to both posters in 1 reply.

I loved The Nanny. I swear there was an episode when Fran was going to marry this guy and Max flipped out. He was so devastated and was trying to think of ways to break them apart! But the Butler always said tell her how you feel!!!!! Yeah you can see some Jeannie like elements in that show!

I recall this too. Now I wanna go do a re-watch of The Nanny, so much sexual tension in the air haha

Thanks for the summary of The Nanny. I got the gist of the series to understand the parallels with IDOJ. I believe that IDOJ is similar in that the Tony and Jeannie waited too. Additionally, during the course of the series, I highly doubt Tony had any sexual relations until his marriage with Jeannie. As for Jeannie, as I said before, she probably was a virgin 'til her honeymoon. I see it as the adage: All good things come to those who wait.

I kinda felt that maybe Tony wasn't so innocent, Diane seemed pretty forceful with him and referred to their time in Fort Worth as if something more had happened. Melissa seemed to be really pushy too, so I can imagine if she wanted something then it would have happened. Tony was a gentleman though, so after he met Jeannie all the dates he went on I don't think went any further than kissing. I think he'd rather have a happy Jeannie greet him with a kiss at breakfast than an angry Jeannie and the way to make that happen was to (eventually) stop dating, but to also show that he was more interested in her than the other girls. Tony also gave Roger some advice in the episode Where'd You Go-Go?, about how to get a shy girl to loosen up, that advice didn't seem to come from someone with no experience. Roger referred to himself as Casanova Healey, but I don't think Tony was too far removed from the action either, at least before he was engaged to Melissa.

I think Tony called Jeannie a kid because that’s how she acted. It was almost like having a teenager to look after….and so that’s probably why she freaked him out so much in the beginning.

I'm not sure but maybe Tony treating Jeannie as a child could be due to commonplace sexist behavior of the era. A woman could be referred to as a "girl" and treated as such way beyond the age of what would be acceptable by today's standards.

Yea, you're both probably right. Watching it in a 21st century frame of mind it seems odd that he constantly (throughout the first season at least) refers to her as being a girl, young, naive etc. Like when Tony Millionaire came to pick her up he was so worried about Jeannie having contact with a grown man not just because she is naive of what men in the 1960's expect from a woman, or because he is jealous that she is dating someone else, but I think he was being protective like an older brother would be (obviously he doesn't think of her as a sister, but he did have a protective instinct there). It wasn't just born out of jealousy, he really did worry about her because she did give off a young, naive vibe that the wrong kind of man would take advantage of.

I can only surmise that Jeannie got her kissing skills from practicing on the pillows in her bottle.

Her sister did refer to her as a 'square', which I mean compared to Jeannie II she probably was, but when she's with Tony...

And if Tony millionaire had been real Tony wouldn’t have allowed it to progress. He would have confessed his love to Jeannie as he was about to before he found the guy to be a fake!

I remembered a little while after I typed my reply that Tony was actually about to tell her how he felt just before he saw the guy was fake.

But your asking if they had the show go that way then no I wouldn’t have thought less of Jeannie. I just know without Tony with her all of the time she wouldn’t know what to do. She’d need more people to find out about her and help her when she gets in a mess. Roger is out of the question.

Very true, she was pretty naive of the modern ways which would have made being with a human who didn't know she was a genie pretty hard.

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[–] HoneyBear5000 11 years ago

I kinda felt that maybe Tony wasn't so innocent...

I agree. I doubt Tony was a virgin when the series started. I feel that once the series began, the moment he met Jeannie, he had found his true love. From that point on, I don't believe he was sexually intimate with anyone else until the time was right with Jeannie.

Her sister did refer to her as a 'square', which I mean compared to Jeannie II she probably was, but when she's with Tony...

The pillow practicing predates the series. Once, Jeannie met Tony, she practiced on him.

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You can observe a lot just by watching. -- Yogi Berra

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[–] yauchiejo 11 years ago

Tony also gave Roger some advice in the episode Where'd You Go-Go?, about how to get a shy girl to loosen up, that advice didn't seem to come from someone with no experience.

I was just about to bring up that episode! Yeah Tony I think is quite experienced. He has science and women down to the t! Tony was a ladies man but not a womanizer like Rog though. In the beginning you can see Tony trying to hold on to some of that bachelor life, but I agree he probably just kissed the other ladies he briefly dated and didn’t do anything more than that.

You know I never realized how pushy Melissa was, but it sure is true! You could see how unhappy Tony was. By being Jeannie’s master I think it probably made Tony feel good having being some control over things because everybody else always told him what was good for him. He needed to do that himself. She listened to what he really wanted. Jeannie always had Tony’s best interest at heart which you can’t say about the other females in his life. So add that to the list of growing things that made him fall in love with her!

And I think Jeannie had some experience with men or in her case genie males….I don’t know but how could she not? Maybe she had influence from her sister. Her walking around in Tony’s shirt and coming at him in the first episode convinced me she wasn’t completely out of the loop with all that. I do think she still had a lot to learn. I am sure her master is a great teacher.

Jeannie and Tony->https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] CajunGenie 11 years ago

True - I think Tony did have some experience with women, but after escaping Melissa, he dialed back any physical advances he may have made toward any of his dates that came after.

One, he was just freed from a very controlling woman, and wanted to avoid committing to another so soon; Two, Jeannie was always around to turn his dates into dogs, chimpanzees, whatever. So, even though it was Jeannie now controlling him, I think he inwardly didn't mind because he was always attracted to her. As early as Episode 2, "My Hero", he is disappointed when it looks like Jeannie will be staying in Baghdad, and when she blinks him home alone, he says out loud that she was the greatest thing to ever happen to him. You don't say that to just anyone!

So, from the start, he knew... :)

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[–] bryanac625 10 years ago

I think the question "Did they have pre-marital sex or not?" is answered based on how you want to remember this show.

When I saw IDOJ as a kid back in the 1970s, I never thought about them sleeping together. But now, as an adult, I think that they had sex... and I think Tony was- or at least tried to be- sexually active with other women. This doesn't change my opinion of the show at all.

And to those who say her bottle was outside of his bedroom, who says she was always in it?

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[–] yauchiejo 10 years ago

And to those who say her bottle was outside of his bedroom, who says she was always in it?

Good point! Who says she was???!

I disagree with Tony sleeping around though. I mean even if they weren't together as a couple I think his heart was always with Jeannie. Of course it was obvious he was still attracted to other women and lied to Jeannie so he could go on dates, but I don't think he was sleeping around behind her back. How could he anyway??

Jeannie and Tony-https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] bryanac625 10 years ago

I think Tony wanted to have a "normal" life but eventually he found out he couldn't live without Jeannie, no matter what. I think sex with other women he tried to date is about as debatable as pre-marital sex with Jeannie.

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[–] the_match_maker 10 years ago

My impression was that they were not engaging in 'woopie'. Their relationship (prior to marriage) is intriguing to say the least.

On one hand, Tony is adamant that they are not a romantic couple. Yet, at the same time, he takes her out on dates and engages in light make out sessions. It's almost as though one part of his brain is not communicating with the other.

But considering that Jeannie was always going to bed in her bottle, and Tony in his bedroom, and considering that Tony was an upstanding guy, it is my opinion that there was no 'hanky panky' going on. Plus, Jeannie was not that kind of girl.

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[–] yauchiejo 10 years ago

Larry Hagman would disagree lol. He said that Jeannie was always trying to get Tony in the sack!

The censors hindered so much!

Jeannie and Tony-https://www.facebook.com/jeannietonynelsonfans

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[–] stick500 10 years ago

just today I saw for the first time the episode where Jeannie thinks she's pregnant and I went WHAT!!

I never realized that they ever got married on the show

it was funny because Roger, Dr. Bellows and all the rest of the gang, including Tony, were happy about the news and none of that was making any sense to me

maybe that scenario would be OK in 2015, but not 1965

:)

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[–] TitanicFanForever101 9 years ago

I just think it is naive of fans to think they waited to have sex after they were married. Tony probably tried to resist her at first, but he is only human. Jeannie was beautiful and sexy. She threw herself at Tony all the time and they lived together. I wouldn't think Tony was a bad guy if he caved sometimes. I just think if they were sleeping together, he shouldn't have been sleeping with other girls too.

Lifes a gift and I dont intend on wasting it!

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[–] northernlad 8 years ago

I just found this topic and I had already started my own. There is an episode in the first season...yes the first season where Jeannie clearly turns herself into smoke and enters Tony's bedroom...while he was in there!

American Horror Story Season 6: Donald Trump

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