"I Dream of Jeannie" originally aired for only five years, never rising above twenty-fifth place in the ratings. By the end of the fifth season, Larry Hagman and Barbara Eden, very eager to move on, were "phoning it in." Hagman, of course, went on to become America's favourite arch-villain, "J.R." on "Dallas," and Barbara Eden went on to become, well, Barbara Eden. Imagine their surprise when, on its first night in syndication, the first episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" became the first locally broadcast show to out-point two of three network broadcasts in its time-slot. Even with her navel discreetly covered, Jeannie had a loyal cult following. She still does. Only hardcore fans remember how "master," an aspiring astronaut and budding American hero, found his cute blonde genie in a bottle or contrived to bring her home. The NBC "standards" crew worked overtime to make sure spaceman's and genie's living arrangement would not offend delicate American sensibilities, repeatedly assuring audiences that Jeannie always slept in her bottle. It took more than four years for The Major and Jeannie to discover their attraction to one another. Meanwhile, weekly comedy highjinks popped out of the bottle as The Major and his astronaut buddies conspired and connived to keep their precious secret from leaking to "the brass." "I Dream of Jeannie," for all of its patent silliness, remains one of America's longest-running and highest-earning sitcoms.

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