Curiously, the episode that came directly before this one had Barton MacLane as General Peterson. Unfortunately, MacLane was in failing health at the time, and died shortly after the airing of that episode. This episode simply introduces Vinton Hayworth as General Schaeffer, but gives no explanation of what happened to Peterson. Hayworth's performance is very brash and over the top. As Schaeffer, he wants to keep his daughter away from her hippie boyfriend, Harold. The story is reasonably entertaining. Schaeffer's daughter becomes aware of Jeannie, and threatens to reveal Tony's secret, unless Tony cooperates. The episode works well enough within its own limits. However, Hayworth wasn't believable as the father of a 17 year old girl. In real life, he was 62 at the time and, if anything, looked even older.
3 Reviews
Jeannie, You Be Trippin'!
brtndr26 March 2021
If you're a fan of 'I Dream of Jeannie' like I am? Then, this episode is a must watch. It's very funny and a very original script. Because, let's be truthful my fellow Jeannie fans, there were way too many "Tony goes on a date or escorts a beautiful actress, and Jeannie gets jealous" scripts. However, after General Schaeffer's hippy-dippy daughter blackmails Major Nelson into taking her and her hippy boyfriend (Harold) into their home, this episode, in the immortal words of Monty Python "Is something completely different".
Also, Barbara Eden looks absolutely adorably gorgeous in everyone of her scenes in this episode. It always amazes me how as the series and Mrs. Eden grew older together, she became more-and-more beautiful with every proceeding year. It's like, Barbara started the series in 1965 as a pretty young woman who could do comedy, then by 1966-70 she became this gorgeous bombshell who could do crazy out of this world slapstick. This episode is halfway through the fourth season when Mrs. Eden (IMHO) was at her most beautiful comedic self.
I think one of the interesting aspects of this particular episode is that by the end Jeanie, Tony and boyfriend Harold are all in badly need of rest, supposedly due to exhaustion or because they're lost in some permanent state of transcendental thought. However, it's kind of implied that they're all extremely tired due to all the partying, and trippin' out with their new hippie squatters, without actually showing characters behaving like drugged out crazy bohemian's. The hippies are just sort of drugged out on their own thoughts and emotions of the moment. Okay, whatever Boomer, I'm not buying that one cause' it's not that hard to figure out what you're all really drugged out on.
Also, Barbara Eden looks absolutely adorably gorgeous in everyone of her scenes in this episode. It always amazes me how as the series and Mrs. Eden grew older together, she became more-and-more beautiful with every proceeding year. It's like, Barbara started the series in 1965 as a pretty young woman who could do comedy, then by 1966-70 she became this gorgeous bombshell who could do crazy out of this world slapstick. This episode is halfway through the fourth season when Mrs. Eden (IMHO) was at her most beautiful comedic self.
I think one of the interesting aspects of this particular episode is that by the end Jeanie, Tony and boyfriend Harold are all in badly need of rest, supposedly due to exhaustion or because they're lost in some permanent state of transcendental thought. However, it's kind of implied that they're all extremely tired due to all the partying, and trippin' out with their new hippie squatters, without actually showing characters behaving like drugged out crazy bohemian's. The hippies are just sort of drugged out on their own thoughts and emotions of the moment. Okay, whatever Boomer, I'm not buying that one cause' it's not that hard to figure out what you're all really drugged out on.
The Lewis and Clarke Expedition
kevinolzak22 December 2013
"Jeannie, My Guru" was a significant episode, primarily because it introduced Vinton Hayworth as General Winfield Schaeffer, cast because Barton MacLane had been ailing, and died just two days following this very broadcast (with three final episodes yet to be aired). This no-nonsense martinet isn't as much fun as General Peterson, and his teenage daughter Suzie (Hilary Thompson) is a typical hippie of the day, making this one of the most dated entries (she never made a repeat appearance). Like the older generation usually did, her father disapproves of her long haired boyfriend Harold (Michael Margotta), who stays at Major Nelson's house because Suzie knows Jeannie's secret. Of even greater interest is the rare appearance of The Lewis and Clarke Expedition, a short-lived band that recorded one LP for Colgems Records, headed by Travis Lewis and Boomer Clarke, actually Michael Martin Murphey and Owens Castleman, Texas friends of The Monkees' Michael Nesmith, composers of the very popular Monkees recording "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" (Murphey enjoyed a huge solo success in 1975 with "Wildfire"). The song they perform is titled "Bring on the Sundown," a wild psychedelic number, particularly obscure since it wasn't featured on their lone album, issued over 13 months earlier in Nov 1967.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
