Barbara Eden Hated One Particular Episode Of I Dream Of Jeannie. Here's Why

Many of the most iconic sitcoms of the 1960s had some sort of supernatural element to them, from "Bewitched" to "The Munsters" to "The Addams Family." Among the most beloved of these shows was "I Dream of Jeannie," which not only turned series lead Barbara Eden into a '60s fashion icon, but also enjoyed a respectable run of five seasons and two revival films, not to mention an animated spin-off series that even crossed over with "Scooby-Doo" at one point. But, although Barbara Eden has obviously changed a lot since "I Dream of Jeannie" first aired, she still looks back on her time playing the titular character fondly. 

And yet, of the show's 139 episodes, there was one, in particular, that the actor was staunchly opposed to making at the time. About halfway through the final season, Jeannie and Tony Nelson (who was played by the late "Dallas" star Larry Hagman) officially tied the knot, in a December 1969 episode entitled simply, "The Wedding." Eden strongly objected to this development because it directly contradicted the previously-established rule that Jeannie could not marry a mortal man without losing her powers. 

But despite being the star of the show, she felt as though she had no power to nix the storyline. "I was very upset about it — not that anybody would listen to me," Eden sadly acknowledged during a July 2025 interview with Forbes. As she elaborated, "I guess if I had asserted myself — yes, I would have [had a say], but I didn't. I talked about it — I said, this is ridiculous. She can't marry you. It's ridiculous, but it was okay. It was still funny. People could relate, one way or another."

Beyond the fact that it went back on established lore, another reason the 1969 wedding episode of "I Dream of Jeannie" is somewhat infamous is that it essentially torpedoed the will-they-won't-they dynamic between Jeannie and Tony Nelson which, in many ways, was the driving force behind the show. As such, the episode is often credited as being the key reason "I Dream of Jeannie" was canceled once Season 5 came to an end in 1970. However, despite that negative association among audiences, and her own initial objections, iconic star Barbara Eden has evidently warmed up to the episode over the years. In fact, in a May 2026 Instagram post, the '60s style icon declared "The Wedding" to be her second-favorite episode of the entire series, behind only the 1965 pilot. 

"It is true, the wedding was ultimately what caused the series to end [...] After all, a genie, a wisp of smoke cannot marry a mortal man. The network (NBC) felt otherwise. So, Jeannie and Tony were married," Eden wrote, though she added that she always likes to look on "the bright side of difficult a situation." To that end, the beloved actor explained that, despite everything, the episode was actually a lot of fun to work on. "That wonderful wedding costume, designed by Joie Hutchinson was a highlight! I also had such fun playing the robot/mannequin version of Jeannie whom Dr. Bellows escorted down the aisle," she listed proudly, notably adding, "They returned to the concept that Jeannie could not be photographed." See? They didn't throw all the lore out the window.