The New I Dream of Jeannie

As the father of a nine-year-old boy, I find myself spending more time in front of the television than I would like. I like to watch television with him so I know what it is teaching him. The medium can be educational, even if it is in what adults might consider less conventional methods. Still, a lot of the shows we watch are ones I would not choose on my own. Still, this is part of being a parent.

One show my son likes to watch is "Fairly Odd Parents," on Nickelodeon. For those of you not familiar with the show, it revolves around ten year old Timmy Turner. Because he is neglected by his parents and treated unfairly by his babysitter, he has been granted Fairy Godparents.

The show, while a cartoon, is really the new adventures of "I Dream of Jeannie". There are of course some differences, yet many similarities. In "I Dream of Jeannie," while Major Anthony Nelson has a genie to grant his every wish, he prefers not to have things accomplished by magic. (The show "Bewitched" operated on a similar premise.) As was stated in an advertisement seen on Nick at Nite, while the lead character can have anything granted to them, they prefer to work for it themselves.

Timmy has no problem having his fairy godparents grant him wishes. He is all too happy to ask Cosmo and Wanda, his fairy godparents, for wishes. They lovingly agree. Somehow, regardless of the wish, something always goes wrong and the entire episode revolves around setting things back the way they were before Timmy made his wish.

While Timmy makes wishes, the never turn out the way he wants or expects. While the show may not say it, or even be consciously aware, it is teaching children that anything worthwhile cannot simply be wished for. One most work hard for it and only then can you get what you want. For purposes of the show, everything has to be returned to the way it was or there would be no reason to show the episode. Still, the lesson is an important one.

In addition, while "I Dream of Jeannie" (and again, "Bewitched" as well) had the element of a physical relationship between a male and female, "Fairly Odd Parents" does not. Timmy is only ten, and Cosmo and Wanda are married to each other, there the physical relationship does not exist, however the loving relationship still does. Timmy does care for Cosmo and Wanda and would do what he could to prevent them from getting hurt. Likewise, Cosmo and Wanda would do what they can to prevent Timmy from getting hurt.

While the television show is far from an intellectual masterpiece and one that parents might find annoying, the lessons that it teaches are certainly valuable and worthwhile.