User Reviews

This is an episode of "The Twilight Zone" that won't have you telling your friends about it or that will particularly stand out in your mind. However, despite being very slight, it is very well-acted and entertaining.

The episode stars Howard Morris--a guy most often associated with the annoying character 'Ernest T. Bass' from "The Andy Griffith Show" or his work from "Your Show of Shows". None of this is at all like his work in "I Dream of Genie" and it's a nice change of pace for him. Morris' gentle acting and style really make this show worth seeing. He plays a very mousy man--one too gentle and timid to be taken very seriously. However, when he discovers a genie in a lamp, he's able to consider all the wonderful ways it might change his life. This occurs through some amusing (but overly long) vignettes. Oddly, the hip genie only offers him one wish--and so Morris spends most of the show pondering the possibilities. In the end, in a twist, he's able to make a life-changing choice you most likely WON'T anticipate! As for the genie, he was very amusingly played by Jack Albertson. I loved him in the show and it's too bad it only lasted a few minutes. I really wanted to see more of him. His routine was so unlike what you'd expect and I loved his hip-cat lingo. You just have to see what I mean.

The show is much more a comedy than usual for "The Twilight Zone" and the results are generally quite good. There is no element of fear or doom in this one--just waiting to see which choice nice-guy Morris will make and it's a reasonably good show.

It's hard to believe that reviewers are criticizing this episode simply because it's dated. It's almost 57 years old as of this review date. Of course it's dated. The entire original TZ series is dated! But to call this episode horrible because of being old is to negate the performances. Howard Morris of Earnest T. Bass fame, quirky Millhollin, and Jack Albertson who depicted Willy Wonka's Grandpa Joe do stellar work in another one of TZ's more lighthearted offerings. It's not a great episode, but it's worth seeing just for completing the entire series.

In fourth season started full episodes around fifty minutes or so, it somehow coming for worse or better due now if the story isn't so attractive the whole thing flops evenly like this an average chapter that wasn't so good, a warmed-over story about Arabian lamp, the genius and three wishes.

As Rod Serling explains at opening scene about a single George P. Hanley (Howard Morris) a sort of shy and fool man those that everyone serve him a cold tea, close the elevator door at her noose without complaint at all, George works in accounting office where has a beauty secretary Ann (Patricia Barry) to reach he decides buy a gift at Ann's anniversary in hope to got his attention to starting a dating, he went a story where the rogue owner shoves him a used Arabian lamp as antique gift, even ensures he accepts, at office another wise guy gives to Ann a sexy dress, perceiving Ann as an easy and shallow girl, he keep the gift of his own.

When George went back at your home is welcome by a happy dog and try wondering that Ann wasn't the girl that he wanting for, suddenly the Arabian lamp starting shaking and got it and start polish it, the came up a Genius (Jack Albertson) with modern outfits, however instead available three wishes this turn the trendy Genius offers just one only, therefore the Genius aware that the faltering guy needs more time to make a right choice and vanishing away to return later.

Then George wondering if he got be married with Ann's famous actress, the second choice should be the richest man and finally a powerful America's Politician, all these thoughts in some way weren't satisfactory whatsoever, at Last George decides be a........please see by yourself and judge if George made a clever choosing, although wasn't so great this episode has its moments enough able to enjoy!!

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2023 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.25.

Here we go again. Pitiful, hopeless little man, kicked around by his peers, gets an opportunity to make things better. He is coerced into buying an Aladdin's lamp in an antique store. It is for a woman in his office whom he has a crush on. She is the absolute center of attention and he doesn't even dare to give her the gift. The wolf of the office gets the girl and the promotion. Our guy goes home to his lonely apartment and his dog, Attila. This name proves to be a continuing gag as all manner of dogs in the episode have that same name. He decides he may be able to use the lamp as an ashtray and cleans it. Poof! Our comes a Genie, played by Jack Albertson, who tells him that he gets one wish (they used to give three, but people misused them). There is talk about love and possessions and the 90% tax bracket. He is given the task of thinking things through so his wish will be worth the effort. He puts himself in three situations in his daydreams, all of which are disasters. He even imagines himself President of the United States. Finally he gets an epiphany. For me, the conclusion was utterly ridiculous. This seemed so incredibly dated, which contributed to its less than stellar rating.

Howard Morris as George P. Hanley is an absolute scene-stealer. His versatility as an actor is well show-cased here, as he plays, in essence, five different characters (my favorite is as president). If you've only ever seen him as Ernest T. Bass on Andy Griffith, prepare to be shocked at just what a chameleon he is. Patricia Barry is also rather good in her different roles. My favorite scene: under the piano (definitely a tweak at what happens at Hollywood parties). All-in-all, it's a funny remake of "The Man in the Bottle", but with a *much* better ending (maybe my favorite of the series). It meanders, but then all of the hour-long episodes do.

Howard Morris stars as luckless George P. Hanley, in love with the secretary(played by Patricia Barry) at his job, who has no interest in him. Desperate, he is conned into buying an old Arabian lamp for her as a present, but discovers that it does have the proverbial Genie(played by miscast Jack Albertson) who will grant George only one wish, so he must consider carefully, and so imagines how love, wealth, and power would work out, which as you can guess, wont be well... Unfunny and clichéd comedy is a total waste of time, both because it had already been done before, and ultimately in its silly resolution. Morris fared far better when he costarred on "Thriller".

No spoilers in this commentary but rather a reaction to the less-than favorable reviews to be found here. I suspect it's a matter of expectations, yet I just saw this for the first time as a fan and appreciator of both TZ and Howard Morris. Is it a bias against the hour long episodes that prompted the lack of love? I know not. I found I Dream of Genie to be straddling the realms of fable, allegory and satire among others and found the overall presentation more than effective. Then there's Howie: if one has any true appreciation for the scope of his talents, this is truly a must-see. Admittedly it took only a brief moment to look at that face and not see or hear Ernest T. Bass, Uncle Goopy--even Atom Ant or Mushmouse. The man shines and serves the script all too well while not betraying his Shakespearean roots. Bravo!

A clear example of the comedy TZs dating a lot worse than the serious ones. It doesn't even feel like TZ. The genie gimmick is just ridiculous. More like some old show aimed at a family audience. If taken that way 'I Dream Of Genie' is not at all so bad, but this type of episode does nothing to help the lasting legacy of the greatest TV series of all time.

Patricia Barry (from 'The Chaser', series one) returns to TZ, again playing the object of the protagonist's desire, and seen married to him (at one point) by magic. As in 'The Chaser' her character doesn't seem very real from the outset. George P Hanley (Howard Morris) is one of a long line of life's losers to encounter some mystical makeover in the series. Played brightly by all, but on the whole a worn concept.

A second TZ genie (after 'The Man In The Bottle', series two) -oh please!

Absolutely horrible. Not funny or interesting in any way. As a half hour episode it would have been awful but as an hour long story it is nothing short of agony to watch.

Two things in this series almost completely destroyed it. The switch to an hour in length and the pitiful and lame attempts at humor. This is a serious program and should stay that way. If I want to laugh I know where to go.

It would be comforting to know that this is rock bottom but the awful fact is that "The Bard" is still ahead.

BOBBYNEAR

The clerk George P. Hanley is a complete loser and is bullied in the office where he works by his co-worker Roger. On the birthday of the secretary and his romantic interest Ann, George is lured by the owner of a store that sells an old lamp to him. George gives up to deliver his gift to Ann and brings it home. Soon he finds that the lamp is magic and the genie grants one wish for him. George decides to think of three different scenarios with Ann, money and power until he comes up to a conclusion.

"I Dream of Genie" is an annoying and silly episode of "The Twilight Zone". George's dreams reflect his weak personality and are ridiculous. But maybe the conclusion is worst with his stupid choice. This episode is supposed to be funny, but it is indeed depressive and one of the worsts of the series. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "O Gênio da Lâmpada" ("The Genie of the Lamp")

I love The Twilight Zone but this is the worst of the entire 5 seasons. Silly without wit, slow without anything clever to say. Tedious in the extreme.

It almost seems inevitable. Despite being overall brilliant and one of the greatest TV-series ever accomplished, every season of "The Twilight Zone" contains one or two episodes that are just plain terrible. I'm fully aware this is linked to my own personal taste and opinion, but the stories that I consider to be the worst are the ones that are overly sentimental, too fantasy-like, or wannabe comical. Examples, for me, include "Cavender is Coming", "The Big Tall Wish", "Mr. Dingle the Strong", and now also "I Dream of Genie". In fact, "I Dream of Genie" is the worst of them all because the running time is twice as long.

This is the uninteresting tale of a hapless desk clerk who buys an antique lamp with a genie inside, but he's granted just one wish instead of the usual three. Like every person in the world, he thinks about wishing for either love, money, or power. He then has dreams/visions that forewarn him about negative consequences if he chooses for any of those things. "I Dream of Genie" aims for laughs, but I didn't even smile once. The life and problems of protagonist George P. Hanley are dull and tiresome, and the jolly atmosphere is thoroughly "Twilight Zone" unworthy. The only positive moment worth mentioning is the denouement (as in: the wish Hanley eventually goes for), as that twist is fairly original. It can't nearly save the episode from being the worst of the series, though.

Started TZ with 20 minute classic episodes. Ended up several seasons later browsing content which are an hour in length. I understand back then TV was 'new' and people wanted more entertainment. But dragging along a plot unnecessarily and spelling everything out just to lengthen does not work when the same point could be made in 20 minutes. Same happens in modern times where producers feel like entertainment "has to" stick to a template or time frame.

Also as others pointed out genie gimmick became repetitive. I think by this time after producing so many episodes the creators were running out of ideas.