It never ceases to amaze me how important and influential "The Twilight Zone" TV-series was; and still is for that matter! In every episode I watch, I spot ideas and concepts that were recycled, imitated or even shamelessly copied in numerous of other movies and TV-series that were released much later. This installment, "The Chaser", catapulted me straight back to my childhood years in the early 90s. I wasn't able to watch many movies in my favorite genre, because I was still too young and not allowed to rent horror, but I was addicted to secretly watching "Tales from the Crypt" on late- night television. I must have seen every episode 4 or 5 times, and one of them was called "Loved to Death" and starred Andrew McCarthy, Mariel Hemingway and the utterly cool British actor David Hemmings. It's only now, approximately twenty- five years later, that I've come to realize that "Loved to Death" is an almost identical re-telling of a "Twilight Zone" episode that was made 31 years earlier already. Pathetic and clumsy Roger Shackleforth is desperately in love with the beautiful Leila, but his feelings remain unanswered. He comes into contact with the brilliant Professor Daemon, who sells solutions to every imaginable type of problem in the form of magic potions. For the lousy price of $1, Roger buys a potion guarantying him that Leila becomes hopelessly devoted to him, but the purchase comes with a warning
"The Chaser" is a fairly light-headed and unusual TZ-episode, dealing with puppy love in an overall solemn first season primarily dealing with time traveling, the afterlife and the exploration of space. It's definitely a nice diversion, with refreshing performances and a delightful climax.