Rod Serling's classic 1950's anthology series, The Twilight Zone, is known for being a unique blend of sci-fi, horror, drama, and comedy. While it has been praised and widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows of all time, it probably isn't the first series to come to mind when thinking of the romance genre.
Of course, a series with an extensive range like The Twilight Zone didn't limit itself to just suspenseful and often dark, twists and thrills, it also has quite a few episodes that undoubtedly appeal to the viewer's inner starry-eyed romantic. Here's a compilation of some of the most romantic episodes of the series that are sure to leave fans swooning and occasionally heartbroken. After all, in The Twilight Zone, you're certainly not guaranteed to get a happy ending.
Black Leather Jackets
This sci-fi star-crossed love story is hardly the strongest episode The Twilight Zone produced, still, for fans of romance in the mood something a bit on the lighter side, "Black Leather Jackets" certainly fit the bill. The tale follows three male creatures disguised as men who are plotting humanity's destruction. However, the plan hits a snag when the youngest alien known as Scott falls in love with their human next-door neighbor, Ellen Tillman.
There's plenty of cliché behavior, silliness, and cheese happening in "Black Leather Jackets," so viewers looking for something with a bit more depth might prefer to avoid this episode.
The Chaser
The thirty-first episode of season 1 follows Roger Shackleforth, who the audience learns is hopelessly in love with Lelia, a woman who's clearly uninterested in him. At a stranger's suggestion, Roger goes to meet a professor, who sells him a love potion. In the typical cliche "be careful what you wish for" fashion, Lelia becomes obsessed with Roger and slowly drives him crazy with constant affection.
While "The Chaser" has a lighter comedic tone than the average episode, there are some problematic issues here involving free will and the fact that Lelia is manipulated like a puppet by Roger. In the usual twist ending, Roger does at least get some well-deserved karma and ends up stuck dealing with the mess he created for the rest of his life.
The Trouble With Templeton
In The Twilight Zone's ninth episode of the second season, viewers meet Mr. Booth Templeton, a Broadway actor that's unsatisfied with his life and reminisces on happier days when his deceased first wife Laura was still alive. Eventually, Templeton's nostalgic longing leads him on a trip back to the past, where he finds himself at his old hangout with Laura and his deceased friend, Barney.
Though at first, he doesn't understand why they seem so different from the people he remembers, it later becomes clear that the ghosts of his past were only trying to help him move on. While this theme is recurrent in the series, "The Trouble With Templeton" addresses the "you can't go home again" premise beautifully and the idea of longing for lost love will certainly connect with fans of the romance genre.
Young Man's Fancy
Sometimes love can be truly twisted, as seen in The Twilight Zone's thirty-fourth episode of season 3, "Young Man's Fancy." The story follows Alex and Virginia Walker, a newlywed couple that is supposed to be making arrangements to sell the late Mrs. Henrietta Walker's home, Alex's mother. While Virginia is clearly eager to sell the house and move on from the memory of Alex's mother, her son desperately clings to his childhood memories.
Though Virginia is convinced that her love will help Alex move on, it becomes clear that he is unable to let go of his past. Those looking for a classic happy ending might want to steer clear of this doomed married couple.
From Agnes - With Love
In the twentieth episode of season 5, viewers are introduced to James Elwood, a master programmer who's in charge of an advanced electronic computer named Agnes. After the awkward programmer ruins a date with his love interest, Millie, he takes advice from Agnes, which only manages to make things worse. Eventually, Elwood realizes that Agnes is sabotaging things on purpose because the computer has fallen in love and wants him all to herself.
It's definitely one of the lighter episodes of the series, though the romantic plotline is certainly dated and the ultimate lesson learned (told by narrator Rod Sterling) is to watch out for "a most dangerous sort of female" aka Femme Fatales, which is not exactly modernized thinking.
The Long Morrow
Viewers will need tissues to watch this tragic romance. "The Long Morrow" is the fifteenth episode of season 5, and it follows Commander Douglas Stansfield, an astronaut about to embark on a 40-year space trip. Stansfield is told he will be placed in suspended animation during the 20 years it will take to get there and back, in order to minimize his time alone, but due to the suspended animation, he won't age a day.
Unfortunately, before leaving, the commander falls in love with his colleague, Sandra Horn, and their desire to be together once Stansfield returns ultimately leads to tragic results. Viewers of "The Long Morrow" will be heartbroken over the ending for this ill-fated couple.
In His Image
In the premiere episode of the fourth season, viewers are introduced to a seemingly ordinary man named Alan Talbot. After a disturbing interaction with a religious fanatic leads to tragedy, he goes off to visit his hometown with a woman Jessica Connelly, with whom he has fallen in love.
When further bizarre and strange occurrences happen in the town, Alan searches for the truth about his origins, which turns out to be even stranger than he could have imagined. There's certainly a lot for viewers to unpack with this episode's sci-fi love story and it raises interesting questions about artificial intelligence, cloning, and the ability to love.
Nick Of Time
Episode forty-three of season 2, "Nick of Time," follows newlyweds Don and Pat Carter. The couple ends up in a small Ohio town after their car breaks down and they decide to grab lunch at a diner called The Busy Bee Cafe. The superstitious Don becomes obsessed with a fortune-telling machine at their booth, which eventually leads to Pat confronting Don about his fixation and the couple agrees to leave the town. Viewers soon see another couple frantically approach the fortune teller machine and ask if they will leave the town that day.
Obviously disappointed by the response, the couple continues on, remaining trapped in the bizarre cycle of superstition. While the episode is not outwardly romantic in nature, William Shatner's Don and Patricia Breslin's Pat make a delightfully charismatic couple, and seeing the two take charge of their own destiny is certainly a love story in its own right.
The Lonely
In the seventh episode of season 1, "The Lonely," viewers are introduced to James A. Corry, an inmate who's been placed in solitary confinement and is serving a 50-year sentence for murder on an asteroid nine million miles from Earth. After the captain of a supply ship takes pity on him, Corry is given a realistic-looking robot woman named Alicia. While initially disgusted by her, Corry eventually develops feelings for Alicia and falls in love.
Without spoiling the episode, it should be noted that how you view the ending for this romantic episode of The Twilight Zone really depends on a personal perspective. Certainly, this sci-fi episode touches on some interesting questions about love, artificial intelligence, and human emotion.
The Trade-Ins
A truly sweet and sentimental story, episode 31 of season 3 tells the tale of an elderly married couple, John and Marie Holt. The two are at a medical center called The New Life Corp. that specializes in body swapping. For Mr. Holt, the procedure would mean relief from physical pain, which according to Mrs. Holt is quite bad and "fairly constant." As the Holts learn more about their new bodies, they seem to grow more and more excited, only to be ultimately let down when they realize they only have enough money to cover the cost of one new body.
Eventually, Mrs. Holt convinces her husband to get the procedure, telling him she understands, though she is clearly disappointed she cannot join him. Ultimately Mr. Holt makes a decision that leaves viewers with a bittersweet ending that's perfect for fans of the romance genre.