Tales from the Darkside: “Love Hungry” (S4E11)
“Love Hungry” offers up another morality play in Tales from the Darkside’s fourth season, this time focusing on body image, desperation, and the sinister side of self-improvement. It’s part horror, part social satire, and while not as emotionally resonant as some earlier entries, it’s certainly memorable, thanks in no small part to its gruesome climax and biting commentary on vanity culture.
Plot Summary
The story centres on Edith Burrows, a lonely and overweight woman who lives a reclusive life. Tired of being ignored and mocked, Edith dreams of love and acceptance. Her luck seems to change when she receives a mysterious advertisement for a new diet supplement—an experimental product promising dramatic results without any effort.
Edith starts using the product, which comes in the form of drops administered in her ears while she sleeps. The transformation is swift and astonishing: she loses weight rapidly, her skin clears up, and her appearance becomes more conventionally attractive. Men begin to take notice of her, and Edith revels in the newfound attention.
But there’s a cost.
The supplement doesn’t just alter her appearance—it starts altering her perception. Food begins to smell rotten, look grotesque, and become utterly repulsive. Everything edible is viewed as disgusting. Her body begins to rebel, craving sustenance, but her mind refuses it. As her health deteriorates, the horrifying realisation sets in: she’s been tricked. The product has rewired her senses, and now she can’t eat anything. Beauty came with a built-in starvation plan.
The episode ends on a bleak note, with Edith trapped in a beautiful body, dying of hunger, isolated once again.
What Works
A Dark Take on Diet Culture
“Love Hungry” is at its strongest when it leans into its satirical edge. It takes aim at society’s obsession with thinness, especially in how women are perceived and treated. Edith’s desperate desire to be loved is understandable, and the episode makes a solid point about how cruelty and isolation can drive people toward dangerous extremes.
A Solid Central Performance
The actress playing Edith does a commendable job of shifting between vulnerability, joy, and despair. Her transformation is not just physical—it’s emotional. We feel for her, even as things take a twisted turn.
The Ending
The finale is nightmarish. The idea of being unable to eat, not due to lack of food but because of sensory manipulation, is a uniquely horrifying concept. The fact that her body is now “perfect” only deepens the tragedy. It’s a powerful metaphor: the pursuit of ideal beauty leads to self-destruction.
What Doesn’t Work
Heavy-Handedness
While the moral is effective, the storytelling lacks subtlety. Tales from the Darkside was never known for being nuanced, but here, the message is so overt it occasionally veers into the preachy.
Predictability
Once the setup is clear, seasoned horror viewers will likely guess where the plot is going. There’s not much surprise, just a slow march toward the inevitable doom.
Lack of Supporting Depth
The episode is a one-woman show for the most part, which works in some ways but also makes it feel a little thin in terms of world-building. Some supporting characters are flat and serve only to reinforce Edith’s isolation or objectify her transformation.
Themes: Beauty, Isolation, and the Cost of Transformation
The core theme is that of self-worth being tied to appearance, and the destructive consequences of internalising societal beauty standards. Edith isn’t evil or greedy—she’s lonely and hurt. And it’s that emotional pain that makes her an easy mark for something too good to be true.
There’s also a Frankenstein-esque theme of science gone awry. The experimental supplement promises perfection, but like many horror stories about unchecked ambition, it delivers tragedy instead.
Final Thoughts: A Body Horror Fable with a Familiar Punch
“Love Hungry” is a quintessential Darkside episode in the sense that it delivers its moral with a hammer. It’s effective, if not especially subtle. The slow burn to the reveal is satisfying enough, and the ending is properly disturbing. While it doesn’t break new ground, it does leave an impression, especially in today’s ongoing conversations about body image and self-acceptance.
Who Would Enjoy This Episode?
- Fans of body horror and psychological twists
- Viewers who appreciate morality tales with clear (if grim) messages
- Anyone interested in horror as social commentary
Who Might Not Enjoy It?
- Viewers looking for fast-paced thrills or supernatural elements
- Those who prefer their horror without heavy-handed moralising
- Audiences sensitive to eating disorders or body dysmorphia topics
Final Verdict: Unsubtle but Effectively Creepy
“Love Hungry” isn’t one of Tales from the Darkside’s most innovative episodes, but it’s a solid cautionary tale. It may not scare you out of your seat, but it’ll definitely make you think twice the next time someone promises you a “miracle” fix. Beauty, it turns out, can be a real killer.
