Secret Ingredient (5 May 1987)
"The Hitchhiker" Secret Ingredient (original title)

A smooth talking vitamin salesman contends with a rival, and a mysterious woman he follows home.

Director:

Colin Bucksey

Writers:

Riff Markowitz (creator), Lewis Chesler (creator),

Stars:

Dean Paul Martin, Dana Wheeler-Nicholson, Tamara Mark

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Dean Paul Martin	...	Chris Taylor
Dana Wheeler-Nicholson	...	Belinda Haskell
Tamara Mark	...	Elizabeth
Candy Clark	...	Cheryl Barnes
Page Fletcher	...	The Hitchhiker
Enid Saunders	...	Bertie Klein

Storyline

A smooth talking vitamin salesman contends with a rival, and a mysterious woman he follows home.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Release Date:

5 May 1987 (France)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DiC Enterprises, Markowitz/Chesler Producing, Quintina Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

25 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

Excellent episode

Smooth-talking sleazeball vitamin salesman Chris Taylor (marvelously played to the unctuous and spirited hilt by Dean Paul Martin) not only has to deal with shrewd former old flame turned formidable new rival Cheryl Barnes (a splendidly spunky portrayal by Candy Clark), but also meets his match in the form of beautiful, yet mysterious blonde Belinda Haskell (a fine and enchanting turn by the lovely Dana Wheeler-Nicholson). Director Colin Bucksey and writer Gail Glaze (who also served as this show's story editor) ably craft a wickedly enjoyable piece about the fierce competitive nature of the salesman business and deliver one doozy of a grim surprise ending in which the supremely smarmy Taylor receives his just brutal comeuppance for being such a shameless manipulator of women. Martin's bravura acting as Taylor really holds everything together; he positively oozes as one extremely slick BS artist with a taste for the ladies and a fast pitch that's impossible to resist. Enid Saunders likewise registers well as sweet elderly customer Bertie Klein while Tamara Mark is pleasingly sexy as Belinda's enticing best gal pal Elizabeth. Ron Orieux's polished cinematography provides an attractive bright look. The neatly bopping score by Shuki Levy and Haim Saban bounces along at a snappy clip. A worthy episode.