History Recap / TalesFromTheDarksideS1E10DjinnNoChaser

-> Story By: Creator/Harlan Ellison

Danny Squires, currently committed to a mental institution, tells the unseen Dr. Vellman (and by extension, us) about how he and his new wife Connie were searching for furniture for their apartment. They happened to witness a strange tent full of strange items magically appear in an empty lot, where Connie came across an old lamp. When the lamp is rubbed later that night, a powerful genie, Jan Bin Jan, speaks from within it, voicing his fury at being trapped in his confined space for 10,000 years. Ignoring the genie's feelings, Danny tries to get his wishes granted, prompting the genie in question to torture his new "master" with various plagues, preventing him and Connie from leaving the apartment.

* BullyingADragon: Even after hearing the reason as to why he's such a grump, and that he'd ''maybe'' grant his wishes if he were freed, Danny offers no sympathy to Jan and immediately demands a wish for money, right after threatening to toss the lamp into the incinerator. Cue a rainstorm manifesting in the apartment as Jan laughs uproarously.

* VolleyingInsults: Danny and the shopkeeper in the tent haggle over the price of Jan's lamp, quickly degrading into hurling insults at one another.

* JackassGenie: At first, Jan torments Danny and Connie nonstop (well, mostly Danny) to be a jerk, but it's soon revealed that he was only lashing out because he's pissed about spending the last 10,000 years crammed into his itty-bitty living space (which no doubt gave him a pretty big [[Film/{{Aladdin}} crick in the neck]]). When Connie frees him, he becomes much nicer towards her and Danny.

* OurGeniesAreDifferent: Jan, the genie that the Squires come into ownership of has no desire to grant their wishes, deciding instead to torture them with severe weather, vicious animals, and a lot of slime. When he's let out, he takes the form of a very large man and becomes quite nicer to the pair.

* NoIndoorVoice: The genie, who spouts out Ali Baba-esque insults to the Squires from his lamp. He briefly lowers the volume on Connie's behalf, but it doesn't last long.

* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday: The Squires find Jan's lamp in a Middle-Eastern tent that suddenly appears completely out of nowhere in an empty lot, and disappears after they step out and walk away. In keeping with the ridiculous nature of the episode, they lampshade the whole thing to themeslves.

* BullyingADragon: Even after hearing the reason to why he's such a grump, and that he'd maybe grant his wishes if he were freed, Danny offers no sympathy to Jan and immediately demands a wish for money, right after threatening to toss the lamp into the incinerator. Cue a rainstorm manifesting in the apartment as Jan laughs uproarously.

While locked away in a mental hospital, Danny Squires tells his unseen doctor (and by extension the audience) about how he and his new wife Connie were searching for furniture for their new apartment, and came across a genie's lamp in a mysterious tent. When the lamp is rubbed, the genie's voice emanates from it, voicing his furious anger at being trapped in his confined space for 10,000 years. If that isn't enough, the genie also tortures his new "masters" with various plagues, preventing them from leaving the apartment.

!!"Djinn, No Chaser" provides examples of:

* BaitAndSwitch: Upon hearing the genie hurling insults again, Danny promptly makes a run for it. He's stopped when he learns that the genie has become much nicer since he was freed, and was merely voicing his frustration with the tailors who made a mistake with his suit.
* CollectorOfTheStrange: Danny is shown to possess a collection of mallard duck statues.
* DeadpanSnarker: Both Danny and Connie act as this at times.
* DenserAndWackier: The first episode of the series to fully commit itself to zany, over-the-top comedy.
* DirtyCoward: Being driven to insanity by the genie, Danny divorces Connie and has himself committed to escape his wrath. He later expresses regret with his cowardice and checks himself out to return home.
* FourthWallPsych: The framing segment of the episode has Danny telling the story to a doctor who is interviewing him. Since the doctor is never heard from or seen, it's basically amounting to Danny telling the audience itself his story.
* TheLittleShopThatWasntThereYesterday: The Squires find the lamp in a tent that suddenly appears out of nowhere in an empty lot, then disappears after they step out and walk away. In keeping with the ridiculous nature of the episode, they lampshade the whole thing.
* MundaneSolution: It turns out that Connie was able to free the genie from his lamp simply by using a can opener.
* OurGeniesAreDifferent: The genie that the Squires come into ownership of has no desire to grant their wishes, deciding instead to torture them with severe weather and vicious animals for several days.
* TookALevelInKindness: When he is finally released from the lamp, the genie becomes far more benevolent to his masters, redecorating their apartment for them and willing to become their friend.
* VolleyingInsults: Danny and the shopkeeper initially start haggling over the price of the lamp, but it quickly degrades into the two insulting one another.
* WickedCultured: The genie quickly becomes a distinguished and friendly guy when he is finally released, able to see and witness firsthand how much the world has changed in 10,000 years.

* BaitAndSwitch: Upon hearing the genie hurling insults again, Danny promptly makes a run for it. He's stopped when he learns that the genie has become nuch nicer

* WickedCultured: The genie quickly becomes a distinguished and friendly guy when he is finally released.