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Pushing Daisies: Comfort Food
(S02E08) "I declare an emotional snow day." -- Ned to ChuckA really good episode of Pushing Daisies is something like a really good slice of pie: perfectly balanced in taste and consistency, not to sweet, not too tart, nicely flaky and completely satisfying the way comfort food should be. To some, every episode is a delight, but not every one is the perfect slice. This one, to me, had it all. There was something for every character, a goofy murder, complications galore and Kristen Chenoweth singing.
As the last of the Pushing Daisies play out -- with slim hopes of a TV life beyond this season -- I can't help but find myself savoring every show. But enough about the future, let's talk about this episode. It was great to see Olive, Ned, Chuck and Emerson separated into two teams; Ned and Olive went to the cook-off, while Chuck turned to Emerson after a highly traumatic development. More on that after the jump.
But first we had Ned and Chuck with her Dad. Her dead Dad. Opening the coffin. For a 20 year old corpse, I kind of expected a skeleton. I didn't expect that Chuck would double-cross Ned like that. But like Chuck said, she got caught in the moment. After the bandaging, Mr. Charles looked like the Invisible Man. His not returning to the dead, ironically, spelled the end of Dwight Dixon. Ah, the circle of death. But now there are the consequences; what will Ned do now that he knows what Chuck's done?
Meanwhile, the Comfort Food Cook-Off, or as Ned called it "the Best in Show for Best in Belly," was just the type of goofy set up that Pushing Daisies does so well. There was Colonel Likkin's Chicken, the Waffle Nazi, the Muffin Buffalo lady, and -- of course -- the Pie Hole. Olive was desperate to win and despite sabotaged ovens, she pulled out Plan B, one of Ned's icebox lemon pie ("Revenge is a dish best served cold") and after a slow-mo race to the finish, she succeeded. When she and Ned were declared victors, it wasn't the blue ribbon that made Olive burst out into song, it was Ned's hand holding hers.
The fantasy musical number, interrupted when she sang the words, "Say my name," and Ned would do so, pulling her back to reality for a sec. I'm an unabashed fan of musicals and I loved this scene, loved Kristin's interpretation of the song -- "Eternal Flame" -- and loved that Olive is still hopelessly devoted to the piemaker.
...Even though the piemaker is hopelessly devoted to Chuck. Seeing Ned and Chuck sleeping together, same bed -- like spoons -- but with a big plastic sleeve naturally, was a reminder that Ned is completely committed to Chuck. Olive's love, which she's been keeping under wraps since coming back from the convent, popped back out at the cook-off after Vivian's appearance. Oh, Olive. I feel for you in your unrequited love. As Viv said, "Lying to yourself about love never works."
So now that Dwight is dead and Charles has warned Ned and Chuck about the insurance policy, that should be the next issue to deal with -- other than the fact that Ned now has two dead bodies to care for. I see a lot of stress baking on the horizon.
You know, it's rare to find such a show like Pushing Daisies, one that's so literate and challenging and entertaining. The writing is first-rate and witty; the production design is amazing. The drama and comedy and fantasy blend terrific. And what performances -- from every member of the cast and every guest turn. This show is brilliant and it's really a sad commentary on network TV that there's no place for it to thrive and survive. Sigh.
Pushing Daisies' Photos
PUSHING DAISIES Missi Pyle and Peter Cambor in the episode Bzzzzzzzzz! Chuck goes undercover as a Bee Girl at a honey-based cosmetics company after their new spokesmodel (guest star Autumn Reeser) is stung to death. She soon discovers that office politics are killer (literally) between the founder (guest star Missi Pyle as Betty Bee) and the new owner (guest star French Stewart as Woolsey Nicholls). Meanwhile, Ned cant stand her growing independence or the fact that she wants to move out of his apartment. In other developments, Lily spirits Olive off to a nunnery so she won't spill Lily's deep, dark secret. Airs Wednesday, October 1, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Anna Friel as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Chi McBride as Emerson Cod, Lee Pace as Ned and Anna Friel as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Anna Friel as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles and Lee Pace as Ned star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Anna Friel as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles and Lee Pace as Ned star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Lee Pace as Ned star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Anna Friel as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Lee Pace as Ned, Anna Friel as Charlotte "Chuck" Charles and Chi McBride as Emerson star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Chi McBride as Emerson Cod and Lee Pace as Ned star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
PUSHING DAISIES Chi McBride as Emerson Cod and Lee Pace as Ned star in the episode "Circus Circus"- Ned, Chuck and Emerson search for a missing teen (guest star Hayley McFarland as Nikki Heaps) who's run off to the circus . . . a circus where people keep turning up dead. Meanwhile, overcome with guilt, Lily pays Olive a visit at the nunnery. Airs Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
ABC
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