‘Pushing Daisies’ Deserves More

A simple pie maker with unexpected powers, a badass private investigator who knits to relieve stress, an eccentric pair of former synchronized swimming stars who refuse to leave their home and love to eat cheese, an idyllic town filled with shockingly grisly murders… ‘Pushing Daisies’ was the quirky combination of romance and crime that we all needed. So why did this show run for such a short time? Why were we left with so little of this masterpiece to enjoy?

The facts were these (See what I did there?): 

Airing its pilot episode in 2007, ‘Pushing Daisies’ was an award-winning TV show with a fantastic cast and a solid following. Renewed for a second season and on a seemingly strong trajectory, it was the Writers Guild of America strike from 2007 - 2008 that threw the show for a loop. With the strike and a sudden drop in ratings, we were left with just two seasons of ‘Pushing Daisies’ instead of what could have (and should have) lasted for many, many years.

And of course, ‘Pushing Daisies’ also happens to be my all-time favorite show. As much as I love rewatching it, it will always feel devastating when I suddenly find myself at the final episode of season 2, experiencing what was obviously a rushed series finale to what had been such a well-crafted and beautiful show. While it’s been over ten years since it aired and ended, it is still my wish to see more of ‘Pushing Daisies’ and to get the closure we fans yearn for.

So what is ‘Pushing Daisies’ and why is it so great? 

Ned, played by the attractive and likable Lee Pace, seems to have a pretty ordinary life. He lives in the idyllic town of Coeur d’Coeurs, owns a quaint pie shop called The Pie Hole, and takes care of his beloved golden retriever Digby. But beneath the surface, there’s more to Ned than meets the eye. He has the power to bring back the dead.

Yes, with just the touch of his finger, Ned can revive any dead thing. Plants, bugs, animals, people, the fruit he puts in his pies… He simply has to make physical contact with the dead to erase all signs of a tragic ending.

And while at first this may seem like an incredible power, Ned quickly learns that there are consequences to his actions. For one, if he touches someone and brings them back to life, he can’t ever touch them again or else they’ll immediately return to their dead state. And what’s worse, if someone he’s revived remains alive for more than one minute, another must die in their place. 

So what can he do with a power so strong and so potentially disastrous? He solves crimes of course! Using his abilities, Ned partners with private detective Emerson Cod to solve the many murders of Coeur d’Coeur. Together, they visit the morgue, awaken murder victims, asks them who killed them, and then return them to their dead state before a minute is up. They then collect and split the reward money for the capture of the murderer and move on to the next victim. 

However, when Ned discovers that the latest murder victim in town is his childhood sweetheart, Chuck, he simply can’t bring himself to leave her dead. So begins one of the most intriguing and endearing shows I’ve ever seen. It’s romance, it’s crime, it’s mystery, it’s magic, and the technicolor mood of ‘Pushing Daisies’ is unlike anything on television before or after. 

From the very first second of the very first episode, the world of ‘Pushing Daisies’ pulls you in. This vivid, storybook setting is both old-fashioned and modern at the same time. We’re shown fields of flowers, quaint windmills, vintage-looking cars, mouth-watering pies, and beautiful, pastel architecture that will have you ready to jump into your screen and move right in. Coeur d’Coeur is brightly colored, filled with sunshine and blue sky, and brought to life by the narration of Jim Dale, the famous voice actor whose soothing tones gave us the Harry Potter audiobooks.

It’s like stepping into a fairytale. Of course, this fairytale also happens to be filled with murder. For a town so picturesque, Coeur d’Coeur truly is a grisly place. Week after week, Ned, Emerson, and Chuck find themselves tracking down jealous ex-lovers, evil business partners, and greedy family members. Yet, there’s something about this shocking juxtaposition that somehow feels so right. 

And it perfectly reflects the storyline of the show. We consistently see our main characters in life-threatening situations and solving horrific crimes, but it’s the love story between Chuck and Ned that really keeps us grounded and invested. It’s heartwarming, it’s sweet, it’s innocent, and you can’t help but root for it. I mean, can you imagine a better or more heartbreaking forbidden love story than a pair of childhood sweethearts who literally can’t touch each other? Ned has to keep his distance at all times for fear of touching Chuck and returning her to her dead state. When they kiss with the help of some handy plastic wrap, it’s both beautiful and devastating.

And there’s much more to the crime-solving as well. It’s often not as simple as asking the murder victim who killed them and then tracking down and turning the murderer in to authorities. Most of the time, the dead weren’t even able to see who it was who did them in. Or they wake up with no memory of having been murdered in the first place. All they can offer is a clue or two to our favorite detective team. And because they only have one minute with each victim, it’s a literal race against the clock to find out the information necessary to solve the crime. What we end up with is intriguing mysteries, a beautiful romance, a solid dose of humor, clever writing, and a visually stunning piece of television. 

And of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that the fabulous Kristin Chenoweth is not only in the show, but a main character whose comedy and endearing charm often steals the spotlight. And they let her sing! On multiple occasions, Kristin, who plays the lovestruck waitress Olive, unleashes her incredible vocals, which of course only adds to the quality, charm, and quirkiness of the show.

I’d love to see a revival of ‘Pushing Daisies’, or even see it added to more streaming websites and given more attention. In fact, it would make a fantastic musical. I suggest heading over to CW Seed and pressing play on the ‘Pushing Daisies’ pilot (or “Pie-lette, as it’s titled). Enjoy this beautiful show, and spread the word. Maybe someday, we’ll get the closure we’re looking for!