Review: 'Pushing Daisies' - Bzzzzzzz!

The facts are these: Last season, amidst speculation that it would be a booming year for genre television, all but a few shows succumbed to network politics and were promptly cast aside. One show, however, continued to provide endless Burtonesque entertainment and survived not only a cull of the new season but also industrial action from the Writers' Guild.

Following the life of a Pie Maker from Cours de Cours (Lee Pace), whose unnatural ability to revive the dead claimed the life of not only his mother, but the father of his one true love, Charlotte Charles, otherwise known as Chuck (Anna Friel), "Pushing Daisies" is perhaps the most ambitious series ever to grace the small screen.

The depth to the characters is slowly growing beyond the bizarre story-of-the-week formula, and the coming episodes will surely see more twists to the addictive and equally complex dynamic that exists between the cast. With secrets slowly consuming Olive Snook (Kristen Chenoweth) and the Pie Maker still unable to touch his beloved Chuck, “Pushing Daisies” is still a fairytale for adults.

What Worked

As always, the narration from Jim Dale continues to provide a spellbinding end enchanting tone to the star-crossed fairy tale, and the extreme use of color in all aspects of the show helps firmly cement "Pushing Daisies" in fable territory. Even relying so heavily on computer-generated technologies, the visuals are more ambitious than ever with "The Sound Of Music" panoramas and the landscapes of Cours de Cours proving to be among the episodes several optical splendors.

The bizarre and almost grotesque appearance of the corpses also keeps a healthy dose of surrealism in what would otherwise be a horrific and almost traumatic experience.

Emerson Cod again manages to be the comic relief in the dramedy series, which, as the serious-natured character he is, is certainly a fascinating contrast. “I’m sorry about your loss, and I do accept credit cards” is one of his many one-line wonders

There was also a small surprise of seeing French Stewart as the Bee Man, with his eyes open no less, in a role so different from his “3rd Rock From The Sun” hilarity.

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