12.19.08
Posted in Reviews at 3:04 am by Administrator
Written by Scott Nimerfro
Directed by Tricia Brock
My enjoyment of “Pushing Daisies” has largely been dependent on an episode’s concentration of amusement. In other words, if an episode delivers great material at a brisk pace, keeping me laughing and smiling the entire time, then it’s likely to earn high marks. If those moments are a little less frequent, then the marks aren’t so high.
I can happily say that this was one of my favorite episodes of the season. Nearly every scene was a laugh riot, with nearly every line of dialogue contributing to the beautiful madness. It reminded me very much of the pilot episode in that respect. Unlike some episodes this season, where the plot elements seemed to overpower the comedic and absurd underpinnings of the show, this was a near-perfect balance.
My only caveat would be the examples of overbearing exposition and recapping at the beginning of the episode. Granted, there are some viewers who might have missed an episode here and there, and the plot has been accelerated lately, but given the ratings, I would think most of the current viewers are devoted fans who have been there since day one. So is it really necessary to recap the same information, over and over again? (I had similar quibbles with the season premiere, as some might recall.)
Kudos to the entire cast, including Orlando Jones and the rest of the Norwegians, for pulling off some very impressive comedy. I’d love to see some of the outtakes from this episode, because I’m sure there were tons of moments where the cast lost their composure! It all seemed to come together more seamlessly than some of the other episodes this season, and for that reason alone, I found it notable.
As of the writing of this review, ABC has yet to announce its intentions for the final three episodes of the series. It would be a shame if those episodes never saw broadcast and the fans were forced to wait for the DVD. For a show that gained so many accolades after the first season, it deserves at least that much consideration.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 3/4
Final Rating: 9/10
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12.13.08
Posted in Reviews at 12:18 am by Administrator
Written by Dara Resnik Creasey and Chad Gomez Creasey
Directed by Lawrence Trilling
Fans of “Pushing Daisies” received a small slice of good news this week. While the series is still cancelled (extremely minor details aside), Bryan Fuller has made an effort to give the final episode more closure. It’s probably going to be as fleeting a sense of completion as the “ending” of “Journeyman” was last season, but it’s something. (Now the question is: will ABC even bother to air the final three episodes, or just dump them onto the inevitable DVD package?)
With another episode heavy on the ongoing plot elements, this is good news indeed. Because as I’ve said before, that’s the side of the series that I enjoy the most, and the part that had the least chance of receiving the aforementioned closure. Now, if nothing else, I can hold out hope that Chuck’s father and his decision to be Dead Man Driving will amount to something when the final curtain falls.
I loved the emphasis on the nature of the relationship between Chuck and Ned, and how Charles Charles continually challenged Ned’s assumption that it was a good thing. This is a modern fairy tale, of course, so the love between the piemaker and his undead paramour cannot be in true jeopardy. But that doesn’t mean that Charles Charles can’t make things hilarious in the attempt!
I’m also warming up to the Emerson/Olive private eye connection that has emerged. It gives Olive a lot more to do, and in terms of her revived lust for Ned, it gives her an ally. After all, Emerson barely tolerates Chuck on the best of days (not unlike his reaction to most of humanity), so why wouldn’t he want to help Olive in her little quest?
In short, this was another episode that reinforces why the series will be so missed by fans and critics alike.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
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12.06.08
Posted in Reviews at 1:08 am by Administrator
Written by Douglas Petrie
Directed by Peter Lauer
Bryan Fuller is best known for creating properties that develop a devoted cult following and critical acclaim, but somehow fail to reach a broader audience despite the accolades. Before “Pushing Daisies”, Fuller attempted to launch “Wonderfalls” on the FOX network. Perhaps because it was the FOX network, the series aired a handful of episodes before shuffling off into the ether.
Fuller manages to overlap the world of “Wonderfalls” and “Pushing Daisies” in this episode, and while none of the main cast of that gem crossed over into Ned’s world, the connection is appreciated. In a perfect world, everything that Fuller has created would be part of the same universe, and they would eventually all play in the same sandbox.
It might seem odd to bring all of this up when the crossover element was a minor facet of an episode overflowing with great moments. Who didn’t want to see Chuck and Ned in the same bed, for example, just before she sneaks away her dead father, betraying Ned’s trust? And resolving the Dixon threat in the process? Chuck and Emerson’s antics were a lot of fun, particularly given that Emerson doesn’t like Chuck all that much (or anyone else, for that matter).
Ned and Olive’s partnership at the baking competition was a bit more generic, but it did provide the basis for the Muffin Buffalo crossover and also gave the writers the excuse to revisit Olive’s desire for Ned. Any episode that provides Olive with a musical number is a winner in my book!
This season has been very uneven for me, but this episode hit all the right notes and gave me a nostalgic slice of “Wonderfalls” in the process. Hopefully, the rest of this final run will be equally enjoyable.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
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12.02.08
Posted in Uncategorized at 1:05 am by Administrator
Written by Jim Danger Gray
Directed by Paul Shapiro
With the cancellation announced, watching “Pushing Daisies” is already an exercise in wondering what might have been. Bryan Fuller has already admitted that the show will now end on a cliffhanger, so the fans won’t even get a fulfilling conclusion to the story (unless that film version miraculously happens or the proposed comics prove worthwhile). Perhaps it makes sense for a show about resurrection of the dead to end with what feels like a wake.
That seems to be a trend for Bryan Fuller shows. The writing is often brilliant and the concepts are simple but unique. Yet the execution is frustrating: it’s excellent enough to gather devoted fans, but just far enough left of center to make the devoted throng a ripple in the ratings pool. Bryan Fuller is not unlike Joss Whedon in that respect.
This episode is another strong entry for the second season, which has matched along despite losing a bit of the magical luster that came with its original premiere. The character through-lines are certainly ambitious, as secrets long kept threaten to blossom into the light of day. It’s devastating to realize that there will be little to no resolution in the end.
In the case of the episode’s central mystery, however, it wasn’t all that engaging. Maybe it was too easy to see where the story was going to go, but I was far more interested in the subplots involving Chuck’s family matters. I suppose that’s part of my problem with the current state of “Pushing Daisies”; the things that brought me to the table are the very things that will be left hanging.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 1/4
Final Rating: 7/10
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