Pushing the boundaries of reality (Pushing Daisies)

Member Name: shopaholicleo

Product:	Pushing Daisies
Date:	18/11/08 (139 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Unique, quirky, thought provoking

Disadvantages: None

When you watch Pushing Daisies, it may seem instantly familiar. The voiceover, quirky styling and whimsical nature is certainty reminiscent of that sort of Lemony Snicket/Tim Burton kind of style. The colours really stand out when you watch this, and you can tell that every prop, background and setting has been carefully thought about. Although some elements of the show appear modern, there are a lot of past references such as the vintage car that Ned drives, the 50's style clothes Anna Friel wears as Chuck and apparent lack of certain techonolgy. You'll never see the people on this show on Facebook or chained to their Blackberries. But who are Chuck and Ned, you might ask? Being a relatively new, and slightly niche show, the characters and plot are not immediately in everyone's minds, so I shall give one of my rare detailed explanations.

Ned is the main character of the show, who makes pies for a living. His life is somewhat depressing after his mother randomly dying (more about this in a bit), and his father sending him off to boarding school, and his personality is somewhat shy and introverted due to not being exactly popular at school (his main friend being his 'dead' dog). The main thing about him, is that he can bring the dead back to life by touch, with two main rules. First touch means they stay alive, second touch means death. If the person/animal is kept alive for more than a minute, then something similar will die. An example, when Ned's mother collapses when baking a pie in the beginning, he touches her again and she springs back to life. However, his childhood sweetheart Chuck's father tending his garden nearby, proceeds to drop down dead. Sadly, when his mother kisses him goodnight, she dies (again) for good. Have you followed this? It's a recurring theme throughout all of the episodes, due to the nature of Ned and Chuck's relationship.

Chuck (or Charlotte Charles) and Ned were childhood sweethearts, but after her untimely death, he thought she was never to be seen again. Little did he know that a visit to her funeral parlour, combined with his secret gift would bring her back to life again, permanently. All he has to do is not touch her. As a person Chuck is positive and impulsive, the complete opposite of Ned but somehow they manage to rekindle their childhood affections and start the strangest relationship seen ever on television. I think the actors manage to convey this feeling of devotion, love and longing really well, without all the obvious touching and kissing you might see on other dramas. Everything is explained in a look, and it's really interesting (and sad at times) to watch their somewhat pure relationship, and the sacrifices they make.

Other characters include, Emerson Cod, Olive Snook (some great names in this show) and Chuck's aunts Vivian and Lily. Ned has managed to capitalise on his gift, and works with Emerson Cod as a private investigator by solving murders. This may seem pretty easy since he can speak to the dead for 60 seconds, but as you'll see in the episodes the cases are rarely straightforward. Olive works with Ned in the Pie Hole (his aptly titled restaurant, of course) and has a long-standing affection for him, which is thwarted by his love for the girl he cannot touch. This confuses Olive slightly, but in time she may be able to work things out for herself. Chuck's aunts also feature frequently, even though they think their niece is dead, there are still more secrets to be uncovered about their family history.

Pushing Daisies quickly became one of my favourite shows, due to it's unique storyline and innocence. I love watching Chuck and Ned's relationship develop, with it's obvious obstacles, which runs alongside their murder-mystery solving. It is visually interesting to watch, with colours similar to that of a children's book or Amelie (I like how this film incorporates random facts and back-stories of it's characters, which also happens here), and although it's not a realistic view of life, it certainly provides escapism from a sea of similar programmes. It can also be watched by all ages, as it will merely hint at certain themes (though some of the 'dead' bodies can be a bit gory). The costume design is also excellent, with characters wearing either contrasting or just one colour (though Ned mainly sticks to dark tones, in keeping with his personality) and styles from many different eras, giving it a timeless feel. The narration by Jim Dale will also sound familiar, as he has also narrated for Harry Potter, and it really works well as the back-story and plot is explained in his unique fairy-tale style way.

The writing in this show is excellent, and quite funny at times with Emerson having many of the best lines. I find that many of the characters speak really fast, such as Ned and Chuck, so it's worth concentrating while they play their parts to perfection. Each character has hidden depths, and this is articulated quite subtly in places, (and sometimes not, with Olive Snook occasionally bursting into song, she has an excellent voice). The plot in each episode revolves around a murder mystery, but then you gradually learn more about the central characters along the way while wondering whether Ned and Chuck will accidentally touch. It is truly one of the few programmes that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside.

I mainly watch this online (look on my top 10 websites for inspiration), but it is eventually shown on ITV (bar the odd missing episode) and will hopefully return soon. I may invest in the DVD, as I love the cinematography that much, and a laptop screen doesn't always do it justice, plus I'd love to know more about the styling, behind the scenes etc. I just hope that it continues to do well in America, and it has many series before it reaches it's (perhaps inevitable) conclusion.

Summary: A show worthy of many series