I don't know about you but I was just buzzing with delight at having ABC's Pushing Daisies back on the air.While you can read my advance review of the first three episodes of Pushing Daisies' second season, now that you've all gotten to see the buzzworthy season opener, I thought we could chat a little bit more about this delicious series.
I absolutely loved last night's episode ("Bzzzzzzzzz"), which saw Chuck going undercover at a honey-based cosmetics company following the death of the company's latest spokesmodel Kentucky Fizz (Autumn Reeser) and dealing with fallout from the Season One finale in which she asked Ned to resurrect her late father (who died as a result of Young Ned bringing his mother back to life). And how heartbroken was the Pie Maker when Chuck said that she wanted to move out of their apartment (how adorable were their little bell-adorned slippers) and into Olive's vacant one? You could literally see Lee Pace's heart breaking though I was very happy that he put his own feelings aside to create a new home for Chuck, complete with all of her books, childhood furniture, and even her special pillow. (Loved how Vivian thought it would be filled with all sorts of microbial nasties.)
As for Olive, I am loving that Lily was able to place her in a convent somewhere in some very Alp-like mountains which enabled series creator Bryan Fuller to indulge in a very apt Sound of Music homage... though with the other nuns shushing little Olive Snook. And Fuller was able to work with his former Wonderfalls co-star Diana Scarwid, who turns up here as the haughty Mother Superior, who has a particular disinterest in Olive or her luggage. (Loved how Olive thought that a porter was coming for her things, rather than the, er, poor.)
All this and delightful guest star turns from Missi Pyle and French Stewart as warring heads of the honey company? And a bee man who spits a plastic-encased queen bee at his victims? Classic Daisies madcapery.
One of my favorite lines of the evening: "Chuck, I knew this was dangerous. Just because you're alive again doesn’t mean you can’t be dead again. There’s a reason I don’t let Digby play in traffic!" (Though I have to say that the line tied with Ned's off-hand mention of Dead Like Me's Happy Time Temp Agency.(
While I could talk about all things Daisies-related for a whole day, I am curious to see what did you think of last night's season opener. Did you fall in love all over again with Chuck, Ned, Emerson, and Olive? Did you think that Chuck's assumed identity of Kitty Pimms was perhaps the very best fake name ever? Did you think that the way poor Kentucky Fizz died may have been the most gruesome yet? And how awesome was Olive's earth-shattering scream at The Pie Hole?
Talk back here.
Comments
Highlights:
*Lily's eyepatch that matched her habit.
*Ned shirtless
*Chuck's "silky intimates"
*Olive's meltdown
*The aunts get out of the house and the ensuing awkwardness at The Pie Hole
*Lil' Gum Shoe
*Lily's revelation about Chuck's dad
*The fact that we got an entire episode about bees!
So happy this show is back. It's like a breath of fresh air!
Actually, yes!
And how awesome was Olive's earth-shattering scream at The Pie Hole?
Very Awesome! I very much identified with Olive in that moment. ;)
The moment that had me laughing loudest was Emerson listening in on Ned and Chuck's conversation and, talking to the recorder, stating, "He's stalking you." Because, really, he was.
I also love the potential love/hate relationship developing between Olive and Lily.
It's a shame about the ratings, but what series hasn't taken a nosedive this season? A SAG strike now might kill the networks.
I'm rather surprised at the direction the show is taking this year. The mystery-of-the-week seemed to play a much smaller part in the show than usual, with much more time focused on the main characters' many plotlines. I really like this decision, because, as much as I like the quirky crimes, the cast of this show is fabulous! And for the first time, every single character (except maybe Emerson) had their own storyline in a single episode! The show has really picked up its pace!
I can't wait for next week, and I really hope that the ratings go back up, because this is a show that deserves a long run!
After a week or so of disappointing season premieres, I was so happy to watch a good one!
I loved it.
Lil' gum Shoe - awesome.
-Shirtless Lee Pace (he could be shirtless in every episode, and that would be fine with me. Hint, hint).
-Olive not only expecting that the nunnery would have a storage area for her belongings (She took her couch with her?), but also that the nunnery employed a porter who would tote her things to said storage area.
-Olive's highly justified exasperation when Lily revealed yet another (unwanted) secret to her.
-Lil' Gumshoe, and a crazy-shirted Emerson creating/reading it.
-The coroner, who was extremely deadpan as usual. But he wasn't wearing one of his trademark kooky sweaters, which is a shame.
-Chuck bringing her bees back to life by pouring them onto Ned's bare upper body.
-Olive's tangible frustration and near-breaking when she exclaimed that secrets would come pouring out of her like "truth buckshot".
And so many more! I heart this show so much. I didn't know that the ratings were low; I really hope that changes. I try to spread the gospel of PD wherever I can...