User reviews

When I first saw this advertised on television I thought it might be a fun little show, I didn't think it would be something I'd want to own on DVD though... I soon realised that this was something special; the colours are all brighter than normal, the dialogue is more wordy than people really use and the plot is surreal to say the least. All these things could have lead to a disaster but it worked perfectly for me. The cast did a great job bringing their surreal world to life.

Ned isn't like ordinary people; he can bring the dead back to life with a single touch, there are two major catches though, if he touches that person a second time they will die forever and if he leaves a person alive for more than a minute somebody else nearby must die. Using this skill he is able to help private detective Emerson Cod by questioning murder victims. Things change for Ned when one of the victims he revives is his childhood sweetheart Charlotte "Chuck" Charles. He can't bring himself to touch her again which apart from causing somebody else's death leads to a very difficult relationship between them. When Ned isn't dealing with dead people he cooks in The Pie Hole, the pie-restaurant he owns.

Most of the episodes are of the murder-of-the-week variety although there are some continuing threads to the story. The murders are never anything normal; their strangeness reminded me of the 1960s series "The Avengers". As well as having two great leading characters the supporting cast does a great job, I especially liked Kristin Chenoweth's portrayal of the diminutive Olive Snook a Pie Hole employee with a soft spot for Ned but who does not know his strange secret.

It is a shame that the series was cut short but I'm glad that it was given a proper ending even if there were a few loose ends left untied the main story had nice conclusion. This series won't be for everybody but if you want to watch something a bit different I'd recommend giving this show a chance.

When Pushing Daisies was on, it always made my day. I just loved how funny, quirky and clever it was. So I was saddened when it ended as abruptly as it did, it may have had a rocky start however it did get much better very quickly and had even more time to progress if given the chance.

I loved Pushing Daisies for several reasons. With skillful photography and striking clothes, lighting and sets, the visuals were constantly very colourful. The music had a lot of charm and quirkiness about it too, the writing was witty and engaging and the stories were clever with an original and imaginative concept. The characters were always fanciful and likable, Jim Dale's narration was sardonic and beautifully delivered, Kristen Chenoweth brightened up every scene she appeared in as did a fair number of those who guested on the show and Lee Pace and Anna Friel were very endearing in their own way.

In conclusion, a gem that ended too soon. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This was my number one show to watch. I have decided not to start watching a new show so that I won't be disappointed because of it's abrupt end. I loved the show. Even though it was frustrating regarding the plot line, the writing and humor got me every show. They could have found a loophole. There is always a loophole, especially with such a magical plot line. Everyone on the show was very talented, and I could believe their fanciful characters. The musical numbers helped drive the suspension of disbelief. Glee has show us that. The only reason I turned to Glee was because of the loss of Pushing Daisies. It is much less mature and negative in humor, but it has it's fun parts too. I wish that a show like this would get more support.

Flawless acting, unique stories, and visual eye candy.

This has to be one of the best examples of what TV should (and essentially) could be if you put it in the hands of real talent. Everyone behind and front of the scenes is working grade A performances. Lee Pace and gang have never fit so perfectly in an ensemble using each of their unique talents to deliver some of the best dialog and storytelling.

The visuals are an obvious standout but leave it to Creator Bryan Fuller to not focus entirely on special effects and set design. Instead, he shows the value of great characters and character development through intriguing stories. And that, my fellow Daisy fans, is why this series works so well.

The biggest frustration, of course, is the cancellation. Why would a show this flawless get canceled? What does ABC have to replace it with anyway? It's just a shame.

I highly recommend you buy the series (BluRay is a must for those with HDTVs) and enjoy what you may never see again on TV. Come for the pie - stay for the characters!

This show is addictively wonderful. The writing and acting are fantastic. Funny, touching, and also intrigue all wrapped into one. Be sure to get this into your DVD player and enjoy it from the beginning to the unexpectedly short end. Watch it, watch it, watch it! There are some great characters and great guest appearances that only help add to the endearing aspect of the show. Kudos to the writers for developing a great storyline that only gets better over time. I just don't understand why this wasn't interesting for the American TV public. Bad time? Too quirky? Not enough studio support? I suspect that the production costs were very high, but all parts of the show (directly, special effects, costumes, sets) are great. Thank goodness it's on DVD, and I can only hope that it somehow comes back in one way, shape, or form.

"Pushing Daisies" was a marvelously original show--so much so that it had to fail. After all, good television is like the sentiment 'no good deed goes unpunished'! And, like a wonderful show, it manages to start off with a real bang--with an episode that keeps you wanting more.

Apparently, the idea for "Pushing Daisies" was originally a plot idea for "Dead Like Me"--another show so good that it quickly failed. In the show, they had planned to have the reapers learn that some of their victims had mysteriously returned to life--the result of a guy with magical life-giving powers. Well, the idea was re-tooled for this ABC series and was done independently of "Dead Like Me". However, unlike "Dead Like Me" the atmosphere, costumes and set design had a much more other-worldly appearance--like it was filmed in a magical fictional land--full of LOTS of primary and secondary colors! I could try to explain the series, but frankly it defies explanations. Plus, IMDb has a summary. Instead, lets' focus specifically on what they got right...other than everything (which is true but a bit vague). The characters are exquisitely written and easy to love...very easy to love. The dialog is even better--very, very snappy, intelligently written and clever. And the plots generally very good--specifically so in this pilot. In this case the entire lore of Ned's magical powers is explained as well as the set-up for the series--his partner Emerson (my favorite character), how he accidentally brought Chuck (a girl) back to life as well as his strange but lovable employee (Olive).

After 10 plus years I still miss this show. Lee Pace was born for this role and Chuck was adorable, but my favorite was Chi McBride. One of the best casts that has been on TV for long time. If it came out now it would be bing heaven. So many characters driven into one storyline, just a joy to watch.

I have finally come to the realization that there will never be another Wonderfalls. As hard has Bryan Fuller may try, the magic just cannot be recreated and I will forever be forced to live with a mere 13 episodes.

That being said, I do not hate Pushing Daisies. I am actually quite fond of Pushing Daisies, but every now and then my mind will wonder off upon viewing an episode, and I cannot help but reminisce the Tyler family and Eric, the ever-so-charming bartender who Jaye was destined for. It was a PERFECT show. FLAWLESS.

so...what have we learned?

1.) If you have not seen Wonderfalls, Pushing Daisies will strike you as innovative and vastly original (so you can watch)

2.) If you are a huge, or even minor, fan of Wonderfalls, you will most likely find that Pushing Daisies is entertaining, but miss Lee Pace as Aaron Tyler, and be constantly annoyed by Anna Friel who does not bare the same wit, attitude, or charm as the beloved Jaye Tyler (so it really is not worth your time unless you are a die-hard Pace or Fuller fan)

After having read two or three negative reviews on the main page of IMDb for "Pushing Daisies", and having literally minutes ago finished watching the final episode, I thought it was about time I said what I thought of PD.

First off, to address what some of the issues that I have seen other people having with this show: something along the lines of "I expect the people who have been woken from the dead to have a more realistic reaction". Realistic, on this show ? Pushing Daisies is, truly, pure and utter escapism. It's colour palette, the dialogue used, the scenarios, situations, music: all of it, to me, is just an escape from everyday life. An escape from the mundane and boring. It is here where Pushing Daisies exceeds exceptionally well Pushing Daisies isn't for everyone: A large majority of the television audience don't "get" it, for some people it's just too out there and silly. But for people like me, even from the first episode I watched of it (Season 2's "Frescorts") and I was just blown away by the show. From then on, I bought both the box sets and they have barely been out of my DVD player. Other people I know can't stand it, it really seems to be like Marmite.

The show follows the adventures of Ned, the Piemaker, with a magic finger, who brings back childhood sweetheart Charlotte Charles, works in association with private investigator Emerson Cod, owns the Pie-hole and employs waitress Olive Snook. Completing the main cast members are aunts Lily and Vivian, whom Charlotte (Chuck) is never allowed to see. They live in a fantasy world where the dead are brought back to life, everything is shown with a wonderfully bright splash of colour, and narrated by Jim Dale.

Other than outlining the basics of the show, I really can't praise it much more without saying: Just watch it. Despite being screwed over by the Writer's Guild of America strike, with only 22 episodes ever to be made, it provides wonderful plot twists, story lines, characters and situations while providing (for me) a satisfying ending (yes, I could tell it had been tacked on the end and rushed, but I was still happy with the way it went out). Whether it is creative or just pretentious, for a lot of people (me included) it made the most addictive and wonderful viewing, and I hope for the future of television that more shows like this are created so I'm not left with just 22, 40 minute memories of what true entertainment can be.

For a TV show it is Original, I guess. But it's not an original concept at all. It is a complete homage to the french movie Amélie. In fact, the music in the first episode when we first meet the Aunts, is also used in the movie...I think. Anyway, I'll give this show a chance, but what bothers me about it is that it does feel like someone trying to tell a story using someone else's style. Watch Amélie and you'll see what I mean. Not that the show is bad, but it just feels like the action is there to serve the style rather, so it doesn't feel as natural. It's like to a man with a hammer everything looks like a nail. So it's almost like a writing exercise. Write a one hour TV show in the style of Amelie. That's a little bit how it feels like, so it seems a little contrived. But it's only a pilot, so they may find their own voice as the series progresses.

Pushing Daisies is just a lovely fairy tale, with shades of "Amelie"'s aesthetic and romance. It's got a beautiful palette, its shots well thought out and detailed, its names and dialogue whimsical and too cutesy to be real, its imagination great, and its romance deep.

Watch the blue in the sky pop out at you, as blue can't be found in the rest of the sets or shots (with few exceptions).

Watch a weirdly natural and totally satisfying song break out of a scene.

Its score is gorgeous, its cast is supremely likable, there's great music, and the two leading romantic stars can't touch each other or she'll die. How much more sexual tension do you need? (Actually, I had wished they found a way around this one, but c'est la vie).

It is simply a show that it is a pleasure to spend an hour with, and I recommend it highly. There hasn't been other television quite like it, and I would like to see more. It got me through a flu one crappy week, as it makes for good company.

Bring it back!

Such a delight, sweet and smart. I loved the characters so much that I am so sad to see the last episode. I need pie!

Let me start by saying there are some annoyingly cheesy moments in this show. However, this show has so much about it that's amazing and watchable. The cast is amazing and have great chemistry. They effortlessly deliver some amazing one liners. It's also visually pretty to watch and the costumes are great. Especially chuck's incognito morgue visit looks. Overall the show is beautiful, funny and will give you good "awww" moments. I could watch this over and over again.

With reality TV and so and so hitting the airwaves, this show is "a breath of fresh air" in Must See TV department. Fan favorites like CSI, Lost, and of course "Heroes" (also my favorite) are great and all but I long for something more "out there". The movie industry can learn something from this especially with today's summer blockbuster bang and boom to produce something that not only has the potential to bring more people into the theaters, but most importantly, realize that originality and innovation can be more effective than special effects and action with cheesy one-liners and whatnot. Secondly, top-notch acting combined with stellar writing and a great ensemble cast can make all the difference. With a movie season plagued with sequels and remakes, we can all agree on one thing: We want something different!! Give this show a chance. Support it. Maybe Hollywood would catch on and give moviegoers and casuals something new to taste(albeit visually and mentally).

Ned (Lee Pace) has powerful magic. He can bring the dead back to life by a simple touch. A second touch will leave the person dead forever. However, if the person isn't given the second touch before 1 minute is up. Someone else will die in their place. Charlotte 'Chuck' Charles (Anna Friel) is Ned's childhood friend. However when Ned revived his dog from death. Someone else died causing great pain in Chuck's life. Ned grows up to be an amazing pie maker. Along with Chuck and PI Emerson Cod (Chi McBride), they use his special power to help solve mysteries.

Bryan Fuller has once again created a high concept show. This is probably one of the most unique show on network TV. The fanciful look may have pulled too much away from the storytelling. It's really too bad that it only lasted 2 seasons.

I viewed the pilot film of "Pushing Dasies" last nite, and I found that there were some good things in the program. It is an original idea, the acting is pretty good as are the production values. What I am having a hard time with is the believability of the the characters and the script. Granted, this is a fantasy premise, but the way these formerly dead people react to being temporarily awakened is absolutely absurd. Face it, if you woke up in a morgue with a sheet over you would you calmly speak in a matter-of-fact tone about your murder or accidental death, or would you scream in terror about what was happening to you? I don't think I would be that calm. The writers need to put some more realistic reactions into this program so that the viewers can take it more seriously.

This show is one of the best shows I've ever watched.

I saw the pilot after having seen selected preview clips. I have to say that taken as a whole, the pilot is somewhat off-putting (IMHO). The clips out of context are very funny, and I was quite intrigued after viewing them. However (again - for ME), the entire product was/is absolutely bizarre. To it's credit it is VERY original, if somewhat self-indulgent in it's cleverness. Lengthened to a movie rather than a one-hour TV program, it would likely be a cult favorite along the lines of Big Fish. It's a strange, dark fairy-tale parody with wild characters and even wilder situations (so far). I'm not sure that the average viewer will go for this series on a weekly basis, and, in fact, I tend toward saying they will not. If you're looking for something different, though, you really don't want to miss this. You'll certainly have something to talk about the next day.

I was intrigued by the premise of Pushing Daisies, and I liked the people involved with it--Lee Pace acting, with Fuller and Sonnenfeld at the helm. I should have known it was the kiss of death for this show (pun not really intended). The two producers are kings of the one-season series, not always because of their own fault. If this one goes down, however, it might just be their fault. From the very beginning, this show suffered from "Look How Clever I Am!" syndrome, with its cutesy names for everything, and it's painfully self-aware narration (do we REALLY need to know how many MINUTES old every damn character is), and its dialoguey dialogue. OK, not everything has to be hyper-real, but if you want us to invest our time and our care into a series, let us forget sometimes that it's a series. Let us get lost in the tale, and forget about the telling.

Another big problem for me is the premise. Bringing the dead back to life for a minute to tell who killed them--it was the premise behind the very first episode of BBC's Torchwood, the exact premise. That threw me from the beginning.

So I fear that without divine intervention, Pushing Daisies might soon be pushing daisies.

I had practically given up on Networks and their ability to air a "good" show. Then came Pushing Daisies. The concept is, of course, a bit over the top, but funny and new. It is funny if you are twisted enough to call Ned's talent for raising the dead for 60 seconds "funny". The darkly funny relationship and reluctant partnership with a PI who uses the 60 seconds to ask the dead who killed them, then collect the reward is brilliant. Add in all the cosmic and perhaps Karmic rules that go along with such an unusual talent - and you have VERY funny. It is over the top in the way that a good play is over the top. As a matter of fact, Pushing Daisies is not as much a TV show as it is story-time for grownups. The narration in somewhat reminiscent of the style in which Dr. Seuss stories were told and add tremendously to the quirky and whimsical nature of the show. The dialog is quippy, quick, and above all delightful. The bold colors used in the sets and the dress styles(Audrey Hepburn-ish)also add to the overall storybook look and feel of the show.

The best part however, is the characters. The casting director is a genius and pegged each one of the characters and cast them perfectly. My favorite is Olive. She is a wonderful funny actress with a Broadway background they put to use when she occasionally belts out a great tune. Again, this is one more aspect that makes this show unique and fun.

Now if the Network Boobs can just keep from canceling it, I will have some of my faith in them to air an original show and my scars from Firefly's cancellation might begin to heal.

I had totally given up on network TV. I was reluctant to watch this show but I was so pleasantly surprised! It was sweet. It was charming. It was hilarious. It was heart-wrenching.

The storyline was such a departure from the norm with characters that were actually interesting unlike much of the typical network fare. I was quite sure that all creativity had been lost after seeing the plethora of "reality" shows, but this gives us hope.

While it was very much like a Tim Burton film, I think it had enough depth and plot possibilities that it could have some real staying power.

You could watch it sitting next to your grandma while holding a wee lad on your lap without being embarrassed. And that is something that you can't say about much these days. I can't wait until next week!

Pushing Daisies is one of the best series on TV for the time being, and what makes it so good is the great cast where everybody fits his/her role perfectly, delivering great natural performances. Great script without clichés. Fresh story for each episode with unpredictable plots, likable characters make you care and have some sort of empathy towards them. Each character has an important role in the plot, Great narrating with memorable quotes (i.e. and the facts were these), funny moments that appear natural without trying too hard. A surreal world with attention to details is set up which adds to magical atmosphere of the show. Excellent directing with beautiful scenery.

I am disappointed that Pushing Daisies is cancelled, and wish to see more shows with fresh ideas like this one.

Good news for "Heroes", I just heard Bryan Fuller -The Creator of Pushing Daises- is returning back to Heroes, as he demonstrated his creative abilities here.