"Murders are much easier to solve when you can ask the victim who killed them"
ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 2nd October 2007
EPISODE NUMBER: Season 1, Episode 1
WRITTEN BY: Bryan Fuller
This may seem like an odd choice to put on this list. This is not a well-known show. It wasn't on for very long, and was in fact cancelled in its second season. But we all know how hard it is to get a TV show off the ground. A show can fail for any number of reasons, and poor ratings and cancellation is not alway indicative of a lack of quality, so inevitably some gems slip through. This show holds a special place in my heart and I loved it during its all-too-brief run. If this entry convinces just one person to watching Pushing Daisies, I'll consider it a success.
This pilot episode was a great introduction of the show, and the only Pilot other than Lost to hook me immediately. Trust me, I don't give out praise like that often. Its task is to establish the quirky, eccentric fairy tale world it takes place in. The narrator outlines a lot of the idiosyncracies, such as the precise time-keeping, unusual names and verbose dialogue. And visually, it's a treat. The bright colours and gorgeous scenery are reminiscent of a Tim Burton movie.
The opening moments demonstrate a really original premise...a man has the power to bring things back from the dead with his touch, but touching them again will make them go back to being dead. For the dead thing to stay alive, something else must die in its place, which...oh, you'll figure out the rules. The narrator explains them better than I can.
Central to the plot is the piemaker’s relationship with recently-murdered beekeeper Charlotte, who he can never touch, adding an undercurrent of tragedy, as well as a certain purity. Chi McBride is probably the standout of the cast, as the wisecracking Private Eye Emerson Codd, but I have no real complaints with any of the characters. Lee Pace is adorably dorky, and Anna Friel is a vision of beauty, sweet enough to win your heart.
Pushing Daisies is a great blend of humour, mystery and romance. For showing so much promise, this episode makes it onto the list.
No comments:
Post a Comment