Pushing Daisies

Network: ABC
Status: Returning Series
Timeslot: Wednesday 8 PM EST
Premiere: October 1st
Website: abc.go.com/primetime/pushingdaisies

Update November 2008: After seeing a drastic audience erosion from its first season, ABC decided to cancel Pushing Daisies despite a strong fan movement that tried to convince them to keep it on the air. Thirteen episodes were completed for its second season and ABC plans to air the full order.

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Pushing Daisies took the tired concept of a person who can talk to the dead and who uses this ability to solve crimes and breathed some fresh air into it to give us one of the most delightful surprises of last season. Presented in a whimsical, storybook manner, this Tim Burton-like, dark fairy-tale took Prime Time television to an entirely new dimension, and, despite its inventiveness and quirkiness (anathema in the land of the contrived and familiar that is television), actually managed to pull in enough viewers to receive an extended commitment from ABC. Early in its first season I would have bet against its chances of continuing beyond its initial episode order, but it quickly secured a full season commitment (made into a moot point by the writer’s strike) then received a renewal after the strike ended.

The first season only netted nine episodes, but during its short run Pushing Daisies managed to avoid the formula trap and really expanded on its premise and delved into its characters. The producers of the series have promised to maintain the same picaresque, fairy tale feel of the series as it continues with its second season. We will also see the main characters travel to several diverse locations while solving crimes such as a Burt’s Bees-type factory, a circus, and a nunnery. ABC has also planned a big promotion for the show prior to is October 1st with a traveling bakery that will journey to ten major markets offering free pie (see list of locations below).

Pushing Daisies has been a rare television success story. It is a truly unique and inspired show unlike anything else on the schedule that has actually drawn a sizeable audience. Shows like this usually end up on lists about innovative series cancelled too early (a few examples: Max Headroom, Wonderfalls, Eerie Indiana). That said, I wonder if this series will have much life beyond its second season. It seems like it will be hard for the creative team to keep up the momentum of the first season, and the television audience is notoriously fickle. Still if we get just a full second season at or near the quality of the first, I will be happy.

Update 10/23/08: The ratings for Pushing Daisies have been really low so far this season, so a fan movement has already started up to convince ABC to keep the show on the air. For more information, go to http://savepushingdaisies.blogspot.com.

Buy Season 1 of Pushing Daisies at the Axiom's edge Webstore


Schedule for the Pushing Daisies Touch of Wonder Tour:

Aug. 31 - Anaheim, CA – Downtown Disney
Sept. 7 - San Francisco, CA – Ghirardelli Square Chocolate Festival
Sept. 10 - Los Angeles, CA – Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade
Sept. 12 - Las Vegas, NV – Fashion Show Mall
Sept. 14 - Phoenix, AZ – Westgate Complex
Sept. 17 - Denver, CO – Larimer Square
Sept. 20 - Dallas, TX – Addison Oktober Fest
Sept. 24 - Chicago, IL – Lincoln Park
Sept. 26 - Philadelphia, PA – The Shops at Liberty Place
Sept. 29 - New York, NY – Times Square