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Pushing Daisies 1.8: "Bitter Sweets" |
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007 |
By John Keegan
Visit Critical Myth for an archive of John's TV Review archives, with more than 1100 entries.
Just when I was beginning to wonder if the episodic and serialized aspects of this show could be brought together in harmony on a regular basis, the writers stepped up to the plate and hit a game winner. This episode had some solid character work and a great guest cast, reinforcing the twisted Dr. Suess-esque world of “Pushing Daisies” while grounding the madness in real-world emotions.
Granted, the resolution to the central mystery and the candy store conflict were a bit rushed and convenient (especially the complete lack of blood after a character gets a finger bitten off), but the situation brought a bit of contention to the Ned/Chuck relationship. Now it’s clear why the writers were playing the two as sweet as can be and twice as saccharine. The audience had to rely on the magical quality of their romance to ensure that any little bump in the road would have an impact.
Of course, the small bumps caused by Chuck’s decision to wage war on the candy makers with Olive (the now-infamous “Pie Hos”) were nothing compared to the massive pot hole created by Ned’s revelation. The death of Chuck’s father was a major turning point in her life, and in a very real sense, Ned is responsible for everything in Chuck’s life from that moment forward.
It’s unlikely that this will be a permanent issue, since Chuck has been fairly reasonable about the other changes in her life, adjusting to the new rules of her existence with a modicum of creativity. Eventually she will reconcile what she’s seen with what she’s been told, and she’ll come to recognize that if Ned is responsible for all the bad things that have happened since her father’s death, he’s equally responsible for all the good things. Chuck’s personality makes a long-standing grudge unlikely.
That just a hint of that possibility, however, would be distressing for the audience is a testimony to the success of the writers thus far. We care about the characters as if they were real, despite the innate absurdity of the premise and the conceptual universe. For all the concerns I’ve had about the long term viability of certain elements, particularly as budget and strike-driven concerns mount, the show is bringing this shortened first season to a capable conclusion. Hopefully the next episode (and possible season finale) will continue in the same direction. |
