Season one of Pushing Daisies was a beautiful anomaly. Not only was it critically acclaimed (getting nominated for 11 Emmys and winning 3) it was also a success in the ratings, something that surprised even the critics who loved it, since original and quirky programming generally doesn’t attract a large audience. Then the writers’ strike happened, the nine episodes that were filmed finished airing, and the general public pretty much forgot about Daisies. When the strike ended, instead of rushing the show back into production (like ABC did with their established hits, including Lost and Grey’s Anatomy), the network decided to hold off airing any new Pushing Daisies episodes until fall, which meant the show stayed off the air for ten long months. The result was that Daisies’ season two premiere debuted to less than half the audience its heavily promoted series premiere garnered, and the ratings continued to fall from there, leading to ABC cancelling the series less than two months after the second season premiere, in November 2008.

The general public had forgotten the show, but fans hadn’t, and those who tuned in to Pushing Daisies: Season 2 were treated to a very fun, albeit cut-off, thirteen episode season. Building on the strong characters and quirky settings introduced in the first season, season two ambitiously delved into the characters’ back stories, introducing us to several longterm storylines and constantly playing with the main characters’ relationships (having Olive be Emerson’s “Itty Bitty” partner, turning Chuck into the “Sidekick Avenger” and having Ned question the helpfulness of his powers).

The standout star of Season 2 is Kristin Chenoweth, who stole many a scene as the diminutive Olive Snook. Chenoweth got a lot to do this season, including pining over Chuck, living in a convent, investigating crimes with Emerson, bursting into song, and starting up a whole new romance. With such a stellar cast — featuring actors (and a narrator) who can make rhyming, tongue-twisting dialogue not just fun to hear but also believable — it says a lot when one actor stands out among the rest.

Perhaps most impressive about Pushing Daisies as a whole is its extremely consistent level of quality. With few exceptions (such as the rather uneven “Robbing Hood”) each episode of Daisies: Season 2 features wonderfully alliterative, fast-paced narration and dialogue, important developments for the characters, and an entertaining mystery. The few missteps — such as the annoying and poorly realized Charles Charles, father of Chuck — can be easily overlooked when the overall quality of the writing, sets, acting and direction is so high. When everything clicks — the characters, the overarching storylines and twists — like in the season’s best episode, “The Norwegians” — there’s nothing more entertaining to watch.

One of season two’s biggest story arcs involved Ned reluctantly learning more about his father, who abandoned him as a boy. Over the course of the season we learned some very interesting tidbits, including meeting Ned’s half-brothers and hearing about Ned’s father’s ability to do magic (in “Oh Oh Oh…It’s Magic”). It all seemed to be leading to a very interesting conclusion and perhaps a reveal of Ned’s father, but unfortunately we’ll never get to see it, as the storyline wasn’t addressed in the final episode, “Kerplunk” (which was originally meant to be a mid-season finale).

It’s truly a shame that we’ll never see these characters onscreen again. Seeing Ned, Chuck, Olive and Emerson in various disguises, cracking jokes and catching killers provided hours of entertainment for us here at IGN. We’re certainly interested to see what creator Bryan Fuller plans to do next, now that he’s left Heroes (again) to focus on creating new series.

Watch Promo of Pushing Daisies Season 2 Episode 12 “Water and Power“

Download “Water and Power” Episode | HD Quality

ABC will actually air the final three episodes of Pushing Daisies this summer.



Thanks to E! Online, we can provide fans with a glimpse at how the show will come to an end: Look for Olive’s childhood kidnappers to re-enter the picture, while David Arquette returns and finds happiness with Olive. But will he take her away from The Pie Hole?

Also, Emerson’s daughter makes an appearance; and Ned tries kissing without Saran Wrap… and it’s not with Chuck. We do NOT like the sound of that!

Download “Pushing Daisies” Episodes Free

Ned (Lee Pace) and Chuck (Anna Friel) may get a happy ending, but you’ll have to wait for the Pushing Daisies comics if you want to see it.

Yes, the Pushing Daisies comics are coming, and although original reports had the show wrapping its storyline with Marvel, Pushing Daisies mastermind Bryan Fuller tells us exclusively, “We got a 12-issue order for a comic book for DC Comics. I think the comic book is great, because it has all the characters in it, and it starts a new story. It’s basically Chuck, Ned, Emerson and Olive versus 1,000 corpses, so it becomes a zombie movie, but the zombies are articulate and smart and can do things that no other zombies can do. The Pie-Maker versus 1,000 corpses.”

The original idea was to bring the gang to the big screen. “It’s the movie idea that I wasn’t sure we’d get to do. [The plot] is not really so much the back nine as it would’ve been on the television show, it’s a whole new story that wraps everything up in a different context,” says Bryan, speaking at the Paley Fest celebration of Pushing Daisies’ final eps.

Look for the book this fall, but this summer, Comic-Con attendees may get a special treat. Says Bryan, “We’re hoping that we’ll have artwork as a giveaway at Comic-Con at the DC booth.”

There’s also a good chance the first 12 issues aren’t the last you’ll see of the Pie-Maker’s adventures. Bryan tells us, “I literally just finished outlining the 12-episode arc, which has an ending that propels us into another big story, so it’s kind of blackmailing them into ordering more comics, but we’ll see if that’ll happen. We were unable to blackmail ABC, and we had to go back and redo our [television] ending, so it’s more satisfying for the fans.”

Are you excited for a Pushing Daisies comic book? Or are you still hurting from the cancellation of the TV series? Hit the comments with your excitement or complaints.

The final three episodes of Pushing Daisies air on ABC beginning Saturday, May 30 at 10 p.m.

Acclaimed but canceled series Pushing Daisies may follow the path of shows such as Angel that continued their TV plots in comic form.

Series creator Bryan Fuller told Sci Fi Wire he’s talking to Marvel about such a deal. Fuller confirmed the writers’ strike hit his show especially hard. He mentioned that during the 1988 strike TV shows lost an average of 30 percent of their viewers. Last year’s strike cost shows about 20 percent. Fuller said other factors included being off the air for 10 months and the timeslot.

He even said they’d have taken the infamous Friday 9 p.m. slot that almost no one wants. I don’t know, that hasn’t done Dollhouse
too many favors. But at least Fuller will get to finish telling the story. Now I’ve got another comic to pick up. Auuagh! Pull list - getting- too heavy! And expensive.

Download “Pushing Daisies” Episodes

Finally, a triple-dose of closure. And on free TV.

ABC is set to announce return dates for three of this season’s celebrated but canceled series: Pushing Daisies, Eli Stone and Dirty Sexy Money.

The adventures of Ned the Pieman will resume Saturday, May 30, at 10 pm/ET, and air there for three weeks, until the series’ sophomore-season inventory is exhausted. Previously, Daisies fans only had the out-of-town Paley Television Festival screening (on April 19, in Los Angeles) and a July 21 DVD release to look forward to.

Following Daisies’ swan song, Eli Stone then will hold court in the Saturdays-at-10 time slot, unspooling its final four episodes June 20 through July 11.

Lastly, for four weeks starting July 18, we will welcome the Darlings back into our living room, culminating with an August 8 finale/the reveal of Dutch George’s killer.

ABC is getting ready to announce their summer schedule. Of course The Bachelorette will be returning on Monday, May 25th at 8:00 pm, and will then move to an undetermined 10:00pm timeslot. Also on the agenda is Mike Judge’s The Goode Family, an animated comedy about a family trying to do good. See what they did there? Word play, it’s fun for the whole family.

But the big news is that cancelled and quirky Pushing Daisies would get to run the rest of its episode. Right now the rumor is that the show would run through the final hours starting Saturday May 30 at 10:00pm. Not a choice spot, but since the show has been cancelled I’ll take what I can get.

Download full Episodes of Pushing Daisies

LOS ANGELES (thefutoncritic.com) — Two long absent series - “Pushing Daisies” and “Opportunity Knocks” - will help kick off ABC’s summer schedule, network sources confirmed to the site today.

Said lineup, to be announced in the coming week, will also include the return of “Wipeout,” the premiere of the animated comedy “The Goode Family” and the mini-series “Diamonds,” not to mention the previously announced fifth season of “The Bachelorette.”

Here’s a breakdown of what to expect:

– “Diamonds,” a four-hour event starring Judy Davis and James Purefoy, will premiere Sunday, May 24 and Tuesday, May 26 at 9:00/8:00c.

– “The Bachelorette” will assume its regular Monday, 8:00/7:00c slot on May 25 following its special post-”Dancing With the Stars” premiere on May 18.

– “Opportunity Knocks,” Ashton Kutcher’s short-lived game show, will rejoin the schedule on Tuesday, May 26 at 8:00/7:00c. It’s understood a half-dozen episodes of the series still have yet to air.

– Wednesday, May 27 will mark the return of “Wipeout” at 8:00/7:00c followed by the premiere of “The Goode Family” at 9:00/8:00c. Back-to-back episodes of the Mike Judge-created series will presumably lead into “The Unusuals” at 10:00/9:00c.

– And finally, “Pushing Daisies” will begin its swan song on Saturday, May 30 at 10:00/9:00c. While not confirmed, one assumes the slot will also be used to broadcast the remaining installments of “Dirty Sexy Money” and “Eli Stone.”

The remainder of the Alphabet’s summer slate is expected to roll out in late June, following its coverage of the NBA Finals.

You can now pre-order season 2 of Pushing Daises from Amazon.

DVD Link
Blu-Ray Link







BURBANK, CA (April 1, 2009) - The most dazzling flower blooming in the TV-on-DVD landscape this summer promises to be Pushing Daisies, whose second season is set for release July 21, 2009 on both DVD and Blu-ray™ hi-def from Warner Home Video (WHV). Titled Pushing Daisies: The Complete Second Season, this Emmy® Award-winning series follows the unusual story of Ned, a young pie maker who’s able to revive the dead. This DVD will feature all 13 delightful episodes from this clever and imaginative show, as well as a generous helping of never-before-seen bonus features. This release will retail for $39.98 SRP (standard DVD) and $49.99 SRP (Blu-ray).

The plot thickens with a delicious mix of secrets and mysteries in Season Two of Pushing Daisies. Olive Snook (Tony® Award winner Kristin Chenoweth) joins a convent in order to keep Lily’s (Emmy® winner Swoosie Kurtz) secret about Chuck’s (Anna Friel) real birth mother. Chuck becomes more independent and moves out of Ned’s (Lee Pace) apartment. Ned learns he has identical twin half-brothers and also receives news of his estranged father. Detective Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) secretly yearns for his long lost daughter. Chuck does her best to dodge her aunts, Lily and Vivian (Tony® Award nominee Ellen Greene), who don’t know she’s alive. Meanwhile, Lily and Vivian wrangle over a mystery man.

During Season Two, the group’s murder-solving escapades take them to the most unlikely places to solve some of the weirdest cases, including a honey-based cosmetics company where a spokesmodel is found stung to death; a circus where people keep turning up dead; a convent where a truffle-savvy nun is murdered; a Dim Sum restaurant that serves up illegal gambling; a magic castle whose main attraction dies during his act and even a lighthouse to investigate the death of its keeper.

Originally created by Bryan Fuller (Dead Like Me, Wonderfalls, Heroes), Pushing Daisies follows the whimsical story of Ned, a handsome, wistful pie maker who can resuscitate the dead with his touch.

However, there is a caveat to his talent. If something he’s revived remains living for more than one minute, then something nearby of similar life value will die. If he touches the resurrected a second time, that life will die permanently - a stipulation which proves to be a great strain when Ned resurrects his beautiful childhood sweetheart, Charlotte “Chuck” Charles. The results are bittersweet as they attempt to carry on a romantic relationship, and Ned is left traumatized by both his gift and his unfulfilled longing for Chuck.

Ned owns a restaurant called the Pie Hole, which he runs with kooky, lovelorn waitress Olive Snook. To earn extra money, Ned strikes a deal with the gruff but lovable private investigator Emerson Cod in which they temporarily bring murder victims back to life in order to inquire about the circumstances of their death. They use the information to solve their cases and collect reward money.

The series is narrated by Jim Dale (Harry Potter audio books). Among the guest stars featured in Season Two are French Stewart, Autumn Reeser, Diana Scarwid, David Arquette, Jennifer Elise Cox, Stephen Root, Wendie Malick and others.

“Pushing Daisies is a remarkable series, unlike anything we’ve recently had the pleasure to experience on television. It’s incredibly entertaining, with its visually stunning look, sharp dialogue, heart-touching and soulful storylines and immensely talented cast,” said Rosemary Markson, WHV Vice President, TV & Special Interest Marketing. She added, “This show bravely broke the rules of traditional TV and became a true standout series, praised by critics and viewers alike. This DVD will truly be a gem in anyone’s home entertainment library.”

Pushing Daisies originally premiered October 3, 2007 on ABC and aired for two seasons. The show earned three Golden Globe Award nominations, including Best Television Series. It was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards® and won three.


DVD Special Features Include:

* The Master Pie Maker - Hop into creator Bryan Fuller’s mind to discover the inner secrets of Pushing Daisies!
* From Oven to Table - Follow the production challenges of taking one of Bryan Fuller’s script ideas, involving a lighthouse and an egg, and crafting it into reality.
* Secret Sweet Ingredients - Learn how composer Jim Dooley’s music shapes a scene in ways most viewers aren’t even aware of.
* Add a Little Magic - Watch the visual effects team bring a 2-ton rhino to life and learn about the challenges of executing a scene to rival Jumanji!

Pushing Daisies is from Living Dead Guy Productions, The Jinks/Cohen Company in association with Warner Bros. Television. Pushing Daisies is executive produced by Dan Jinks & Bruce Cohen, Barry Sonnenfeld, Bryan Fuller and Peter Ocko.

The Credits
With operations in 90 international territories Warner Home Video, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, commands the largest distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video’s film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Home Video and New Line Home Entertainment.

Warner Home video just confirmed that the complete second season of Pushing Daisies — including the three final, unaired episodes — will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 21.



Relieved much?

Download “Pushing Daisies” Episodes