TV: Pushing Daisies

Let me be honest. I don't really know why I like this show. Pushing Daisies is a quirky story of a man who has the ability to bring the dead to life. Not just people, but any living thing. However, once he touches something, another living thing must die in its place. Unless he touches the "once dead and now living thing" for a second time (dead again) within a minute. Touching them a third time won't bring them back. Was that confusing enough?

Ned is a pie maker who found this ability as a child when he brought his dog back to life. Later, when his mother died and he brought her to life. A minute after that, when he hadn't touched his mother for a second time, the father of Charlotte (his next door neighbor and secret crush) dropped dead. As an adult, Charlotte (known as Chuck) died and Ned brought her back to life. He still has a crush, but now he can't touch her or she's gone forever.

Ned and Charlotte now help Emerson, a private detective, solve crimes by bringing the dead back to life. So the whole idea of the show seems original and interesting, but it is really quirky (I just realized that Pushing Daisies at Wiki has a section for this show on quirky.) The voice over sounds like someone speaking in riddles. The colors are so bright that it looks like a technicolor fifties show. The story line, although there, isn't keeping the ratings up.

So why do I watch it? I can ignore the voice over (which doesn't actually play all the time), I can wear sunglasses, and I'm truly following the story of Ned and his unusual relationship with Chuck. Bees, nuns, pop-up books, pies,...just quirky. If you liked Dead Like Me or Wonderfalls, then you might like Pushing Daisies.

**UPDATE** ABC is cancelling Pushing Daisies! Doggone it. Here's more info.