This quirky comedy really pushes the boundaries of what can be
produced by Hollywood if studios take a risk and this series, Pushing up Daisies
is the result. Unfortunately due to writers strikes in the US and a
poorer than expected rating season, season two would be the last of
this excellent series.
The story revolves Ned (Lee Pace) and his
colourful assortment of friends that makes this such a compelling
and witty series. Ned for some strange reason has the ability to
bring people back from the dead, however if he lets them live for
longer than 60-seconds, than someone else will die in their place.
Now that we’ve established that, if Ned touches the recently
resurrected person again, they will die. Needless to say, it’s a
great premise for a comedy series.
To throw another spanner in
the works, Ned, the owner of the Pie Hole, a small diner is also the
mate of Emerson Cd (Chi McBride), a detective who uses his
friends unusual fees to solve his crimes. The romance of the series
involves Charlotte “Chuck” Charles (Anna Friel), recently deceased
but thanks to Ned, is alive and healthy again… unless Ned touches
her. With one touch, this romance will end but lucky or unlucky for
Ned, he also has another person who loves him, his waitress Olive
(Kristin Chenowth).
Season two is
almost as enjoyable as
the original and there are a few bumpy episodes, perhaps due to the writer’s strike but for the
majority, I was smiling like a Cheshire cat. In season two, Ned finally tells
Charlotte that he inadvertently killed her father when they were
small and Emerson is searching for his long lost daughter. The
storylines are pleasant and the comedy quite quirky but it’s unusual
premise about Ned’s powers assist in making the series an almost
surreal and at times extensional experience.
Although not slapstick,
it’s the conversations and scenarios that will put a smile on your
face in this unique comedy series that unfortunately failed the
acknowledgement it deserved. Definitely worth watching and hopefully
if more people see it, we'll see more from the writers of this great
series.
The video quality looks visually stunning on Blu-ray with larger
than life colours and sets that come to life like something from a children’s
storybook. With deep levels of black and realistic skin tones, this
is almost as good as a TV series can look, especially on Blu-ray. Add in Dolby Digital 5.1
and although the disc does not blow you out of the water, it does
sound crisp and clear through our surround sound setup. In terms of
extras, there’s some interesting featurettes such as interviews, set
designs and clips to give fans of this series an extra incentive to
purchase.
In
conclusion, Pushing up Daisies: The Complete Second Season (Blu-ray)
feels like a sitcom out of the 50’s but with a true 21st
century twist, especially thanks to its witty dialogue. Even though
this is probably the last we’ll see of this series, it’s definitely
worth investigating if you like intelligent and witty comedy and on
Blu-ray… it looks and sounds amazing. Recommended!
