Barry Sonnenfeld was the right director to helm the opening of Pushing Daisies, an original mystery/comedy yarn about a pie-maker named Ned (Lee Pace) who can bring a person back to life with a touch, but there's a catch, more than one, in scheme of things. It's also about a childhood friendship that went awry, and the mending of it years later as he redeems himself (albeit, sadly, without the "emotional Heimlich maneuvers" let alone a kiss between the two, the girl 'Chuck' played by Anna Friel). It's just the perfect kind of light and frothy texture, with visually vibrant exteriors and sets and production design (the opening field reminds one of the field that Van Gogh painted once, to get all artsy). But at the same time it has a kind of stinging wit to it at times, where the actors know how silly this all is, but play it straight. It's not laugh-a-minute ala the Office or cynical like House, but it's got a ring to it that's just there. The "Umph" people talk about with certain projects is here right off the bat.
Aside from the chemistry the stars have (i.e. in the scene talking about the euphemism for hugs), as well as funny supporting work (Chi McBride, who's always good for a 'what the hell' look without straining himself, and Kristin Chenowith who's adorably odd), it's strangely fable-like even as it has its feet set firmly in the ground of the 21st century. And at the same time there's a structure set up to it: there will be crimes solved each week, as the dead (hopefully in one minute's time) will give their input on a certain huge decision in their lives, the end of such. It plays freely with the unexpected while set in a near storybook narrative (Jim Dale's narrator veers into this being like some bedtime story spiked with existential mania). Now, it won't be for everyone; it almost veers into being showy with its dialog, with the wit put on and on and the incidents so bizarre in their comedy (i.e. 'there's a truck on fire, run gravediggers, come on out of that coffin honey'). It's concept, to be sure, needs a big suspension of disbelief.
Yet Pushing Daisies is one thing most network TV shows aren't: fresh in irony, strong in character, and extremely, unexpectedly funny. It also helps that, for a TV show, it's got terrific direction and visual POP to it. Can't wait for more episodes!
