Monday, January 5, 2009

Review (Pre-Post Mortem?)

I love Pushing Daisies. I've been parceling out the last few that I had on the DVR, making sure I was in exactly the right frame of mind to watch it. But, I've finished the recorded episodes and I think there are only three more episodes before its end.

It's no secret that I'm a fan of really good television. And this show so fits the bill. All the actors are wonderful; the leads are fantastic, but it's Chi McBride, Kristen Chenowith, Swoosie Kurtz, and Ellen Greene that can all, with just a look, knock your socks off. And sometimes Kristen Chenowith and Ellen Greene sing. I LOVE it when they sing. The writing is clever and cute without being cloying (some might disagree, but since this is my blog I get to tell them that they're wrong). The premise is wicked and intriguing. The costumes! But forget all that stuff. I'd tune every week just to look at it. Every set is a work of art.



I almost wish I'd watched it on on DVD like I did the other Brian Fuller shows (Dead Like Me and Wonderfalls) since then the cancellation would have occurred prior to having fallen in love with it. But now I'll have to be there when the ax falls.

And this is where good television fails you. A brilliant movie may be poorly received by the public, may only be available in limited release, but at least there's opportunity to get to see its start, middle and end. Same with a book. It's only television that yanks a great show off the air in its prime at the same time it leaves another show to linger on life support long after the plug should have been pulled (I'm looking at you, Scrubs).

Sigh, I guess Pushing Daisies (like Firefly, like Arrested Development, like Freaks and Geeks) just won't chance to tell its story.