Dread Central ~ View topic - ABC Picks Up Pushing Daisies (From Creator Of Dead Like Me)

Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 365 Location: MA

I tuned in with no expectations. I liked it. And that surprises me. I'll keep watching.

it's better than Moonlight. My daughter is looking for a show we can watch together. Man I hope Pushing Daisies is the one.

Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 59

Ratings were decent for the first ep- 13 million. Of course, the 2nd week will probably give a better indication of the longer-term appeal.

Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 3019 Location: Hollywood

I found it damn near unwatchable, disgustingly precious and self-aware. The twee narration. The unbearably cutesy cinematography that clearly cost a fortune. And the idiotic set-up. "There is no explanation for the protagonist having this ability, and not only are we not going to try to explain it, we will BRAG about not having an explanation, and act unutterably superior because we aren't going to explain it."

And it's derivative as hell -- they are clearly going for a Tim Burton In His Prime vibe (which they're not gonna get in the individual eps - those cost a tenth of the pilot) Show creator Bryan Fuller has never had any kind of coherent style, he just gloms off other people's and hopes nobody notices. With DEAD LIKE ME, it worked -- not so with WONDERFALLS or PUSHING DAISIES.

Blech! The sooner this annoyingly precious show is gone, the better.
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"According to witnesses, testimony and evidence...this massacre was the work of ninjas!"

Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 2683 Location: Savannah, Georgia

Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 3019 Location: Hollywood

Seriously, when there are truly exceptional shows like THE WIRE, MAD MEN, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, THE SHIELD, THE OFFICE and CALIFORNICATION on the air, I'm not going to waste my time on this derivative, cutesy tripe. The only thing that would've made it worse is if the twee narration had been done in rhyme, and I'll bet that was in the first draft.

Yick. People are too easily impressed by style, particularly when there's no substance.

Oh, and the budget's already drastically out of control, so don't expect it to last too long.
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"According to witnesses, testimony and evidence...this massacre was the work of ninjas!"

I liked it quite a bit. Very different and it is filmed beautifully. It has a very "Big Fish" feel to it. I do agree with everyone however that says that it probably won't appeal to the masses, and thus will not last very long.

Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 8052 Location: Bronx, New York

Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 2683 Location: Savannah, Georgia

Dread Central Staff Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 1305

Come on guys...It was faux/psuedo quirky to the max. It was like a more pablum and sentimental version of the already insepid "ED" but with a little safe death here and there. It's so aware of it's own quirkiness it's distracting. Cookie cutter characters, obvious dialog, and that "We'll hold our own hands behind our backs right next to each other because to touch is to die..." had me rolling my eyes.

The intro with the main character as the little boy would have been a much cooler show in my opinion. As I said, the way it is it's just "ED" with a twist.

This is a show for the masses who will think they are really cutting edge for watching it.

Boo.

Rolling Eyes

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When you are beautiful it's only skin deep, but when you are ugly it's all the way through.

Dread Central Staff Joined: 20 Jun 2006 Posts: 1305

Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 8052 Location: Bronx, New York

Joined: 21 Jun 2006 Posts: 3019 Location: Hollywood

Frankly, DEAD LIKE ME only got better after Fuller left the show four episodes into the first season.
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"According to witnesses, testimony and evidence...this massacre was the work of ninjas!"

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