fastidium

There’s been so many mixed reviews of ABC’s Pushing Daisies, its hard to make heads or tails of whether the show will last. Since the new fall shows were revealed, one critic after another was heralding this show as the break out hit of the year. Now, after two episodes, other reviewers have come out against its “Cat in the Hat meets Dick Tracy” approach to storytelling.

In this post and several to follow, I’d like to look more closely at why some people get this show and others don’t. I think its because of its use of plot devices that, while not original or unique, may turn some people off. I’m of the opinion that those who don’t like the show are missing some key elements to why this show is such a niche approach to storytelling. The first plot device I’d like to explain is the narrator and his constant references to time. I want to make clear why it is important that “magical hero Ned (Lee Pace) has been keeping the secret of his reviving-the-dead powers for 19 years 29 weeks and 2 days.” (The TV Zone)

First, what’s Pushing Daisies’ about? Our main character is Ned (Lee Pace) who from an early age realized that he has the power to revive dead animals, dead plants, any dead thing that was living, and that includes human beings. But this power comes with three rules: (1) A single touch of the finger is all that is needed to bring the dead being back to life; (2) After bringing back to life with his touch, a second touch sends the reanimated living thing back to the world of the dead forever (further touches do nothing), and (3) If the newly living dead thing is left alive for more than a minute, something comparable in the immediate vicinity must die (and thus, taking the being’s place in the world of the dead).

There are further elements to the plot. You can read about the zany episode plots, the unrequited loved, and the song from Grease other places. For now though, the three rules are sufficient to understand why we need a narrator and why the narrator has to tell us, the audience, exactly how long something has been going on.

So, why have a narrator in the first place? There are several general answers to that question. First, a narrator tells us things about a character’s feelings, history, and dispositions that would have otherwise taken too long to communicate (especially on television). Second, a narrator can tell us what a character is thinking when faced with a dilemma or moral choice. The only other way for this to happen on film or television is for the characters themselves to tell us in some form or another (think about the Simpsons). Third, it moves a story along more so than if we didn’t have someone telling us what’s really going on. In other words, a narrator plays the part of book author in telling us things that don’t necessarily happen in the storyline but help to enhance the story as it progresses.

In Pushing Daisies, we are watching something other than the typical comedy or drama. The world in Pushing Daisies is not the real world but its not entirely a fantasy world either. Its kind of a half-world where cars can run on dandelions (and people come back to life) yet pie makers need to supplement their income in ways outside of the pie shop. The narrator plays the mediator between what we experience (the physical world around us, our emotions, and even our spiritual existence) and what’s happening on Pushing Daisies. If we didn’t have him, this show would not succeed.

Now take a look back at those three rules I described above. Notice any kind of theme running through them, other than the whole coming-back-to-life thing. A single touch, in an instant everything is different. A second touch, another instant and things are back to the way they were forever. This happens for one minute or there is a dire consequence. And now think about death. We all have to do it. No one gets away from it. Our “time” is limited. Ah hah, time! That’s the theme going on here. Now you throw in the little detail about Ned and his childhood sweatheart who’s back from the dead until Ned just happens to touch her or brush up against her, and now you see why time is so, so important to this show.

The narrator on Pushing Daisies reminds us how long it takes things to happen because time is a limiting factor that cannot be overcome. It reminds us that Ned hasn’t touched Chuck for 3 weeks, 4 days, 6 hours, and 13 minutes.

Next up, I’ll tackle some of the characters on Pushing Daisies. Stay tuned.