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« Roush Dispatch
The Push Worked for Daisies
Kristin Chenowith in Pushing Daisies by Scott Garfield/ABC
The early ratings are in, and it looks like the combination of aggressive promotion and laudatory media buzz paid off for the first round of ABC’s delightful Pushing Daisies, which handily won its time period Wednesday and is off to a solid start. Honestly, though, if any of the reality alternatives had prevailed (especially CBS’s snooze-inducing Kid Nation and the is-that-still-on stupid briefcase show over on NBC), I think I’d be wearing a black armband in to work for the rest of the season. I’m dying to see a second episode of Daisies, and am trying to pretend I’m not worried that ABC hasn’t supplied one yet. (A year ago, I was dazzled by the pilot of The Nine, an episode the series never again lived up to.) Still, after watching an opening hour as filled with wonder and whimsy as Daisies’ pilot (or “Pielette,” as the episode was titled), how can anyone express anything but hope?
My other top Wednesday night priority was seeing how Private Practice and Bionic Woman held up in their second episodes. Not so much in ratings (which are decent, but like everything else this season, hardly spectacular) but in quality. From my couch, I give Private Practice a “marginally improved,” and Bionic Woman a “colossal bore, much worse than the first.”
Practice is still far from perfect, and at times can’t even achieve mediocre as its doctors act like giggling schoolkids (lookee, a stripper in the office!). If Amy Brenneman had any sense, she would have climbed aboard the bicycle Violet bought for her ex and pedaled away in search of a role with even a shred of dignity. Poor Amy. At this point, Audra McDonald is carrying the show with her presence and wry humor, even when forced to act jealous over her ex Taye Diggs being set up with said hooker by his sophomoric co-workers. (Note to Audra: Taye is not worthy!) But what redeemed this episode was a strong and at times even moving medical storyline involving switched babies (one with an incurable disease) and understandably traumatized parents, a plot that brought the Oceanside clinic and St. Ambrose Hospital together without feeling overly forced. The fact that this story involved the show’s two most compelling characters, Naomi (McDonald) and Cooper (Paul Adelstein, still bringing more charm than the role requires), didn’t hurt.
Meanwhile, Addison looked like she was dressed for a cocktail mixer (Gossip Girl, anyone? SUCH the most enjoyable show in this time period right now) rather than work, and watching Kate Walsh and Tim Daly spar over kisses and who’s mad at who is beyond tiresome. Private Practice still needs serious tone surgery, but it is getting more watchable. By baby steps.
Whereas the second Bionic Woman felt like the worst episode of Alias ever. That thought occurred to me during the moment when Jaime’s bratty sister called her to whine about a missing Tenacious D T-shirt while Jaime was hiding from military mercenaries or whoever in the town of dead people. Miguel Ferrer, still channeling the grouch he played on Crossing Jordan, and Molly Price are so mannered in their terse barking, the arrival of an enigmatic Isaiah Washington as Jaime’s new handler was actually welcome, the lame meet-cute in the bookstore aside. The least I’ve come to expect in modern genre programming is convincing special effects, but could Jaime’s rescue of the roof jumper have been edited any more awkwardly? Why not just go back to the slo-mo of the original series? Actually, the least I’ve come to expect in this genre is entertainment value, which is sadly lacking in this self-important, glum misfire. I perked up a bit when Jaime went to the lab with her ringing ear and was chided by a tech for having used a Q-Tip. But what that mainly did was make me miss Alias’s Marshall (Kevin Weisman, currently wasted on CBS’s Moonlight). What will it take for the new Jaime Sommers to be worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Sydney Bristow and Buffy Sommers? A miracle, it’s beginning to appear.
Speaking of strong women, I was crushed when Casey collapsed in the Top Chef finale. I had hoped a woman would finally win this competition, but it was pretty clear from not only the judges’ reactions but her own flustered attitude (to the Aspen altitude among other things) that she’d gone pork-belly up. Hung was never my favorite contestant, but he stepped up at the end and finally put some soul into his ambitious cooking, thus trumping the more lovable Dale. The only downside to Hung’s jubilant win: the thought that it even remotely vindicates his buddy, last season’s twerpy foam freak Marcel.
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Oct 4, 2007 1:19 PM
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On Pushing Daisies…I think people make too big a deal out of the ratings. The question isn’t “did people watch” its “did people get-it”. Plenty of good shows have started out high just to plummet on episode 2. At the end of last night’s episode I could almost hear the multitudes of “Two and a Half Men” fans exclaiming “I don’t get it” in unison and then flipping through the channels to find a show with some good fart jokes.
Sorry to be a cynic but I just can’t see this show surviving. To be blunt, I like it too much and that means almost certain death (unless the network is desperate like in the case of NBC). I supposed the failure of Cave Men is a good sign I just have no trust left in the average TV viewer.
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Oct 4, 2007 2:29 PM
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I didn't really care for The Nine last season (even the pilot was a bit on the heavy side with the melodrama), but Pushing Daisies is beyond charming. I hear that the pilot went way, way over-budget with all its special effects, so there is a chance that at least visually, the series wont be as impressive as the first episode, but honestly, the script and the characters alone are enough for me.
I also think Private Practice got a little better in the second episode, and Paul Adelstein is by far the best part. I agree with you about Amy Brenneman, she deserves way better than her pathetic stalker character. I'm hopeful about the series, it doesn't repulse me as much as it does everyone else, and I think given time it will find its form.
Quick note: Buffy's last name was actually Summers, not Sommers, although the reference is pretty obvious. I loved how the TV in the house was playing an episode of Battlestar 
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Oct 4, 2007 2:50 PM
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On Pushing Daisies…I think people make too big a deal out of the ratings. The question isn’t “did people watch” its “did people get-it”.
That is true, but the pressing issue for ABC was did their heavy promotion work, at it seems as though it did. ABC's job was to get people to tune in and they delivered.
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Oct 4, 2007 3:34 PM
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I've never been so instantly engaged with a TV show. I just posted a blog in members blog. It was very Burtonesque - Big Fish to me. Since that is one of my all time favorite movies - you can imagine how delighted I was with this show. ABC just is getting it for me - with Lost, Ugly Betty and now Pushing Daisies. What a wonderful show!
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Oct 4, 2007 4:13 PM
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First time all season I've laughed aloud (almost fell off my couch when she came out of the apartment in the hooker heels and Olive asked "did he touch you?") all season, including How I Met Your Mother.
I'm sticking around for the long haul.
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Oct 4, 2007 4:43 PM
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What Matt, no love for Life? I really like this show and I hope the ptb at TVG give it its own blog. I really like all the leads, the show grows on ya and I hope the ratings improve next week...
Didn't like Pushing Daisies, the narration was annoying, as was Chuck.
I'm giving Bionic Woman, however, time to grow on me. The boyfriend, Will, shoulder-wound and all, isn't dead by a long shot, IMO.
But Love the guilty pleasure that is Gossip Girl. Ratings up..woohoo!
Nothing to complain about at all there.
Ah, the mere mention of Alias..those were the days, why didn't more pple watch it then? Maybe we would still have new eps and all of that cast's talent wouldn't be wasted on mediocre movies and TV shows.
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Oct 4, 2007 7:24 PM
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Love, love, love Pushing Daisies! It's my favorite new show of the season with Chuck & Reaper close behind.
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Oct 4, 2007 10:01 PM
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I loved Pushing Daisies! It was one of the best pilots I have seen of a show in a while. It was fresh and witty, quirky and funny -- just completely different from the norm. I think it is a great show, but as soon as it went off, reality set in -- I kept thinking how long is a show like this going to last and actually stay fresh and new? I can't see how it will make it for a long time. It is going to get old fast when you have the same story week after week -- not able to touch each other, etc., etc. I think it might be good for a while, but I think it won't be able to make a long run unless they can keep it different and fresh without making it corny and repetitive. I hope they can do it and am crossing my fingers, but I still have to be a little negative too.
As for Private Practice, loved it, loved it, loved it!!! This week was so much better!! Better storylines, better acting, just better!! Finally! I was beginning to hope Addison would jump back in her car the first week, but this week, I was so glad she stayed. As for Amy B., I don't like the stalker storyline, but I do like her & Cooper and their chemistry/friendship. They are so funny together and balance each other out nicely. The storylines this week were so good. I was crying over the baby storyline. A definite improvement over week 1 and I'm still holding out hope. I just don't want it to become too Grey's Anatomy with everyone having to sleep with everyone and bed hopping everywhere! A couple of relationships are fine, but not everyone in an office has to date everyone else in an office -- there are people outside of work, although I don't think people on TV shows know that! LOL I do like the improved storylines and I'd like to see this great group of talented actors keep with some good storyline ideas. Let's hope Shonda can keep this one fresh as well!
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Oct 5, 2007 8:43 AM
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Pushing Daisies was sweet, funny, touching, and a tad morbid, and my whole family loved it (even the picky high school teen). Its different from the usual drek we get from the networks (which is why none of us watch much TV anymore). Hoping ABC realizes it has a gold mine and keeps it running (and bring back Dead Like Me while they're at it).
As for Bionic Woman, I liked week #1, but #2 was just bad. Boring, full of plot holes, and that shaky camera is so unnecessary!! STOP IT!!
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Oct 5, 2007 8:53 AM
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I watch "GG" at 9 and Matt, you're right ... definetely THE MOST ENJOYABLE SHOW IN THIS TIME PERIOD!
With Pushing Daisies @ 8, GG @ 9 and Dirty Sexy Money @ 10 I am now officially referring to Wednesday as Guilty Pleasure Wednesday!
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Oct 5, 2007 9:41 AM
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I adore this show. Absolute magic and I knew these were my kind of people right away. They had me at "Pie Hole."
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Oct 5, 2007 11:17 AM
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Pushing Daisies is awesome, all the critics were right. It's just my type of show.
I haven't watched private practice at all (or grey's) and really don't care too.
But I thought that Bionic Woman was better than the premiere. I don't much like the actress (katee sackhoff is a million times better and steals every scene she's in) but I think that it'll get better as they get more into story and less on background stuff. I still don't see the point of Jaime having a sister. I think she's an unnecessary character. I'm going to keep watching no matter what though.
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Oct 5, 2007 11:22 AM
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Pushing Daisies - (love Lee Pace but) surprisingly dull.
Bionic Woman - (love Katee Sackoff but) disappointingly bad.
Dirty Sexy Money - (love Peter Krause but) shockingly boring
And I respectfully disagree with Mr. Roush, "Life" is probably the best network show to come out this fall, it's not "generic" or badly acted, as this blog called it. This show is refreshing, interesting, some great talent in the cast and while Bones may be a "unpretentious" decent show (also one that is often forgettable), "Life" asks you to come back to find out more about these characters and their mysteries. Like last year's great, under-appreciated "Kidnapped", it goes at its own pace and probably deserves more HBO/Showtime handling care than NBC's ADD come and go attitude. I ask you, where was all the marketing for this show!? Unfair.
For me, after a week of new shows on network tv, I think I'm only going to set my calendar for Heroes, House, and for as long as its around, Life. Maybe Gossip Girls on Wed when I want something cheeky and silly.
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Oct 5, 2007 1:56 PM
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I am glad to find that someone else found Bionic Woman to be a bore. I was really looking forward to the remake and I think the cast is great. But what really makes a show is the writing and these writers should be ashamed. The show may do well because of all the hype, but it is simply bad TV. On the other hand, "Life" is Good!
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Oct 5, 2007 3:14 PM
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