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Episode Recap: "Dummy"
Color me charmed, again. If you don’t like quirky this is definitely not the show for you. I think at least one, if not a few of you, expressed concerns about the procedural element of the show. If Ned can touch someone and ask who killed them, their cases are going to be pretty cut and dried. But as we saw in this episode, they were given what Chuck called a clue but Emerson called evidence to help them solve the case.
New things we learned:
• Emerson is a closet knitter. That knitting needle definitely came in handy when they were trapped in those body bags. And he makes a mean gun cozy.
• Chuck knows Japanese. Living with her shut-in Aunts, Chuck developed a curiosity about the world. She learned quite a few languages before her untimely demise.
• The narrator will never lie to us. I know some of you aren’t big fans, but I still love how Jim Dale is the voice of reason. Even when every single person is spouting nothing but lies, Jim tells the truth.
Let’s get to the case. The corpse is Bernard Slaybaugh (Jonathan Mangum). He’s 35 and married, an engineer working on the Dandy Lion SX, a car of the future. When Ned reanimates him, Chuck does waste some of their time asking about any last requests but I think that she does that. She knows what it feels like to come back from the dead and I think she wants these people to be at peace. In the meantime, Emerson is only interested in getting enough information to get his monetary reward and Ned just wants to make sure to touch them again before the minute is up. I did, however, enjoy their whole back-and-forth about whether or not Emerson is God, especially since Bernard is Buddhist. Just before his time is up, Bernard tells them a crash test dummy killed him. I also have to say the presentation of the corpses wasn’t that bad. Last week’s dog-mauling victim wasn’t too graphic and considering Bernard was run over by a car, he looked pretty normal. Thanks for not grossing me out.
So Chuck, Ned, and Emerson go to the company in search of Bernard’s true love — Jeanine from promotions. She’s a bit of a binge-purge eater but she loved Bernard and knew something was up when he started working later and later with the imminent launch of the car. Her Dandy Lion SX also blows up as she leads them to more evidence. After Chuck, Ned, and Emerson discover one of the crash test dummies is missing its face they decide to go back that night. In place of the dummies, they find corpses. Ned brings two of them back and discovers they were all killed — naturally, from accidents — and they’ve agreed to become crash test dummies in death. They are discovered by a crash test dummy and stunned. Upon waking up they find they’re all tied up in body bags. Ned and Chuck share a kiss while Emerson frees himself from them. The crash test dummy, revealed to be car inventor Mark Chase (Patrick Fabian), pursues them as they escape. Mark Chase is sent to jail, Emerson puts his money in a sock he’s knitted, Jeanine gets some nutritional help, and Ned reveals to Chuck the addition of a glass partition in his car. Now she can call shotgun. And he’s added a hole with a glove, just the right size for Chuck’s hand. He claims it’s for driving emergencies but Chuck knows it’s really so they can hold hands.
Some favorite lines:
Ned: “She said she didn’t climb out of a coffin for me to keep her in a box.”
Emerson: “The fun part’s counting my money in the bubble bath.”
Ned: “Nice image.”
Olive: “What’s the poop…poop, the scoop, the haps, the dealio, the 411. P.I. lingo.”
Chuck: “Don’t you have any hidden talents or hobbies? I mean regular ones.”
I’m really enjoying this show. I just find the characters' quirks more and more endearing. I like that they’re unexpected and I love that we’re getting to know them all better. Ned’s so scared of sharing himself with anyone but Chuck finally seems to breaking through all his defenses.
And what about Olive’s rendition of “Hopelessly Devoted to You?" I know a few of you mentioned wanting Kristin Chenoweth to sing and you got your wish. So far, I’m a pretty big fan of Olive. Kristin’s a great comic actress and although Olive’s probably doomed to love Ned unrequitedly, there’s probably only so long that whole “no-touching” thing is going to play for Chuck and Ned. I think someone mentioned options for getting around it, but I think I either read or heard Bryan Fuller say Chuck and Ned would never be allowed to touch. Ever. Ouch.
Before I forget, I also liked the opening with Ned as a kid. It was funny seeing those reanimated frogs hop around and freak his classmates out. But then all those birds died. I definitely wouldn’t want what Ned’s got.
Thanks for all your great comments so far. If you want more finger-linking good action on Pushing Daisies, check out our Online Video Guide.
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Oct 11, 2007 2:23 AM
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Oh Kara Dummy is too harsh a word, maybe dopey but Dummy?? I think not.
Well I'll go ahead and comment anyway, I was real anxious to see this second episode because the pie-lette was amazing and really set the bar. I gotta say this show is just so enjoyable to watch.
I find myself watching this show and waiting for these lovely characters to charm the pants off me.
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Oct 11, 2007 2:49 AM
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Ok, I trashed the show last week....but tuned into the second ep...and it was better..
I really enjoy Kristen Chenowith..and I think she has great chemistry with the other characters..
I liked the flower power stuff..the outfits of the salesgirls selling the cars were so fun....still not a big fan of Chuck...
I really don't know what I'm doing...I love Numb3rs, I'm waiting for Lost and Jericho to come back and everything else is just killing time.... ok, so I kind of know what I'm doing...
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Oct 11, 2007 3:54 AM
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Everything else is killing time
Less than a month into the season and a TV fan with nothing to watch ?!?!
That would be my greatest fear!!
(next to watching a reality TV marathon of course)
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Oct 11, 2007 4:16 AM
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Well, not much to look forward to seeing...I forgot Men in Trees is coming back too..so maybe I'll be ok...lol.
Yeah, reality TV..yuck..I draw the line.
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Oct 11, 2007 4:40 AM
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I loved the second episode! I actually thought it was better than the first. The dandelion car was hysterical and the flower girls with their big exaggerated dandelions. I just love the look of this show.
I also was just delighted at Kristen singing. She has such a lovely voice (I listen to Wicked soundtrack all the time) and it was a perfect opportunity for her to do it.
This show is a weekly highlight for me.
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Oct 11, 2007 5:32 AM
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I actually watched the show twice, once with my husband and the dvr'd repeat with my teenage daughter (who had to watch American's Next Top Model.) The show is just so CHARMING. The characters are so quirkily cute and the colors of the show are captivating. My daughter said it's like a fairy tale and we loved, loved, loved Kristen Chenowith's character, especially her singing. I hope there's lots more of that in store. "Pushing Daisies" is my new favorite show.
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Oct 11, 2007 6:16 AM
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LOVED THE SECOND EPISODE! What a charming,original show.
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Oct 11, 2007 7:00 AM
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Good episode. What a joy to hear Kristen sing! I hope there's more to come. Love her new 'do.
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Oct 11, 2007 8:15 AM
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Kristen Chenoweth singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You" was the highlight of the show for me. I love her connection to the dog, Digby. They're quite the pair.
I get nervous whenever I see Ned and Chuck in close proximity to one another. If I knew his touch would instantly kill me, I don't know if I'd be so adamant about riding shotgun. He'd be the last person I'd hop in a car with.
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Oct 11, 2007 8:17 AM
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I am in tv heaven. I have got Chuck, The Reaper, and Pushing Daisies. Three new shows that are so charming and hilarious to boot.
I love the production set on this show - it reminded me of a throwback to the 1950s Rock Hudson/Doris Day movies.
And the Dandelion car set reminded me of Dr. Seuss for some reason. But I love it because it is soooooo fairy tale like. I hope they never change the sets.
I agree this episode was even better than the pilot. I guess we can chalk that up to the fine acting. And Jim Dale's narration (which sometimes does not match the action) is sooo funny.
I loved it when Chi screamed when the dead woman screamed. Who would think a grown man could scream like a girl, carried knitting needles to knit when bored, and kept his money literally in a "sock drawer". Oh these quirky characters do grow on you.
And I loved that the murderer dressed like a crash dummy. How funny was that?
This show is as pleasing as a good piece of pie and I cannot wait until the next episode.
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Oct 11, 2007 8:18 AM
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Loved the first episode. Love teh second episode. I absolutely adore the show. Quirky is the perfect word for it, not to mention I love Kristin Chenowith and thought her musical interlude last night was genius, especially when the floor cleaner came in and she was dancing behind him as he danced while cleaning the floor. Genius. Not to mention, she's got a great voice. I also loved it when the PI screamed when they brought the one woman back to life and she screamed. Too funny. Oh, and the fact that this big, burly, unemotional PI knits. : ) I hope the show can maintain its quirky nature.
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Oct 11, 2007 8:25 AM
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I am going to give it one more episode. Right now I think it is pretty cheesey. I was dozing off watching it last night. The only reason I am going to give it one more chance is because all of you here love it. So maybe I am missing something. It is like a bad B movie right now.
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Oct 11, 2007 8:37 AM
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Aww, I just love this show! The cute girls learning to wave flowers to advertise the car got us laughing, and when the baddie took off after that crummy little car in his HUGE Hummer, I thought my husband would die of laughter. The song/dance number was excellent - anyone else thinking Olive and the janitor will one day notice each other?
This is so bizarre - I'll never miss an episode!
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Oct 11, 2007 8:47 AM
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I'm with kelel, I actually turned this episode off in the middle because I was getting so bored. It's on my dvr, so I'll go back and finish it just to see if it was an off night for me. I'll probably give it one more try, but right now I think it's silly, and like others, do not like Chuck (too pushy --- using up the precious minute with innane chatter, really---)
It's not the actress, but definitely the role.
If this is the critic's darling this year, than either I'm way out of this ball park or it's just the best of a truly dismal season. I miss summer. Damages and Mad Men ends soon, and I can't fill my tv schedule with Sunday night ABC and Dirty, Sexy, Money. I'll probably be watching lots of movies.
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Oct 11, 2007 9:21 AM
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