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Episode Recap: "Girth"
Interesting episode title and interesting episode. And by interesting I mean excellent, as usual.
I like that we spent some serious time with Olive this week. I know many of you love her, and tonight we got a little glimpse into Olive’s past. Since she’s so short — 4' 11" to be exact — it would make sense that she was a jockey in a former life. She’s one of the sport’s best and brightest until a tragic accident brings her career to an end. When Olive’s jockey friends start going to that big racetrack in the sky, Olive knows she needs Emerson’s help to discover what’s really going on. She’s afraid the ghost of John Joseph Jacobs (Hamish Linklater) is returning to kill every jockey who crossed the finish line in the race that cost him his life. Turns out his witchy (with a b) mother (Barbara Barrie) has been impersonating him — on a horse that breathes fire, no less — to revenge the earnings and glory her son lost in that race. And better yet, he’s still alive and about 2 feet taller — his destroyed legs were surgically replaced with the legs of his beloved horse "All That Gold."
On the Ned and Chuck front, Chuck and then Emerson catch Ned in lies. Halloween is Ned’s least favorite holiday — he doesn’t decorate or celebrate — because he discovered his father’s secret on that day many years ago: His father has a new family. Every year after that Ned revisits his old house to remember his happy childhood and instead of helping with the case, Ned returns to his childhood home again. But this year Ned discovers everyone in town thought his father was a jacka-- and they’re glad Ned doesn’t take after him in any way. Another important realization Ned has while he’s home is that Chuck has been sending her aunts pies from his shop. For the first time, Ned really seems to understand what Chuck is giving up by pretending to be dead.
I know many of you still don’t appreciate all the narrator has to offer but I loved that he started the episode with some rhyming voiceover. I’m still a fan. I also enjoyed the fire-breathing horse and loved the ghost angle — oh so appropriate for Halloween. At first I thought they might explain the horse away somehow but I’m pretty happy they didn’t. It made me laugh and added to the overall drama.
I know some of you have been debating the family friendliness of this show but I think my favorite, favorite thing was the name of that ill-fated horse race: Jock Off 2000. Come on! It’s genius. Not so genius? Ned’s dad. How old do you think his new sons were? I think they’re probably not Ned’s biological brothers but for a moment I was thinking very dark, evil things should happen to Ned’s father.
But on to happier things... how sweet was it that Ned thinks his gift is magic? I like that he thought about it and decided it was magic. I guess there aren’t too many other things it could be though. And it was somewhat bittersweet at the end when Olive got what she’s been craving from Ned for a while: a kiss. Unfortunately for her, he couldn’t put her down fast enough to go to his injured Chuck.
Great lines:
Olive: "Yeah, I guess I know Ned better than you do and now I know you better than Ned does."
Emerson: "Check please. Or cash. Cash is good."
Olive: "I want to hire you. Technically I already have since you were so grabby with the cash."
Emerson: "Think of it in escrow between my thighs."
Emerson: "The money don’t care. Touch him."
Chuck: "You go and do whatever private secret alone thing you need to go do by yourself. Alone."
Mrs. Jacobs: "You’re a modest dresser as always."
Mrs. Jacobs to Chuck: "What did you say your name was? Brandon? Butch?"
Lily: "I don’t know how we survived without it. It’s like a sex addiction.... I would imagine."
Olive: "Don’t you owe it to your horse to stand up on his two legs and get out there and live?"
Olive: "Tell Ned I love… his pies."
Fun visuals:
• Olive jumping for joy on her bed. And falling off of it.
• Lily and Vivian’s heads exploding
• Mud flying up in Olive’s face on her fake horse during the race
• Emerson’s conversation with Olive’s money
• Ned petting Digby with Lem’s arm
• Olive trying to open the casket and dangling off the ground
• Digby in his ghost costume next to 9-year-old Ned
• Mrs. Jacob’s crazy wallpaper house with the lawn jockeys
• Olive digging around under her mattress for booze
• Olive’s nose covered in ashes
I can't wait to hear your thoughts.
I’ll see you back here in two weeks (the CMAs preempt us next Wednesday night on ABC). If you need a Pushing Daisies fix in the meantime, visit our Online Video Guide.
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Nov 1, 2007 3:29 AM
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![]<img border=](http://community.tvguide.com/images/emoticons/devil.gif) ">Don't forget the most important note: Chuck & Olive put asides their differences to help out each other, can you say freindemeies(sp)!!!
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Nov 1, 2007 7:51 AM
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Oh my gosh I just love this show so much!! I know some people are put off by the fairy tale atmosphere but I think that's what makes it so special.
I'm glad we got to learn more about Olive tonight. Her jumping on the bed and falling off, the jocky scenes, the ashes on the nose...I was LMAO all night! And poor Olive. I know Ned and Chuck are ment for each other but I just can't help but feel bad for Olive each time He ignores her or pushes her away.
Oh, and the line about the cash being in escrow between his thighs...LOL!! Too funny!
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Nov 1, 2007 7:59 AM
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The best line for me was about how Olive was still single because she wouldn't need so much bait if her boat were full of fish. [or some less mangled quote].
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Nov 1, 2007 8:27 AM
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 *gasp* you left out the best quote of the night!
Olive singing: I scream, you scream, we all scream 'cause you faked your death.
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Nov 1, 2007 8:36 AM
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When you die, if you get a choice between regular heaven or pie heaven choose pie heaven. It might be a trick. But if it's not, mmmmm boy! (Jack Handy)
If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. (Dr. Carl Sagan)
Promises and pie crust are made to be broken. (Jonathan Swift)
God always has another custard pie up his sleeve. (Lynn Redgrave)
I loved tonight's Olive focused episode.
Chuck to Ned: I missed you.
Emerson to Ned in a high pitched voice: I missed you too.
Olive: If I tell you something you promise you won't laugh?
Emerson: No
I love, love, love this show. I am on a natural high each week as it ends.
My favorite scene in the show is when Chuck went trick or treating to her aunt’s house at 2 in the morning. One aunt gets the shotgun the other gets the candy and they both answer the door. And there stands Chuck in a ghost costume.
I also loved that Ned got reassurances that even though his father was a jerk; he grew up nice all on his own.
And who would have thought that Barbara Barrie, the always sweet TV grandmother (Suddenly Susan, Dead Like Me) would turn out to be a murderous villain on a fire breathing steed? The villains each week are so inventive and priceless.
I am so going to pre-order this DVD set as soon as it shows up for sale.
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Nov 1, 2007 9:00 AM
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You forgot to mention how great Digby was in this episode. I loved how he watched Olive jump up and down, and how he sat in the booth with the gang like a fourth person, and how cute he looked in the halloween costume. Digby is a better actor than many of the humans on network television. He should be nominated for a best supporting actor emmy next year 
Every episode of this show makes me laugh and cry.
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Nov 1, 2007 9:11 AM
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Great show as always! I find myself so happy after I finish watching it every week. Not many shows can do that for me. I loved that we got to learn more about Olive and that her and Chuck came to a mutual understanding. I did get a little sad when Ned was sitting in his old house- how horrible that would be as a child. What I love is that they have serious and even sad moments, but never keep it dark or depressing. I'm so glad it was picked up for a full season but I don't want to wait two weeks for the next episode!
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Nov 1, 2007 9:31 AM
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this epi was great as usual!! I loved the name of the race being Jock Off...i thought maybe i was the only one reading something else into that-glad to see I wasn't! And the mother commenting on Olive's cleavage was fantastic! The writing in this show is SO SMART and its supported by some great visuals! Emerson having a full fledged conversation with Olive's money was hysterical!!! I love country music so I won't mind watching the CMA's next week but I will miss PD!!
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Nov 1, 2007 9:48 AM
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We loved this episode! My heart went out to Chuck when she went trick or treating at the Aunt's house.
I loved seeing Olive and Chuck working together and going from enemies to not quite friends but at least a more understanding relationship.
Love love love Digby sitting in the booth!
The only complaint we had (especially noticed by my daughter)was there was quite a bit of language this episode that they don't usually have. Other than that I thought it was a wonderful epi!
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Nov 1, 2007 10:22 AM
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I love this show. Another great episode.
I've been very impressed with the actress plaing Olive. And the writing and I think Jim Dale is doing a great job.
Keep it up!
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Nov 1, 2007 10:41 AM
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Will there ever be an episode that we can't rave about? Another great. I loved Emerson's phone call to the money and John Jacob's mama was a pip so sweetly cutting everyone down [literally as it turned out although I had that pegged from the moment we met her]. Who came up with the floral exterior house paint? That was genius.
jppuertorico85, I thought the same thing about the Jock Off2000, almost yelled it out loud before guffawing but then remembered I was watching with my 72 yr old mother and didn't really think she'd appreciate the incredible humor in that. 
Also loved that they brought Lem's hand back into subsequent shows by having Ned use it to love on Digby.
Also, Emerson going back to the table after Olive fainted and then remembering when Ned asked where she was.
SPOILER ALERT:
Next week looks worrisome as it appears that Olive learns that Ned and Chuck can't touch and attempts to seduce Ned behind Chuck's back.
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Nov 1, 2007 10:51 AM
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I love the little boy who plays Young Ned! I felt so sorry for him last night as he stood in the line for mail and never got any...except for the one piece that coldly and impersonally informed him that his father had moved. And it was so sad to see through his eyes (and through his ghost costume) as his father casually handed him a candy bar as he went off trick or treating with his new wife and children. Poor Young Ned.
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Nov 1, 2007 10:57 AM
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Absolutely love love love this show!! Genius writing, and an amazing cast that has incredible chemistry! The Pie-lette was fantastic and the shows just keep getting better each week! I am a full fledged PDA (Pushing Daisies Addict)!!
As much as I love Chuck and Ned together, I couldn't help but feel good when Ned scooped Olive up and save her from Mrs. Jacobs, for one brief moment Olive had what she had wanted all along and it was a sweet moment while it lasted.
My favorite line of the night would have to be Olive talking to JJJ:
“Don’t you owe it to your horse to stand up on his two legs and get out there and live?”
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Nov 1, 2007 11:15 AM
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Lily and Vivian’s heads exploding...
...with bird feathers flying out of their headless necks!
This show is brilliant!!!
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Nov 1, 2007 11:17 AM
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