The mental scent of pie and daisies filled viewers minds as the second season of Pushing Daisies finally arrived. Happily, the premier didn’t disappoint, and there’s really only one word to describe it: wow. For those who had forgotten why this show won so many awards after just nine episodes, this week’s dazzling effects, witty dialogue, and nail-biting mystery were quick reminders.
This season starts out with a beautiful scene apparently designed for three reasons: to remind the viewers of Ned’s love for Chuck, to show off the talents of the art directors, and to tie in to the murder of the week. To the delight of boys and girls alike, Ned and Chuck are standing on the rooftop in only their silky intimates. Chuck’s beloved bees have died due to insecticide, and Ned has decided to bring them back (to the detriment of some nearby water bugs – at least they weren’t butterflies!). Rather than touching them individually, Chuck pours the bees over Ned’s bare chest in a dazzling display. As the music swells, each bee bounces back to blissful immortality in a golden flash of light. The camera pans out on the scene of swirling bees, beautiful flowers, and the happiness of Chuck and Ned. The love is almost overwhelming.
Nevertheless, the show is meticulous about balance. As with the downside to Ned’s gift (whenever one thing is brought back, something else must die), the sarcastic Emerson Cod is an excellent balance to the sugariness of the Piemaker and his sweetheart. This week’s murder victim is Kentucky Fitz, a bee girl at Betty’s Bees (beauty products) who was stung to death. Emerson, Ned and Chuck are unable to determine the murderer by talking to Kentucky (the bees stung her eyes before she could see), so Chuck must go in undercover as the new bee girl.
Chuck meets the strange Betty Bee, former president of the company; and the suspicious Woolsey Nichols, current president after a hostile takeover. Both are equally viable suspects, and equally obsessed with bees. Eventually, the trio uncovers the truth – Woolsey Nichols had an insane crush on Kentucky Fitz. He offered her a chance to become the new face of the company, and instead she joined with Betty in secretly sabotaging the works. Scorned and bitter, he sicced his swarm on her, resulting in her gruesome death. After Woolsey’s arrest, Kentucky‘s husband teams up with Betty to form a new company, and all ends well.
The episode doesn’t stop there. Last season gave us a peek into the secret lives of the characters. Ned revealed that after bringing his mother back to life, he inadvertently caused the death of Chuck’s father. Emerson revealed that he is himself has a daughter. Aunt Lily revealed to Olive that she is not actually Chuck’s aunt, but her mother. While Ned’s secret was resolved, the others were left hanging. In this episode those secrets were addressed again, if only for a moment.
Emerson has created and published a pop-up book, one of his new passions. The book, Li’l Gumshoe, is about a girl whose father can’t find her, so she must find him. After his reveal last season, we can only assume that the book comes from personal experience. Is this why Emerson became a detective? Or is this the one case that eludes him? We look forward to learning more.
Olive, overwhelmed with the number of secrets she is keeping (Chuck being alive, Aunt Lily being Chuck’s mother, and Olive being in love with Ned) enters a nunnery for rest and contemplation – the same nunnery Aunt Lily herself visited while pregnant with Chuck. However, Olive is horrified to realize that even a “temporary nun” must live the vow of poverty, and watches sadly as all her belongings are given to the poor. Before she can give up and leave, Aunt Lily comes and makes it clear that as long as she feels tempted to spill any secrets, she would be “better off” staying in the convent. Olive decides to stay and make the best of things as she tries to find out who she really is.
Chuck, meanwhile, is drawn to Olive’s empty apartment. She realizes that her life has been too sheltered – she’s never even lived alone! Also, the strain of avoiding Ned’s touch while living in the same small space makes her feel that a separate home would be best. At first Ned is crushed, but he comes to accept her decision after counseling Aunt Vivian (who still believes Chuck to be dead) about letting go and moving on. In the end, Ned takes Chuck’s old things from the aunts and moves them to her new apartment in a touching effort to make her feel at home.
Congratulations to the creators of this show for living up to all our expectations. We eagerly await next week’s episode!
Susan Kearl is a university student with too much time on her hands who loves to watch TV. She’s happy to contribute her opinions to the world of television viewers like you.
