In a time of reboots and remakes, Pushing Daisies fans everywhere are wondering, “What about us?” It has been 10 years since the show ended. After only having two seasons with such an amazing cast and crew, we’re all still feeling the need for some proper closure. 

In 2017, Alyse Wax for Syfy.com wrote about how even Executive Producer Bryan Fuller wanted a reboot. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Fuller explains that he would love to see a Pushing Daisies Broadway musical, as scheduling conflicts could make filming a series difficult. As much as I would love to see Pushing Daisies on Broadway, there is so much more that the very short-lived series had to offer. If redone, the series could have a lot to offer to an entirely new generation of fans.

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Filmography

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Easily the greatest part of Pushing Daisies is the filmography. It’s like watching the beautiful and insanely talented product of a graphic novel and a fairy tale come to life. Which, turns out, is exactly what production designer Michael Wylie intended. In an article appropriately titled, “Pushing Daisies’ Secrets: How the Storybook Came to Life,” Wylie states, “My goal was a storybook come to life. I wanted everything to look almost like an illustration.” By using “conflicting patterns in different colors, particularly reds and oranges, and per director Barry Sonnenfeld, virtually no blues.” Pushing Daisies ended up being visually stunning. 

Story

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One wouldn’t necessarily think a show about death could be family-friendly. But yet, even with a lot of comically graphic deaths, this show is ultimately about love and friendship. We have the hopeless romantic pie maker blessed/cursed with both the gift of life and death. His childhood sweetheart dies and he has the chance to save her but he can never touch her again, for if he does, even for an instant, she will die again … forever. Thanks to the producers and the quirky writing, we have the plot of this visual storybook Michael Wylie was hoping for.

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Not only do the writing and the filmography draw you in, but also the buddy-cop dynamic between Ned, Chuck, and private investigator, Emerson Cod. Viewers get a little murder mystery, buddy-cop comedy, and hopeless love story that’s almost too cute to handle. Though they are the main characters, the supporting characters add just as much to the overall production value of this show. Sadly, with only the two seasons, much of the character development of those incredible characters was rushed. It was an injustice to everyone who worked so hard on this show. From a fan’s perspective, I can complain everyday. But being a writer and creator, I also can see how heartbreaking it would be to have this story you want to tell have it end before its time. My heart kind of goes out to Fuller after thinking about it that way honestly.  

Cast

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Pushing Daisies wouldn’t have been half of what it was without the line up provided by Fuller’s casting. Lee Pace is our cursed pie-maker, Ned. Anna Friel is the long-lost love interest back from the dead Charlotte Charles, or “Chuck.” Chi McBride is the grumpy but actually lovable private investigator, Emerson Cod. Kristen Chenoweth is the one Ned will never love back and still her character Olive Snook is hopelessly devoted to the pie-maker. We also get the very talented Ellen Greene and Swoosie Kurtz as Chuck’s eccentric shut-in aunts, Vivian and Lily Charles. Even impeccable writing can be ruined by the wrong casting. But this show proves what great casting and great writing can do. 

My dear friend Krissy said, “The characters are all broken in a way, but they all have a love that is stronger than that.” She adds that it’s the chemistry and dynamic bond between these actors that was able to convey such a message.

When I asked friends and family what they liked about the show, it was not only the likability of all the characters but also how relatable the characters were. You can relate to a pie-maker and his love never being able to even kiss. But as I said, it’s the chemistry between the actors that complete this storybook and bring it all to life.

Where Are They Now?

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Jim Dale, the original narrator for Pushing Daisies, recently did some voice work on a video game. So he seems like he would be available for a possible reboot. Lee Pace has done some work as Ronan in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. We don’t know what else has been coming his way, but we can hope he’d have time for even one Netflix mini-series, right? Anna Friel has had some consistent TV work, but with Marcella ending this year, Chuck could also be available. Chi McBride was on Hawaii Five-O and as we know that has now ended as well. I think the biggest obvious conflict would be with Kristen Chenoweth’s schedule as she appears to always be working … always. 

The overall consensus from the Pushing Daisies cast is that they would love to come back to the pie shop. In an article on moviefone.com, the main cast can be found being quoted expressing their love for the series. Kristen Chenoweth states regarding the show, “Was it ahead of its time? Maybe. Sometimes I dream we find ourselves back in production, and I’ve got the waitress uniform on, and my cute little bob, and I’m with Lee and Anna again. Yeah, I would love it.”

Still, We Wait

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Pushing Daisies is available to stream for free for Amazon Prime members. But other than that, it’s actually pretty hard to find. I bought it on iTunes as soon as I found out about the show. I recommend it to every person I can, because it has the ability to reach such a variety of people.

Even though, anyone who starts it, falls in love with it and is ultimately left upset and unfulfilled by its abrupt and rushed ending. I mean, K. Chenoweth is on American Gods now, doesn’t she have some pull with the metaphorical Hollywood powers that be? With the cult following Daisies had we could maybe get a pretty massive petition signed. For now though, we shall sit. We will sit “patiently” waiting, rewatching, and recruiting others to the Pushing Daisies family. 

So what do you think? Do we need a proper send-off to the characters we had only just begun to understand? Or should they leave well enough alone? Leave us a comment below.

Featured image credit: ABC Studios