Unorthodox Urban Honey Pioneers

(C) ABC
Pushing Daisies - Pigeon
Emerson, Ned, and Chuck are hired to prove that a pilot was murdered, but become entangled in a case involving stolen diamonds and a one-armed bandit.

So, Pushing Daisies. I was a huge champion of this show after the pilot (even before that, really) and I told everyone I knew to watch it. And now I feel a little bit bad about that. I want to love it, I really do. But there is something missing, some crucial element, and the show just doesn't do it for me. It is gorgeous to watch. The characters are endearing. The schmaltz is tolerable (mostly). But every episode is the same! It's boring! Even with the addition of guest stars that hardcore TV addicts will instantly recognize (Gavin Price/Professor Landry as a Ritalin-fueled fiend, Lynn McKennan as a one-armed bandit, Heroes' waitress Charlie as a lovelorn windmill caretaker), I just can't get behind this show. And frankly I've been shocked that the overall feedback in the blogosphere has been nothing but glowing. Last night's episode clinched it for me -- I'm not giving up on it entirely, but I'm not going to be too upset if I miss an episode here and there.

And as I wrote this, I realized what it is that I don't like about this show. After the pilot, I described it as "a cross between Tim Burton and Wes Anderson." And that, against all reason, is the problem. It is exactly like too many other things that have come before. The music last night could have been taken directly from the Royal Tenenbaums. The hermetic aunts could have been taken directly from Lemony Snicket. It all just feels too recycled. We've seen all this before.

In other news, yesterday on my lunch break I watched the season three pilot of Supernatural. Words cannot do justice to how much I adore this show. I liked Jensen Ackles (Dean) and Jared Padalecki (Sam) in previous roles, but together they are truly outstanding as angst-ridden, orphaned, demon-hunting brothers. (Yes, I realize how ridiculous that last sentence sounds). I am a bit worried that opening of the gates of hell (which happened at the end of season 2) was partly a plot device that will allow Sam & Dean to meet more hunters. I am not a fan of this. I love the "brothers against the world" theme that the show currently has going, and I am wary of the introduction of new, lasting characters. On the other hand, I do like the development of Bobby as a replacement father figure, and I want to see where that goes.

Dean's impending death makes it seem likely that this will be Supernatural's final season. I don't believe that they will actually send him to hell (although that would be quite an awesome ending), but considering the CW's overall ratings this show can't last much longer. From the various side comments Dean made in the pilot (i.e. not sweating his cholesterol level) it seems obvious that he will use his bargain with the devil to excuse doing all sorts of overly crazy and dangerous stuff. Which should be fun!

Best moment of the episode:
Dean: "I feel like there's a light at the end of the tunnel."
Sam: "That's hellfire, Dean."