Pushing Daisies: Do You Believe In Magic?

Pushing Daisies:
"Oh Oh Oh... It's Magic"

Speaking of magic, Pushing Daisies could have used a little magic in the ratings department for the episode that aired on Wednesday, but unfortunately none materialized. In fact, the ratings were even worse than usual, which is something I totally saw coming. After two weeks off the air and no promotion by ABC to speak of, even I (who have sent postcards to ABC to plead for it to continue to air PD) almost forgot that PD was going to air this week. Would it kill ABC to substitute every third Desperate Housewives commercial for one about Pushing Daisies? Whatever, ABC, PD's 11/19 ratings woes fall directly on your shoulders. The show is delightful, and it shouldn't take too much of a marketing genius to be able to convey that to the people out there in the world who want to watch some delightful television. Where is Don Draper when we need him?

In any event, "Oh Oh Oh... It's Magic" was a delightful episode, and Pushing Daisies viewers should really cherish every episode we get. Ned started off the episode a little whiny for my tastes, but he rallied and ended up bonding with his half-brothers. He even figured out a way to trick Lily into admitting to Chuck that she's her mother, while not spilling the secret that Chuck's alive. The scene in the car of Ned and Chuck listening to Lily's stories and holding their hands up to the glass that separated them was simply beautiful.

I'm wondering if Ned's dad had some kind of a secret that drove him into repeatedly abandoning all of his family members. Some Ned-like magical ability, perhaps?

Highlights and thoughts:

• Young trick-or-treating Maurice and Rawlston were cute!
• The "Magicians? Illllluuuuuusionists!" exchange was straight out of Arrested Development.
• Quote of the episode:
  Emerson: "A magic show?! Where did I put that rat's ass I could give?"
• Wow, Chuck got all kinds of dressed up to go to the magic show. I didn't realize that magic shows were such formal occasions.
• Emerson: "I was just going to tell you all to shut up, but you stopped talking, so I didn't have to."
• Well, at least Chuck's unsuccessful crank calls to Lily are giving her the opportunity to practice her accents.
• "Cementia" turns out to be quite the involved trick...what with the blow torch and all.
• Ned's dad ditched the twins at a Sunday matinee magic show! Ouch! At least he was nice enough to send Ned to a school before disappearing on him.
• Chuck's dad and Ned's dad were both in the Peace Keepers? Neither Charles Charles nor Ned's dad strike me as much of a do-gooder.
• Olive: "He's also dead, so that's why he really can't talk."
• What in the heck is going on with the collar of Chuck's coat?! She looks like she has a black lion mane or is dressed like a black Big Bird! Holy moly!
• Ned: "Herman will be avenged. I don't mean vigilante style justice, because what kind of an example would that be?"
• Ned: "Rawlston, we're two grown men with dad-related bodily fluid issues."
• Emerson: "You need to get yourself a bigger human shield; you're hanging out all over the place."
• Ned's shirt/sweater combo is very grandfatherly.
• Lily: "Tell me, when you were a jockey, did you ride the horses or just beat them when they were dead?"
• This pesky former-Peace Keeper friend guy knows way too many secrets now.

(photo: ABC/Pushing Daisies)