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RSSTV is like a Gershwin song . . revisiting 'Pushing Daises' and 'Chuck'
We don't always agree.
And that's my favorite thing about writing this column. This season I've loved Samantha Who? and some of you can't stand the show. I enjoyed Lost all of last season while many of you just stopped watching all together. When I criticized The Office last month, I felt your wrath. To this day, I still shock people when I tell them I thought Seinfeld was just okay. (Those of you who have been reading me since the beginning know this. To the rest of you, I apologize for the shock.)
To paraphrase Ira and George Gershwin, "You say Prison Break and I say Prison Bust, but let's not call the whole thing off."
Because sometimes I'm not even sure exactly why I like something that I like and, honestly, I often like things I have no business liking. There's no explaining why I turn up my radio every time Britney Spears' "Piece of Me" comes on the radio, why I can't stop watching Private Practice, or why I read US Weekly cover to cover (I say it's for "work," but we all know that's not exactly true).
This long introduction is to brace you for the fact that I still don't like Pushing Daisies (Wednesday, ABC, 8 p.m.). Phew, I feel better just having admitted that.
While I can appreciate why so many of you love the show and the whimsical world it lives in, it's still just not working for me. I thoroughly enjoy Chi McBride's cranky Emerson Cod and the delivery of his dead pan one-liners is the best thing about the show. And I do feel for perky Kristen Chenoweth's Olive Snook and how she pines for Ned (Lee Pace). But here's the thing -- I really don't like Chuck (Anna Friel). I find her highly annoying. Annoying like I-hope-Ned-accidently-grazes-her annoying. I find their whole we can't ever touch romance grating (which is strange because typically that kind of thing is right up my alley).
With every episode, I can't really find a compelling reason to tune in the following week. The crimes-of-the-week are rather blah and because the whole show comes across as an animated cartoon come to life, I find it really challenging to care about the characters.
But I'm hoping we can still be friends. And I promise to still check in on Pushing Daisies from time to time to see how it's doing and let you know if my opinion ever changes. And I still want to hear what you think of the show. But for now, on Pushing Daisies, we must agree to disagree.
I've also been keeping up with Chuck (Monday, NBC, 8 p.m.) and I'm totally with you guys. It's a more fun version of Alias with Chuck as Sydney, Sarah as Vaughn, Ellie as Francie (let's hope she never becomes Faux Ellie), and John as Papa Bristow. The show has developed into the perfect fusion of hilarious moments (Chuck's recap of what he would put in his blog will definitely be in this week's quotes) and high stakes where the viewer, on some level, believes the characters in the opening credits are in danger. The stakes will have to be raised at some point (I'm thinking by season two somebody in the opening credits will have to be a goner) but for now I'm truly enjoying the show. I plan to spend December catching up on any Chuck episodes I may have missed.
What do you think of Chuck and Pushing Daisies? Bring it on. I can't take it. Post your comments below.
Support the Writers
So many of you have written me about this website that I wanted to share it with everyone. http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/11/pencils2mediamoguls.html is a website created so you can send a box of pencils to the six major heads of studios to show your support for the writers. Negotiations resume on November 26 so let's all think really positive thoughts because TV isn't TV without new episodes of 24, The Office, Grey's Anatomy, How I Met Your Mother and Gossip Girl (to name just a few of the shows I'll miss)
Highlights for November 19 and 20
The slap bet is finally here on How I Met Your Mother (Monday, CBS, 8 p.m.). This show is having a positively brilliant third season.
I am so excited Jennie Garth is still on Dancing with the Stars (Monday at 8 p.m. and Tuesday at 9 p.m. on ABC). Now we must mobilize and vote her into next week's finals. Jennie, I choose you.
The third season of Weeds comes to an end Monday at 10 p.m. This is one show I just haven't kept up with since the new TV season started - I have a lot of catching up to do. How about you? And if you have been watching Weeds, what have you thought about the third season?
The time for holiday classics is fast approaching. A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving airs Tuesday at 8 p.m. on ABC immediately followed by He's a Bully, Charlie Brown at 8:30 p.m. And just so you can plan your holiday viewing, let me tell you about a couple of other important dates. Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer airs on December 4 on CBS, A Charlie Brown Christmas airs on December 3 on ABC, Frosty the Snowman is on December 7 on CBS, It's a Wonderful Life is on Dec. 14 on NBC. And you definitely need to check out abcfamily.com to get a full list of their 25 Days of Christmas programming -- they have so many of my favorites from childhood.
That's all for today. I'm back on Wednesday with a review of the return of October Road, my picks for the worst story lines of the season (could George and Izzie please report to the on-call room?), and this week's where have I seen the before? Have a question, seen a familiar face or want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com.
Amy Amatangelo, TV Gal ®
I think Im on the same page as you with everything "Even the Britney Song" but Chuck. I dont care for it. I wanted to like it becasue Chuck was from 'Less Then Perfect". But, I dont like it. I want to like Pushing Daisy's but..Humm. I cant.
Amy-I could't agree with you more regarding Pushing Daisies...I so tried to like this show but also find myself wishing Ned would kiss Chuck...I can't put my finger on it, but the show just grates on my last nerve, which is so disapointing since I really wanted to like it!
I did watch a few episodes of Chuck but, like you, my DVR was just on overload and it had to be dropped from my tv line up. I'm looking forward to catching up on the episodes I missed--along with Samantha Who....which I should have been watching instead of the mostly boring Heros which I so used to love love love...I'm hoping for more David Anders( I SO heart him), the show will start to pick up. I can't wait for LOST to come back!
BTW--I have only been reading your column for about a year and 1/2 but for the record, I would have agreed with you regarding Seinfeld...glad I wasn't the only one who thought it was just an ok show.
Have a great week!
Yes! Finally a critic speaks up against pushing Daisies. I admire the language of the show but the characters are lifeless (perhaps with the exception of Olive) and I don't care about them other than to wish Chuck's death. My main problem though is the narration that tells us what we can see is going on on our screen. I do not need it to be explained when someone is delivering pie to the aunts- I can see it! I feel hideously patronised.
Chuck (the show) though has really caught my heart by having real characters I can relate to and a great sense of fun. Chuck and Journeyman (also with sympathetic characters) are the highlights of my week. It's a shame they air on the same day.
Chuck is well-written and acted, with a good blend of humor and tension. Pushing Daisies is just entirely too self-conscious without the wry wit of Ugly Betty, which it most closely resembles in tone.
Pushing Daisies just didn't work for me. Kinda of an adult Dr. Seuss that loses it's charm because it knows it is Dr. Seuss. Hope that makes sense to someone besides me.
I've made several postings about Chuck. I almost didn't check it out, but have found it to be my favorite new show of the season. Consistently funny without quite going over the edge. I hope it contiues to work withou Tang.
I absolutely loved the remote control surfing whiling naming that show. I do that when my husband channel surfs. He's never sure whether he wants to laugh or throw the remote at me.
Pushing Daisies, Journeyman, Moonlight have all been deleted from DVR. Sadly ER joined the deletions last week - Abby drinking again pur me over the after watching from the first episode. Bionic Woman is still barely hanging in there.
Well am I going to be one of those people who disagree's with you. I LOVE Pushing Daisies- and the only reason for it is that IM entertained for an hour. It is so original, and its unlike anything else on tv right now, and that usually intrigues me. Its not a private practice redoing everything every single other medical drama has, its a new show with new ideas and new concepts. and that must be applauded.
I *want* to love Pushing Daisies. And I want to encourage the networks to keep pushing the boundaries (let's face it--it's not like any other shows out there; at least it's trying to be different). And I watch it every week--but always because I'm hoping for more from this talented cast. When Olive broke out into Hopelessly Devoted to You in episode 2 it made me think of how much fun it would be to have Kristin Chenoweth and Ellen Greene do a duet in an episode. But unfortunately, I'm afraid that the whole is not greater than the sum of its parts. I'm going to keep watching, hoping for the best. But I fear the worst.
I agree completely with you Amy, but backwards.
I can't STAND the show Chuck, but love Chuck and Ned on Pushing Daisies.
I HATED Seinfeld. If I wanted to hear people bicker and be mean I could have just turned off the TV and listened to my family. UGH
Funny, but I'm the opposite. I love Pushing Daisies and am "meh" on Chuck. Daisies does run the risk of being too sweet and I hope that they explore some darker aspects of show further (it is all about death after all!).
Overall, though, there isn't a show on TV as inventive or that has as witty and tightly written a script.