TV-Reviewed

“Bad Habits” was a much needed episode this week. It tied everything together and progressed the story along very well. All the main characters were in one place and it made this episode one of the best of the season.

We’re so used to flashback scenes at the beginning of each episode, it was a welcome surprise to have this one be about Olive, with it somewhat telling us that this episode was more about Olive than anyone else.

When looking back at this episode of Pushing Daisies, it’s hard to believe that we got such an episode packed with so much in about 43 minutes. Ned, Chuck, Emerson and Olive reunite when Olive hires Emerson to figure out who murdered a nun that Olive had become close to.

The case had its twists and turns as usual. We had those moments where we thought the culprit was someone and then it turns out to be someone completely different. What was so good about this case though wasn’t the case itself, but it acted as a good plot device to get our characters together. When hiring Emerson, Olive told him not to bring Ned or Chuck, but we all know that Emerson is almost nothing without Ned’s expertise and as Emerson said it Chuck comes with the deal.

This became uncomfortable for Olive who escaped to the convent so she would be far away from Chuck and Ned. It was funny as Olive tried to avoid Ned and Chuck. Then having Ned around her made her want to tell him about Chuck’s paternity. Instead of telling him which wouldn’t be right, she had Ned guess and even though it took little hints for him to finally get it, he did eventually. I think we all breathed a sigh of relief when Olive finally got the secret off her chest and we saw Ned have almost the same reaction that Olive originally had. Thankfully the writers didn’t decide to drag us along the whole season with Ned now keeping the secret, because by the end of the episode, it’s revealed to Chuck that her mom is her Aunt Lily.

Kristin Chenoweth as Olive

There were other great moments in this episode that didn’t get a lot of attention this episode, but set up some interesting topics for the rest of the season like Ned revealing to the priest about his father issues. He brings up how he needs to go digging which means that it looks like Ned will go searching for his dad. I don’t give enough credit to Lee Pace’s acting in these reviews, because he makes it seem so easy every episode, but it’s a moment that just continues to show how good Lee Pace is.

There was a great moment also where Chuck questioned if she was going to go to heaven or hell when she died. Bringing someone back to life seems to be taboo on Pushing Daisies, because it made Chuck question her after life, and even Ned had a moment where before he brought the victim back he had doubts about doing this in a church. This all brings up some interesting topics and it was interesting having Chuck even consider being put back to death.

Emerson had a lot of funny moments this episode and had some great lines this episode. We’re still left a little hanging about his missing child this episode, but we have to hope that it comes up sooner rather then later.

Probably the best moment of the episode was when Olive and Ned finally talking about Olive’s feelings towards Ned. It was good to see Ned apologize and realize that he wasn’t very nice to Olive after she told him. It was a good moment between the characters and there was even a hint of a possible relationship between the two, but for now it looks like the Olive/Ned love relationship is over for now.

This episode just did an incredible job of tying everything together and giving us such a fun mystery. It was incredibly surprising that the culprit was a pig, but that’s what’s so great about the storytelling of Pushing Daisies; it can always surprise you at any moment. It’s great to have Olive back with the rest of the cast and out of the convent. Based off this episode, we’re excited to see where Pushing Daisies heads next.

Rating: 9.7