TV-Reviewed

As you may or may not know ABC has canceled Pushing Daisies and episode thirteen will most likely be the last episode of the series. It’s sad to hear this news, especially when after watching this episode and how superb it was.

This week Ned’s new younger half-brothers are back and invite the crew to a magic show. Unfortunately after his father left, Ned developed a bad taste for magic of all kinds and gets acid reflux whenever he sees magic of any kind. The writers are always consistent with Ned’s personality and his habits and it was kind of cool watching the episode as every time Ned saw magic he would pop in a lozenge.

From this magic show, Ned learns more about his dad and meets the Great Herrmann (Fred Willard) who has taken care of his brothers since his dad left. Ned’s dad apparently loved dramatic exits, because we’re taken to a flashback where Ned’s dad left his brother by disappearing in a magic trick. Fred Willard does wacky and out there pretty well so he was a great casting choice for the role.

Fred Willard as The Great Herrmann, Chi McBride as Emerson Cod

The case this week started off as Emerson and crew trying to find out who was killing all of the Great Herrmann’s animal assistants. Then the crew realizes that the intended target wasn’t the animals, but they were all attempts on the Great Herrmann’s life. It was once again a great case with some good twists and turns to keep us interested. You would think that the whole case of the week formula would get old after a while, but Pushing Daisies does such a great job of working these cases into some of the storylines that the cases don’t feel forced like some television shows that work off the same routine. Paul Tompkins (Best Week Ever) and an unrecognizable Kerri Kenney (Reno 911) were other great casting choices.

Adding Maurice and Ralston to the case worked well also. It’s kind of nice having Ned’s family around and characteristics of the brothers go well with Ned’s and it’s easy to buy that they’re all really brothers. Another thing that the brothers are bringing to the show is that they’re helping Ned break out of his shell a little and become more vulnerable and in return Ned is providing that father figure that the two boys want so much.

Dwight Dixon was back this episode and seems to have his eyes set on a watch that belonged to Charlotte’s dad. It’s interesting the way Pushing Daisies have connected Dwight to Chuck and Ned. It was also surprising to learn that Dwight, Ned’s father, and Charlotte’s father were good friends. Dwight knows about Chuck’s father cheating on Vivian with Lilly and by the end of the episode he knows that Charlotte was buried with the watch; only when he goes to dig through Charlotte’s grave he finds out that Chuck isn’t there. Dwight’s intentions are getting more and more interesting and if he’s looking for Chuck’s father’s watch, is he trying to get Ned’s father watch too?

This episode did a good job of addressing all the storylines that have been going on and they gave each one the right amount of time. When I think back, I am disappointed that Emerson’s search for his daughter was ignored this week, but we just got through several episodes focused on Emerson, so at least it doesn’t feel like an overkill.

Another great episode from Pushing Daisies and it really is quite depressing when something so great gets canceled. There’s still episodes left of the season, so if it’s time for Pushing Daisies to go at least it’s going out on top.

Rating: 9.5