Pushing Daisies

I’ve been trying to decide on whether or not I should pre-order the DVD or BluRay disc for Pushing Daisies. On one hand, I’m used to watching my favorite shows on DVD anywhere using a portable DVD player. The value of the disc on DVD is a lot more affordable, too. On the other hand, the show is really much better seen on an HDTV with a BluRay disc player. But then there’s only one spot in my house where I could do that…what if I want to watch the series while I’m out of town?

I don’t know where my decision would lean more. How will I fully enjoy the series? Will I rely on portability or aesthetics?

This article from THR may have convinced me a little bit, though.

On ABC’s “Pushing Daisies,” it’s the surreal nature of the narrative — about a man (Lee Pace) whose touch can temporarily bring people back from the dead — that gives production designer Michael Wylie and his to team license to explore the outer bounds of reality and taste on sets such as The Pie Hole, a pie shop with giant fake cherries hanging from the ceiling, topped by a faux crust roof with a suggestive slit in the middle. “We sit in the office, and we sort of giggle, and we throw stuff together that on another show we wouldn’t be allowed to do,” Wylie says. “If it looks good, we go with it, even if it’s a traditionally bad design choice. In one of the episodes, we created this candy store that was this Tiffany-box blue color and orange and gold and black and a bunch of things that I would never in a million years throw together in one room.”

What about you? Have you decided on pre-ordering a set yet?

Pushing Daisies, Pushing Daisies HD, Pushing Daisies DVD, Pushing Daisies BluRay

The British are going to see Dummies after all!

ITV has bowed to pressure from viewers and decided to show a “missing” episode of Anna Friel’s comedy-drama Pushing Daisies on its website. The episode was not aired on TV because ITV did not have enough Saturday nights to show the full series before the Euro 2008 football tournament started. The instalment in question - the second of nine - will be available on ITV’s website from Saturday for a week.

(more…)

From the Venice Magazine interview with Lee Pace…(excerpts only)
Venice Magazine spent an afternoon with the lanky Mr. Pace, where we discussed everything from working with a sassy five-year-old, to getting in touch with his feminine side.

The film takes place in two worlds: fantasy, and reality. Your character, Roy, is in a wheelchair and paralyzed in the reality portion of the film. I heard that everyone on the set thought you were really incapacitated. You look really buff in the movie, so how did you pull that off and stay in shape when you were supposed to be in a wheelchair?
I worked out on my day off. They really thought my name was Roy, too. I was in a hospital gown all the time. Also, that’s Eiko (Academy Award winning costume designer, Eiko Ishioka); she made me get more in shape - she told me I needed to lose weight. She didn’t have a time period for this film - she did this beautiful minimal thing ewith colors punctuate what was going on. I think that shot when we’re all three in the boat - one person is in yellow, one in green, and one is in red, and the colors were so rich.

(more…)

I’ve posted an earlier announcement of Pushing Daisies’ DVD release, but did not have a confirmed date yet. Now that Warner Bros have confirmed its release, mark your calenders daisy pushers! The sets are arriving Sept. 16, in both DVD and Blu Ray releases.

Below are samples of how the sets are packed (DVD and Blu Ray) and the product specs come right after the jump…

(more…)

From this site

Have you seen the film yet?

Lee Pace, The Fall, Tarsiem

Before Pushing Daisies, Bryan Fuller was at the helm of the TV series Dead Like Me (starring Ellen Muth, pictured) until it was prematurely canceled after just two seasons.

In April of last year, it was announced that the television program will have a movie version, more likely a direct-to-DVD release. Also, it was reported that some character replacements have to be done to it since not everyone from the original cast would be able to do the movie.

Mandy Patinkin, then casted as the original boss of the “reapers” in the TV series, begged off from the movie project. Henry Ian Cusick (Desmond on Lost) was tapped to play the new boss, Cameron Kane. Laura Harris, who played Daisy on the series, was also not able to do a movie because of a prior commitment. Her role has been taken over by Sarah Wynter, who ironically played Daisy’s sister in Season 2 of Dead Like Me.

The movie’s plot as outlined in Wikipedia:

Set two years after the series ended, some time during those two years Rube left the other reapers, whether for his retirement or for better co-workers it is unknown. The Reapers left meet a new head reaper, Cameron Kane (Henry Ian Cusick) a “slick business man who couldn’t care less about helping the newly dead,” and George (Ellen Muth) reconnects with her sister Reggie (Britt McKillip) when she has to reap her new (and secret) boyfriend, Hudson Hart’s (Jordan Hudyma) soul. Daisy (now played by Sarah Wynter) is attracted to Cameron, who helps her get a role in After the Fall. Daisy, in a bid to gain the leading role, injures the lead actress and due to the stress turns to alcohol, even for the performances.

And according to this source, the movie DVD release has been pushed back to 2009.

Long, long wait! The trailer has been up since last year:

Dead Like Me, Bryan Fuller, Ellen Muth, Henry Ian Cusick, Sarah Wynters

[ACADEMY SCIENCE LAB: a portrait of the stern founder with a snarling German Shepherd hangs over the blackboard where the students are lined up against; the subject of the day is "Flight"]

Narrator: The motto of the Longborough School for Boys was “Institutem Superior Omnibus” or “Tradition Over All”. But on this morning, whether it was the topic of flight or the brandy in the teacher’s parlor, Mr. Galt threw tradition to the wind and let the students choose their own lab partners. [the science instructor nods and all the boys immediately run to their tables with their partners, leaving Ned and an Indian boy in orthodontic headgear standing alone] Young Ned, however, found his chosen for him. Eugene Mulchandani was an exchange student from Gorakhpur, India. Young Ned felt a gnawing pity growing in his stomach, as was tradition. But beneath Eugene’s headgear thrived an active imagination and a useful gift for aeronautical model building, as well as the hope that someone might not dislike him for the simple fact that he was different. [Eugene tears several pages from a composition notebook and folds it into an elaborate paper airplane, then inflates a balloon with gas and ties it to the airplane. Ned smiles admiringly as they watch it float in the air, then notices a classmate sitting in front of them getting ready to shoot down the balloon with a spitball] Young Ned found himself breaking with his own tradition and in a moment of passion … [Ned throws a book and nails the bully in the head] … he fought back. For the first time since his father dropped him off, Young Ned made a friend. [outside during recess, the boys run through the trees; Eugene jumps and lands on a pile of leaves, then lets Ned have a turn] In a surge of emotion, he forgot his mother had died, his father had left him, and that he missed a girl named Chuck. He also forgot he was jumping into a pile of dead leaves that were once alive. [Ned jumps on the pile and as he swims through the leaves, the brown ones turn green; he fearfully looks up at a shocked Eugene, who runs away] Eugene Mulchandani fled in a flurry of saliva and fear. Eugene would eventually forget Young Ned’s mistake and chalk it up to magic leaves. But Young Ned would never forget that happiness borne of passion is always short-lived. [the classmate that Ned nailed with a book approaches and warms up his fist]

[THE PIE HOLE KITCHEN: Ned is sitting at the table waiting for the toaster to pop up; Chuck enters happily and sits next to him]

Narrator: Yet, through no fault of his own, he had once again stumbled into happiness …

Chuck: Good morning!

Narrator: … which terrified him.

Ned: Morning. [muffins pop up and he places a plate in front of Chuck; she starts cutting strawberries for their breakfast]

Chuck: Guess what day it is today?

Ned: [smiling] World Hello Day.

Chuck: Oh, you finally put up my calendar of Obscure of Holidays!

Ned: Yes, and “hola”! That’s Español-a.

Chuck: “Merhaba”, “selamat pagi”, “o-si-yo”! That’s Turkish, Indonesian and Cherokee, although the Indonesians really says “Good Day” which I think is much better than “Hello”, because what does that say? That says “I’m here, your turn to talk”! Kinda selfish. [Ned chuckles and smiles] What?

Ned: [fondly] Nothing.

Narrator: The Pie Maker wished to express to Chuck exactly how intense his feelings were for her.

Ned: [suddenly] Am I your boyfriend? [behind the counter, Olive’s head pops up in shock] I realize that boyfriend-girlfriend are familiar, trite labels – if convention were soaked in boyfriend would be dripping with it – but we’ve never actually said it. And not that we need to define the relationship, but it might be helpful in a familiar, trite way – the way on a holiday created to sell greeting cards – it’s still nice to get a card … and are you going to cut me off with a “Yes” anytime soon?

Chuck: [bemusedly] Yes. [behind the counter, Olive lets out a breath. So does a relieved Ned, who proceeds to put jam on Chuck’s muffin]

Ned: You never said what today is.

Chuck: Thank you. Today is my daddy’s birthday. You know he would’ve been sixty today if he were still alive?

Narrator: The mention of Chuck’s father sent The Pie Maker’s thoughts spinning. [Ned’s face falls and he drops the jam jar on the table]

Chuck: What’s wrong?

Ned: Nothin’.

(more…)

Spring and summer usually marks the season for Emmy campaigns. TV Guide actually made up their dream nomination list the other day and had a few notable actors from Pushing Daisies by picking Kristin Chenoweth (Olive), Swoozie Kurtz (Lily) and Chi McBride (Emerson) for Best Supporting Actor or Actress - Comedy.

The awards ceremony is not until September, before the new season begins. But usually, networks, studios, PR agents, and the actors’ managers are keeping very busy with the submissions and campaign.

Would you want to know what the stars of Pushing Daisies have submitted for Emmy consideration?

According to the Gold Derby, a site which keeps track of every awards show there is in Hollywood, here are the submissions:

• For Best Comedy Series: Pushing Daisies “Pie-Lette” and “Bitter Sweets”
• For Best Lead Actor - Comedy: Pushing Daisies Lee Pace in “Pie-lette”
• For Best Lead Actress - Comedy: Pushing Daisies Anna Friel in “Bitter Sweets”
• For Best Supporting Actor - Comedy: Pushing Daisies Chi McBride in “Bitches”
• For Best Supporting Actress Comedy: Pushing Daisies Kristin Chenoweth in “Girth”; Pushing Daisies Ellen Greene in “Smell of Success”; Pushing Daisies Swoosie Kurtz in “Smell of Success”
• For Best Guest Actor - Comedy: Pushing Daisies Paul Reubens
• For Best Guest Actress - Comedy: Pushing Daisies Molly Shannon in “Bitter Sweets”

These submissions will have to be trimmed down by the Emmy Panel and from their they will pick the final list of nominees the judges will based the winners list on.

What do you think are our favorites’ chances? Do you think their people have submitted the right material for consideration? I personally have so much hope on Chi McBride to bag a nomination, or better yet, an Emmy Award.

Pushing Daisies, Pushing Daisies Emmy, Emmy Awards

LOS ANGELES - Near as Lee Pace can tell, the best way to scare audiences away is to tell them how good something is.

“I think people are really cautious about important movies,” said Pace, who stars in “The Fall,” opening Friday. “If you’re told, ‘There’s an important movie coming out,’ people would rather chew glass than go see it.”

Tall, dark, with piercing eyes and brows so thick they just may be able to shelter a small family in a blizzard — Pace looks like he should be in the movies. So, of course, he is best known as a TV star, in a show he also believes has suffered from too-precious reviews.

“I had the same thing on my show, ‘Pushing Daisies.’ There’s this kind of ‘very special TV show’ that people should go see,” he told AP Television late last month. “And there is kind of a backlash to it. People are not interested in seeing something that they’re told is good.”

While better known as the leading man with the magic touch on “Daisies,” Pace is now building a reputation for big-screen work, with three 2008 theatrical releases: Besides “The Fall,” this spring saw the release of the comedy “Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day,” with Frances McDormand and Amy Adams. This autumn, it’s the comedic thriller “Possession” with Sarah Michelle Gellar.

From director Tarsem Singh (“The Cell”), the lavish epic — and intimate character piece — about a paralyzed silent-film-era stuntman who befriends a young girl in the hospital, seems to have split critics into love-it or hate-it camps.

Not unusual for the Oklahoma-born, Texas-raised and Juilliard-educated Pace, who was working primarily in New York theater when he landed the role of a transgendered nightclub performer in the 2003 Showtime drama “Soldier’s Girl,” a role that earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

A stint on the widely praised but short-lived series “Wonderfalls” ultimately led him to the producers of “Pushing Daisies” — about a man whose touch can bring the dead back to life. The eye-filling dramedy earned strong critical notices when it debuted last fall, and earned Pace another Globe nomination. But it’s struggled to find a large viewership.
If Pace could bring someone back to life, who would it be?

“I hate this question,” he said, squirming, then breaking out into a big laugh. “I’m so bad at this question. I can’t think of anything funny enough, and I can’t think of anything kind of poignant enough. Anna’s (“Daisies” co-star Anna Friel) good. She’d say Ghandi or something. But I’d say my grandmother.”

Source: AP

Lee Pace, Pushing Daisies, The Fall

There is no release date at the moment but Amazon.com is already accepting pre-orders for The Complete Season 1 of Pushing Daisies at $18.99 (SRP is priced at $29.98). As you can see from the photo, this will be a 3-disc set.

The DVDs have been rumored for  a September released but I’ll post details of this, as well as its content as soon as we have this.

Pushing Daisies DVD, Pushing Daisies Season 1

Kristin will attempt to do an independent drama movie with Jeremy Sisto, THR reports:

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Tony-winning actress Kristin Chenoweth will play a suicidal prostitute in the independent film “Into Temptation.”In the drama by writer-director Patrick Coyle, Chenoweth stars opposite Jeremy Sisto. Her character confesses to a priest her plans to end her life on her birthday. The priest (Sisto) then searches for her, to intervene.

Coyle, a playright/actor-turned-filmmaker, penned the script, which won the McKnight Screenwriting Fellowship.

Chenoweth, who received a Tony for her lead performance in the 1999 revival of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” recently wrapped production on the New Line comedy “Four Christmases” and stars on ABC’s “Pushing Daisies.”

Sisto stars on “Law & Order” and voiced the character of Batman in “Justice League: The New Frontier.” His most recent feature film was “Waitress,” opposite Keri Russell.

Via Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

Kristin Chenoweth, Into Temptation

Pushing Daisies Guest star Raul Esperza (who plays Alfredo Aldirisio in the episode Bittersweet), has been nominated for a Tony Award for “The Homecoming”. The announcements were made yesterday.

Former Miamian Raul Esparza picked up his third nomination of the decade, for the recently-closed revival of Harold Pinter’s “The Homecoming,” which has a total of three. Esparza is up for Best Featured Actor in a Play, leading lady Eve Best is nominated as Best

Actress, and the show is a contender as Best Revival of a Play. Esparza has been nominated previously for “Taboo” and last season’s revival of “Company.” | Via Cultural Cabaret

Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play

• Bobby Cannavale - Mauritius
• Raúl Esparza - The Homecoming
• Conleth Hill - The Seafarer
• Jim Norton - The Seafarer
• David Pittu - Is He Dead?

The complete list of nominees is at the Tony’s website and the ceremony will be held June 15th. It will be aired on CBS.

Raul Esperza, Tony Awards, Alfredo Aldirisio

ABC Network has announced its new season line-up for 2008 - 2009 and for Pushing Daisies….the program remains on its original day and time slot. In fact, everything looks pretty much the same. The network has been doing so well in their primetime line-ups and that’s maybe why they see no reason to change it.

Says the ABC head, “We’re returning our dominant core group of shows. The few openings we had we’ve filled with the kind of quality programming viewers have come to expect from ABC, and we have a very strong bench.”

The schedule and some more notes after the jump…

(more…)

Five noted experts of television, journalists who cover programs on a day to day basis and keep with awards and trends, have picked their top choices for this year’s upcoming Emmy Awards. The choice is unanimous, Pushing Daisies has a good chance at the being recognized this year for its “critical praise and solid ratings”.

View the breakdown and their complete list or choices via GoldDerby.

Pushing Daisies, Pushing Daisies Emmy

Lee Pace’s fantasy film opened last week, unfortunately to less than stellar reviews. I’ve rounded up some of it:

(more…)