Pushing Daisies

The magical forensic fairy tale has began…

Once upon a time, in a quaint little town called Couer de Couer, we see a young man named Ned (9 Years, 27 weeks, 6 days and 3 minutes old) come running down a field of daisies with Digby, his dog of 3 years, 2 weeks, 6 days and 5 hours when suddenly, a truck runs over the dog.

It is this very incident that Ned discovers his extra-ordinary ability, when, crushed at the sight of his canine best friend lying dead by the road, Ned touched Digby and Digby comes to back to life!

Back home… while Ned explored his new ability, not the least bit concerned of its origin or to what extent is its use, we find his mother in the kitchen baking pies, when she suddenly drops dead. Ned uses his powers on her and she is alive again. She goes back to baking pies, as if nothing happened. And while Ned looks out the window, observing his neighbor, best friend and the eternal love of his life, Chuck (who was 8 years, 42 weeks, 3 hours and 2 minutes old) her father, who was watering the garden while Chuck played, drops dead on the ground.

There came the second realization — that he can only bring the dead back to life for one minute. “Any longer and someone else has to die,” so says the Narrator. In effect, it was as if Ned has traded the life of his Mom with Chuck’s dad.

That night, when it was time for bed, Ned’s mom kissed him in the forehead, as usual. But this turned out to be her last. For at that instant, his mother died (again).

This was Ned’s third realization — that those he touches to bring back from the dead will return to their dying state if they are touched by Ned again.

Narrator: First touch life, second touch dead. Again. Forever.

Both Ned and Chuck’s parents were buried the same day. Ned was sent to boarding school and Chuck lived with her aunts with personality disorders. But not before the two shared their first and only kiss.

Years later…19 years, 34 weeks, 1 day and 15 minutes to be exact, with the effects of what has happened imprinted on Ned who has become fearful of physical contact, we find that he has become obsessed with pies and was now known as the neighborhood pie maker. He keeps his own establishment, the Pie Hole, and his ingredients always remain fresh. Ned is helped by Olive, who happens to also be his neighbor. His store is frequented by Emerson Cod, a private investigator.

One day, Emerson accidentally discovers Ned’s amazing power. And knowing that Ned’s Pie Hole was struggling with the finances, he proposes a win-win situation — that Ned helps him solve murders by using his powers to ask the victims who has killed them. Murder cases pay well when they are solved, apparently.

Their newest case involved a man who was suspected to have been killed by his own dog. And the family of the deceased was willing to pay a big reward for anyone who can actually prove who killed the man. And naturally, the “investigation” was a success.

Later, while fetching Digby at Olive’s house (who dogsits for him when he is away), Ned saw the news on TV which would later change everything.

A woman was found floating in the ocean. She was murdered on a cruise ship. He learned her name from Emerson, who told him there was a $50,000 reward for whoever solves her case. And her name was Charlotte Charles, also known as Chuck.

Ned, together with Emerson, returned to his hometown of Couer de Couer after 19 years to “talk” to Chuck at the funeral home. There Ned’s old feelings for Chuck re-surfaced and he almost kissed her. Realizing he doesn’t want her gone forever, he devised an escape plan, even while someone has to take Chuck’s place in death.

Ned explained to Chuck the circumstances they are in and she was willing to go with the plan. Later on, she also made herself partner in their crime-solving exploits, much to Emerson’s disdain (that’s one more person getting the piece of the pie, no pun intended!).

The trio then visits the travel agency, Boutique Travel Travel Boutique where Chuck bought her tickets from. But they found the agent also murdered… so Ned has to bring her back to life. But before they could ask her the important questions, the travel agent just had to pinch Ned in the cheeks since she thought he was adorable. And then of course, she immediately dies again.

Their last recourse was to visit Chuck’s eccentric aunts to check the things the cruise ship has sent back, particularly a silver briefcase with monkey figurines. But just then, a stranger/burglar comes into the house and tries to kill one of them.

But then Aunt Lily who, despite not being able to step out of the house for several years, knew how to defend with a shotgun and did, solving Chuck’s murder in the process. And since the trio was careful to not let the aunts see Chuck is alive, the aunts were able to collect their $50,000 reward. And for the first time,  the sisters ventured the outside world.

Meantime, the monkey figurines in Chuck’s luggage? It’s goooooold!

All is well that ends well. By the end of the episode, we see the trio of Ned, Chuck and Emerson, in another murder case.

And, oh yes, Ned and Chuck held hands.

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