“Pushing Daisies” pushes its way into viewers’ hearts…

If you are not interested in getting hooked on another television show this season, be advised: Pushing Daisies is highly addictive. That’s right. Highly addictive.

Pushing Daisies is based on the life of piemaker Ned (Lee Pace), who at an early age learned he was different than those around him. Ned has the ability to touch dead things- including people- and bring them to life again until he touches them a second time, hereby rendering them permanently dead forever. But like most “magical” powers, Ned’s reviving touch has a consequence: anything that he brings to life for more than a minute must be “killed” again within 60 seconds or else something or someone will die in its stead.

In each episode of Pushing Daisies, Ned and his “gift” team up with private investigator Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) to find out who killed the morgue’s newest visitor. Murders are solved and reward money is earned. But when interrogating one of the murder victims, Ned finds himself face-to-face with his childhood friend and sweetheart Charlotte “Chuck” Charles (Anna Friel). Ned brings Chuck back to life and so begins their sweet, yet touch-free, friendship and romance.

While the premise is in and of itself rather inconceivable, creator Bryan Fuller somehow draws viewers in and gets them to believe the unimaginable. With a fairytale-like quality, enhanced by the narrator’s voice-over commentary, Pushing Daisies leaves viewers with a warm feeling at the end of each episode. Even in the midst of death and murder, Pushing Daisies’ main characters remain positive, lovable and naïve, giving it a sweet quality that leaves viewers longing for more.

And in a time when television viewers are regularly bombarded with sex and promiscuity, Pushing Daisies’ Ned and Chuck are a refreshing change to the normal television romance. Their less-than-physical relationship is based on something more concrete than lust. It stems from their friendship. And while they do find ways to bend the no-touching rule, like kissing through plastic wrap and dancing while dressed in beekeeper outfits, their cute – and at times awkward – interactions easily evoke a smile and a giggle.

Pushing Daisies is a definite feather in ABC’s cap. So unless you are looking to get addicted to a new television program, do not tune in on Wednesdays at 8:00PM.