We Should All Be "Pushing Daisies"

I don't mean it like that XD. Pushing Daisies is the title of a TV show. I'm actually surprised I haven't mentioned it yet. But better late than never, right ;)

I just started rewatching it yesterday on my day off/home alone time. I forgot how utterly fantastic it is. For how short a run it had, it really created a wonderful world.

The premise is about a a pie-maker named Ned with a mysterious power where he can touch dead things and bring them back to life. However, if he keeps the dead thing alive for more than a minute exactly, then something in close proximity has to die in its place. Also, if he touches the dead thing again, it will die permanently. He partners with a private detective to solve murder cases where Ned brings the victim back to life so they can ask who killed them.

That itself is a really good premise. When I heard it, I immediately sought out the show.

Now what makes this show unique is the atmosphere it has. With a premise like that, you'd expect it to be sort of, I don't know, maybe a little gruesome and dark. Not so in the slightest. It has this certain feel about it. Like… Tim Burton meets Dr. Seuss, sort of. Yes, dead bodies will sit up and talk, sometimes with half their face missing, or shards of glass stuck in their chest, or something, but it's kind of quirky and cheesy, sometimes almost laughable.

Then everything is brightly lit, candy-striped, outrageously colored (except for Ned, who always wears black). Seriously, it's like Whoville without the Whos (like the pie shop that Ned owns has a pie top roof, and that's not even the strangest).

The music is also sweet, quirky, and "plink-plink"-y, if you know what I mean, and also contributes to the light-hearted, zany atmosphere.

And of course, there's a narrator. He narrates the entire series as though he were reading a children's story. He always is consistent with his terms and phrases and names for characters ("the facts were these" when about to give background to a case/crime or person, "the pie maker" instead of Ned, "Chuck, who was not dead" in reference to Ned's childhood sweetheart, etc). He always gives the date/age of something right down to the minute. He often gives us insights into a character's actual inner thoughts and feelings instead of just letting us try to interpret their facial expressions, body language, and actions.

The characters are all awesome! They've all got strange quirks and habits (even the minor ones who we might just meet for a minute. The narrator will often let us know), and very unique personalities.

First there's Ned, the pie-maker who (as I said) can bring the dead back to life. He's extremely nervous, a traditionalist, and doesn't enjoy confrontations or feeling bad. But he's extremely polite, loyal, and big hearted.

Then there's Charlotte "Chuck" Charles, Ned's childhood sweetheart who was murdered while on a cruise. Ned brought her back, but cannot touch her again or else she will die permanently. She is very sweet and friendly, and enjoys beekeeping. She also knows a lot of random obscure information because of her extensive reading while growing up (including being able to speak several languages).

Next, we have Emerson Cod, the private detective and Ned's business partner. He mostly solves cases for the money (he even has a credit card machine in case his client doesn't have cash or checks). In his spare time he likes to knit and make pop-up books. He is extremely sarcastic and blunt, and can often be a little selfish.

Then there's Olive Snook, the waitress in Ned's pie shop. She's desperately in love with Ned and hopes that one day he will return her affections. She feels threatened by Chuck's presence and really doesn't like her even though she's nothing but friendly towards her. Olive was once a horse jokey before she worked for Ned. She often feels "an orchestra playing in her heart" that will sometimes burst through and she will break into song at random times.

Vivian (left) Lily (right)

Lastly there's Lily and Vivian, Chuck's "aunts" (it's too complicated to explain the relationship fully). They raised Chuck after her single father died (after Ned inadvertently killed him while bringing his own mother back to life). They both are agoraphobic and extreme recluses, especially after the "death" of Chuck. They are a former synchronized swimming duo, The Darling Mermaid Darlings.

Unfortunately, the series was cancelled after only two short seasons *cries*. I looked into it, apparently it was started around the time that there was some writers's strike or something so the first season wasn't even finished (there was supposed to be 13 episodes, not 9), and then the ratings dropped by the second season and ABC cancelled it. But that was a mistake because then all of a sudden it got a lot of positive feedback and started winning awards and stuff. And yet, they didn't bring it back *cries again*

So, I just have to be happy with what there is. And I am. It's great! Everyone should watch it. Seriously, go find it!

TRAILER

Loud and Long and Clear

One of the best things about being human is being able to laugh. You know the old saying "laughter is the best medicine", well it's so true. Any time I'm feeling down, I always try to think of something funny. I have an extensive list of of videos, audio files, stories, chunks of text, pictures, etc. stored away just because they tickle my funny bone. As the song goes: "I love to laugh". Any time I hear other people laughing, my interest is immediately piqued and I need to know what is happening so that I might join in (whether to actually laugh with them or to just to chuckle to myself) because I love that feeling. Whether you're just smiling, giggling, or full on cracking up that you can't stop, it is the best feeling in the world.

I have two types of humor. One is that kind of stupid, slapstick, "pun-ny", satire-ish, quick-paced kind of humor where it's just go, go go! With lots of physical humor and dumb jokes that make you go "eeeeeehhhhhh!" Then I have another side of my humor where I really appreciate the subtle, witty side of stuff. Where the jokes are hidden in the writing and dialogue and makes you go "I see what you did there" as you sip your tea and chuckle lightly into your handkerchief.

So as a closing to this post, I've decided to included some stuff that really make me laugh (and I hope will do the same for you). Enjoy!

Driving Round Town- Pocahontas

Whose Line Is It Anyway?- Sound Effects- Pregnancy

(This show is GOLD! Seriously, you should look up more videos)

How Irish Dancing Started

Old Spice- Mom Song

Whose Line Is It Anyway?- Stand Sit Lie- Tattoo Parlor

THIS VIDEO HERE

Bad One Direction- Story of My Life

There Stooges- Beer barrels

Family Feud- Something that gets passed around

Rowan Atkinson- Welcome to Hell

JUST THIS ENTIRE PLAYLIST BECAUSE YOU SERIOUSLY CAN'T PICK JUST ONE

Understanding My Passion

You know, the majority of this blog is me talking about movies and TV shows (in case you haven't noticed). I'm going to address this point on a more personal level, to try to get you to understand my frame of mind/obsession a little more.

See, I have a deep passion for stories. Whether it be through television, a book, or just by word of mouth in a casual conversation. I know I've said on more than one occasion that the plot to any movie, TV show, book, etc. is the most important part to me. I connect more deeply than the average person to what I'm reading/watching/hearing. I always try to fully engulf myself and relish each moment (actually most of the time I don't have to try, it just automatically happens). I like to pretend I'm actually sitting in a theater watching for the first time, and I treat it like so. I turn down the lights, I sit comfortably, sometimes I get a snack, I don't get up for bathroom breaks, I turn off my phone, and I keep quiet.

Movie watching is actually a very sacred and important time for me (I'm being completely serious). I actually get almost offended when people are talking over it, or when I'm forced to pause it for reasons other than my own. One of my biggest pet peeves is when I'm watching with someone (especially when they've never seen the show before), but they're more focused on their phone rather than the movie. I honestly just sit there stewing, thinking stuff like "your phone is more important than this right now? You could miss something important. You could miss the good part coming up." Everybody seems to do this.

I've been told, and I can now clearly see, that I am a very sympathetic and empathetic person, often very considerate of other's feelings and am able to get into other people's minds and really understand how they're feeling. Even if I have not actually physically experienced what they're going through, I can feel their pain, their joy, etc. This goes for fictional people as well. I connect to the characters I read about and watch. They become my friend and I feel very deeply for them.

I love to analyze scenarios/people, make up "what-if" scenarios, try to understand characters beyond what is in plain view (read into their backstories, understand their personalities by things they say, ways they speak, actions, etc.) This connects to my writing side, in more ways than one. When I start analyzing like this, sometimes it becomes so abundant that I just have to write it down (which is where many of my blog posts come from). The reason I have a tendency to see these things and make these connections is because of my natural habit as a storyteller. (Not that I'm a particularly gifted one, but…) I love to tell stories, therefore I love stories. Ever since I was a kid, when my dad would make up goofy bedtime stories (ask him about "The Man With No Lips" sometime) or read us Winnie the Pooh, and Fairytales, I just fell in love with storytelling. Even before I knew how to write, I would draw out my own stories on printer paper with my crayons and pencils. The earliest story I have a memory of is one about two spies (male and female), and I think they might've had a pet dog… or was it a cat… anyways they went on many crazy adventures to save the world. I can't remember any specifics, but I know I was VERY creative (I was only like five years old after all).

So, stories are very important to me. It's what everybody remembers. Like I always say, it's the plot that brings people back. While special effects, good writing, good acting, beautiful costumes, attractive actors, etc. are a definite plus (I am not disparaging any of that in any way), it is the plot that always brings me back in the end. If the story sucks, then I don't care about the rest of that stuff, I don't want to watch/read it.