History Analysis / PushingDaisies

''Series/PushingDaisies'' has a bright, candy-colored surface, all the better to contrast with the sometimes murky issues it plumbs. If continuing to grow means continually giving birth to ourselves, how do we decide what to keep and what do discard? If we cannot let go of the past, is that a strength or a weakness? How do we balance our responsibilities towards others with our responsibilities towards ourselves?

* Although we must note the fact that the show take's place in the same world as Series/Wonderfalls and Series/DeadLikeMe , the former having another extra-normal element but still remaining "realistic" (even more so) for the former, and going into straight supernatural for the latter...

* Because of their unusual interests in death and life after death, both perceive themselves as extremely odd and not worth loving. Each immediately recognizes this aspect of himself in the other man, and in both cases it triggers a healthy re-evaluation of self: at the end of "[[Recap/PushingDaisiesS2E4Frescorts Frescorts]]", Ned tells Randy to embrace his own uniqueness; at the end of "[[Recap/PushingDaisiesS2E11WindowDressedToKill Window Dressed to Kill]]", it's Randy's mention that "people who have superpowers don't ''not'' want to use them" that makes Ned, once and for all, finally accept his ability.

''PushingDaisies'' has a bright, candy-colored surface, all the better to contrast with the sometimes murky issues it plumbs. If continuing to grow means continually giving birth to ourselves, how do we decide what to keep and what do discard? If we cannot let go of the past, is that a strength or a weakness? How do we balance our responsibilities towards others with our responsibilities towards ourselves?

!Magic in the ''PushingDaisies'' world
While the world of ''PushingDaisies'' isn't intended to be realistic, it isn't a SupernaturalSoapOpera, either. In fact, there's really only ''one'' extra-normal aspect to it: Ned's power. The nature and origin of Ned's ability is purposefully left ambiguous in the show, but it's interesting that ''everyone''--including and especially Ned himself--consistently characterizes it as "magic". Ned even links his ability to his father's and half-brothers' talent at stage magic.

The most obvious, of course, is Ned and Chuck's inability to touch, which seems to serve as a metaphor for the difficulty being experienced by two adults trying to connect despite having different--in fact, complementary--intimacy issues. In fact, all of the principal characters have problems establishing and maintaining intimacy, and none had especially happy childhoods.

It's no surprise; he was ''intended'' to be. But the image isn't always flattering to Ned, which makes it all the more surprising that Ned is able to embrace it before the end of "Frescorts", Randy's first episode.

* Because of their unusual interests in death and life after death, both perceive themselves as extremely odd and not worth loving. Each immediately recognizes this aspect of himself in the other man, and in both cases it triggers a healthy re-evaluation of self: they each realize that they're not ''that'' strange. It's even made explicit: at the end of "Frescorts", Ned tells Randy to embrace his own uniqueness; at the end of "Robbing Hood", it's Randy's mention that "people who have superpowers don't ''not'' want to use them" that has Ned, once and for all, finally accept his ability.

* Both men grew up lonely; as adults, they had extremely limited abilities to form and maintain friendships.
* Both perceive themselves as extremely odd and not worth loving. Each recognizes this aspect of himself in the other man, and in both cases it triggers a healthy re-evaluation of self: they each realize that they're not ''that'' strange.

While the world of ''PushingDaisies'' isn't intended to be realistic, it isn't a SupernaturalSoapOpera, either. In fact, there's really only one extra-normal aspect to it: Ned's power. The nature and origin of Ned's ability isn't explored in the show, but it's interesting that ''everyone''--including and especially Ned himself--consistently and exclusively characterizes it as "magic". Ned even links his ability to his father's and half-brothers' talent at stage magic.

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<<|Analysis/{{Analysis}}|>>

Chuck betrays Ned's trust several times, and in increasingly serious ways: in the very first episode, leaving Ned's apartment against his explicit wishes; then, harmless and anonymous contact with her aunts, via the pies; early in season 2, crank-calling Lily; finally--and most devastatingly--keeping her father alive. Was she acting in ways that would ultimately serve Ned's best interests, or being unforgivably selfish?

#Olive was from a wealthy family, but neglected and unloved. As an adult, she focused her love on someone unable to return it (Ned) and couldn't see love that ''was'' offered (Alfredo).
#Ned's childhood was idyllic--until his power manifested, and cost him everything he loved at once.
#Chuck was raised by loving but overprotective and needy aunts, and her filial responsibilities kept her from living her own life.
#Even Emerson, the only main character to have a warm relationship with his parent(s) as an adult, confesses to having "the whole set" of childhood issues, and Calista Cod seems to have always related better to her son as a friend than as a parent, even when he was a child and ''needed'' a parent.

The most obvious, of course, is Ned and Chuck's inability to touch, which seems to serve as a metaphor for the difficulty being experienced by two adults trying to connect despite having different--in fact, complementary--intimacy issues. In fact, all of the principal characters have problems establishing and maintaining intimacy, and none had especially happy childhoods. Olive was from a wealthy family, but neglected and unloved. Ned's childhood was idyllic--until his power manifested, and cost him everything he loved at once. Chuck was raised by loving but overprotective and needy aunts, and her filial responsibilities kept her from living her own life. Even Emerson, the only main character to have a warm relationship with his parent(s) as an adult, confesses to having "the whole set" of childhood issues, and Calista Cod seems to have always related better to her son as a friend than as a parent, even when he was a child and ''needed'' a parent.

!Free Will

Chuck betrays Ned's trust several times, and in increasingly serious ways: in the very first episode, leaving Ned's apartment against his express wishes; then, harmless, anonymous contact with her aunts, via the pies; crank-calling Lily early in season 2; finally and most devastatingly, keeping her father alive. Was she acting in ways that would ultimately serve Ned's best interests, or being unforgivably selfish?

!Intimacy issues

Ironically, the death that hangs most heavily on Ned's conscience is the one he could not possibly have foreseen: Charles Charles, Chuck's father, in exchange for his mother's life. Ned only seems mildly guilty over the funeral home director's death (saying, in "The Fun in Funeral", that he was absolutely sure he had made the right choice in keeping Chuck alive ''even knowing what would happen''), whereas Charles Charles' death affects Ned so profoundly that he struggles with overwhelming guilt for years, and even claims (to Chuck, early in season 2) that he would never have brought his mother back if he'd known the price.