Pushing Daisies, now available on HBO Max, is the perfect pandemic show

The Daily Beast

Bryan Fuller's 2007-2009 Amelie- and Tim Burton-esque ABC drama starring Lee Pace, Anna Friel, Kristin Chenoweth, Chi McBride and Swoosie Kurtz was the victim of the WGA strike shutdown. But nearly a decade and a half later, Pushing Daisies resonates in the way it focuses on loneliness. "Rewatching the first few episodes this week, it struck me that the reason it seems so immediate today is that, outside of the obvious parallels, it’s still escapist," says Kevin Fallon. "Creator Bryan Fuller imagined a world of lush CGI landscapes, curious and comedic camera angles, Scooby Doo-like whodunnit diversions, fairy tale sets, and Kristin Chenoweth occasionally breaking into song. (Chenoweth won an Emmy for her performance, and it still ranks among the most deserving 'they actually got it right' Emmy wins in the last 20 years.) There’s something somber, dark, and melancholy about the show, but it’s also fanciful, eccentric, and visually romantic. It allows you to access the feelings of dread, isolation, and longing that we’re all grappling with now, but still retreat to a fantasy world where you’re not suffocated by them."