Pushing Daisies: Elysian Fields

For Desmond

In our final episode of Pushing Daisies, we are treated to an entire episode focusing on the Darling Mermaid Darlings sisters, Lily and Vivian Charles.  For an emotional last time, the facts were these:

The Charles sisters go to the Aquacade to celebrate Chuck’s half-birthday.  Similarly, Chuck, Ned, Olive, and Emerson attend to cheer up Chuck.  Of course their visit is compounded when they almost run into the sisters.  The sisters also have momentary regret when they run into the headlining act, the Aquadolls–the rival sister synchronized swimming team featuring Blanche and Coral Ramona.

As Jimmy Neptune introduces the Aquadolls’ swimming interpretation of the Star Spangled Banner, the Aquadolls take to the pool. But before Esther Williams can piss herself, Bubba the Shark swallows Blanche whole as she splashes down from a dive.  But before the shark bait is cold, Jimmy Neptune approaches the Charles sisters about starring as the new headlining act at the Aquacade.

With the Charles sisters back in training, our investigative team of Emerson, Ned & Co. are on the case, questioning (and suspecting) Coral, Blanche’s ex-husband Shane Trickle, and Sid Tango.  All signs point to Coral, who’s trying to break up the Charles sisters so she can finally have her one-woman water interpretation of A Chorus Line.  Her strategy?  She threatens Lily with telling Vivian about Lily being Chuck’s mother (and the product of Lily’s affair with Vivian’s fiance Charles).

And while 30 years of secrets are catching up on Lily, Chuck is distraught at the prospect of her aunts going back on the Aquacade touring circuit because it means she won’t be able to look after them.  This creates some tension between Ned, until he realizes that no matter what Chuck will always choose her aunts over him.

But back to the murder investigation.  It turns out Shane Trickle planned the whole thing so his lover, Coral, could get her own show.  In this revelation, Shane tries to kill the Charles sisters during their opening act.  Our gang thwarts his efforts and everyone lived happily ever after.  No wait!  The very bitter Coral tells Vivian anyway about Lily’s affair.  Vivian is furious with Lily and wants her out of the house, but as she opens the door to show Lily out, Ned and Chuck are standing there.

Oh yes, Ned finally realized he was only keeping Chuck from telling his aunts because he wanted her all to himself.  His selfishness, though, came at the expense of Chuck’s happiness, and he can’t live with that anymore.

At this point the season would have ended but we get a quick post-production (and awesome recap tour through the fictional world of Pushing Daisies) and learn what happened of everyone.  Ned, Chuck, and the Charles sisters become a happy family, Emerson’s daughter Penny finds him after his book is published, Olive marries Randy and they open a macaroni and cheese restaurant (The Intrepid Cow), and Digby is forever chasing through a field of daisies.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was the premature ending of one of the greatest series I have ever enjoyed on television.  While the adventures of the people of Coeur d’Coeurs will continue in a 12-issue comic series, it will not be the same as the television show.  But still, we were able to share these moments, however, brief, and for that we should all be grateful.

Tearfully signing off into my plate of pie . . . .

Season 2, Episode 13: Kerplunk (originally aired June 13, 2009)

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Photographs courtesy of ABC and IMDbPro