'Comfort Food', the latest episode of Pushing Daisies (Series 2, Episode 8) might be the most ambitious storytelling presented by the show so far. The two main plotlines are of equal interest and the secondary developments are fascinating. Kristin Chenoweth (as Olive) and Anna Friel (as Chuck) get to show a wide range of their acting skills, with the former giving a comedic performance and the latter, a dramatic one. Olive has the best lines, while Chuck stubbornly drives the narrative forward.
Characters are introduced and discarded with admirable agility, and the story contains more than a single twist. If earlier episodes would often follow a template - due to his traumatic childhood experiences, Ned developed a questionable coping mechanism; his approach is challenged, yet he persists in his habits; then, a revelation takes place and Ned, eventually, welcomes the necessary change - with 'Comfort Food', that is not the case. There is, of course, a murder, but other developments in the show suggest that the boiled-to-crisp Colonel Likkin is the least of our troubles.
The body count remains fluctuating, the interiors and costumes are either ridiculously impressive or impressively ridiculous. There is a character named the Waffle Nazi and a fleeting instance of self-cannibalism (the two are not connected). 'Comfort Food' is a bizarre but delightful concoction that leaves the audience hanging - and, perhaps, also craving fried chicken.
Characters are introduced and discarded with admirable agility, and the story contains more than a single twist. If earlier episodes would often follow a template - due to his traumatic childhood experiences, Ned developed a questionable coping mechanism; his approach is challenged, yet he persists in his habits; then, a revelation takes place and Ned, eventually, welcomes the necessary change - with 'Comfort Food', that is not the case. There is, of course, a murder, but other developments in the show suggest that the boiled-to-crisp Colonel Likkin is the least of our troubles.
The body count remains fluctuating, the interiors and costumes are either ridiculously impressive or impressively ridiculous. There is a character named the Waffle Nazi and a fleeting instance of self-cannibalism (the two are not connected). 'Comfort Food' is a bizarre but delightful concoction that leaves the audience hanging - and, perhaps, also craving fried chicken.
