Saturday, December 15th, 2007
09:15 30 Rock
09:40 Pushing Daisies
30 Rock. Season 2, Episode 9. Sometimes when you watch something on TV, you think "wouldn't it be great if..." but you don't really expect that to happen. And sometimes it does. This is the Christmas episode of 30 Rock. Jack's mother (the wonderful Elaine Stritch of Two's Company) comes to visit. Liz's family comes to visit also (including the genius that is Andy Richter). And, much as I hoped would happen, Jack ditched his awful mother and chooses to hang out with the Lemon's instead. Even better, his mum eventually catches them. Hilarious from start to finish. Worthy of a re-watch over the Christmas season.
Pushing Daisies. Episode 9. Pushing Daisies reminds of Moonlighting in many ways. It's got a romance at it's core, it's got lots of snappy dialogue and fast paced talking, it's a got a very skewed view of the world and there is nothing else on TV like it. Best of all, there is an underlying sadness and lonliness to the central characters. My favourite season of Moonlighting is the 4th. It was a study in lonliness. And it was eloquently written.
Episode 9 of Pushing Daisies joins The Pie-Maker and The Girl Called Chuck in the midst of their first fight (following last week's stunning cliffhanger). Amid another kooky case-of-the-week and hilarious one-liners, there is palpable heartbreak to be found in the scenes of the two lovers fighting. The writing is honest and it always feels like a real fight between two people who love one another. Anna Friel has never been better. Likewise Lee Pace. Nothing much is resolved, and we end with a truly stunning cliffhanger. Fade to black.
I will miss this show so much. Sigh.
30 Rock, Pushing Daisies
