To little surprise, ABC has decided to pass on ordering additional episodes of Pushing Daisies. After a critically-acclaimed and ratings-challenged run, will faithful viewers get some closure?
Pushing Daisies follows the story of an unusual pie-maker (Lee Pace) who can bring people back from the dead. With the help of his previously-deceased girlfriend (Anna Friel) and his detective partner (Chi McBride), the trio solve mysteries by briefly reanimating corpses and asking them questions. Other characters are played by Kristin Chenoweth, Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene, and Jim Dale (the show’s unseen narrator).
Daisies debuted in October 2007 and, though the ratings weren’t good by the end of the first season, ABC renewed the show for a second year. The network execs hoped the show would catch on with a larger audience in season two. It didn’t and has only averaged six million viewers each week. Last night’s episode marked a series low in the ratings.
As a result, ABC has opted not to order any additional episodes. The network has avoided saying that it’s actually cancelled the show. The series could possibly return at a later date but, considering Daisies’ ratings track record, that is highly unlikely. More likely, the network is trying to avoid backlash from devoted and disappointed fans.
The network hasn’t announced plans to pull Daisies from the schedule thus far so hopefully ABC will finish airing season two. Though the series finale will give some closure, it’s been reported that it will leave devoted viewers screaming for more. Chenoweth recently said, “[There's] not really resolution, which bums me out, but what you’re left with is hope.”
The reason for leaving viewers without a conclusion is somewhat of a mystery since producers were told in advance that this would likely be the final installment. For whatever reason, season creator Bryan Fuller decided to go the way he did. Filming an alternate ending was considered too expensive a proposition considering the show’s extremely tight budget.
If the network does pull Daisies before all of the episodes have aired, they’ll certainly be released on DVD at some point. Fuller has also said that he has plans to continue the tale of Ned the piemaker and friends in comic book form, likely with DC Comics. Fuller says he’s already in talks with the publisher and has a movie idea ready to pitch as well.
Though there won’t be any new episodes, it doesn’t look like these characters will be going six feet under any time soon. Stay tuned! 
Image courtesy ABC.
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I loved this show because it was minimal in character drama, and all the drama was related! Every thing was brilliantly connected! The show was easy and exciting to follow. It was romantic. It was sweet. It was a good hearted show for people who enjoy shows that did not include characters practically having sex in every episode, or drugs, and whatever else people distastefully love. This show had the BEST plot any show could ever have. I love the time period it takes place in. I love that people were not texting or on computers or overwhelmed in someway by technology. This is a wonderful show. Let’s not forget how witty the characters are! And how original it is to have a narrator. No show will ever be able to top this one.
Am so disappointed that execs continue to “stupify” Americans with the continuous reality shows. Believe it or not those who enjoy reality shows also enjoy diversity, so this show will be much missed. It was intelligent, warm and quite funny with the intellectual humor. If given more time on tv I am confident that this show would pick up more viewers, but why entertain Americans with intelligent viewing when you can put together a “no-value” “mind-numbing” “brainless” t.v. show, adding nothing to the viewers true pleasure. That is the legacy tv execs are leaving behind “garbage viewing” in place of quality viewing.
I can’t believe that you have cancelled the only decent show this year, Pushing Up Daisies. This show was unique, entertaining and funny. The cast is phenomenal and should have been given a better time slot so more people could have found this delightful show. The strike by the writers certainly didn’t help this wonderful program find a larger audience.
I personally am sick to death of the reality shows and can’t deaden my brain enough to sit through them. I can’t understand anyone who wants to embarrass themselves proving how stupid, greedy and untalented they are on national television. I watch TV to be entertained by talented people, just like the cast of PUD.
I hope you get thousands of letters complaining about this cancellation.
I wish the Sci-fi(SyFi) channel would pick this up! This show has been an inspiration!
pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaasssssssssseeeeeeeee noooooooooooooooo tht was like the best show ever i loved watching it every friday plz do not cancel it !!!!!!!!!!!
NO! Why do the bad bland shows last for an eternity, and these gems get cancelled so quickly?
Also ich bin von der Schweiz.
Und ich habe die Serie immer geschaut.
Ich lieb(t)e die Serie und kann nicht begreifen wiso man
so eine gute Sendung wie Pushing Daisies absetzen konnte!
Give Pushing Daisies another chance !!
greez from Z
pushing daisies is the hottest stuff ever and i wish that german producers imagine stuf like this ever…
Nunja ich habe noch nicht alle Episoden gesehen, bin gerade bei der 5 von Staffel 2, ich weiss garnicht was ich machen soll wenn ich sie alle geguckt habe. Hoffe das sich ein anderer US Sender erbarmt (FOX?)
Machen wir’s mal interessant f
PD is an absolut brilliant, funny and intelligent TV-Show and – Gosh – I was terrified when they said on last show, that THIS ONE was already the last Show
I’m really disappointed, that abc had stopped the production. Why? They can’t be this stupid, can’t they? Oh boy, at least there’s a TV-Show, that is not as dump as many many others and they cancel it! PD must go on!
I’ve missed the last episode! Will it be shown another time on TV or can I download it somewhere?
Btw… wenn wir alle deutsch k
I really love Pushing Daisies. Watching it was one of my most important appointments every week (I live in Austria). I really hope that this is not the end of Pushing Daisies, whatever will come: movie, DVD, book, comic,…
Iam also german and i love PD.
In Germany in the moment , it was episode 11 from season 2 which runs in free TV.
I will miss it, i hope some other US Channel will bring PD in their programms
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