'Pushing Daisies' does some vocal exercises

By Karen Nicoletti

The "Pushing Daisies" presentation Saturday afternoon plastered smiles on the faces of some worn-out-looking Con attendees. A sneak peek at Season 2 had the crowd roaring so loud it was impossible to hear most of the dialogue, but the loudest response came after Comic-Con fan fave Kristin Chenoweth (Olive) obliged a young girl who asked if she would sing a little something. Chenoweth belted out "Over the Rainbow," and you could hear a pin drop until she neared the end, then there was a standing ovation.

Speaking of the musically inclined, it was revealed that Broadway actors will appear in the murder-mystery dramedy very soon. "Emerson's (Chi McBride) mother is played by a Broadway actress," series creator Bryan Fuller says. Added exec producer Dan Jinks: "Kristin just had a birthday party, and we were hitting up all her guests, and a couple of them said yes." They wouldn't offer names, but it appears that music will be front and center -- with Chenoweth doing a song in the first episode -- and Fuller hinted at more They Might Be Giants covers and a possible full musical episode.

More of what's to come in the fall:

-- Ned (Lee Pace) gets a BFF in David Arquette's Randy Jean.

-- They've cast kid versions of Olive and Emerson to go along with young Ned and young Chuck.

-- Also in the works is a "contraption for the show and for Cinemax," joked Fuller, that will allow Ned and untouchable Chuck to get a little more romantic. Seemed gloves and plastic were involved, but Fuller kept it PG, saying the plastic mold they're making will allow the pair to spoon. But ...

-- Chuck moves out of Ned's place and into Olive's -- "And there's a bit of a catfight," says Anna Friel.

-- Chuck's aunts (Ellen Greene and Swoosie Kurtz) come to the Pie Hole (where presumed-dead Chuck previously had safe haven) and complicate Ned's life.

-- Olive and Lily (Kurtz) find themselves in a nunnery ... with a pig (the Pigby to Ned's dog Digby).

-- "Wonderfalls" lives! Sort of. The character Mary Ann Marie Beetle, seen in the "Muffin Buffalo" episode of Fuller's canceled Fox series, will appear in a crossover episode. (Update: According to a podcast of the panel, Fuller said he "wants to" bring her back, not that it's a definite.) Fuller says he'd love to have snarky Jaye Tyler (Caroline Dhavernas) appear in the sunny "Daisies" world as well. Also, Diana Scarwid, who played Jaye's mom, has a recurring role in Season 2's first three episodes.

Comments

[xmas gifts]

Awesome episode. I cannot believe I missed the M.I.L.F. thing, I must have gotten distracted by something. I usually pay better attention, there is just too much that can be missed onthis show if you look away for even a second. My wife and I are not happy about the show ending, but I am not surprised. I guess it was too much to ask that we get more than a few years of actual engaging television. Instead, it looks like we are ramping up for more cheap easy to produce Reality TV (of which there is nothing real about it). Oh well, at least I still have Dexter on Showtime....