Pushing Diasies -October 3, 2007

I was lucky to see this show one day before it premiered in the U.S. Since CTV has bought too many shows, they had to show this one on Tuesday instead of Wednesday. I wasn't going to watch it at first but I have heard many critics saying that this is the best new show. I saw a bit of it last night at 8pm but decided to watch it on Rogers Time Shifting at 11pm since I had nothing else to watch. Right from the first moment I heard Jim Dale's narration and seeing the stunning visuals, I was hooked.

The storyline was quirky but charming (a word that is used very often to describe this show). The premise of pie-maker Ned (an adorable Lee Pace) being able to bring back the dead with one touch, only to have them die again if he touches them again is very original. In addition, he can only bring back the dead for a minute or someone else in close proximity has to die. He only realizes this after he brings his mom back to life that after a minute, the father of his next-door neighbour pal Charlotter "Chuck" Charles (a winning Anna Friel)dies.

Now as an adult, he uses this "gift" to help solve murders with his business partner/PI friend (Chi McBride) to collect the reward. On one of these cases, Ned and Emerson go to solve the case and collect the reward of lonely tourist who was murdered on a cruise only to discover it was his childhood sweetheart Chuck, who was also his first kiss. The impact of their encounter has left Ned an emotional cripple since he was sent away soon after his mom passed away.

Anyways, he brings Chuck back to life to find out who killed her but she doesn't know. Unable to part from her again, he lets her live beyond the one minute and as a result the funeral director dies. So they set forth to solve her murder. Which I am not sure they quite do. The reason why Chuck got whacked was because she was transporting a briefcase with two monkeys in it, which allowed her to be on the cruise for free. This case was sent to her two shut-in aunts that raised her after her dad died. The killer goes after the aunts but Ned and Chuck save the day but we never really find out who it was. Is this one of the over arching mysteries or is it solved? Not too sure.

What really sold me on this show was the chemistry between Ned and Chuck. They are adorable even though they can't touch but do so via proxy hugs or holding their own hands but pretending they are holding each others hand.

I am looking forward to more and hope that ABC doesn't cancel it. I can't imagine that they would. I can't think of anything really to compete against except maybe Deal or no Deal.

Private Practice -October 3, 2007

Ok the second episode was a little bit better. It was still boring in spots and didn't really like the whole stripper thing at the beginning and we never did find out what she had.

But still bugs me about this show is that all of sudden these characters are all hanging at Addison's. Granted she lives right across from Sam (Taye Diggs) but still, it was almost as if she was part of their gang for years and has known them forever.

The only story line that I was emotionally invested in without being bored was the baby switch one and I think that was the right story line to get everyone involved. Judging Amy had a point, the dude from Prison Break had a purpose and so did hospital administrator lady (no idea what her character name is) as well as Audra McDonald and Addison. I did get a bit teary-eyed when the baby's were given to the correct parents. It must be very difficult to get emotially attached to a baby that biologically is yours but not emotionally. It reminded me of a season one Veronica Mars episode in which two characters were switched at birth. In that case, the parents decided to keep the babies and not switch back but I think in that case the children were 4 years old and would know the difference whereas in the Private PRactice case, they were only a few months old.

Anyways, that was the only story that I actually liked. So I am giving it another chance.