9. Pushing Daisies
Pushing Daisies is a peculiar show and it is the look and feel of it that both made it stand out and perhaps doomed it from the start. The show, chronicling the story of pie maker Ned, who has the ability to bring dead things to life with only a touch; with the caveats of revival longer than one minute results in the death of something else nearby as a form of balance and that if he touches them again they return to death forever - the show was visually stunning and often... er ... touching. In his childhood Ned discovers his powers after his mother dies of an aneurysm and he brings her back to life causing the death of his childhood sweethearts father and ultimately leading to his mothers own demise when she gave him a goodnight kiss. Years later, Ned has formed a partnership with a private investigator; using his powers to bring murder victims back to life to identify their killers. The shows format duplicated the child like qualities and some of the visual style of a Tim Burton film but it was the romantic story line that really stood out. Neds childhood sweetheart, Charlotte, is a murder victim who he revives and brings into his world kindling a romance. The structure of their relationship was unique in that they are in love but cannot touch - quite a departure from show after show depicting relationships in far more graphic and less emotional ways. Ned and Charlottes relationship showed that love can transcend physicality and be beautiful. This show was wholly unique in every way and was a victim of the 2008 writers strike which cut the first season by more than half. When the creative team returned they opted not to finish the first season and began production on a second season. The second seasons ratings fell drastically and after 13 episodes the show was cancelled - with many lingering plot lines. Series creator Bryan Fuller has expressed interest in wrapping up the show as a comic book and a graphic novel was in development but has since been put on hiatus due to the loss of a publisher. More recently Fuller has stated that he is emboldened by what Starz is doing with Torchwood and that he would love to do a Pushing Daisies mini-series for Starz. Perhaps there is hope for fans of this diamond in the rough after all.