No other time of the year feels quite as magical as fall, and a magical season deserves a show full of whimsy to celebrate it. And when it comes to whimsy and magic, Pushing Daisies has the market fully cornered. That's why you need to have a Pushing Daisies mini marathon this weekend — preferably accompanied by a slice of pie. Both seasons of this gone-too-soon gem are streaming for free on CW Seed, making it easier than ever to check in with Ned and the Pie Hole gang.
While you may be tempted to watch the entire series — it's a mere 22 episodes long, after all — a short marathon is the best way to have your pie and eat it too. Settle in for seven hours of television that feel like a warm hug from someone wearing a beekeeper suit; these episodes were hand-picked for maximum fantastical fun.
From the show's classic pilot with its fairy tale style to the final hour's hopeful leap into the future, these seven episodes are Pushing Daisies at its finest. You can expect plenty of heart, mystery, Alfred Hitchcock references, and, of course, mouthwatering shots of pie. Add in a couple of musical numbers and you have the recipe for the perfect weekend of TV delightfulness.
1. "Pie-lette," Season 1, Episode 1
The pilot is the beautiful and heartbreaking story of the Piemaker, Ned, and his ability to bring back the dead — at a cost. Ned's journey begins with a dash of eccentricity and a color palette so rich it will take your breath away. It's a flawless hour of television that still holds up a decade after it first aired.
2. "Pigeon," Season 1, Episode 4
Anytime Kristin Chenoweth sings you know it's going to be a good episode, and "Pigeon" is no exception. This is one of the few outings where the Aunts end up playing a major role in a case, and there's also a pigeon with a bedazzled wing to root for.
3. "Girth," Season 1, Episode 5
Halloween comes to the Pie Hole in this spooky hour that reveals Olive's past as a jockey. The fun doesn't stop there — thanks to an on-point Sleepy Hollow reference and some quality Olive and Ned time, "Girth" is full of character moments and holiday goodness.
4. "Bitter Sweets," Season 1, Episode 8
This episode may be best remembered for that epic plastic wrap kiss, but it also boasts subplots that involve Ned going to jail, and Chuck and Olive teaming up.
5. "Circus, Circus," Season 2, Episode 2
A missing girl and car full of dead clowns lead Ned and Emerson to the circus in this episode that takes the show to a whole new level of quirkiness. If you love Pushing Daisies when it's at its most eccentric, then this hour will not disappoint.
6. "Comfort Food," Season 2, Episode 8
"Comfort Food" may be a perfect episode of Pushing Daisies. It has everything — a cook-off with one of the show's most creatively bizarre deaths, Olive and Ned teaming up while Emerson and Chuck spend some time in a graveyard, and a beautiful musical number. The title of this hour couldn't be more fitting, because it really is like eating a warm piece of apple pie.
7. "Kerplunk," Season 2, Episode 13
It's no secret that Pushing Daisies ended too soon, but the final episode is just as wonderful as all the ones that came before. End your marathon with the narrator's promise that endings are just where new stories begin, and you'll end up feeling hopeful after your stay at Coeur d'Coeurs.
A Pushing Daisies marathon is an excellent way to spend a weekend, so queue up these wonderful episodes and prepare to fall in love with Ned, Chuck, Emerson, and Olive all over again.
