Too cute for television?

Cute: It’s that appreciable concept displayed in a pile of kittens, or really any pile of such naturally adorable substance. The problem is, sometimes cute doesn’t transfer well into fictionalized media. Sandra Bullock comes to mind, as does Zach Braff. Everything can’t be equivalent to the ubiquitous “Hang in There” posters.

And this is where ABC’s new “dramedy” Pushing Daisies comes in. Maybe it should do what the kitten in the poster never does and just let go. It may be too cute for its own good.

Pushing Daisies is a stylishly adorned show that brings to mind not only Tim Burton, but also Dr. Seuss. It centers on the almost-secret powers of the protagonist and Pie Maker, Ned, a reluctant, shy and emotionally damaged guy. In his childhood, he was endowed with the power to bring dead people to life with a touch of his finger, and can put them back to death with another touch. But here is the catch: If he brings someone to life for longer than sixty seconds, someone else in the vicinity dies instantly.

His power is discovered by a bitter, witty private investigator, and the two bring to life murder victims in order to solve the crime and collect the reward money. In the pilot episode, things get complicated. The murder victim the two go to investigate is Ned’s childhood sweetheart, Chuck, who Ned has not seen in years. So instead of touching her again after bringing her to life, he leaves her living.

The two move in together, making Ned’s employee Olive jealous, as Chuck helps solve mysteries. Their relationship problems, stemming from Ned’s inability to touch her, provide cohesion to this fairly complicated and clever show. The show is one part mystery, a la Scooby-Doo, and one part love story.

One complaint I’ve heard about this show is that there is no longevity built into it. The main story line revolves around Ned and Chuck not being able to make contact, and Olive’s jealousy. So far the writers have handled both arcs solidly, but I don’t see either cruxes of the show lasting. For instance, there have been shrewd ways in which Chuck and Ned have overcome their problems, involving saran wrap, among other devices. But how long will audiences bear these adorable solutions to the characters’ problems?

It won’t be long until the characters’ problems become the writers’ problems.

And this issue is one reason the show teeters on being too cute, even without the inclusion of kittens. The relationship sometimes seems like a gimmick that has been tacked on to a crime-solving show to garner more viewers.

Another cuteness factor in the show is the storybook narrator. He rhymes. It is annoying.

While I see that this choice was made to set up the magical elements of the show, it’s wholly unnecessary because viewers have already been prepared by the show’s meticulous, and often amazing, set design. We don’t need to be bashed in the head to know Pushing Daisies is set in a fantasyland. But besides these two nit-picks, the show is pretty good.

The latest episode does show signs of trouble though. The writers seem to be trying too hard to surprise with the ending. And the ending itself is way too Scooby-Doo to be on an adult-geared program. I may be dramatic here, but hopefully Ned’s power to resurrect the dead can be put to use on his own show, because we’re not even six episodes in, and this fine drama is already slipping into a coma.