Pushing Daisies: “Oh Oh Oh…It’s Magic” (recap)

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

First-time magician Fred Willard worked his mojo on Pushing Daisies last night and the skillful prestidigitation may have just done the trick in turning the tide against the network execs with an itchy trigger finger.

The men behind the curtain have to know of the grass-roots revolution being waged on behalf of the ratings challenged fantasy sleuth series, what with websites like savedaisies.com popping up and critical reaction as strong as ever. But it was Fred Willard who nudged the fledling series out of the nest with a bravura performance that hopefully sets the tone from here on out.

As the show opens we learn that as a child Ned (Lee Pace) was obsessed with magic and was inspired by his dad, a pretty good amateur himself. But after his mother dies and dad ships him off to boarding school, where he’s tricked for a last time by the old man (he disappears from Ned’s life) Ned swears off magic for good. In fact, the mere thought of it causes acid reflux reaction in the boy, now grown Pie Baker, with one good trick up his sleeve.

In his new role as mentor to his twin half-brothers, illusionists as it turns out, Ned agrees to pop some lozenges during a show they’re appearing in with “The Great Herrmann” the role Fred Willard was born to play.

Flamboyant, mischievous and always commanding “Great” (as he likes to be called if you get to know him on a first name basis) has collected a number of unusual acts at his Conjurer’s Castle, including The Geek (who eats glass and regurgitates live animals) and is grooming the twin boys, who have taken to him like a father, for the eventual takeover of the castle.

Of course, Great is the headlining act and he’s famous for a particular trick - being buried alive in a block of cement.

The trick “Cementia” is a powerful draw and Great has done it over a thousand times. Of course with Emerson Cod (Chi McBride) in tow at the performance, it becomes Herrmann’s last. Something goes terribly wrong and Great is entombed for eternity. But why?

In a series of flashbacks we come to understand that The Geek (Paul F. Tompkins) is jealous of the twins’ closeness to the Grand Old Man, having spent years at Hermann’s side since he himself latched on to him as a teen, recruited as a humorous plant in the audience. Tricked into being fooled that Hermann was able to hypnotize the seemingly random young man in the crowd and command him to eat his beer bottle kept the show going on the road for years.

Now that Great has made a success of the act, he plans to bequeath it to the talented young illusionist twins. Eating glass gets old. And The Geek’s other trick, regurgitating weasels, is just sick. I mean, I would watch it. Once. If it was on cable… maybe. It’s not a castle building gag.

But The Geek has learned a few secrets in his years at the Great One’s side. Especially the one about the magnets hidden in Hermann’s shoes which release a trap door beneath the cement mixer, allowing him to escape unharmed. When The Geek removes the magnets on this night, Hermann disappears for the last time.

In the reanimation scene, Fred Willard lends a touch to the one minute left to display his flair for the tragicomic. Instead of the wild, bug eyed flailing we usually see, he resigns himself to his fate with a smile, a wink and a joke. Vintage Fred Willard. And in a last act of magnanimous charity to the “fatherless” twins, he reveals the location of his “Magic” Book of Magic. The score will keep them going for years.

In the side show, Dwight Dixon (Stephen Root) is sniffing around for clues to the whereabouts of his old Army buddy, Ned’s father. The key may be the silver watch they were given to commemorate their service, etched with the initials “C.C.” Fake romancing Aunt Vivian (Ellen Greene) he finds out it was buried with Charlotte after her mysterious death at sea. As the episode closes we see DD digging up the grave where Chuck is supposedly buried. Of course, when he gets to the coffin and turns the lid, the box is empty. No watch, no Chuck. Dixon is getting closer to the truth, and if ABC lets us, so will we.

There were plenty of tongue-twisting jokes, cute camera takes from the girls (Kristin Chenoweth and Anna Friel) and eye-popping sets, costumes and colorful digital landscaping. But it was the presence of Willard that gave the episode an aura it never possessed before. His on screen time was longer than any other guest star, he wore his top hat and cape like he was born with them and he raised the acting levels all around merely by showing up.

Next week another legendary comedian, Shelley Berman, tries his hand at keeping things going as an aging billionaire with a secret Last Will and Testament.

Having beloved TV masters as your revolving guest stars may be just what the Doctor ordered for Pushing Daisies. Too bad Ned can’t somehow use his powers to bring the series back to life, if only for a fleeting, wistful moment, courtesy of Fred Willard.

Watch new episodes of Pushing Daisies Wednesdays at 8:00 on ABC and catch up with Full Length Episodes right here on Fancast!