Bitches – Pushing Daisies Episode Summary 1.6

Synopsis: Harold Hundin was the renowned dog-breeder, and creator of the perfect hybrid of Border Collie, Labrador Retriever, Jack Russell Terrier, and Poodle. When he turns up dead, all of his four wives become prime suspects to his murder. Meanwhile, Ned’s guilt of having shared a kiss with Olive Snook results in a wild dream that involves the two women in his life.

Episode Summary: Eleven weeks after his mother’s passing, Ned continues to struggle with the consequences of having lost his mother. While the other boys at the Longborough Boarding School are deep in dreamland, young Ned lies awake trying to recall the life he used to have – a caring mother, and a childhood sweetheart. Unfortunately, he already has too hard a grasp on reality that even his imagination failed him, but what he has not lost is hope. Unbeknownst to him, Chuck too had not lost hers, and so the two remain connected though neither one of them know it.  Continue reading...

Years later, what they have dreamed of has come true. The Pie Maker lies in bed watching Chuck sleep. He finds great joy staring at the woman waiting for her to awake for it reminded him of her coming back to life. When finally Chuck awakes, she unfortunately trips on Digby, and falls on top of the Pie Maker. Death should have consumed her the moment they touched, but by some miracle she remains alive. The two kiss, and decides to fulfill their deepest desires. Though already undressed, Chuck claims that she still is clothed. The Pie Maker watches as the young woman peels off her skin only to reveal the real person beneath it – Olive Snook. Though it should have caused Ned to flee, he did not. In fact, he only resumed what he had started. Luckily, it was all a dream.

Though it was only a dream, the Ned could not help, but become alarmed. He consults Emerson Cod who couldn’t care less about the romantic concerns of his business partner. The man dismisses it to be devoid of meaning though rooted from his guilt of having shared a kiss with Olive. The Pie Maker insists that what the young woman had initiated was all innocent for it was only her way of showing gratitude to her rescuer. Nevertheless, the more he thought about it, the more deeply rooted it became. He wasn’t the only one who was stirred by the inappropriate display of emotion for it bothered Olive Snook as well. This caused the young woman to confess to Charlotte who although took it well warned against it happening again. However, it did make her curious as to how it would have felt for the two lovers had not touched. Though Charlotte claims it not a big deal, Olive found this little known fact tragic.

The drama of their lives is put on hold when the Papen County Kennel Club puts out a reward for information on the killer who murdered the renowned dog-breeder, and president of the kennel club Harold Hundin. His body was found in his office after sustaining multiple stab wounds from what appears to be a hairbrush. However, a brief chat with the dead sheds light to the murder. The fact is Mr. Hundin was not stabbed, but rather poisoned. He, after sipping his oddly bitter-tasting almond flavored coffee that was spiked with cyanide, immediately suffers its effects. The man drops his mug, and slips on the puddle that littered the floor. As he struggled to regain his footing, a dog brush with a sharpened edge unfortunately breaks his fall, and it proceeds to do so as he continues to slip. Though the stabbing was an accident, it sure did a successful job of speeding up the death of the dog-breeder.

Emerson Cod foresees this case to be a short one thanks to Harold Hundin who identified his wife to be the murderer. What Mr. Cod did not anticipate is that the man had four wives. Given four suspects to investigate, he found it best to include Olive Snook in the case. His strategy was for the four of them to go undercover, one fake identity for each suspect, and all with Digby by their side. Ms. Snook starts off the investigation with the owner of designer dog wear and accessories Hilary Hundin who after hearing the young woman’s story of how she lost a horse she named The Pie shares that she too had recently lost a pet. Charlotte Charles learns the same bit of information from Hundin’s fourth wife Hallie. The woman who breeds, trains, and donates Labradors to the blind makes it known that his husband’s beloved pet Bubblegum had died. Moreover, she claims that sharing her husband to three more women did not bother her at all. Emerson Cod discovers that the person responsible for the dog’s death was the dog trainer, and Harold’s third wife, Simone. She, in her frantic rush to the crime scene, accidentally runs over the dog that was the perfect hybrid of Border Collie, Labrador Retriever, Jack Russell Terrier, and Poodle. It was Harold Hundin’s greatest creation, a dog that is smart, loyal, athletic, and hypoallergenic. However, what it was not was attractive. Only the second wife, dog psychologist Heather, did not make known of Bubblegum’s death, but her session with Ned stirred up emotions from the grieving widow who revealed that it was she who gave him his morning coffee. The only problem was that all the other wives claimed the same thing.

All except Chuck is convinced that the wives they interviewed is the killer. Imagine her shock when Hallie turns out to be the only one who uses an almond-flavored coffee cream creamer. This innocent revelation meant imprisonment to the poor, young woman. Despite her conviction, Chuck continues to believe in the woman’s innocence. She was not alone. The blind children who were the recipients of Hallie’s helper puppies had offered a reward to anyone who can prove that the good-hearted dog breeder did not murder her husband. It is therefore safe to assume that one of the three other wives is the murderer, but Hallie has a different suspect in mind – Ramsfeld Snuppy. Mr. Snuppy was a competitor niche dog breeder who built an empire from a chain of successful dog stores. It was his desire to get a hold of Mr. Hundin’s super hybrid dog Bubblegum to make the perfect dog available to the masses, and that he did legally with a contract signed by the late Harold Hundin.

Simone Hundin knew of her husband’s plan, and is more than capable of committing the crime. Emerson Cod would have seen right through her if he hadn’t fallen in love with the woman. Leave it to his subconscious to stir him to the right path as his dream clued him in to the fact that eluded him – Bubblegum is alive. With the gumshoe deciding to take on the suspect on his own, Ned is left to face the two women in his life. Still bothered with what she had done, Olive confronts him only to feel much worse than when she learned that her kiss was not worth mentioning. He once again breaks her heart when he makes it clear to her that the kiss meant nothing, and that no meaning would ever come out of it. Her brooding is interrupted by the arrival of Hilary Hundin who came to personally deliver Digby’s designer dog wear. The first wives’ perky mood quickly changes at the mention of Bubblegum’s cloning.

Meanwhile, Emerson Cod pays a visit to Simone Hundin who after hearing the private investigator’s deduction brought about by the presence of the supposedly dead dog’s collar confesses to having possession of Bubblegum. Despite her being caught, the woman did not show a hint of alarm, and this is because she had been subconsciously training the sleuth to respond to her commands. With Mr. Cod’s will partially compromised, he struggles to fight the woman as she tries to sedate him. By the time he comes too, Emerson Cod is already gagged and bound. Believing that the private investigator works for Ramsfeld Snuppy, Simone keeps the man trapped, and locked in a dark room. His current predicament reminded him of a childhood incident he’d rather not remember. In his determination not to relive the same horrible feeling of being trapped inside a washing machine for two nights, Mr. Cod found superhuman strength that allowed him to disengage from his restraints. He rushes to The Pie Hole to enlist the help of his friends for he now believes that Simone is out to get Ramsfeld Snuppy. The lifeless body of Mr. Snuppy confirmed his suspicion, but somehow he still finds it hard to believe that Simone had committed the crimes.

Emerson Cod suspects that the current victim like the previous one would not know who his killer was. He hatches up a plan that would cause the real murderer to reveal her self intentionally or unwittingly. At Harold Hundin’s funeral where all of his wives are in attendance including the incarcerated Hallie, Emerson and Charlotte drag with them the recently deceased Ramsfeld Snuppy. With the help of Ned’s magic touch, the man comes back to life much to the astonishment, and sheer fright of the murderous Hilary Hundin who found it best to flee.

Hilary Hundin was a tolerant wife who despite having to share her husband with three other wives remained accepting and uncomplaining The only reason for her lenience was the perfect dog Bubblegum whom she cared for as though it were her child. Learning of her husband’s plan to clone her beloved dog pushed her to the edge of sanity. It was indeed the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Aware that her husband’s most recent wife Hallie served coffee, but does not drink it, she decides to tamper with the woman’s caffeinated drink consequently framing her as the murderer. Little did she know that Harold had already signed the contract. Dead or alive, Ramsfeld Snuppy is now the owner of Bubblegum. Learning from Olive how the man figured out a way to clone a deceased animal, Hilary goes after Snuppy unaware that Bubblegum is safely in the care of third wife Simone who had faked the beloved dog’s accidental death.

Though his objectivity was compromised, the love-struck Emerson Cod turned out to be right. Simone Hundin is innocent of her husband’s murder. With the real killer caught thanks to Ned’s heroic tackling of Hilary Hundin, the case that sent them in a wild goose chase has finally ended. This leaves them to resume the drama of their lives, which they put on pause. Ned realizes that there is one person who would love to touch him dearly, and that is Olive Snook. Regrettably, there is only one person he deeply desires to hold, and that is Charlotte Charles. Olive knows this very well, but she holds on to the hope that her beloved Pie Maker would someday realize that his happiness lies with her. That day might come, but not at this moment for Ned is absolutely certain that he needs only Chuck to be happy.

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Girth – Pushing Daisies Episode Summary 1.5

Synopsis: It is Halloween, and Olive Snook is haunted by her past when a ghost rider tramples an old friend. She enlists the help of Emerson Cod to solve the murder knowing that she could be the next victim. Meanwhile, the Pie Maker confronts his own ghost, one that had caused him pain ever since he has a child.

Episode Summary: In his first year in boarding school, young Ned would stand in line in front of the postmistress’ office waiting for a letter from home, but not one came except for the postcard he received on the eve of Halloween; the one that said that his father has moved. Devastated young Ned runs away from school to find his father only to learn that he already has another family. The sight of him happily accompanying his two other sons, and his new wife to go trick or treating broke his heart. With a pitiful blanket over his head as his costume, he hoped that his father would somehow recognize him, give him a hug, and take him in, but all he got was a candy bar and a wish for a happy Halloween.  Continue reading...

The painful memory of that fateful Halloween stuck with Ned, and he had since then developed revulsion towards the occasion. Olive Snook makes this known to Chuck who unaware of this fact busies herself with decorating the Pie Hole. Charlotte Charles does have a reason to celebrate for she is one of the undead now walking among the living. Olive Snook knows of this secret though she is unaware of the whole truth about it. She delights at her knowing, and Charlotte’s awareness of her discernment. Chuck, on the other hand, is relieved at learning that Olive only thinks that she faked her death for what the other woman knows is far from the truth. Ignorance is bliss. Olive Snook rejoices at the thought of uncovering Chuck’s secret, and having the power over her because of it. What she doesn’t know is that her beloved Pie-Maker knows more than she does. In fact, he had a hand in all of it. However, her rejoicing is short-lived for a secret of her own catches up to her. Worry overcomes her upon hearing the news about the death of blacksmith Lucas Shoemaker who was trampled to death in Manchester Downs.

Meanwhile, Chuck who is still in disbelief at learning the Pie-Maker’s aversion to Halloween tries to uncover the reasoning behind it. Unfortunately, Ned is unwilling to disclose the painful memory that had caused it, and tries his best to change the subject. However, he chose the one subject that currently alarms Charlotte, and that is Olive Snook. The young woman could not help but wonder at what the other could be up to. The thought of Olive revealing to her aunts about her existence terrified her. Lucky for her, the young woman is preoccupied with the troubles of her past.

Olive Snook visits her safety deposit box that contained only two things – an enormous trophy and a sack of cash. With a stack of money, she hires Emerson Cod to investigate the supposed accidental death of the farrier Lucas Shoemaker. How she knew the man lies in her past. Olive Snook spent eight years of her life as a jockey, a profession she shared with Lucas whose body now lies on top of a cold steel bed in a morgue. With a poke of the Pie Maker’s finger, the blacksmith with the hoof of a horse stamped on his cheek rises back to life. His speech impaired, the three try to make sense of his story. Leave it to Chuck who spent three years of her life in full orthodontic headgear to discern the words of the dead. According to the farrier, John Joseph Jacobs was his murderer only the man has been dead for seven years. Therefore, it is his ghost who killed him, and he firmly believes that he or it will kill again.

Emerson Cod shares this bit of information to Olive Snook, and she did not take it very well. In fact, the young woman’s shock had caused her to pass out. Olive knew who John Joseph Jacobs is or rather was. The young man was the top jockey of his time whose life was cut short following the accident that happened years ago. The mishap took place in a competition called Jock-Off 2000 where top ranked jockeys competed against each other. John Joseph Jacobs would have once again proved himself to be the best horse racer in the world had not the girth that kept his saddle in place snapped. His misfortune became Olive Snook’s gain. However, the manner by which she had won the race disturbed her so much that she quit the profession, and moved on to another career. Little did she know that the one incident she tried to forget would come to haunt her seven years later. Olive Snook believes that whomever murdered Lucas Shoemaker is out for revenge haunting all those riders that competed in the Jock-Off 2000 including herself. The drunk in the bar where jockeys hang out backs up her supposition informing them that the lid on John Joseph Jacobs’ tomb had been cracked open. The drunk is Gordon McSmalls, one of the racers who finished the ill-fated competition. Olive Snook and Emerson Cod visit the tomb to confirm the drunkard’s tale, and learn it to be true. Moreover, they discover that someone who fed on crackers had recently visited it more so that the tomb does not contain the body of the dead rider, but rather a legless horse.

Meanwhile, the Pie Maker still haunted by memories of that fateful Halloween returns to his old house in Couer d’Couers, and relives the very same thing he did after discovering that his father had moved on to a new life complete with a new family. He lay on the floor where his bed used to stand; holding in his hand the honeycomb candy bar his father gave him. The sound of Lily’s voice yelling at the kids who threw eggs at her door interrupts his reminiscence. It was then he made a decision to pay a visit to the two women who lived across the street, because it seemed to him that they knew his father better than he did. He gathered what he needed from the two with Vivian’s remembrance of her neighbor’s good qualities however few, and Lily’s harsh criticism of the Pie Maker’s father all of which were true. He got much more than what he came for when he took a bite from the pie the two served him. Yes, Charlotte Charles had been sending pies to her aunts, but instead of feeling anger at the young woman for keeping a secret from him he found understanding. The pies had somehow helped alleviate the pain of losing their beloved niece, and also Chuck’s guilt of having left them.

With Ned away on personal matters, and Emerson Cod following a different lead, Chuck with only Digby to keep her company visits the scene of the crime to gather evidence. The stables looked creepy even to someone undead like her that the sight of Emerson Cod holding a rake made her shriek. The private investigator rushed to the stables upon learning what lay in the dead jockey’s tomb. He informs her of his discovery not to mention Olive’s assumption that Chuck had faked her death. With no other groundbreaking evidence, but a pack of crackers she found in the dirt just before Mr. Cod startled her, the two make their way to John Joseph Jacobs’ mother’s house where Olive Snook joins them. Having raced against her son, Olive is acquainted with Mrs. Jacobs who behind her sweet smile clearly disliked the young woman. Emerson Cod’s theory of the killer stealing the dead rider’s body to make it appear like a ghost committed the crime was invalidated when Mama Jacobs confesses that it was she who buried the horse following the wishes of his son to have a heroes burial for the equine that led him to numerous triumphs. Moreover, she had cremated the body of his son, and kept it inside the trophy displayed on the mantle of her fireplace. Although, their little visit explained the bones found in the tomb, it did little to shed light on the murder. Olive Snook remains adamant at her belief that the dead rider is back from the dead to take revenge on his competitors. To add, she now believes that Mama Jacobs knows of her son’s intentions.

Olive Snook was right on the money. Returning to the bar they find the rider turned barkeep Pinky McCoy trampled by a horse. While Chuck consoles Olive outside of the bar, the Pie Maker gets to the bottom of things. Pinky confirms that the ghost indeed brought about his demise, but also confesses to killing John Joseph Jacobs. It was he who snipped the young man’s girth that caused the fatal accident seven years ago. Moreover, Olive knows of his misdeed. The truth is, the young woman knew about the girth, but was unaware of the culprit who did it until now. The three other jockeys had forced her to keep the terrible secret rationalizing their decision as a means to protect their honor.

With the secret out in the open, it is clear that Olive’s life is in real danger. Chuck keeps watch over her as Ned and Emerson fetch the drunkard Gordon to offer their protection. Unfortunately, Olive decides to confront the ghost who has been haunting her. Seeing the golden horseshoe that belongs to the fallen rider, she follows the trail up the roof to find John Joseph Jacobs in the flesh. Keeping true to her job as Olive’s protector, Chuck throws a horsey mug at the man knocking him unconscious. So it appears that John Joseph Jacobs is alive, and two feet taller. He did not die from the accident, but he did lose his legs. However, thanks once again to his fallen horse, he need not live the rest of his life as an amputee for the faithful equine had donated its limbs to replace the ones he lost. He had since then lived in the basement of his overprotective mother who keeps him there for fear that his unusual yet successful transplant would scare people. Although the young man had grown, one can’t say that he had matured.

Vowing to help him convince his mother to let him out in the world, the two young women accompany John Joseph Jacobs back to his house. His confession of having hypoglycemia, and his need to munch on crackers to prevent his blood sugar from dropping alarmed Chuck who recalled the presence of crackers in all of the crime scenes. Moreover, Olive discovers that the ashes contained in the trophy that Mrs. Jacobs kept were that of the evidentiary saddle they burned. It was then when the ghost rider with its fire breathing horse barges in the house ready, and ever determined to trample Olive Snook, but not before revealing its identity. The ghost rider turned out to be Mama Jacobs who like her son is also hypoglycemic. She is out on revenge for those who ended his son’s successful career including those who kept the secret. Chuck and Olive run for their lives as the vengeful woman chases them with her horse.

Meanwhile, Ned and Emerson Cod rush to Mrs. Jacobs house upon learning from Gordon that Lucas Shoemaker before his death had spilled the beans to the woman who had lost her son. Hearing the neighing of the horse, they hurry to the woods. Ned arrives just in time to sweep Olive off her feet after the young woman in an attempt to spare Chuck of the old woman’s rage bravely confronts the furious murderer. Emerson Cod, on the other hand, knocks off the rider from her horse with a shovel. Overcome with glee at the Pie Maker’s courageous rescue, Olive Snook gives him a passionate kiss only to be interrupted by the call of Chuck who had twisted her ankle following their frantic escape. Olive watches as the young woman once again snatches Ned’s heart from her as the Pie Maker hastens to aid his injured girlfriend. With the murderer caught, and behind bars, all get on with their lives. Olive Snook hands the trophy and prize winnings to the rightful winner who is John Joseph Jacobs, while Ned gladly reveals to Chuck his knowledge of her sending pies to her aunts. He also accompanies her to Couer d’Couers to let the young woman disguised as a trick or treater come face-to-face with her aunts.

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Pigeon – Pushing Daisies Episode Summary 1.4

Synopsis: When a plane crashes into an apartment building, the Pie Maker, Chuck and Emerson Cod discovers that it was no accident. In fact, it was a result of a hijacking perpetrated by an escapjavascript:void(0)ed convict who remains at large. Meanwhile, Olive Snook sets in motion her plan of revealing the truth about the supposedly dead Charlotte Charles. That she is in reality alive and well.

Episode Summary: Following his mother’s death, young Ned was sent to the Longborough School for Boys in North Thrush. Though none of the boys in that school knows of his strange gift, it sure felt that they knew that he is different. While others enjoy their childhood in the company of their friends, Ned would always find himself alone with no one else to play with. Lucky for him, there is someone in Couer d’Couers who loves him dearly, and that is his dog Digby. The faithful dog sensed his master’s sorrow, and set forth to find him. In no time, the two are reunited. Young Ned could not believe his eyes at the sight of the Golden Retriever elatedly running towards him. Ned would have hugged Digby if not for the fatal consequence of doing so, the result of him bringing the dog back to life. The dog, smart as he is, has full knowledge of what would happen if his master in as much as graze his fur. So, the two made do with a stick what would have been a warm reunion. At that very moment, Digby vowed to himself to forever stay by his master’s side.  Continue reading...

The dog shared the same wish with the Pie-Maker who hoped that Chuck would always stay with him. Charlotte, though already too late, wished that she did not have to leave her aunts Lily and Vivian. She coped with her current situation by secretly baking them pies, which she spiked with homeopathic remedies to cure their social phobias. The Pie-Maker catches her making one though unaware more so did not care whom it was for. His lack of concern was only due to the surprise she had waiting for the young woman. It is a surprise that she could have easily guessed with the bee stings that covered his face. Up on the roof, he shows her the new home he made for her bees. It was a gift that merited an amorous embrace, but as with his dog the two could only dream as they could never again touch each other lest Chuck dies.

Olive Snook knew that the love of her life is in love with the supposedly dead girl Charlotte “Chuck” Charles. Believing that the young woman had faked her death, she ever feels strongly that she could snatch the Pie-Maker’s heart from her. How she came to know of Chuck’s secret lies in the pear and Gruyere pie, which is the very first one the young woman had made for her aunts Lily and Vivian, and the one Olive had personally delivered to the two. It certainly would not be the last. In fact, Ms. Snook plans on secretly delivering Charlotte’s most recent creation -- the tart apple filling pie with monastery Gouda crust.

It was a plan interrupted by a pigeon crashing into The Pie Hole’s window. Olive felt pity for the pigeon, and took the lifeless bird into her hands. The Pie-Maker tries his best not to come in contact with the bird for fear that Olive discovers his secret, but no thanks to a nudge from Emerson Cod, the bird accidentally touches Ned, and miraculously comes back to life. With the pigeon securely held in Olive’s hands, and Chuck’s plea to keep the bird alive, the Pie-Maker and Emerson Cod feared whose life would be traded for the bird. Luckily, there is a squirrel near by, and the Pie-Maker hoped against all hope that it is the rodent’s life that would be taken. A minute passed, and the squirrel is still alive. Ned would have panicked if a crow hadn’t fallen to its death. However, its death is quickly followed by a loud crash.

A crop-duster crashes into the nearby luxury apartment owned by Conrad Fitch. Emerson Cod sensing the sweet smell of money as the result of a fatal accident wastes no time to cash in. Chuck confirms his speculation that a monetary reward is within reach upon stating that a civil suit could indeed follow a plane crash. Her knowledge of the law came from her services as a volunteer stay-at-home juror. She would have filed a civil suit of her own as a result of her tripping on a piece of wood after letting the gurney that hauled the dead pilot pass if Conrad Fitch had not caught her. It is the first time, since Charlotte came back to his life that the Pie-Maker stands helpless, and incapable of saving her. Much more, he becomes powerless at the fact that the young woman has become smitten with her new rescuer. Much to Ned’s chagrin, Chuck decides to stay with Mr. Fitch instead of helping him with the investigation.

Bradan Caden was the agricultural aviator of the crop-duster that crashed into the luxury apartment. He is survived by his widow Rebecca Caden who would not get a cent from his life insurance policy given that his death was ruled a suicide. Sensing the dismay of the widow upon learning that the insurance agent had rejected her late husband’s life policy, Emerson Cod seizes the opportunity to profit from her misfortune. Unlucky for him he is not the only one as the medical examiner who had regularly allowed them to visit the dead decides to make money from them. Thanks to the Pie-Maker’s magic touch, he confirms that this investigation is not fruitless. The man did not take his own life. In fact, Mr. Caden was preparing to dust soybeans when a prisoner hijacks his plane. It is now up to him and Mr. Cod to find evidence to back this claim, and to catch the escaped convict who miraculously survived the crash.

Meanwhile, Olive Snook has an agenda of her own. She travels to Couer d’Couers to deliver the pie to Lily and Vivian, and to have the two bird lovers examine the injured pigeon. Her true motive, however, is to divulge Charlotte Charles’ secret. Though this is the truth, Ms. Snook also genuinely cared for the bird that turned out to be a courier pigeon that has yet to deliver a message. Whether the note bore vital information, no one yet knows. Olive Snook is more concerned on getting the two socially phobic aunts to visit The Pie Hole to uncover the truth about their niece. Unlucky for her the two were not receptive to her urging though it seems that the homeopathic pie Chuck had baked has slowly taken effect on Vivian. When Olive Snook set out to Couer d’Couers that day, she hoped to kill three birds with one stone – deliver the pie, heal the pigeon, and expose Charlotte as a faker of death. She did not count on the aunts’ phobias to delay her plan. Now, she has yet to find a very good reason for Lily and Vivian to visit The Pie Hole.

The Pie-Maker too was in a bit of a rut. Following his claim that Mr. Caden did not commit suicide, the widow Becky Caden had tasked him to catch the hijacker who killed her husband. The case is not the only one that’s bringing him unease. Ned could not help but wonder on what was unraveling between Chuck and Conrad Fitch. He, and Emerson Cod return to the scene of the crime. Learning the two had left the apartment, and finding that they had shared coffee did not put him at ease. Exposing a dead body inside the coffee table intensified his concern. Learning that the dead man is in fact Conrad Fitch, and that the one who claims himself so is truly the hijacker brought his trepidation to new heights.

To make matters worse, Chuck was still with the imposter, and the two were sharing more than pies. The hijacker reveals his fear of having to start over. Knowing exactly how it is to start anew, Chuck imparts some advice she learned from her own experience. Unlike the hijacker, she seized the opportunity of a new life leaving behind her everything about her that she disliked, and holding on to the ones she loved. It did not take too long for the man who calls himself Conrad Fitch to become enamored to the young woman in front of him. His feelings he quickly acted upon by putting his hand on top of hers. Chuck loved the feeling of a man’s hand holding hers, but she wished that it were Ned’s. She desired it so much to be his that she even asks the man to hold her hand as she imaged that it was the Pie-Maker who was holding hers. Ned happened to return to the Pie Hole at that very moment. His anxiety validated by the sight of the two holding hands. Fully aware of the identity of the man holding Chuck’s hand his face is filled with anger. Seeing Ned’s reaction, the hijacker knows that his cover is blown. He rushes to the backdoor with Emerson Cod on his tail. The Pie-Maker would have been onto him too if he did not feel the need to unveil to Chuck the imposter for who he really is. Despite a short delay, Ned manages to grab the man’s arm as he was fleeing the backdoor. He would have successfully detained him if the arm had not come off, and hit him on the head. With the hijacker gone, Ned discusses with Chuck the objectionable sight he had witnessed. To comfort the jealous Pie-Maker, the young woman explains that she was indeed imagining holding his hand as she held the imposter’s. Unfortunately, this confession did nothing to alleviate the young man’s anger.

Having failed to catch the escaped convict turned hijacker, Emerson Cod could only do nothing else but continue with the investigation. He learned that the hijacker’s real name is Lemuel Weigner who was an employee of the energy-based corporation called Ornin. The corporation was in the business of trading plastic, steel and insider information. Mr. Weigner was one of those who traded information. In fact, it was because of this that he lost his right arm. His arm getting caught in the shredder as he disposed of the information resulted in his imprisonment. In jail, he shared a cell with the infamous diamond thief Jackson Lucas who gave him the nickname Lefty Lem. Mr. Lucas’ final steal was never found for he carried his secret to his grave. Propitiously for Emerson Cod he has on his side a man who could talk to the dead.

At the prison graveyard, Emerson Cod could not stop to think of the good fortune that will very soon come his way. He expects to collect money from Mr. Caden’s widow for their services once they prove that the man did not commit suicide. More reward from the feds when they catch the escaped white-collar convict Lefty Lem not to mention the possibility of finding the diamonds that Jackson Lucas stole. It is anyway the buried treasure that led them shoveling a prisoner’s grave. Trading his secret for good karma in the afterlife, Mr. Lucas wastes no time to divulge the location of the buried treasure. According to him, they should find it at the bottom of the stairs of an old windmill on the VonRoenn farm. In addition, he makes it known that Lefty Lem also knew of the site given that he did owe him something.

As the three are busy looking for buried treasure, Olive Snook is hard at keeping her plan in motion. With the injured pigeon now known as Pidge living with the aunts, Olive has valid reason to come for a visit. This time they did more than examine the bird as they gave it a new wing – a bejeweled one to boot. She learns with her conversation with the two ladies that they find it hard to let go once they become attached. This gives her grounds to bring up Charlotte, and how the aunts’ sorrow fills the room with the reminder that the niece they so-loved is dead and gone. Though Olive Snook knows that the young woman is alive and well, she has yet to find a way to bring them together.

Following Jackson Lucas’ direction, the trail leads to the Papen County Historical Society Museum where another dead body is found. The lifeless body sitting on the curator’s chair is in reality alive just asleep. The woman proved very useful when she emerged from her slumber. According to her, the one-armed man had already come to ask about the retired VonRoenn windmill. It being a historical landmark is now sitting at the National Area of Retired Mills instead of a farm. Luckily, a map of its current location was given to them right before the narcoleptic woman fell back to sleep.

Meanwhile, Olive Snook is still in Couer d’Couers. Her heart still full of contempt for Charlotte seeing first-hand how her supposed death brought misery to the aunts, and for stealing the Pie-Maker from her disregarding of course the fact that the young man has not showed any interest in her. Ms. Snook’s visit has been nothing but productive. Sensing Vivian’s desire to read the message that was tied on to Pidge’s foot, she urges the woman to read it. However, Vivian knows better not to read other people’s messages. This she learned from experience after reading something of Lily’s. Though her sister attests to having forgiven her for her mistake, Vivian knew that she has not. Seeing the aunt vulnerable and despondent, Olive Snook plants a seed of encouragement. One that may at some point would grow and force her to leave the house that detains her. With their attention focused on somewhere else, the pigeon seizes the opportunity, and flies away leaving the message it was supposed to deliver behind. Ms. Snook hopelessly runs after the fleeing pigeon, and begs it to comeback to retrieve the message it had left behind. She turns to the women for help, but the aunts remain glued at the front door unable to take one step further. The bird lovers had become just like their pet birds, confined inside a house, unsure if they have in them the courage to flee.

As the aunts consider taking a leap, a beautiful woman waits for the man she loves to come. Elsita is the current resident of the VonRoenn windmill unaware of the sudden interest in her humble abode she unwittingly receives Lefty Lem who had come on the false pretense of photographing the windmill for the Papen County’s 87th Annual Mills of the Wind Papen County collector’s calendar. However, instead of a camera, he brought with him an axe.

In an unexpected turn, the aunts had come to a decision to help Olive Snook hand the message to the courier pigeon Pidge. The aunts in their old station wagon help the young woman follow the bird. Moreover, the homeopathic remedy seemed to have struck a chord on Vivian – her vocal chord that is. She and Olive Snook merrily sing at the backseat of the car as Lily regretfully drives with Digby on the passenger seat. Leave it to Lily’s sour mood to cut the joyful singing using the pigeon they were following as an excuse for the interruption. Aunt Lily is not the only one with an unpleasant mood. Emerson Cod sits at the backseat of the car resentfully hearing the Pie-Maker and Chuck quarrel over lovers issues brought about by Ned’s inability to catch her when she falls.

Their problems are jejune compared to Elsita’s, but the young woman shows not even a hint of concern as the one-armed man carrying an axe struggles to tie her down to a chair with his teeth. Clearly there’s nothing terrifying about a man who ties his captive neither with girly bows nor to one who would listen to a young woman’s yapping. All was going well for Lefty Lem until the pigeon with the bejeweled wing crashes into the window. With an effortless pull, Elsita frees herself from her flimsy bindings to let the bird that she quickly recognized as hers inside. However, Lefty Lem claims that the pigeon is his, and to prove it she looks for the note he had tied to its feet, but it’s not there. To add to the confusion, Olive Snook arrives to claim the bird, and to finally attach to it the message it was supposed to deliver unaware that the courier pigeon had already reached its destination. As Ms. Snook pulls out the rolled-up message, both Elsita and Lem reach for it after recognizing what it is. It is the tie that bound Elsita and Lem, one that had a lot of history.

Years before when Jackson Lucas was still on the run, he sought refuge in an abandoned windmill. It is at the base of the staircase where he buried the diamonds he stole to fund the art gallery in Mexico that he desired to own. Soon he learns that a beautiful woman named Elsa lives in the VanRoenn windmill. Her captivating beauty caused him his freedom for the time he should have taken to flee he spent on kissing her. In that very short meeting, the two found love, and they continued their affair with the help of a pigeon that flew back and forth to deliver their messages. Jackson Lucas grew old, and eventually died. He found in Lem a replacement. Yes, Lemuel Weigner wrote the messages to Elsa out of respect for his cellmate. Little did he know that he himself had fallen in love with the woman she is writing to, Elsa, only the woman had already died long before, and the one who took her place was her daughter Elsita. And so, the two who took on a task for a loved one ended up falling for each other. Thanks to the pigeon who brought them together.

The one-winged pigeon suffered a similar fate as his one-armed master when it flew out of the plane, and hit the propeller. The accident resulted to the plane crashing into a building. So, Lefty Lem though guilty of escaping a prison could not be held entirely at fault for the accident that left a man dead. Moreover, the man’s death, and his escape was not in vain for the treasure Jackson Lucas has buried truly exists. It now lies inside Elsita’s wooden leg, and yes, the young woman too is missing an appendage. The glittering diamonds stored inside it easily trumped the shock from the sight of a wooden leg. However, a knock on the door interrupts their amazement.

It was as if Olive Snook’s prayers have been answered. A grin creeps up her face at learning who stands behind the other side of the door – Charlotte Charles. With a quick swing of the door, she could finally expose Chuck as the faker of death, and the Pie-Maker would at last be hers. Unfortunately, Ms. Snook did not count on growing fondly of the aunts. Seeing them looking at her in alarmed anticipation, she somehow could not bring herself to cause them pain when they discover that the niece they so adored had deceived them. Olive sacrifices her happiness for theirs, and she squeezes out the door doing her best to conceal whoever stands outside. With a drop of a hint that only Charlotte would comprehend, the two young women understood. Chuck agrees to give her a few minutes as Olive ushers Lily and Vivian out the back door. The three with the dog Digby drive away from the windmill, but a glance on the rearview mirror gave Lily a sight she did not expect – Charlotte standing in front of the windmill. However, another look and she was gone. With her vision impaired, she could not guarantee that what she saw was real.

All of these were unbeknownst to the Pie-Maker and Emerson Cod who had grown impatient of the wait. Brandishing a gun he barges inside the windmill only to find Elsita sitting on Lefty Lem’s lap. With the escaped convict surrendering without a fight, Emerson Cod hands him over to the police, and contentedly counts the reward he reaped from catching a prisoner. It is history repeating itself with Elsita vowing to write to Lemuel as he is escorted to a police car. She suffers the same fate as her mother for falling in love with a criminal, but it sure will not stop her from loving him. Having witnessed how love could conquer obstacles, the Pie Maker is struck with inspiration. With the help of bee suits, the couple could not only hold hands, but also share a dance.

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Pie-lette - Pushing Daisies Episode Summary 1.1

Synopsis: At an early age, Ned learns that he has the power to bring the dead back to life with his mere touch. However, he also learns that his strange gift is not without deadly consequences. Years passed, and Ned grows up to become a Pie-Maker who following the death of his mother thought it best to remain unattached. His gift was best used in making pies, and occasionally to solve murders, but since that fateful day in his past he never faced the dilemma of making a fatal choice not until news of the death of his childhood sweetheart Charlotte “Chuck” Charles reaches him.

Episode Summary: In a field of daisies in the town of Couer d’Couers, a young boy, nine years of age gleefully runs after his dog Digby when right before his eyes he watches as the three year old dog runs to the street, and into the way of a passing truck. The dog is hurled into the air, and lands on the street dead without a doubt. Slowly and mournfully young Ned walks over to the dog, but as soon as his finger had touched the lifeless creature something unexpected happens. Digby rises from the dead, and runs back to the field of daisies unscathed, and full of life. It was then that he realized that he has a gift. Ned could bring the dead back to life. However, what he hasn’t learned just yet is that it comes with a price. Moments after bringing his dog back to life another one is taken in exchange. Fortunately this time it was only that of a squirrel. Continue reading...

Young Ned is clueless as to how he had acquired such an unusual gift, but it wasn’t much of a concern for him for he was preoccupied with matters of the heart. Yes, young as he is, Ned has fallen in love with the eight year old girl who lives across the street – Chuck. However good a distraction she is to him, it is no match to the events that would happen next. Young Ned’s mother is suddenly struck by an aneurysm, which was nonetheless fatal. Knowing of his gift, but not knowing enough, he gives his mother a touch, and she in no time rises back to life to take the pies out of the oven a minute before the timer goes off. It was then he realized that his gift came with consequences. He watched as Chuck’s father suddenly becomes lifeless just a minute after he had spared his mother from death.

Young Ned had only fully come to a realization that he had brought his mother back from the dead at the expense of Chuck’s father when he learns more. That night, as her mother tucks him in bed she leans to give him a kiss on the forehead. The instant her lips touched her son’s forehead she is struck dead. Young Ned poked his mother several times, but she remains lifeless. It is then he learns that his first touch would bring the dead back to life, but touch them again and they die, but this time no prodding could bring them back.

Following their parents’ death, young Ned and Chuck’s life would drastically change. He would be sent to a boarding school, while she will be raised by her strange aunts Lily and Vivan. The two women were a renowned synchronized-swimming duo, both of whom have an unusual fondness for fine cheese. Knowing that they may not see each other again, young Ned and Chuck wander off from their parents’ funerals to have their first and only kiss. Time passed, and Ned is now twenty-nine years old. He grew into a man who avoided social attachments, but acquired an obsession with pies. He is now known as the Pie-Maker of The Pie Hole where every pie he makes is done with the help of his gift. All pies are made from rotten fruit, but with his touch are made lusciously ripe.

There is only one person in the world who knows of the Pie-Maker’s secret, and he is the private investigator Emerson Cod. Mr. Cod unwittingly discovers of the Pie-Maker’s secret when he was in pursuit of a man. The man jumps to the roof of another building, but falls straight to the dumpster just as Ned was on his way to throw the trash. Emerson watched as the man hits the dumpster, and its lifeless body bounces on the Pie-Maker. Seconds later the man regains consciousness, unsure of what just happened, but wastes no time to flee. Luckily, Ned catches up to him, and with a second touch the man is once again dead. All these Emerson Cod had witnessed, and soon after a partnership emerges. Ned who at that time was in the brink of losing The Pie Hole reluctantly agrees to work with the private investigator. Mr. Cod knew how easy his job would be with Ned by his side touching dead victims, and merely asking them who their murderers were. And so, The Pie Hole stays afloat, and Emerson Cod becomes the keeper of his secret.

Their latest case involves Leonard Gaswint who was allegedly mauled to death in his home office by his dog Cantaloupe. However, the Gaswint family is convinced that the real killer is still on the loose, and so offered a reward to the one who would solve the murder. Emerson Cod could not pass up such a hefty amount of money, and so convinces the Pie-Maker that they should pursue the case. The two visit the murder victim at the morgue who though a quarter of his face gone was nonetheless helpful in solving the case. According to the dead, he was in fact mauled by a dog, but not by the docile Chow Chow, but rather his disgruntled secretary’s Rottweiler. With the real killer identified and caught, the late Leonard Gaswint’s pet Cantaloupe was freed.

So it appears that pets sometimes become the extension of their owner, and it is just the case with the Pie-Maker’s dog Digby. Olive Snook has found in Digby an outlet for her desperate desire to connect with the socially unattached Ned. She found the dog to be needy maybe because his owner could not pet him the way most people do. She finds it strange that the Pie-Maker uses a stick to pet his dog. Unbeknownst to her, an unfortunate accident and strange incident twenty years ago had prevented Ned from touching his faithful dog, because the consequence is deadly. Olive has led herself to believe that just like Digby, the Pie-Maker himself has not received any affectionate touches, and so she had made it her mission to provide him just that. Unfortunately, her attempts have never been fruitful. In fact, the events that will follow would make it even more difficult for her.

While watching the television, the Pie-Maker found himself strangely absorbed at the news of a murdered young woman whose identity is being withheld. The body of the woman was recovered from the sea. She was said to be travelling alone in a cruise ship to Tahiti where she was killed, and was thrown overboard. With a large reward out to help catch the killer, Emerson Cod had already done his research, and conveys it to the Pie-Maker who is uncharacteristically interested with the case. Ned learns that the young girl is Jewish, and lived in Couer d’Couers. Moreover, her name is Charlotte “Chuck” Charles.

With Chuck’s body going to be buried rather quickly following a Jewish tradition, Ned and Emerson waste no time to visit Couer d’Couers. Having told Emerson Cod that he and Chuck had a history together, the man allows Ned an alone time to pay his respects to a dear friend. Though nineteen years had passed, the Pie-Maker had never forgotten of the rather young and short memory of his first love. Though their reunion is not what he would have envisioned, Ned could not help but feel a certain emotion he had never felt for a very long time. He carefully touches Chuck’s cheek, but rather than a sweet, and peaceful awakening he was met by a strong, hard pull that was immediately followed by pain as his head banged the lid of the coffin.

Chuck’s reflexes were only a result of her brutal death. Her demeanor quickly changed as soon as Ned introduced himself as the boy who used to live across the street from her house. It didn’t take long for her to make known to the Pie-Maker the events that transpired on the night of her death. Charlotte Charles remembers going out to get some ice, when she dropped her key in the icebox. As she was looking for her key, somebody came from behind, and strangles her with a plastic sack. Chuck handled the reality of her death quite well, and accepted whole-heartedly the limited time she has left. Charlotte Charles’ last memory of the world would have been a kiss from the one who gave her the first, but Ned had trouble letting her go. The Pie-Maker had let the clock tick passed the minute, and as a result had traded the life of his beloved Chuck for that of the sleazy funeral director. Now, two know of his gift, but Emerson Cod has yet to know of the other secret. The Pie-Maker could not possibly let anyone else know, not even Mr. Cod, of the choice that he made, but at that time could not think of a way to get out of the predicament. The only solution he could find was to let Chuck lie back in the coffin, and play dead as he convinces Emerson to leave Couer d’Couers. Unfortunately, Ned did not count on the burial ruining his half-baked plan. He watched as the hearse drives away with the coffin that carries Charlotte Charles.

As Chuck is being driven to her resting place, she could not help but ponder on her life. Charlotte grew up with her loving, but socially phobic aunts Lily and Vivian who both increasingly became afraid of leaving their house. It is because of them that she made it a point not to wander off Couer d’Couers. She fed her desire for adventure through reading until the day came when books could no longer suffice. That was the beginning of what was to be her end. And it would truly have been her end, if the Pie-Maker had not rescued her a second time. The gravediggers had already started their work when Ned arrives, and distracts them by burning their truck. And so Charlotte Charles once again cheats death.

At the Pie Hole, Ned explains to Chuck the caveats of his gift. Moreover, that she could never go back to see her aunts for she is as the world knows it -- dead. Though it wasn’t exactly what she had dreamed, but the adventure that she desperately longed for had finally started. She is to put behind the life she had at Couer d’Couers, and start a new one. Luckily, she is to share it with the one she loves – Ned.

Her new life seemed appealing, but learning that her murder had been a spectacle much more that her not being dead might only be because of money made her uneasy. She confronts the Pie-Maker who is looking a lot less like a prince charming now that she learned of the reward. He loses more of his charm when he makes it known that he had made bringing the dead back to life into a business rather than to serve justice. Chuck had to ask the question of whether she was only brought back to life for the reward. She was relieved to learn that it was honestly not so.

Charlotte Charles has a second lease on life, and she was not going to live it the way she did the first, which is why she completely ignored Ned’s strict instructions of her not to leave the apartment. Who better see her first, but the next-door neighbor, and pie apprentice, Olive Snook. Imagine the shock on the Pie-Maker’s face when she comes waltzing down the Pie Hole with Olive who though acknowledged Chuck’s resemblance to the dead girl on the news thought nothing of it. Having learned of the business partnership between Ned and Emerson Cod, the young woman decides to join them and profit from her supposed death.

Although Emerson Cod is strongly against the Pie-Maker’s decision that spared this young woman from death, he was all for solving her murder more so collecting the reward. In his pursuit to understand how Ned could have let this one slip through his fingers, he learns of another reason other than his love for Chuck that would explain why the Pie-Maker could not let her go. Ned confesses to Mr. Cod that he had inadvertently killed her father when he was ten. His guilt for doing so continues to consume him what more with letting Chuck die from his touch. Needless to say, with the deed already done, and undoing it is out of the question; Charlotte Charles is now part of Ned’s life. So, the three continue their investigation. According to the young woman, it all started when she had accepted an all-expenses paid Tahitian cruise.

DeeDee Duffield was the manager of Boutique Travel Travel Boutique. She had offered Chuck the Tahitian getaway in exchange for a job where she is to pick up a package that contains two plaster monkeys. The woman had assured her that the package’s only worth is its sentimental value. Obviously, Ms. Duffield lied. In fact, it was she who offered the fifty thousand dollar reward in the hope that somebody would catch the killer before he comes after her. Unfortunately, her campaign failed. Ned, Emerson, and Chuck find her lifeless body sitting at her office, her head covered with a pink plastic bag with a smiley face; the same one found on Chuck. Determined to learn who the killer was, and the reason for the murders, Ned does what he does best. Unfortunately, DeeDee could not keep her hands off of the cute Pie-Maker, and she drops dead once again before they could learn anything about the murders.

And so, they are back to square one. Emerson Cod wonders why the killer hunted Ms. Duffield if he is already in possession of the plaster monkeys. Only then did they realize that he has not gotten the ones he had killed for. The package remained in Chuck’s room even after her murder given that she had dropped her room’s key in the icebox just before the attack. With her dead, all her possessions including the plaster monkeys were given to her aunts. Vivian and Lily were at some time famous when their Darling Mermaid Darlings synchronized swimming act brought in crowds of spectators. However, an ill-fated accident that cost Lily her eye also caused the demise of their careers. Following this, the two turned their backs from the world, and cared only for Charlotte.

Vivian and Lily Charles receive an unexpected visit from Ned and Emerson Cod. Charlotte would have joined them too if not for the secret she holds, and so she made do by watching through the window as her aunts spent the whole evening talking about her. Returning to her home, she wondered why she ever felt the need to leave it, but it was a choice she already made – one that cost her life. Now, all she wants to do is to get to the bottom of things, the murder that is, and not the sea. She sneaks up her room, and finds the silver briefcase that contains the monkeys. Seeing her Aunt Vivian climbing up the stairs to her room to get the package, she quickly grabs the monkeys, and flees. Vivian is on her way down when the killer sneaks up behind her with his signature pink plastic bag.

The people downstairs are unaware of her attack. The Pie-Maker especially was intent on providing Vivian some comfort for having lost her niece. He, of all people, steps outside his comfort zone, and provides the grieving woman with a consoling hand unaware that Vivian dislikes being touched. The woman’s reaction made his mistake clear, and to avoid the awkwardness that filled the room, the Pie-Maker decides to go upstairs to check on Lily. It was then that the killer then turns to him. Luckily, Chuck had comeback just in time to save the Pie-Maker. The killer stops confused at the sight of the young woman he had already killed. Before he could do any more harm, Vivian who survives the attack thanks to her synchronized swimming skill that required her to hold her breath for a very long time, ends the murderous filled night with a pop of a shotgun. The Pie-Maker and Chuck stand stunned at Vivian saving the day, and her looking straight at them. The world seemed to have stood still as they wonder what the woman must be thinking seeing her dead niece alive, and well. Her blank reaction told them that the one-eyed aunt could only see Ned as a wall had blocked Charlotte from her compromised view. Relieved, Chuck silently sneaks out of the house, her secret still safe.

News of how The Darling Mermaid Darlings stopped the murderer of his niece was all over town. Having received the hefty reward, Vivian and Lily decides to face the world once again. With the killer dead, and her murder solved, Charlotte could only wonder why she was given a second chance. The Pie-Maker confesses that his selfless act was born out of selfishness. He wanted to live a life with her by his side. His full disclosure of his intentions made him ponder whether it was time to divulge the one secret he fears the most; that is, the cause of Chuck’s father’s unprecedented demise. He found that he, honest as he is, could not bring himself to tell he the secret knowing that it could cause him to lose her forever. Chuck could not believe that the events that changed her life were only due to two worthless plaster monkeys, but soon she and the Pie-Maker learns that they are not what they seem. The plaster monkeys are in truth made of gold.

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