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Revision as of 01:18, 20 April 2008
Fictional character| Ned | |
|---|---|
| Pushing Daisies character | |
 | |
| First appearance | Pie-lette |
| Created by | Bryan Fuller |
| Portrayed by | Lee Pace Field Cate (Young Ned) |
| In-universe information | |
| Nickname | The Pie Maker |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Pie maker |
Ned is a fictional character in the ABC television series Pushing Daisies, portrayed by Lee Pace.
Ned has a unique magical ability to be able to bring back to life anyone or anything that is dead. Ned works as a pie maker at his restaurant The Pie Hole, and also uses his gift to aid Emerson Cod, a private investigator, by bringing dead people back to life to find out how they died.
Ability
Ned has the ability to bring the dead back to life with a single touch, but there are two conditions. First, if he touches whomever he has revived a second time, it will die forever; and second, if the revived thing—person, animal, or other organism—remains alive for more than sixty seconds, something or someone else in close proximity will die in its place. Generally, whatever dies is a rough equivalent to what has been revived—a person for a person, an animal for an animal, or a plant for a plant.
Childhood
Ned grew up in the village of Coeur d'Coeurs, next door to a girl named Charlotte Charles, nicknamed "Chuck", whom he had a childhood crush on. Ned discovered his gift by reviving his dog, Digby, who was run over by a truck. Later that day, Ned also revived his mother after she suddenly died of a brain aneurysm. However, he soon discovered that his gift had consequences when Chuck's father died next door in exchange. Ned discovered the other effect of his gift later that night, when his mother kissed him goodnight and died a second time.
During their respective parents' funerals, Ned and Chuck kissed—the first time for both of them. After the funeral, Ned's father dropped him off at the Longburrow School for Boys, never to return. Ned continued to test his gift, learning its limitations and rules. The only contact he ever received from his father was a pre-written postcard that announced, "We've Moved". On Halloween, Ned dressed up as a ghost and went to his father's house, but discovered that his father had remarried and had two stepsons.
Current life
After finishing school, Ned opened his own restaurant, The Pie Hole, a restaurant specializing in pies. Ned lives above the restaurant in an apartment, next door to his employee, Olive Snook, who is not aware of his ability. Olive has long held a deep affection for Ned, but despite her many attempts to attract him, he has no feelings for her.
Ned enters into a partnership with private investigator Emerson Cod, who accidentally discovers Ned's ability. Ned uses his ability to revive people who have died under suspicious circumstances to ask them about the nature of their death, thus allowing Emerson to solve the crime and collect the reward money, which the two split.
During the pilot episode Ned and Emerson hear of a woman being murdered on a cruise ship, with a $50,000 reward for solving the crime. Ned soon learns that the woman is Chuck, whom he had not seen for almost twenty years. He revives her to ask her who killed her, but discovers that she doesn't know. He is about to touch her but cannot bring himself to do it, allowing her to live instead and inadvertently causing the funeral director to die. Chuck and Ned soon develop strong feelings for each other and begin a relationship; however, they cannot touch at all, as doing so would kill Chuck.
Critical reception
Lee Pace, the actor who portrays Ned, has received mostly positive reviews from critics, described as "an immensely likable lead, full of childlike vulnerability and almost palpable longing" and "endearing but not too cute". However, he is also described as "overly slow-witted".
Pace has also been praised for his acting with Anna Friel, who portrays Chuck; critics have said, "Pace and Friel are so darn adorable together" and "the chemistry between Lee Pace and Anna Friel is undeniable."
References
- Lowry, Brian (2007-09-28). "Pushing Daisies Review". Variety. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
- Stanley, Alessandra (2007-10-03). "Loner Finds He Has a Touch for Piemaking and Undeadmaking". The New York Times. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
- Sloan, Samuel K. (2007-10-05). ""Pushing Daisies" — A Slice of SciFi Review". Slice of SciFi. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
- McFarland, Melanie (2007-10-02). "'Pushing Daisies' wins the prize for originality". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
- Keller, Joel (2007-10-10). "Pushing Daisies: Dummy". TV Squad. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
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