Pushing Daisies Might Finally Be Getting The Revival Fans Have Been Waiting For

The irony here can’t be missed: Pushing Daisies was a show literally built around the idea that death isn’t always the end, and it looks like the series itself refuses to stay dead. It has already had an unusually long afterlife — more than 16 years after ABC canceled the whimsical cult favorite, fans still dream of revisiting Ned the pie-maker and his quirky band of friends. And now, at long last, it looks like we might actually get that chance.

In a recent interview, creator Bryan Fuller has shared that he’s working on Season 3, complete with a fully developed storyline. Even better? He says the cast is clamoring to return. Although revival rumors are notoriously unreliable, this one feels like it could really pan out… an exciting prospect for those of us who’ve been faithfully waiting and wishing all these years.

Here’s everything we know so far.

What's Been Said

Fuller has been vocal ~for years~ about this desire to bring Pushing Daisies back to life, but his recent comments suggest the project has moved beyond hypothetical. Speaking to The Mary Sue, Fuller revealed, “Well, we’re working on a Season 3, and the whole cast wants to come back. And we’ve got a whole story. We’re trying to do another season this year.”

That’s a big shift from the run-of-the-mill revival talk that’s mostly been relegated to fan forums and anniversary retrospectives.

The Cast Never Stopped Loving It

I’m sure every show creator would love to believe that an entire cast would be not just willing but stoked to return for another installment of their series so many years later. But, realistically, people get busy, lives move on… it’s probably more often a pipe dream. However, in this case, it seems like the longstanding cast love for Pushing Daisies is legit.

Lee Pace, who starred as Ned, recently told TVInsider that he’d happily step back into the role. “I love those people. I love Bryan. I love that character. So, we’ll see,” he said.

There’s also Kristin Chenoweth, whose performance as Olive Snook earned her an Emmy and whose enthusiasm likewise hasn’t dimmed with time. When Scary Mommy asked Chenoweth earlier this year about the possibility of a reboot, she didn’t hesitate: “I would love a reboot. I’m still open, and I know our writer is so open,” she gushed, calling filming the series “one of the happiest times of my life.”

Why Pushing Daisies Might Thrive Now

Listen, Pushing Daisies was unlike anything else on network television when it premiered back in 2007. It was part murder mystery, part romantic comedy, part… fairy tale? Plus hyper-saturated visuals and rapid-fire narration. It was niche at a time when niche was a tougher sell on TV.

The series follows Ned, a pie-maker who possesses a magical ability to resurrect the dead with a touch. Only if he touches them again, they die again — permanently. When he accidentally resurrects his childhood best friend/love interest, Chuck (played by Anna Friel), he inadvertently creates a bittersweet purgatory where they solve crimes together but can’t fully be together.

The life! The death! The LONGING! Ugh, this show was a treasure. And since niche audiences today are embraced more because streaming platforms need distinctive voices that stand out in the sea of streaming options, Pushing Daisies' offbeat brand of emotional sincerity might just be a perfect fit.

So… What Would Season 3 Look Like?

Ah, the question fans have been stewing on for over a decade. It’s clearly way too early for any specific from Fuller. However, Pace has hinted that Fuller does have a story already set, and it’s good. “[He] is one of the most creative people I’ve ever met, and he’s told me where he sees it going,” Pace told TVInsider. “I obviously can’t say that here, but it’s so fun and so wild.” Pace also pointed out that there’s still some exploring to be done in the relationship of our two main characters, noting, “the story between Ned and Chuck is such an interesting love affair.”

One potential roadblock that Chenoweth says they’ve tried to workshop is Friel’s character. “As she plays Chuck, she can’t age. Because remember, she never changes. So Anna’s like, ‘Well, who’s going to play me?’” Cheoweth told us.

But, honestly, stranger things have been explained in movies and TV before! This doesn’t feel insurmountable to me, by any stretch of the imagination.

Where Things Stand Right Now

We’ve still got to practice a tiny bit more patience, because no network or streamer has *officially* picked up Pushing Daisies Season 3 yet. Warner Bros., which produced the original series, also hasn’t made any sort of public announcement hinting they may be involved.

Still, the fact that Fuller is actively pitching it and the cast is on board seems like reason enough to be optimistic. And, truly, what was Pitching Daisies if not radically optimistic?