A brighter-colored, quicker-paced episode than the season premiere, tonight was at about 80% strength. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve enjoyed both episodes, but Olive’s too isolated in the convent and no one’s broken into song yet. As soon as Kristin Chenowith gets her butt out of that habit and into the habit of singing again – or Ellen Greene blasts out a number or Raúl Esparza comes back and sings Air Supply ((Okay, that only makes sense to about a dozen people, but they got a giggle out of it.)) – then I’ll know Pushing Daisies is fully back on track. Still…

Chi McBride brought the drama tonight with his Gobi-dry wit to keep the palate refreshed. As funny as it was, I got a bit misty when he told Sweet Nicki’s mother to “love what’s there. Love it! Love it!” Then he couldn’t even wait until they’d left his office before he picked up “Li’l Gum Shoe”. With the smallest of facial changes, he makes Emerson’s ache palpable; hopefully, the payoff will not be too long coming.

I only recall one mention in passing about Emerson’s missing daughter last season. In fact, I don’t even recall the comment being that specific, merely a narrator line indicating Emerson knew about loss. I’m curious how long the writers are going to stretch the story this season now that it’s in the forefront.

I still think Chuck’s “new beginning” is a bit silly, but I’ll count on the staff to make that pay off as well.

Over at Sepinwall’s there’s a lot of quoting from this very quotable episode. I’ll leave you with my favorite, from which you can tell just how juvenile I am.

The acrobat followed the clowns into the darkness, unaware that the left-behind Nicki was done with her duty.

What did everyone else think?