Raising the dead - it's pie in the sky

January 21, 2008

By Lara de Matos

We can all think of a few times in our lives when we would have welcomed the ability to send someone to their death with a single stare, or a stroke of a finger. And right now, the powers-that-be (if you'll pardon the poor pun) at Eskom are probably at the top of everyone's list.

But while such a paranormal ability might make for a great party trick, the reality of what such a talent could be seen as more of a curse, than a gift. Just ask Ned.

During a tragic childhood event in which his beloved dog, Digby, becomes road kill (this, after he gets up-close-and-personal with a truck), Ned discovers his gift for reviving the dead through a simple touch. Oh joys for Digby, who gets to bark another day!

However, Ned's happiness at having his best friend back is tainted by the realisation that his "skill" comes with a few provisos (doesn't it always).

He's able to revive the dearly departed, but should he touch them a second time, they're sent back to the grave - and then they'll be pushing up daisies for eternity, because there's no hope of a repeat resurrection. Sounds simple enough. Until he discovers that his childhood sweetheart, Charlotte, has kicked the bucket, that is …

Ned (who is now a pie-maker) determines to bestow his "blessing" upon her, and once she has managed to crawl out of her coffin, the two promptly set about restoring their romance (minus any physical contact of course, which kinda takes the fun out of it).

But this is where the show's premise gets confusing: the plot outline stipulates that Ned has to return his "subjects" to the nether world within 60 seconds of giving them life . Failure to do so will result in another person within his proximity dying instantly, in order to ensure the universal balance is maintained.

So how is it, then, that Charlotte continues to exist in "the world where people have a pulse" for such a prolonged period of time?

It could be that the director, Barry Sonnenfeld, only intended for this contradiction to be explained during the course of the show (that's one way of securing continued viewership).

But then again, he is the same man who brought us the equally quizzical Addam's Family, so perhaps leaving things unexplained is simply part and parcel of his latest television project …