A short break from movie posts

OK, I know I'm massively behind here. But for today, I want to turn my attention to a different entertainment medium for a second.

According to reports, the best show on network TV, "Pushing Daisies," is stopping production after 13 episodes this season and might be done for good. It joins the likes of "Firefly" and "Freaks and Geeks" on the list of brilliant shows cancelled too soon.

The point of this blog post, however, is not to eulogize "Pushing Daisies." It was probably too different to survive on network TV. The problem is that with holdovers such as "The Office" and "How I Met Your Mother" suffering from some uneven episodes and the not-quite-as-compelling-as-it-should-be "Fringe" being the only new show that grabbed my attention at all, "Pushing Daisies" was one of only three truly standout shows so far this year. "30 Rock" has received its share of acclaim, and its star, Tina Fey, has never been more famous. The third show, however, is still languishing in the ratings and faces the possibility of joining "Pushing Daisies" at year's end, and for the life of me I can't figure out why.

Let's say you were trying to create a show that appealed to the largest possible group of people. You'd toss in healthy amounts of comedy, action, romance, intrigue and will-they-or-won't-they sexual tension. There would be workplace laughs and family drama. It would star a beautiful leading lady, a handsome but non-threatening leading man and a supporting actor who specializes in deadpan quips. You'd have enough of a through line to reward regular viewers, but the episodes would stand alone well enough for those who prefer procedurals. It would be hip enough to appeal to younger viewers but not risque enough to turn off older ones. And you'd somehow combine these disparate elements in a show that is actually really, really good.

Oh, and you'd throw in a character known as "Captain Awesome," just for good measure.

Essentially, you'd make "Chuck."

This is the type of show network TV is made for, and yet, its fan base has remained remarkably small. Maybe people were scared away by the whole "guy gets a computer full of government secrets downloaded into his brain" premise. But they shouldn't be. It has more laughs than most sitcoms, frequently kick-ass action scenes, interesting characters and the comedic stylings of Adam Baldwin ("Firefly"). What more could you ask for?

So if you haven't watched "Chuck" yet, give the show a try. You're missing out on perhaps the most compulsively watchable show on network TV.