Wonderfalls fans rejoice! Fox may have treated the magical Niagara Falls-set dramedy like a piece of trash washed over the Canadian border — tossing it in the bin after just four episodes back in 2004 — but the show’s executive producer Bryan Fuller is apparently allowing the show to live on (sort of) by bringing back the character Mary Anne Marie Beetle (Beth Grant) for an upcoming episode of his ABC hit Pushing Daisies. (I’m going to admit as a proud owner of the Wonderfalls season 1 DVD, I found the Daisies pilot too precious by half, and never watched it again — is it time for me to rethink my position and give the latter show a second sampling?)
Anyhow, the whole subject of character resurrection got me brainstorming about other fictional peeps I’d like to see on my TV set come fall. I still have a few episodes of the cancelled-too-quickly Women’s Murder Club on my DVR, and I’m thinking Angie Harmon’s grouchy Lindsay Boxer could inject a tablespoon of Tabasco into one of the many bland procedurals that populate the current prime-time lineup. How about the dreadful CSI: NY? Okay, no, Harmon’s character is too good for that mess, and James Patterson would never okay it. But I’d tune in to see Boxer’s patented kvetching and scowling on The Closer. We already know Lindsay gets on famously with other strong women, and come on, Kyra Sedgwick’s uptight Brenda could use a girls’ night out, no? Come on TNT, make it happen!
Now it’s your turn, PopWatchers: What other late, great TV characters from dearly departed series deserve their own resurrections? Quit procrastinating and channel your inner casting director in the comments section below!
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lucille bluth on the new 90210!
Off the top of my head I’ll suggest Mal or Jane from Firefly. Played by any other actors these characters could have sucked, but Nathan Fillion and Adam Baldwin are great.
Or, how about Tobias Funke from Arrested Development trying to join the cast of 30 Rock.
Oh, “Wonderfalls”…Sigh. :0)
Slezak, I watched an episode of “Pushing Daisies”, and while it didn’t have the bite of “Wonderfalls”, I thought it was good…Kristen Chenoweth’s character is especially great.
If somebody needs to be resurrected it’s Josh Lymann from West Wing.
Just put him into Californication as Hank Moodys new agent and the series would become even better(if that’s possible).
Seconding Josh Lyman from West Wing. I don’t care what show he’s on.
While I watched a few of the Pushing Daisies, it never really clicked for me. It feels too much like those damn “Perfect World” commercials by Walgreens! I do love Kristen Chenoweth on the show, she is the best thing about it! So…let’s move her from Pushing Daisies to Dirty Sexy Money (great interactions for Tripp or Brian). Or give her a TV show of her own. That I would watch!
I wanted desperately for Dan and Casey from Sports Nignt to show up on Studio 60…sigh. But since Peter Krause’s busy, I’ll take Josh Charles’ Dan wherever I can get him. If I could only think of a way to work him into The Office. Ooh, or Brothers and Sisters.
The Bluths switch their family business to paper and start dealing with Dunder Mifflin! Hello–perfect show!
That, or the Bluths start some shady dealings with GE and Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock! Michael Bluth + Liz Lemon=comedy gold.
For me, Wonderfalls will always be superior, but Pushing Daisies is a fantastic show. And if Jaye Tyler came back, I would DIE OF JOY.
If they put “The Wire’s” wise and wonderful Lester Freamon on any of the Law and Orders, they would improve (and I would watch instantly).
Also, since he’s apparently not coming back to “Weeds”, how about Conrad sets up shop in Wisteria Lane. (This would’ve been a better idea if “Desperate Housewives” hadn’t done a drug subplot at the end of last season. Oh well.)
I’d love to see any of the characters from Men In Trees on any show. Still so sad over the loss of Elmo
Spike! Buffy’s best vampire totally deserved his own show.
valerie cherish signs on to host the girlie show on 30 rock.
“The Bluths switch their family business to paper and start dealing with Dunder Mifflin! Hello–perfect show! That, or the Bluths start some shady dealings with GE and Jack Donaghy on 30 Rock! Michael Bluth + Liz Lemon=comedy gold.” — Well said, Lauren! I would love to see the Bluth’s or even just one or two of them if not all of them somewhere else. Heck, put the Bluth’s on an episode of Celebrity Family Feud. I just want them back! (“I just want muh kids back!”)
When I first read this item’s title I read “second lives” as giving a new series to DEAD characters. For that, I’d pick 24’s Curtis. We still don’t know exactly WHY Jack had to shoot him (and in the parking lot of a mall, no less!) after 6 loyal years (I mean days) of loyalty. What a jerk!
I just realized I typed “6 loyal years of loyalty.” LOL, but that’s how loyal Curtis was!
I was actually hoping for a revival of Angie Harmon’s character on Law & Order, ADA Abbie Carmichael…she was awesome, and still my favourite several years after her departure.
Oh, and if anyone could make room for Twin Peaks’ Special Agent Dale Cooper, I would LOVE to see that!
I would love to see Jarod, Miss Parker, or any other characters from The Pretender show up on Burn Notice. Then Jarod’s brother Kyle could join them, as a dual role for Jeffrey Donovan! Since Burn Notice takes place in Miami, a guest appearance from Crockett & Tubbs would be awesome, too!
George Clooney as Dr. Doug Ross, on Grey’s Anatomy. Didn’t Doug Ross and Carol Hathaway move to Seattle?!? Also, I am surprised that we haven’t seen any of the doctors from Chicago Hope appear on Grey’s Anatomy, since Rob Corn is the producer of both shows. I’m guessing that both shows have some writers in common as well.
Bill Haverchuck from Freaks & Geeks should have his own show…Judd Apatow is so popular now he could pull a few strings…maybe they could even work Mr. Rosso on there, come on, it would be awesome…please!
I love Pushing Daisies! I think it’s maybe a little more blatantly romantic than Wonderfalls – but there’s a lot of similarities. I like the fairy tale kind of aspect to it. And Lee Pace is awesome.
How about bring Ed back – I would love to see Tom Cavanagh on something. Of course I guess Carol would have to be with him too… I don’t know.
How about Maeby Funke on Gossip Girl? “C’MON!!!”
I’d take the Bunk Moreland from the Wire on any show. Maybe on Life.
Lorelai Gilmore! Anywhere! Now!
First off – yes, give PD another try. I think that “Dummy” is a great example of the show so if you don’t like that one, op out.
Next, I would love if Claire Danes got a juicy multi-ep arc on any well-crafted drama. She would be playing Angela Chase today, whatever and whoever our favorite angst-ridden teen has become. I think that would be fascinating.
Re: Josh Lyman – love him, but to me Josh is a firmly entrenched political animal so the only way I’d want to see him is on the new series East & West about the two wings during the Santos admin.
Karen Walker on Ugly Betty
Oz from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His character never really got the closure needed when Seth Green left the show.
Any of the characters from Firefly.
Spike from ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ and ‘Angel’ – so sexy!
ACK, SLEZAK! I’m hurting inside after what I believe is only our second example of pop-culture dissent (for the record, it was your disparagement of “Idol”’s Chris Richardson that caused me pain; …I only know this because I was looking at all of my old posts yesterday in a moment of lay-off-fueled boredom). After the beauty that was “Wonderfalls”, how could I NOT follow its brilliant creator to his next project?! I can kind of see your point with the (arguably) somewhat saccharine tone of the show, but the Emmy-worthy writing and acting give an overabundance of reasons to take time and smell the “Daisies”.