I am – Hercules!!


What’s it called?
“Bzzzzzzz!”

Who’s responsible?
Teleplay is credited to series creator/mastermind Bryan Fuller (who previously created “Dead Like Me” and “Wonderfalls”).

What says ABC?
“Chuck goes undercover as a ‘Bee Girl’ at a honey-based cosmetics company after their new spokesmodel (guest star Autumn Reeser) is stung to death. She soon discovers that office politics are killer (literally) between the founder (guest star Missi Pyle as Betty Bee) and the new owner (guest star French Stewart as Woolsey Nicholls). Meanwhile, Ned can't stand her growing independence or the fact that she wants to move out of his apartment. In other developments, Lily spirits Olive off to a nunnery so she won't spill Lily's deep, dark secret, on the Second-Season premiere of ABC's critically-acclaimed ‘Pushing Daisies’ nominated for 12 Emmy Awards.

“Guest starring in "Bzzzzzzzzz!" are Field Cate as Young Ned, Sammi Hanratty as Young Chuck, Sy Richardson as the coroner, Diana Scarwid as the Mother Superior, Peter Cambor as Dusty Fitz, Autumn Reeser as Kentucky Fitz, Missi Pyle as Betty Bee, Robin Gwynne as the customer and French Stewart as Woolsey Nicholls.”

Does Barry Sonnenfeld direct this week’s installment?
Another cinematographer-turned-director, Adam Kane (season one’s “Pigeon”), helms the opener, though Sonnenfeld is expected back this season.

What’s this about Olive knowing Lily’s “deep, dark secret”?
In what turned out to be the first-season finale, Aunt Lily (Swoosie Kurtz), having accidentally ingested an improbable quantity of anti-depressants, confided to Olive (and Olive alone) that Chuck is her biological daughter. (The reason Lily thinks of spiriting Olive to a nunnery is the nunnery is what harbored Lily as her stomach swelled a quarter-century earlier.

The big news?
Olive’s stay at the nunnery will extend well beyond tonight’s installment.

What else is ABC not telling us?
Though Fuller’s name isn’t on its teleplay, next week’s installment is arguably even funnier than this week’s.

What’s doing with the series’ best character, avaricious private detective Emerson Cod?
He continues to demonstrate his fondness for pop-up literature. And viewers will get a sense that his estranged daughter will be turning up early in the season.

Didn’t Diana Scarwid play Jaye’s mom on “Wonderfalls”?
She did.

Is Missi Pyle the hot shapeshifter from “Heroes”?
That’s Missy Peregrym. Missi Pyle is the hot alien from “Galaxy Quest.”

Why does “Autumn Reeser” ring a bell?
She played Taylor Townsend on 31 episodes of “The O.C.”

What’s great?
The hilariously abrupt arrival (and departure) of The Poor. Chuck’s spinning stool. The cornered Olive. Ned’s approach to waterbug control. The gingerly manner with which Cod unveils his ancient carbon-receipt credit-card device. The working lamp in the pop-up book. The coroner’s (knowing?) crack about talking to the corpses. “But it also speaks to the efficiency of your human resources department.” “You know, somehow a crazy cat lady don’t seem so crazy no more.”

What’s not so great?
This week’s dose of exposition can get dizzying.

How does it end, spoiler-boy?
Finished with his pie, the man dons his hat.

8 p.m. Wednesday. ABC.

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