Friday Five: More Of Your Chuck Questions Answered

TGIF, Chucksters! Judging by the influx of emails that came in after last week’s inaugural column, it looks like Chuck fans are eager for answers! Before we get to the questions, let me remind you that I won’t be giving away major spoilers here, but there are some minor spoilers ahead. You have been warned.

  1. I was wondering since Shaw was not in Episode 306 does that count for one of the 8 episodes? If it does not that would take him to the first part of season three ending. – Dylan
    Hey Dylan! I believe your question is whether episode 3.06 counts as one of Shaw’s approximately eight episodes, correct? No, it does not. Your math is correct; Shaw will be in episode 3.13.
  2. Will we be diving into the General’s background or could she be Mama Bartowski? – Lou (not OldDarth)
    We won’t have time to delve into the General’s background this season. We may get some glimpses, like in episode 2.02 when it became clear that she and Roan have a past, but as of now there aren’t any plans to focus an episode on her. And I’m 99.9% sure she’s not Chuck’s mom.
  3. People tend to ignore me whenever I ask this question. Maybe because it’s a stupid question or maybe I missed it on the show. Can you tell me why is the Castle is called the Castle? Please help me. I’ve been wondering about this for a long time. Thanks so much, Mel. – @sofiaohyea
    Didn’t your teachers ever tell you there’s no such thing as a stupid question, Sofia? I think the reason no one has answered you is because they don’t know. The name of Team Bartowski’s secret lair (can it be a “lair” if they’re the good guys?) has never been explained. My guess? The writers thought it sounded cool and a little kitschy. Kind of a throwback to previous spy shows, which is something they love to do.
  4. Great job you and your associates do with the ChuckTV website. It is an amazing site. We appreciate your efforts. My question is will we see Julia Ling (Anna) in the last six episodes? Keep up the amazing efforts. – Pat
    Thanks, Pat. We sure do enjoy running the site and doing the podcasts. Chuck fans are fun! On to your question: Julia Ling finally made it official via Twitter this week that she’ll be back on Chuck this season. She’ll be filming next week, so expect Anna back on your screens in late April or early May.
  5. My question is one you probably don’t have any insight into, but do you have any idea if we’re ever going to meet Casey’s parents? We saw him call his mom in season 2’s Christmas episode, and I think that could be a hilarious storyline, especially if his parents turn out to be something really un-stereotypical. Perhaps his dad is some sort of science geek – something like that where they’re the polar opposites of him. – Mike
    We probably won’t see either of his parents this season, but we will be finding out more about Casey’s past starting in 3.10. The big guy has an interesting storyline coming up that will give us more insight into his character. It’s possible we could bump into one of the older Caseys toward the end of the season, but my bet is that we’ll meet them – either in the present or via flashback – in season 4. Who would you cast as his parents? Someone suggested Betty White for Mama Casey. Please, let it happen!

And that’s five! If you’ve got burning Chuck questions, send ’em my way and I’ll do my best to answer them in future Friday Fives.

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19 comments

  1. LOL I am glad someone agrees with me that Betty White would be great for Chuck. Now speaking of parents of characters in the show do you know anything Mel about what ep Papa B is supposed to be in and how many eps he will be in at the end of the season?

    So if Shaw is in ep13 than I guess he doesn’t die in ep12. Darn! 🙁 Hes an interesting character, but something is off about him just like theres something off about Hannah. I mean how the hell does the guy know everything about everyone? Hes an even better stalker than Jeff and Lester.

  2. My thought on Castle is that it’s a well-defended and difficult to assault facility, making its name quite appropriate.

    Oh, and my vote for Mama and Papa Casey: R. Lee Ermey (playing against type as a long-haired druggie ultra-liberal hippie anti-Casey, because it would just be HILARIOUS for Casey’s dad to be a complete opposite, and doubly funny if you had Gunney playing against type) and Leslie Easterbrook. I know, Easterbrook isn’t QUITE old enough compared to Baldwin for Casey’s mom, but with a little bit of makeup how could Sergeant Callahan NOT be a perfect Mama Casey?

  3. Looking forward to Julia’s return. My secret hope is that Anna has been away at spy training all this time. 🙂

    Yes, Betty White would be a perfect mom for Casey! Still holding out hope for Lynda Carter as Mama B someday as well. Thanks for the answers, Mel. I would ask you some questions also, but I know you’d never answer mine. 😉

  4. In Chuck vs The Alma Mater (1.07 – see! There are so many episodes now one is compelled to refer to them by name and number!) when Professor Fleming sees the bad guy at the back of the lecture hall and runs to his office, he starts out his phone call for help by identifying himself at “Glass Castle”. Maybe variations on “Castle” all refer to aspects of the Intersect project.

  5. Where do you submit questions?

  6. Thanks for the updates! Glad to hear that Shaw’s character will be in episode 3.13, should be a cliffhanger no doubt. Perhaps the staff are considering writing the character into the show permanently?

    Yours truly wouldn’t mind, he’s a character that seems to have quite a bit of depth and played well by Routh. He nails the character!

    • Agreed. And I can see Routh as a recurring character ala Bryce, but not a permanent cast member, though. I thinl he wants a movie career.

  7. My vote for Papa and Mama Casey are Robert Culp (I Spy, Greatest American Hero) and Betty White for Mama C. I could just see a hilarious scene where Mama C bakes cookies and brings them to the Castle.

    Other family members I could see – Olivia Newton-John (Grease + she’s Australian) for Mama Walker, and Linda Carter (Wonder Woman) or Kate Jackson (Charlies Angels, Scarecrow and Mrs. King) for Mama Bartowski.
    Not sure about a sister for Sarah. Someone I recall mentioned Peta Wilson (La Femme Nakita) as an older sister – any thoughts?

    • I’ll second the Linda Carter/Kate Jackson as Mama Bartowski idea. Maybe one for mom and one for an aunt?

      Lindsay Wagner (The Bionic Woman) for Casey’s glamorous version of mom, but definitely Betty White for a cheek-pinching, overbearing I-love-my-little-boy-but-I-can-still-whup-him kind of mom.

      Patrick Warburton as Casey’s younger pest of a brother. Or one who can match him grunt for grunt. 🙂

  8. Here’s who I see as Casey’s mom: Gena Rowlands

    And for Chuck’s mom: Sela Ward

  9. I wish chuck t.v series without the character Shaw……….Shaw is like some extra-smart guy who thinks who knows everything……………i hope that this stinking Shaw will not make chuck ratings go down…..i don’t like to see any person hurting my favorite Bartowski.he’s the man….. millions of fans want him not Shaw(the silent hunter)

  10. So let me just make sure my math adds up re:Shaw episodes. If he’s in 8 episodes, and in 3.13, then there’s one more before then that he doesn’t appear in, correct? (since 4 to 13 is 10, minus Nacho Sampler, minus another) Or is that where the “approximately” figures in?

  11. And there will be a season 4, hurray.

    “(…)either in the present or via flashback – in season 4.”

  12. OH MY GOD!!! season 4 are you serious?? I honestly think thats the best news I have ever heard!!!

    • A fourth season has not been announced by NBC yet. We’ll likely have to wait until May before we find out officially.

  13. Here are my random thoughts for various parents:

    Mama Bartowski: Joan Allen: from the Bourne-series of movies, the writers could go nuts with all of the movie references to a another secret agent.

    Papa Casey: Sir Sean Connery: Talk about big shoes for Casey to fill!