Chuck vs. the Podcast 66 – AOL TV Critic Mo Ryan

To celebrate fan favorite TV critic Mo Ryan‘s move to AOL TV today, we decided to invite her back on the podcast to talk about Chuck season 3 and what we hope will happen in season 4.

It’s no holds barred — we talk about the good, the bad, the ugly, and the redemption, sharing our ideas about what didn’t work and why, what worked best, and what we can’t wait to see when Chuck returns September 20th.

You’ll also hear about Yvonne’s two wins at the Television Without Pity awards, what Zac’s up to, some exciting developments at Gray’s new TV Writer Podcast, and some very exciting spoilers.

Get your subway sandwiches, cheese balls and grape soda! Invite all your friends! Chuck season 4 will be epic!

Like Mo? You can follow her on Twitter, at chuckpodcast.blip.tvand every time you watch it helps to support us!

Also, if you like the show, please consider supporting us with a monthly vote at Podcast Alley.

PHOTOS: Chuck Season 4 Premiere

They’re here! The photos for the Chuck season 4 premiere have arrived! Get your first look at Linda Hamilton as Mama Bartowski, another glimpse of Olivia Munn as the first Greta, and more! The rest of the photos are in the Gallery.

“Chuck vs. the Anniversary” airs Monday, September 20 at 8/7c on NBC.

A Look Ahead To Chuck Season 4 – Part II

Where Things Seem Headed At The Start of Season 4

Spoiler Warning! This article is based on spoilers that have been released to date. If you do not want to spoiled then do not read past this point.

Based on the spoilers that have come out since shooting has started the following details about each character has been made known:

1) Season 4 Storyline – is the search for Mama Bartowski played by Linda Hamilton.

2) Chuck

• working at the BuyMore in some capacity
• lying to Ellie
• Chuck/Morgan Spy Team
• Chuck and Sarah together as a couple

2) Sarah

• still with CIA
• doing couply things with Chuck

3) Casey

• still with NSA
• continuing to connect with his daughter

4) Morgan

• working at the BuyMore in some capacity
• Chuck/Morgan Spy Team

• continuing growth arc
• finding that growth in relationship with Alex

5) Ellie & Devon

• she is pregnant and unaware of her father’s legacy
• Devon will be obsessed with becoming the most Awesome Dad

6) BuyMore = NoMore

• BuyMore is back as a CIA base
• owned and operated by the CIA

7) Better Spy Mythology/Recurring Villain – Shaw?

• will be an individual as opposed to an organization – Timothy Dalton?

In Part II of the Season 4 articles, attention will be focused on the professional and mythology aspects of the season. In the concluding Part III, the personal implications will be the subject.

Chuck may be trying to stay out of the spy world officially in terms of employment but Orion’s Legacy has thrown that promise to Ellie out the window. Chuck discovered that everything his father did was for Mary Bartowski and that he and his loved ones are in danger.  Chuck has no choice.  He has to go back to the spy world. A great set up of a very promising arc for the season.

Just because Chuck no longer works for the government that does not mean he will no longer being using his spy skills. In fact with everyone’s life on the line, including his mother’s, he will be pushed harder to use those skills to protect them all. Doubly so without the backing of the government. For if Chuck brings General Beckman into the loop all his father’s Intel will be confiscated for National Security. Losing the information stored in the Orion Cave(OC) would take away Chuck’s database to protect his family and find his mother. So Chuck remaining autonomous and having not to answer to anyone but himself is vital. As well, Chuck standing alone, acts as the propellant into the next stage of his character arc down the hero’s path.

Chuck remaining autonomous also bleeds into Sarah’s professional relationship with him. With Sarah still an active agent, Chuck will fear that Sarah will feel duty-bound to tell Beckman about the OC if he confides in her. This is another reason why Chuck not falling back into government employ is important. It will create ongoing tension between Chuck and Sarah as they both wrestle with their personal and professional lives. For Sarah, staying a CIA Agent will further prevent her from becoming an appendage of Chuck. Her job will allow her to retain her individuality.

Back to the revelation that everything Orion did was for his wife sets up a potentially interesting parallel for Chuck and Sarah. Chuck is most likely to feel like he has stepped into his father’s shoes in this regard. Since we know that MamaB will be played by UberMom, Linda Hamilton, and that she was a spy, history repeating itself definitely comes to mind.

On the comedy potential for this setup, the idea of Chuck and Morgan trying to run with this is rife with possibilities. The bromance was broken in the pilot and never came back until Chuck Vs The Beard. The growth arc of Morgan as a character is arguably the one that has travelled the furthest out of anyone in the series. In many ways Morgan is the Chuck of the series now and in a refreshing and more humorous way. Morgan is totally gung-ho and innately impervious to the dangers of life in the spy world. Instead of having to be goaded into action, a horse bit usually has to be put in Morgan’s mouth to reign in him. Chuck and Morgan as a subteam, in appropriate doses, should provide a lot of laughs.

At some point the original Team Bartowski needs to be brought together. Their absence as a unit for most of the third season was one of the big issues. Whether you consider TeamB the original trio or include Morgan in it now; they need ample screen time together. How the show will do this without the government finding out about the OC is one of the more intriguing elements I look forward to see how the show will handle.

It all seems to revolve around the BuyMore. Yes, it is back. And yes I still stand behind the belief that its removal, and the attendant characters, would streamline the show. It would give the prime characters and the main storyline more room to breathe. With the addition of Beckman as a fulltime cast member and Casey’s daughter Alex as a recurring character; the cast of Chuck is becoming increasingly unweildy to manage. Never mind the guest stars and Linda Hamilton’s stint as MamaB!

Would it be a bold move to remove a signature part of the show? Absolutely. But sometimes for the betterment of the whole show tough decisions have to be made. The primary basis for my stance on this comes down to whether or not the BuyMore was relevant any longer. Either to the storyline and to the growth of the characters, particularly Chuck. It became increasingly difficult to make it so with each passing season.

So if the BuyMore is to stay, how to make it relevant again? The show’s solution is brilliant. Make it a CIA base of operations! Now it is automatically incorporated into each episode’s storyline. A near perfect solution. Sharing of screen time with such a large cast is still an issue but if it brings Beckman off the screen and on to the set on a regular basis then that is a big win from my perspective. Especially if Beckman would take part in a mission or two!

Also we know that Chuck and Morgan are back at the BuyMore. I am speculating that this has something to do with the Greta character. Perhaps Morgan and Chuck have new jobs with the government assessing the retail capabilities of field agents as a field cover?

Which leaves us with MamaB and the Big Bad for Season 4. We know this time it will be an individual instead of an organization. With the recent casting announcement of Timothy Dalton the money has to be on him for filling that role. There is little to work with here from a professional aspect. I am leaning towards both of them having been spies back in the day. Their paths have obviously crossed but were they always adversaries or did they work together at some point? Or even more? Could Sarah or Casey ever crossed paths with either of them? Interesting possibilities. And that is just on the professional side. Things could get even more intertwined when the personal side of things are explored.

But that, and more, is for the next article. Till then!

Friday Five: Reunions We’d Like To See On Chuck

With the news that Zachary Levi’s Less Than Perfect co-star will appear on Chuck this season, I got to thinking about other cast reunions I’d like to see.

1. Nathan Fillion – You knew he was going to be #1!  Nathan was the lead on Firefly, which co-starred one Adam Baldwin as Jayne, the grunting, gun-toting, knitted-hat-wearing malcontent. Wise-cracking Nathan would be perfect as a charismatic CEO who needs Team Bartowski’s help preventing corporate espionage. Naturally he’d try to romance Sarah, be revered by Jeffster, and butt heads with Casey.
2. Andrea Parker – She was Zac’s partner in crime on Less Than Perfect, the ambitious, sarcastic, gorgeous schemer who plotted with Kipp Stedman on a weekly basis. In addition, she played Ms. Parker on The Pretender, a cold as ice agent whose mission was tracking down Jared. With a pedigree like that, she’d fit right in on Chuck as part of whatever mysterious organization Orion was tracking.
3. Zach Braff – Sarah Lancaster has been on several series, but one of her most recognizable roles is as Lisa The Gift Shop Girl on Scrubs. Now that the show has ended its run, how about bringing geeky funny guy Braff on as a Greta? Have Ellie stop by the Buy More during that episode for optimal reunion fun.
4. Poppy Montgomery – Joshua Gomez was part of the Without A Trace ensemble for a season, playing a techie. As a special agent in the Missing Persons Unit, Montgomery played drama for 7 seasons. Wouldn’t she be perfect as the agent who helped train Sarah? We could see her in a flashback and again today when we revisit Sarah’s backstory.
5. Summer Glau – What, you though I was going to skip her? Puh-leeze. With her geek cred, of course I want her on Chuck. Wouldn’t she be awesome as Morgan’s arch-nemesis? They could be opponents on Call of Duty who end up working together as techies on a mission. Sparks will fly!

Who would you like to see reunite with a Chuck cast member on the show?

Former 007 Timothy Dalton Confirmed for Multi-Episode Arc (SPOILERS)

Wow, the casting news for Chuck season 4 has been amazing already, and now comes word from several sources that a former James Bond will be joining the show for multiple episodes. Timothy Dalton (The Living Daylights, Licence to Kill) will join Chuck later this season in an as yet unannounced role. Will he take the place of Roan Montgomery as Chuck’s mentor? Is he one of the mysterious and constellation-named agents Orion kept intel on in his basement? Is he this season’s uber-villain? Stay tuned!

Updated: And just after we hit “publish”, the NBC release arrived in our inbox. Dalton will play “a mysterious stranger who has a history with Chuck’s mom.” So probably one of those constellations in the basement, eh?

Updated Again: Ausiello brings further scoop in the form of squashing the rumor that Dalton’s character is Chuck’s father. He also confirms that Dalton’s first episode will be 4.07, titled “Chuck vs. the First Fight”.

Chuck To Have Less Than Perfect Reunion

Bah! Scooped by Ausiello! We’ve been sitting on this story for a couple of days waiting on confirmation for an item, but Ausiello got there first. I guess that counts as confirmation.

Before he was Chuck, Zachary Levi was ambitious, snarky Kipp Stedman on ABC’s Less Than Perfect, starring Sarah Rue. ChuckTV.net has learned that Zac will reunite with one of his Less Than Perfect co-stars this season when Eric Roberts (who played anchorman Will Butler) guests on Chuck. He’ll be part be part of Casey’s former Special Ops team referenced in this spoiler from TV Guide.

Also part of the team are Squintern, filmmaker and Zac’s BFF Joel David Moore and WWE superstar Batista. I imagine Casey and Batista will be the grunting part of the group while Moore and Roberts are the “I’m a PC” and “I’m a Mac” duo (so NOT Justin Long and John Hodgman). The trio begin filming on Monday, August 30.

But wait, Roberts has even more connections to Chuck! He can currently be seen on the big screen in The Expendables, co-starring with Steve Austin (Hugo Panzer from season 3 and returning in season 4) and Dolph Lundgren (guest starring in season 4). Check out the photo of the three Chuck guest stars together at a screening of The Expendables earlier this month:

Chuck vs. the Podcast 65: August Update

It’s only 5 weeks ’til Chuck‘s season 4 premiere, and lots is going on! Production is in full gear, and we’ve got a ton of news and spoilers.

We talk about the changes in the Chuck writers room, Gray’s new TV Writer Podcast and partnership with Script Magazine, Zac & Yvonne’s Teen Choice Awards win, Zac’s other projects, and more!

We round it out with a Canadian edition of our listener emails, and lots of spoilers!

Miss any episodes? You can find them all at chuckpodcast.blip.tv, and every time you watch it helps to support us!

Also, if you like the show, please consider supporting us with a monthly vote at Podcast Alley.

WHAT is going on in this photo?

Josh Schwartz just Tweeted this photo from the Chuck set with the words “Watch CHUCK Season 4 if you want this photo to make sense!!”

A larger-than-life statue of Captain Awesome? Why do I get the feeling the Premier of Costa Gravos is involved?

Friday Five: Things You Need For Your Chuck Premiere Party

The Chuck season 4 premiere is now less than a month away; are you ready? If you’re thinking about having a premiere party with your closest nerds friends, we have some suggestions for things you must have to set the mood:

1. Chuck: The Complete Third Season – Due September 7, the third season on DVD or Blu-ray sets the tone for season 4. Screen “Chuck vs. the Other Guy” and “Chuck vs. the Ring: Part 2″ at minimum for a Cliff’s Notes version of the season so everyone is up to speed.
2. Buy Moria Desktop Flag – In remembrance of the Buy More that served as a hub of spy activities and attacks for three years, you might want to adjust this to fly at half-staff. Feel free to yell “Victoryyyyyyy!” at appropriate intervals.
3. JEFFSTER! Shot Glass – The guys may be on the lam, but they’ll be at your party in spirit. Take a shot every time someone acts creepy or comes up with an outlandish scheme. Be sure to appoint a designated driver!
4. Unleash the Casey T-Shirt – It’s not a party without Casey there to grunt and throw a few punches. Can you live up to the man, the myth, the legend?
5. Sarah’s Secrets T-Shirt – Sarah has more secrets than a forest has trees. Assign someone to wear the shirt (or do it yourself), then have your guest try to wheedle out his or her secrets. What will it take? Cheeseburger with extra pickles?

Seriously though, how many of you are planning a Chuck season premiere party? What fun stuff do you have planned? More importantly, will there be sandwiches? Chuck premieres Monday, September 20 at 8/7c.

Friday Five: Looks That Could Kill

This week’s Friday Five comes from Chuck fan Paul B., and highlights the stellar non-verbal acting we see from Yvonne Strahovski on a regular basis.

There is no doubt that Chuck is compromised by his emotions; however, overall, one could make the argument the most emotional member of Team Bartowski of actually Sarah.  Yvonne Strahovski has a remarkable talent of being able to sell the tone of any scene with her facial expressions.  There is at least one in every episode, but here are five of my favorites:

• The Pilot, when Chuck helps out the ballerina – We all knew that this is when Sarah first got soft on Chuck; too bad it took three seasons for her to admit it to herself.
• Chuck vs. The Subway, when Sarah learns that Chuck has infiltrated the Ring base – The beams of pride emanating from her face seem to just shoot out of the screen.
• Chuck vs. The Best Friend, when Sarah believes Chuck has been killed – I don’t know about you, but the look of pure agony in her face gave me a mini heart attack.
• Chuck vs. The Lethal Weapon, when Chuck and Sarah are talking in the courtyard at the end – Sometimes the blankest of stares can say the most.  Who needs dialog?
• Chuck vs. The Honeymooners, in the train compartment at the beginning – After so much disappointment and heartbreak, it was nice to see an expression of utter delight on her face. Boy, what a smile!

I wonder what Yvonne has left in her repertoire for this season?

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