Diedrich Bader To Guest, and Other News From the Set (SPOILERS!)

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Warning: spoilers from the set of Chuck below. Don’t read on if you’re trying to stay spoiler-free.

It looks like we aren’t the only ones excited about Zachary Levi directing his first episode of Chuck; photos from the set of episode 3.09, “Chuck vs. the Beard”, have been coming thick and fast. Most aren’t all that spoilery, but check out this photo of Mark Christopher Lawrence, Zachary Levi and…Diedrich Bader?

Looks like the former Jethro will be guest starring in this episode, possibly as someone from Buy More management. I guess that makes sense. If you’ve watched The Beverly Hillbillies movie 18 times like some people (*ahem*), you’ll remember the scene where Jethro has a 6-foot sub sandwich delivered. He and Big Mike would have a lot in common.

What else can we determine from these photos? There’s a shot of Sarah and Shaw (Yvonne Strahovski and Brandon Routh) in what appears to be a serious conversation on a screen that Director Zac is watching; Zac is one dedicated guy as blocks a scene as the director and learns his lines as an actor at the Buy More; Morgan is now Assistant Manager to Big Mike at the Buy More; and there were some fake (?) beauty pageant contestants on set. See all the photos in the Gallery. We’ve also added assorted set photos from episode 3.08, “Chuck vs. the Nose”, including one of Zac and Kristin Kreuk posing together.

Photo sources include: Ali Adler, Caitlin Crosby, Zachary Levi, Mark Christopher Lawrence

Mark Christopher Lawrence Podcast Interview From Fiction Addict

Hosted by Fiction Addict can be found here.

An excellent podcast interview with the ever ebullient Mark Christopher Lawrence. In the 30 minute plus interview MCL talks about some of his other projects, his career, books he likes to read, and of course, Chuck.

It’s Official: NBC Orders 6 More Episodes of Chuck!

As was rumored earlier in the week, NBC wants more Chuck! Mark Christopher Lawrence (aka Big Mike) posted the following announcement of the pickup on his Twitter account this morning:

It is official! The announcement was made today on set. Chuck gets 6 more episodes! Thank you Chuck fans!!!

Rejoice, Chucksters! And keep getting the word out about this fab show via the Check Out Chuck and Refer a Friend campaigns.

NBC To Order 6 More Episodes of Chuck! (UPDATED)

Here we go again – more exclusives from unnamed sources. Josef Adalian (aka TVMoJoe) is reporting that NBC is about to order 6 more episodes of Chuck, bringing the season 3 episode count to 19, but whether the intent is for the show to return in January with extra episodes to take it through May or to keep to the original March airdate and run into summer is unknown. NBC and Warner Bros. had no comment for the story.

Joe is a reputable TV reporter, so for him to post this exclusive means he feels that his sources are reliable. Unfortunately, Michael Ausiello is on the same level and his exclusive about Chuck returning early hasn’t panned out so far. Take the info with a grain of salt, be happy that it sounds like NBC is feeling good about Chuck, and let’s ride this roller coaster until we get something on the record.

Updated 7:58PM CT: The Hollywood Reporter’s Live Feed is now confirming that Joe’s story is not only accurate but goes so far as to say that the additional 6 episode order is a done deal. These same sources predict that NBC will bring Chuck back in January and pair it with Heroes.

Updated 8:30PM CT: Variety is also confirming the additional episode order.

Chuck Season 2 DVD Gets A Release Date!

Save those gift cards tucked in your stockings this holiday season, Chucksters, we finally have a release date for Chuck: The Complete Second Season on DVD and Blu-ray! Already released in the UK, Warner Bros. Home Video announced this morning that  season 2 will land in stores in North America on January 5, 2010.

In addition to all 22 season 2 episodes, the 6-disc set (4 discs for Blu-ray) includes the following bonus features:

• Truth, Spies and Regular Guys: Exploring the Mythology of Chuck
• Dude in Distress: Exploring Some of This Season’s Best Action Sequences
• Chuck vs. the Webisodes: Web-Originated Mini-Featurettes
• Chuck: A Real-Life Captain Awesome’s Tips For Being Awesome
• John Casey Presents: So You Want To Be A Deadly Spy?
• Declassified Scenes
• Gag Reel

Pre-order Chuck: The Complete Second Season now to have it arrive on your doorstep January 5.

P.S. We know they’re missing the holiday shopping season. We realize it looks like a bonehead move. We are not Warner Bros. and have no control over the release date. We are ordering copies for Christmas anyway and putting IOU’s in stockings.

When is a Love Interest More Than a Love Interest? (SPOILERS)

In recent months there has been much ado regarding select comments made by Chuck showrunners and cast members in a number of interviews. Most of the furor centers around the introduction of new potential love interests for Chuck and Sarah in season three. Speaking for myself, the interest these new characters hold is not due to their potential for wreaking havoc in the relationship between Chuck and Sarah, because who wants that? There has to be more involved in their story than merely interfering with our lead couple to keep them apart over a multi-episode arc. What I am interested in seeing is what these characters might represent symbolically for Chuck on his journey to the realization of his inevitable hero status.

Descriptions of Hannah thus far make her sound like a female version of Chuck. He meets her on a flight from Paris. She, having recently lost her job, ends up working at the Buy More. Very reminiscent of Chuck’s choices in the aftermath of his expulsion from Stanford. He spent the next five years lacking the drive to move forward from the safe path of just not trying. Shaw is to be Chuck’s mentor. He sounds as though he could be the type of agent Chuck aspires to be. He is an expert on the Ring, and will be the team leader of Operation Bartowski. He is also supposedly a good guy.

After two years of being the Intersect and working with Casey and Sarah, Chuck has become a much different person than the Chuck we first met in season one. He has accomplished a lot. He is finding more confidence in his abilities. As we saw in last season’s finale, he is also ready to step up and embrace his destiny. The journey to get there is not without difficulties, however, and Chuck is bound to meet with many conflicts between what is expected of him as a spy and what his moral base will allow him to do in the name of duty.

Chuck could be facing a crossroad in his life this season. He wants to be a spy, but will likely struggle with how to do so without losing touch with his humanity. Hannah and Shaw are clear examples to Chuck of both who he was before this journey began, and where the journey can ultimately lead if he can overcome his stumbling blocks.

Separate for a moment any fears or apprehensions that these interlopers are there to steal Chuck and/or Sarah’s affections from the other. Picture instead who these people are, what they represent, and what qualities Chuck may recognize in them that can help to move him forward. Just because a character is referred to as a “love interest”, it doesn’t mean that is all the character is bringing to the table. It’s a journey. Chuck and Sarah both have things to learn. Chuck’s burden is to find a way to navigate the path to becoming a hero without losing touch with his caring and compassion for others. This is a lesson to be learned from the people he meets along the way.

Chuck vs. the Podcast Episode 30: Phil Klemmer & Matt Barber

Our first ever interactive podcast features Chuck writer Phil Klemmer and editor Matt Barber! We took questions by email, live on Twitter, and on our web sites. Gray also answered many questions about his recent L.A. trip… and lots more!

Listen to Chuck vs. the Podcast now.

Check Out Chuck: Donate Chuck To Your Local Library & WIN!

Last spring Chuck fans came together to successfully campaign for a third season of Chuck. Now we’re pulling together again to attract new viewers to Chuck, people who haven’t had a chance to enjoy the show for whatever reason. The goal is to put copies of the season 1 DVD in as many libraries as possible, providing the opportunity for new viewers to experience Chuck and join us when season 3 premieres.

The concept is brilliant in its simplicity: support Chuck, recruit new viewers, and expand your library’s media collection.

What To Do:

1. Purchase Chuck on DVD at a brick-and-mortar store or at Amazon.com.
2. Take the DVD to your local library and donate it to the media collection before December 1, 2009.

Some Tips for Donating:

• DO ask for the person in charge of Collection Development at your library. Ask for the person in charge of the Media Collection if your library has one.
• DON’T leave your donation with someone at the front desk because it may not end up in the library’s collection.
• DO ask for a donation receipt for tax purposes.
• DO donate before December 1, 2009, so Chuck will be on library shelves by the time the holiday TV hiatus begins.
• DO send us your first name/online name, the name of library and the city where it is located for our master list.
• DO get a picture of yourself at the library and send it to us for our photo album, if you’re comfortable doing so. NOTE: if anyone else appears in the photo with you, we need their permission to post it as well as yours.
• DO send a press release to your local newspaper to draw more attention to the Check Out Chuck campaign and Chuck.
• DO use the graphics below to help promote Check Out Chuck.

How to Win:

TheWB.com is co-sponsoring a Chuck giveaway with us to kick things off. You could win Chuck on DVD and Blu-ray! Keep the Blu-ray and donate the DVD, keep both, donate both, whatever you want! Here’s how to enter:

• Leave a comment below telling us where you’ve spread the word about Check Out Chuck, providing a link if possible;
• One entry per person, no matter how many ways you’ve promoted this campaign;
• Deadline to enter is 11:59PM Pacific on Monday, November 30, 2009.

Graphics to Share:

Please feel free to use any of the graphics below to help promote Check Out Chuck by downloading them from ChuckTV.net and posting them on your blog, Facebook, forums, etc. If possible, link them back directly to this post.

Check Out Chuck credits: Bryn – original concept; Mel – development & implementation; Chad – graphics; Liz, Gray, Lou & Wendy – fine-tuning

Is Chuck Returning on Thursdays? (UPDATED)

UPDATED 11:55AM: See, this is why we didn’t post about it last week when the new site went live! NBC has already stated, via Mo Ryan of the Chicago Tribune, that the day and time are in error and the site is being corrected.

NBC’s revamped Chuck site went live late last week, with the curious scheduling headline that Chuck airs “Thursdays 7/8C”.  Obviously the time is a typo, it should be 8/7C, but what about the day? Is Chuck coming back on Thursdays? We’re waiting for confirmation that the night isn’t another typo, but until then, how might Chuck do on a Thursday? It’s a  crowded TV night – Survivor, FlashForward, Bones and The Vampire Diaries all air in that timeslot – but it’s also one of NBC’s strongest nights of scripted programming with their already successful (for NBC) comedy block.  Chuck, The Office and 30 Rock would be a solid night of programming. That does leave Parks & Recreation and Community out in the cold, but perhaps they’re moving to a different night.

What do you think about Chuck airing on Thursday nights?

FIRST LOOK: Kristin Kreuk on the Set of Chuck

When Gray was in Los Angeles a couple of weeks ago, he scored several interviews with members of the Chuck cast for Chuck vs the Podcast, including upcoming guest star Kristin Kreuk (best known for her role as Lana Lang on Smallville). Her interview will be featured in a podcast closer to the date her first episode airs, but Gray did share some impressions on his blog:

Today, Zac and Kristin Kreuk were shooting a scene in stage 10 at the same time that Ryan McPartlin and Sarah Lancaster were shooting at the home set.Despite these time savings, there is still a lot to do…  Kristin told me that they shoot about 8 script pages a day, which is apparently quite fast, and makes for some rather long days.

…

First up was Kristin Kreuk.  Because there was a scene shooting at the time, our interview was interrupted and we had a few minutes to talk.  Boy, she is a sweetie!  But she’s also very intelligent, and passionate about helping people.  She is in the process of building an online community to strengthen teen girls, Girls by Design.  She also told me about how she loves to travel, but not in a touristy way — she researches different cultures, and does her best to go “off the beaten path.”

Gray also took a couple of photos with Kristin, giving us our first look at “Hannah” (larger versions are in the Gallery):

Are you a fan of Chuck vs the Podcast? Don’t forget to nominate us for the Podcast Awards as either Peoples Choice or Best Produced, but not both. Stay tuned for new episodes featuring interviews with the cast of Chuck.

Note: the interviews took place on the Castle set because it wasn’t being used for filming that day. No spoilers are intended or inferred.

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