Science Fiction, Double Feature, Picture Shaw – Episode 3.18 & 3.19 Reviews

Episode 3.18 – Chuck Vs The Subway

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Episode 3.19 – Chuck Vs the Ring II

3.18 – Written by Ali Adler, Matt Miller & Phil Klemmer

3.18 – Directed by Matt Shakman

3.19 – Written by Chris Fedak & Josh Schwartz

3.19 – Directed by Robert Duncan McNeil

”Two Bartowski’s. Double the fun.’

Wow! Whew! Catch your breath yet? It has taken me awhile. Already intellectually and emotionally fatigued by the Lost series finale the night before – fantastic BTW – approaching the Chuck Season 3 Finale included some trepidation. Heading into the Chuck double header in a fatigued state is not the best situation. My fears prove unfounded as Chuck delivered its best season finale of the series. Chuck Versus The Subway is the perfect episode. The events contained within it were truly series’s defining and character changing ones for all the Bartowski clan.

So, with apologies to the theme song of the Rocky Horror picture and its fans plus my occasional lapse into bad puns ie Shaw instead of Show, let us dive into the goodness that episodes 3.18 and 3.19 gave Chuck fans. The title of this review is most fitting because these two episodes had a real SF vibe to them as the tech of the Intersect and PapaB was mixed with the tension of Chuck unravelling mentally all while the menancing spectre of Daniel Shaw lurked as a dangerous presence to the members of Team Bartowski and their loved ones. Cap off all of that with the expansion of the Bartowski family backstory and the genesis – or the continuation of the Orion legacy – of Chuck’s next step in his heroic journey. What more can a fan ask for?

At the end of Chuck Vs The Tooth Chuck was experiencing Intersect fueled dreams about Daniel Shaw being alive. We knew those dreams were true. We also knew that Shaw had downloaded a Ring version of Intersect; Ringtersect anyone? Chuck Versus The Subway is the swansong for writers Ali Addler, Matt Miller, and Phil Klemmer. And what a swansong it is. Subway is brimming with emotion, action, drama, and revelations. It is also the swansong episode for PapaB. We may get to see him in future episodes in Jor-El type videos but it is doubtful that Orion will be brought back from the dead. Even more so than Shaw and Bryce it would not feel right to do so. The finale is about the passing of the torch from a father to his children. Mainly Chuck and, I hope the showrunners see it that way, Ellie as well.

This episode did so many things right with the pinnacle being the strengthening of the bonds between the main players of the cast. What precipitated that was the truth of the spy world revealed to Ellie. With everyone in the know the barriers between characters have been finally lowered. Instead of deflection the characters can share mutual reflection. Instead of being kept at arm’s length to hide the truth, characters can now reaffirm bonds that existed before Bryce sent Chuck the email in the pilot. The benefits of finally allowing Chuck and Ellie to have open conversations again is immediately apparent. Sarah Lancaster was finally given some new material to work with and it is a development the show would be well advised to continue.

Mercifully the resurrection of Shaw as the villain worked for the most part. There were even flashes of above adequate enjoyable bits from Shaw from the knocking on the subway car door to his evil guy laugh. The disdain that the fandom had for the character and his history with Chuck and Sarah added that extra level of tension needed for a nemesis. The weak part of his return is the undercooked aspect of Shaw’s motivation of going totally Ring and becoming fixated on killing Chuck. This does not jibe with his arc of revenge for his wife’s death and wanting to punish the person responsible; Sarah.

What more can be said about Scott Bakula as Stephen J. Bartowski? Scott brought so many things to the character and he will be sorely missed. PapaB’s actions during the Subway episode illustrated the bluerprint for how Chuck, and Team Bartowski, should handle things. His smarts are dramatized over and over again in identifying Shaw at the Subway station, using Ellie to find the Ring Base, breaking Chuck out of the CIA holding cell, and the building of the Governor.

Above all that was his heart and the premium he placed on family and keeping them safe. We knew what he had done for Ellie and Chuck. It was not until the final scenes that the true scope of what PapaB had done, and sacrificed, became known. PapaB’s approach to how to protect his family may not have been the best one but it worked for him.   What worked for him does not mean it would work for Chuck and Ellie. Plus they have an advantage. They have each other and the rest of Team Barktowski to watch their backs.

Episode Flashes: (Lots of them. Proof these episodes were packed with goodies):

For 3.18:

• Chuck hovering over his father’s shoulder as PapaB works on Chuck’s Governor
• PapaB ‘talking’ Chuck down
• Sarah’s touching extending to PapaB
• Awesome not looking as Awesome as usual
• Morgan breaking the news to Devon about Ellie – ‘How could she do this to us?’
• Casey surreptiously checking up on his daughter
• Chuck and Sarah sharing a blueberry in the Farmer’s Market – so…… normal
• Knock, knock, knock – Shaw reveal in the subway car
• PapaB working the Castle computers to track Shaw
• Jeff and Lester ‘consoling’ Devon
• ‘Its my dream come true. Ellie is exactly like Chuck but with lady parts.’ Jeff – creepy funny
• Sarah discovers TeamB is in a CIA not Ring building
• Chuck and Ellie come face to face – ‘Chuck, I thought you quit KungFu in the third grade.’
• Chuck barging into Beckman’s hearing on the value of the Intersect project
• Shaw walking into the hearing – he gets a slomo entrance – still waiting for Chuck’s BTW!
• Shaw playing the Hearing and Sarah’s reaction to learning Chuck’s mental condition
• Casey and Sarah go to the aid of their loved ones
• Devon accidentally spills the beans about Chuck to Ellie – Ellie takes charge!
• Casey protects Alex who seems pretty capable herself
• PapaB works his tech magic and frees Chuck from CIA lockdown
• Casey growling at Justin over apple pie
• Casey revealing to Alex that he is her father and protecting her escape
• ‘Oh and you can blame the CIA for my bachelor party. Stripper?. She was an agent. Told you I didn’t cheat. Faithful!’ Devon vindicated!
• ‘Morgan Grimes, the boy that took my pillow as his date to junior prom, knows more about my family being spies than I do.’
• Sarah clocking Shaw. Nice callback to Shaw clocking Rafe. New scumbag in town.
• Beckman’s desperate Princess Leia plea, ‘You are our only hope.’ Morgan and Devon not sure to whom she was pleading with. LOL!!
• The Bartowski’s playing it smart
• Shaw’s evil – ‘Moowahaha’
• McTiernan Industries – shoutout to action director John McTiernan(Die Hard, Predator)?
• Sarah and Casey’s pride at Chuck’s spy skills – ‘Picked a good one Walker. Finally’
• Ringtersect sure is slick looking
• Shaw puts down PapaB! ‘Always remember son. You’re special.’
• Is anyone more expressive than Ellie?
• ‘Check out the fresh fish’ – another Shawshank reference
• ‘You might want to stand back. This could explode. Ummm yeah…OK’ Morgan is priceless!
• ‘There is no one left to save us.’ Ellie, Devon, and Morgan jump to the rescue.

Episode Flashes for 3.19

• Ellie showing spy skills tailing the armored car
• little Chuck and Ellie and the seeds of why Ellie looks after Chuck so fiercely
• ‘No plan? That never stopped me before.’ LOL Morgan is so priceless!
• Glovebox!
• Casey’s Crown Vic could give the Green Hornet’s Black Beauty a run for its money – missile launcher!
• Ellie puts her foot down and keeping her promise to protect Chuck.
• Big Mike’s ‘Moses’ phone – shades of the Batphone.
• Chuck getting to tell Ellie that their dad was a great man.
• Chuck using PapaB-like skills to communicate with Beckman.
• ‘Who are the Elders? They sound scary. World of WarCraft scary.’ – Guess who!
• TeamB unites to take on Shaw and the Ring Elders.
• Chuck and Sarah in disguise sharing winks before putting the plan into action
• Morgan and Casey cracking the Conference database
• Morgan waking up Casey’s paternal instincts
• Chuck conning Shaw into a confession and capturing the Ring Elders – shades of Quantum of Solace anyone? Though Bond never used the Mexican Hat Dance ring tone!
• Muzzle down Morgan!
• Morgan breaking his thumbs for naught
• Morgan has mad nose touch iPhone skills!
• Pineapples! The Sequel.
• Chuck GETS his slomo entrance. Yay!
• Ewww! Shaw’s flash look is even creepy.
• Jeffster- Blaze of Glory!
• Shaw and Chuck square off.
• Wow – Chuck intersected as a young boy. Very intriguing.
• Sarah delivering the final blow to Shaw and racing to get the Governor back to Chuck and her look of relief at doing so.
• Morgan is all er no thumbs with the detonator.
• Lester- ‘Did we do that?’ Bye-bye Buy More.
• Jeffster! Fugitives! Band on the Run!
• TeamB family gathers to remember PapaB and welcomes Alex into the fold.
• The, ‘Oh boy,’ that Chuck mutters as the Orion signature screen comes up on his computer monitor?  A subtle ‘passing of the torch’ moment.  Love it.
• Chuck’s promise to Ellie about leaving the spy world will be short lived as he discovers the Bartowski legacy and the hope of finding MamaB.
• ChuckCave! Shades of the warehouse from the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark too.
• Orion and Hydra!

Stephen J. Bartowski to Chuck and Ellie – ‘There is nothing in this whole world you two can’t fix if you work together.’

Could that line be the Mission Statement for the series going forward? Three seasons in and the entertainment value in trying to perserve the barrier between the spy world and the real world have been played out. As each character found out about Chuck’s dual life more dramatic doors opened than the ones that were closed. With Ellie in the loop and the setup in the closing moments the more entertaining avenue now would be to bring everyone into the fold and pick up the mantle of Orion’s legacy rather than try to perpetuate a new series of lies.

With the Chuck and Sarah relationship resolved and all the characters free to talk openly to one another, there is much more story telling manuveuring room. With these obstacles removed and the attendant effort to maintain no longer necessary, those energies can now be turned towards creating a more fleshed out show mythology. Instead of maintaining divisive constructs the show can now focus on unifying ones.

Chuck works best when it balances all the elements equally.   Chuck Vs The Subway is the showcase episode for doing that.  With the exception of Chuck Vs Santa Claus has there been a better episode where all the main cast members are used so equally and effectively?  This is my all time favorite episode of the series.  Thanks to Ali Adler, Matt Miller & Phil Klemmer for gifting us with this episode before departing.  Best of luck to each of you on your new endeavors!

So endeth the Third Season of Chuck. What a journey it has been. It is amazing to take the characters of this season and compare them against previous seasons. The growth and evolution has been fantastic. The execution of those changes faltered from time to time which is too bad. Fortunately the show righted itself and these final two episodes have the show pointed in a most promising direction.

As to what that direction might be, look for an upcoming article that explores the possibilities of Season 4.

I had a lot of fun writing these reviews and hope you enjoyed reading them.  Thanks to Mel for giving me a place to put down my thoughts.  Hope to do it again for Season 4.

Have a great summer everyone!  See you in September.

Liars Never Prosper Episode 3.17 – Chuck Vs The Living Dead

Written by Lauren Lefranc & Rafe Judkin

Directed by Jay Chandrasakhar

‘Yes I realize honesty is important in a relationship. Who do you think I am?’

Morgan is not the only one questioning you Chuck. Who are you indeed?

Liars never prosper. And in the ChuckVerse lies can lead to consequences that crash and burn with terminal results.

It is a strange dynamic that an excellent episode derives its thrust by using the over used cliche of characters lying. Lying to a point where it moves far beyond any ability for the viewer, or for me at least, to feel much empathy for the character and the reasons they feel justifies their lies. Chuck’s lie to Sarah about his issues with the Intersect in the Tooth was understandable. His decision to continue that lie in The Living Dead plus the compounding fabrications he tells his father really became a major irritating sore point the longer it went on.

So with that major caveat pointed out this was still an awesome episode. No pretenses on my part. Scott Bakula rules. No doubt I am too enamored with him ever since those Quantum Leap days but he owns the PapaB role. Scott walks back into the show, not having been seen since the Season Two finale, without missing a beat. If there was any guest star that I would love to see elevated to regular cast it is this man. (Making Carina a regular would be pretty sweet too.)

Scott takes a potentially stereotypical role of an absent minded professor and father figure and lends dramatic weight and layers of depth to the PapaB character. He often rises above the material and adds gravitas to situations that could end up being cheesy in lesser hands. I marvel at his ability to switch from being bumbling to brilliant to concerned to guilt ridden to caring – and often combinations of them – with ease. His scenes with Ellie and Chuck sharing a meal are so believable and natural. There is a real sense of family here.

The episode made excellent use of the entire cast with Morgan getting great material in every scene he was in. From a long, long overdue scene with just him and Sarah – just wish it could have been longer, to his scenes with Chuck, Casey, and Devon; Morgan has turned into the new Chuck. To the point where if Chuck does not correct soon with his lying I would be totally cool with the show being renamed Morgan. Right now he is the character I want to spend my time with. Morgan gets to play the voice of the audience questioning the other characters as to why they are doing what they are doing. Plus he is the only honest character in the show at the moment.

Ellie’s storyline continues to capitivate. Forced into a situation because the truth has been kept from her by everyone close to her, Ellie falls into the same trap of keeping the truth to herself as she does what she thinks is best. Unlike her parallel storyline with Chuck about lying, empathy exists for her. Being kept in the dark for three seasons for good reasons have put Ellie in harm’s way. As often happens with lies the end result is usually the very thing that the liar was trying to protect the person from. No good can come from Ellie’s storyline and the denouement is going to be a painful one.

Episode Flashes:

• The clutter of PapaB’s cabin – absent minded professor
• PapaB translating Ellie’s message without needing to decode it
• Ellie having to use rough notes to decode and translate PapaB’s response
• Morgan questioning Chuck on not being honest with Sarah
• Pop tarts!
• ‘Of course Shaw’s alive! Haven’t you ever seen a John Carpenter movie?’
• Morgan prepping for Shaw in the Castle
• Sarah and Morgan finally having a talk
• Morgan hiding behind the riot shield from Sarah
• ‘Reviewing pictures of people you killed? I do that myself from time to time.’
• Morgan in a ski jacket to hide his bullet proof vest
• PapaB quickly discerning Chuck is still a spy
• Casey gets a 2 for 1 needling Chuck and Sarah about Shaw – hilarious!
• Restaurant receipt musical chair
• Earrings! – the whole Shaw/Sarah interrogation scene was for one thing only – laughs.Please do not try to divine character motivations and backstory from it. The entire scene was a lark. Nothing more.
• customer paying Jeffster to NOT play
• PapaB/Chuck/Ellie dinner scene – HawkMan!
• Chuck and Sarah suction cupping up to Shaw’s penthouse
• Shaw’s book collection – Kama Sutra amongst others
• Sarah seen Predator style with the X-Ray/InfraRed glasses
• Shaw fake out – ‘Shaw is dead.’
• Veiled callback to Sarah’s real name at the safe
• PapaB to the rescue – ‘Just an analyst huh.’
• Wills – refuse to use the term spy will – and those left behind
• Morgan barricading himself in his ‘office’ hiding from Shaw
• ‘Shaw is alive and he is bringing the Reckoning with him!’ Foreshadowing Morgan style.
• Morgan standing up to Casey defending Ellie
• Morgan falling for Devon while checking up on Ellie – warm, fluffy towels – sigh
• Sarah with the hatchet throw saving Chuck’s life. ‘Does she have the Intersect too?’
• The Governor – this is a cool extension of the Intersect technology
• PapaB helping his son because Chuck is using the Intersect for the reasons that PapaB created it in the first place – ‘You’re my son.’
• Ellie clocking Casey with the frying pan
• Sarah entrusting Chuck with her will
• foreshadowing closing scenes of Chuck writing his will and the accompanying montage of scenes
• Ellie an unwitting captive of the Ring
• Shaw reveal and his Intersecting Ring style – is a portable version far behind?

‘Like I said. Nothing is what it seems.’

Rafe Judkins and Lauren Lefranc go three for three with their scripts this season. I dearly wish that they could have used another means beyond basing the storyline on the proliferation of lies. That knock aside, this was a crackling script. Take that out, and it would have been great to take some of the Jeffster screen time to explore more time with Morgan and Sarah or even an equally long overdue Sarah and Ellie scene, and this would have been perfection.

The show really needs to lock down the subterfuge that is being perpetrated between the lead characters. Especially since Chuck went through the whole lying scenario back in the Hannah arc.  The whole reason about putting Chuck and Sarah together was because they trust each other and can be honest with each other, was it not?

The motives behind what the show is doing are quite clear. As Morgan said there is a reckoning coming. It is coming because of all these lies. I am in mortal dread for the little bearded one. He has undergone such a great character journey this season, one that has been a constant joy all season, that I fear him paying the price for Chuck’s indiscretions in the upcoming finale.

It could be a double whammy if PapaB also becomes a casualty. There is so much foreshadowing going on here I fear the worst. It is often the innocents that end up paying the price. I hope, I hope, I hope, I am wrong.

A season concluding double header next week. I am on the edge of my seat. How about you?

Prepare For The Jump To Light Speed – Episode 3.16 – Chuck Vs The Tooth

Written by Zev Borow & Max Denby

Directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer

‘Doc! I’m not insane!’

Fasten your seat belts everyone! Chuck is about to engage hyperdrive once again. Much like the last handful of episodes from Season Two the narrative from Chuck is amping up. In the ChuckVerse amping up the story narrative means going way past eleven and off the scale into faster than light mode. It has been ‘Engaged’ with Chuck Vs The Tooth.

One of the things to be savored about Chuck is its willingness to push the storyline in new directions and the characters along with it. The downside to that is the show often forges ahead through fertile dramatic ground planting seeds without ever coming back to partake of the bounty from those plantings. It is a tip of the iceberg approach to storyline that skims between dramatic issues with no time allotted to diving deeper to explore the treasures that lie beneath the surface.

In Chuck Vs The Tooth a cornucopia of new ideas are thrown out: Chuck’s apparent merging of his subconsciousness with the Intersect, the potential for the Intersect to overpower Chuck’s brain, Chuck possibly going insane, Sarah unable to say ILY to Chuck, Ellie being pulled into the spy world by the Ring, Chuck and Morgan running missions without the rest of TeamB, and the possible return of Shaw. So many avenues to explore. So little time to do it in. Throw in the return of Anna and the end result is a bursting at the seams with concepts. Many of which could have entire episodes devoted to them.

It is a marvel that Chuck can take so many disparate elements, cram them into one episode, and come out with one of the best installments of the season. Plus it is done in the most balanced manner of the season to date. There are equal measures of spy intrigue, action, romance, relationships, drama, comedy, and nerd references that mimics those plate spinner acts. Is there any show that can switch as seamlessly from comedy to drama as Chuck can? Simply amazing!

The highlight of the episode was the curve ball thrown by the restrained and carefully modulated performance given by Christopher Lloyd as Chuck’s CIA psychiatrist. Expectations of an eccentric Doc Brown or Reverend Jim knock off are not met. Yet Lloyd plays the role exactly the way it is needed for the episode. His ‘Doc’ role is tailored to elicit the needed responses for Chuck and later for Sarah.

Morgan is given closure with the welcome return of Anna Wu as that relationship is put to bed. Is this the last we will see of Anna? I hope not. The timing of this raises my speculation antennae. Having this closure now has to lead to something for Morgan because as happy as I was to see Anna return, this was not the episode to do it. This episode is putting the show into position to commence the run to the finale. As such the screen time allotted to the Anna storyline would have been better served to be used to addressing some of the main storyline or Ellie’s. Anna should have popped up in the Role Models episode.

There is much to enjoy in this episode. Chuck and Sarah spending quiet time watching TV. Morgan working with Chuck on a mission. Ellie! Finally Ellie getting a worthy storyline. One that will play directly into the main storyline for the finale. It is so great to finally see Sarah Lancaster be able to flex her acting muscles outside of playing mother hen to the men in her life. There is also the ever strengthening bonds of friendship between the members of TeamB, including General Beckman. Who did not love that shot of Beckman’s kitchen with an unidentified male companion in the background? Plus the scene on the Doc’s doorstep where Sarah admits her love to Chuck publicly and finds Casey there too.

Episode Flashes:

• Chuck and Sarah chilling at home on a quiet Monday night
• Spies Like Us and the value of humor lesson for Sarah
• Chuck’s dreams
• Beckman with bed hair in the kitchen with male guest? in the background
• ‘General. Permission to slap Bartowski. He had a bad dream.’
• Chuck babbling on the couch.
• Intersect possibly responsible for dry scalp?
• ‘You can die from a spider bite in Africa as easily as from a spy in Burbank.
• Dune reference! ‘Fear is the mind killer.’
• Morgan saying the wrist gripper is stuck.
• President of Zambibia is Washington from Welcome Back Kotter!
• Jeff and Lester lamenting their single status – ‘Its full of lumpy housewives. My favorite.’
• ‘Hi guys. Long time no smell.’ ‘She remembered our smell!’
• Anna gets a ‘slo-mo’ entrance only to be trumped by Morgan’s ‘slo-mo!’
• Chuck and Morgan on a mission
• ‘My codename is Cobra.’
• 15 season boxset of ER
• Ellie gets a mission! Too bad it is for the wrong guys.
• ‘Chuck’s in a tux?’
• ‘I got the elf.’
• Sarah demonstrating beyond a doubt where her loyalties lie.
• Casey tranquing Morgan at the concert.
• World Class spy -Morgan Grimes!
• Spy Asylum – complete with Will Sampson broom pushing look alike. If only Hurley had strolled by in the background too.
• ‘Give your boyfriend your hand.’
• Sarah’s – ‘I need him to be OK.’ and the discovery that Casey does too.
• Chuck air ‘fighting’ under psychotropic influence
• ‘Spies! Attack!’
• Chuck’s burden of knowing that continued use of the Intersect could be at his mental peril
• Morgan moving on from Anna
• Sarah saying ILY to Chuck
• Ellie being manipulated into contacting PapaB
• Chuck’s final dream and the potential return of Shaw

‘This is a new science. Only time will tell.’

For the first time the seams of one of the additional episodes does not line up with the original thirteen episode order. Chuck’s issues with the Intersect should have had some foreshadowing sprinkled throughout the earlier episodes. The softening of Casey and Beckman seems rather abrupt as well. Last week Beckman’s, ‘Its about damned time,’ seemed like using the character as a voice for the fans. Now, with some egg on my face, I must retract my stance that it was out of character to attribute such sentiments to Beckman. For this episode proves that she does indeed have affection for Chuck. (Though in my defense I maintain the show gave us nothing previously to show this character growth for Beckman.)

As much as it is great to see Casey and Beckman softening up, there is a worry about this. There is a need for a hard liner character in the show and that is being lost. In tandem with this, is the unpredictability of how Beckman and Casey will be portrayed going forward. Once you open up a character you cannot put the cork back in without undermining the character in the process. Lastly, seeing characters reach some form of equilibrium tweaks my spec antennae once again. When characters come to such a place they are usually at the end of their dramatic usefulness.

Just saying.

Watch the full episode of “Chuck vs. the Tooth” on NBC.com or Hulu.

Tame Tabby – Episode 3.15 – Chuck Versus The Role Models

Written by Phil Klemmer

Directed by Fred Toye

‘Congratulations Warren Beatty’

Inevitable. After several episodes with the emotional content cranked up, plus the payoff episode last week with the HoneyMooners, the show had to come back to earth. Not unexpected and it occurs with every show and story. After hitting the heights for so long, a coming back to earth type of reckoning is as inevitable as the force of gravity. This is a transitional episode which is necessary to start laying the groundwork for the next big storyline.

Chuck Versus the Role Models is a stand alone episode that does little to advance the show mythology and dishes out a generic mission which leaves it hobbled out of the gate. Stand alone episodes can be good episodes just as much as mythology ones. Especially if an episode directly impacts or involves one of the Team Bartowski members in a personal manner. Best Friend and Tic Tac are examples of stand alones that do a great job. Sizzling Shrimp is one that never did and now it has company with the Role Models.

Role Models, like the previous three episodes, starts out of the gate very strong with a hilarious Morgan dream induced send up of the 80s, ‘Hart to Hart’ TV show intro with Chuck and Sarah taking over the Wagner and Powers roles plus Morgan doing his best to invoke Lionel Standish. The next scene with Morgan at the fridge bumping into a scantily clad Sarah is also fun. Chuck and Sarah continue to dispel any issues about the two of them being together hurting the show.

Everything is played for laughs in this episode; a no fuss, no muss approach. So Sarah’s hidden gun cache and her initial reluctance to move in stir no dramatic interest as they are both casually dealt with. Too bad about the gun issue. Right now Team Bartowski has been left with a situation where Casey and Sarah handle all the dirty work. This could be a good source of ongoing conflict between Chuck and Sarah but it for now it looks like the show is going to steer clear of it.

The concept of Fred Willard and Swoosie Kurtz playing a mature version of Chuck and Sarah; with Udo Keir and a tiger thrown in, reads like a gold mine on paper. Sadly, the execution did not have that same gold sheen. Willard and Kurtz have their moments, but their storyline never engaged or surprised or brought the amount of humor that was anticipated.

The Casey and Morgan moments thankfully do. Morgan’s failures at all his training exercises were well done. However Casey’s, ‘heart to heart,’ with Morgan and approval of Morgan’s training were too much even in a light episode like this one. Morgan may indeed be a diamond in the rough but it would have been preferable to find a honest way to have him pass his training. At this rate of concession, can Jeff and Lester be far behind in joining the team? ( I kid! I kid.)

Another bit of a head scratcher was the sending off of Ellie and Devon to Africa via the Doctor Without Borders program only to have them come back in the same episode. It must be surmised that this storyline was originally envisioned to kick off the Fourth Season when the initial thirteen Season Three episodes were ordered. Whatever is going to happen in the next four episodes must require their immediate return.

Episode Flashes:

• Third great opening sequence in a row – Morgan’s Hart to Hart dream with Chuck and Sarah
• Morgan’s bedroom decor – including sparkly alarm clock
• Pyjama wearing Morgan – a concession on his part – bumping into a scantily clad Sarah by the fridge – Vitamin Ds!
• Congratulations Warren Beatty!
• 30 Foot Rule Versus the Bartowski Rule
• Craig/Laura Turner aka George/Bitsy Witherspoon aka John/Suzie Smythe
• Diamond in the rough. Very, very rough. I’m sure you’ll make him sparkle.
• Chuck channelling Ellie as he cleans up waiting for the Turners to arrive
• Morgan being trained in the BuyMore by Casey
• Udo Kier! – as Otto Von Vogel
• This is how I deal with stress.
• Doctor, super fantastic, white person.
• Morgan’s gun training – video game knowledge vs reality
• Morgan’s ‘bravery’ with the tiger
• Sarah stepping in to ‘explain’ the Turners’s mission plan to Beckman
• The handing off of the spy couple baton from the Turners to the Bartowskis

‘Chuck Versus The Role Models’ is a solid, albeit inconsequential, episode. It has the misfortune of following the superior efforts from The Other Guy and The HoneyMooners. For those that prefer lighter episodes and enjoy the relational aspects of the show they are sure to find much to be happy with this one. There is continuing proof that putting show leads together is not the kiss of death. Plus the opening of acting manuveuring room for Yvonne Strahovski continues to reap benefits for the Sarah Walker character.

For those that prefer the mythology based episodes or ones that tackle character issues in a more grounded manner, take heart, more engrossing times are ahead based on the preview for the next episode. Things should start revving up once again.

Chuck and Sarah vs. the Ring, Part 1.5

A Brief Note about Symbolism and Foreshadowing in ‘Chuck vs. the Honeymooners’

I had a strong, immediate reaction to the “ring” scene in ‘Honeymooners’, but after replaying it a few more times I’m struck by how potent this scene really is and on how many levels it works. Whether we have the actors (Levi and Strahovski), the writers (Adler, Judkins and LeFranc), the director (R.D. McNeil), the editor or the music department to thank (or, more likely, a combination of all the above), it’s a great showcase for the kind of emotionally resonant moments that elevate “Chuck” above many other shows.

The facile description of this scene is that Chuck gives Sarah a prop wedding ring to facilitate their cover as newlyweds. But by putting Sarah in front of a mirror and letting us see her reaction to what she finds there, the show gives us a lot more than that. We get some insight into what’s going on in her head. And armed with this information we can deduce some things about the past, the present and maybe even a little of the future.

As the scene begins, Sarah walks out of the bathroom and, while teasing Chuck about their cover, moves to the room’s mirror to check her appearance. Since the mirror is off-screen, some people missed this on first viewing, myself included. That she’s looking in a mirror is, I believe, vital to understanding Sarah’s emotes.

Once Chuck starts to put the ring on Sarah’s finger, the orchestration turns wistful, ethereal. It’s a musical cue to the audience that what’s coming is a dreamlike interlude. Chuck, through his loaded ‘Mrs. Charles” delivery and watchful eye on Sarah’s face, demonstrates awareness that his act carries emotional significance beyond the application of a cover accessory. It’s the trigger that sets up Sarah’s reaction – and that’s where things get more interesting.

When the ring slides home, Sarah’s playful smile fades, to be replaced with a sweeter, deeper one born from her recognition of the moment. The man she loves is putting a ring on her finger at a time when she is feeling free and profoundly happy. The powerful symbolism inherent in Chuck’s action could not be more obvious or meaningful. This is more than a cover. On the path she is following this is a premonition of the future.

Instinctively, Sarah looks up to the mirror and is met with the perfect iconic image, one that portrays a traditionally important moment in a “normal” woman’s life: The man, attentive and caring, gently placing an engagement ring on the third finger of her hand; his own ring, in clear evidence, bearing testament to his love and commitment. Has she envisioned this moment in her own mind’s eye? Is this the improbable realization of a secret wish?

Alas, as she sees herself in the mirror, her smile begins to falter. Moments of joy haven’t come easily for Sarah Walker. They’ve been fleeting and often accompanied by heartbreak. Even her father showed her through painful experience, to “be prepared for disappointment”. It’s so ingrained that she’s already anticipating something going wrong to ruin the moment.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this kind of reaction from Sarah. In the last few seconds of ‘Best Friend’, we saw a woman who had just been told that someone cared about her, unconditionally. And that very person, a person we are lead to believe she had fallen for long before, was holding her hand with obvious affection. But instead of basking in the simple pleasure of the moment, her expression revealed she was already pondering how it was all going to go wrong.

On cue, the train jostles, seemingly just another bump on the track like we’d experienced earlier. But it’s more than that. In Sarah’s look we see her recognition of expectation fulfilled – the fates knocking her perfect picture askew. Going even further, the bump can be seen as foreshadowing of what is to come. Just as we see Sarah glimpsing her possible future with Chuck, the train hitting the bump foretells that the journey to that destination will not likely be a smooth one.

Returning briefly into the moment, she looks away to assess the cabin and in that moment a new bit of symbolism appears. Chuck and Sarah, together but looking in different directions – could this signify that their response to adversity as a couple will sometimes take opposing directions?

Or that, in going forward together they may have to look away from each other for their answers?

What comes next is very telling, however. The image Sarah saw in the mirror is so powerful, so compelling that her head practically snaps back to the mirror. Symbolically, she’s defying the fates to embrace this vision of them together. Her eyes flare, her lips part and there is no mistaking her fascination with this new reality. She’s mesmerized.

Even as Chuck massages her arms and she relaxes into him, it only pulls her part way out of the reverie.

Watching Sarah enthralled by their combined visage, we might imagine she was so caught up in just being with Chuck that the full reality of it hadn’t sunk in until this moment. That only in seeing them as a couple, as others saw them, could her appreciation of this change in status be complete.

Or we might believe she’s staring into her own eyes, wondering who this woman was staring back. Surely the happily in love person before her was not the same hardened spy who arrived in Burbank three years ago?

Either of these possibilities could lead to her gaze of awe and wonder. And who could really blame her?

In a show chock full of previous episode references, it’s hard not to call back Sarah’s halting confession to Casey amidst her growing doubts in ‘Crown Vic’. Or her longing stare through the window at Devon and Ellie’s engagement in ‘Marlin’. Or her wonder over the charm bracelet’s true meaning in ‘Santa Claus’. Or, maybe most appropriately, the reluctant removal of her fake wedding rings in ‘Suburbs’. These scenes all spoke to the small flame of hope she kept burning, that the simple but conventional pleasures in life she yearned for but had been denied could be hers as well.

Watching this sequence it feels satisfying to believe that all of those lingering questions found an answer at last.

Into The Light Or O Canada, Eh! – Episode 3.14: Chuck Vs The HoneyMooners

Written by Lauren LeFranc & Rafe Judkins

Story by Ali Addler

Directed by Robert Duncan McNeil

‘Sarah Walker, do you agree to quit the spy life with me.’

‘I do. Chuck Bartowski, do you agree to quit the spy life with me.‘

‘I do.’

Out of the dark and into the light. Hey, hey. My, my!

Fun.

An episode of total joy that defies any sort of detailed analysis. To do anything more than sit back and enjoy the treats this episode offers would be like trying to dissect a gigantic skyward soaring soap bubble. Some things should just be experienced for the joy they bring. HoneyMooners is one of those things.  It is an episode which holds no surprises as to how it is going to play out.  Just like the soap bubble that will eventually burst; such knowledge in no way detracts from the enjoyment of watching it.

Built on the overused device of misunderstanding between Chuck and Sarah as to what each thinks the other wants, fans get to sit back and drink in all the chemistry between those two characters. There were fears that the Chuck and Sarah magic was lost. This episode put those fears to bed, pun intended, for good.

Beyond that there is little more to say. Chuck and Sarah finally come to realize that the two of them being spies and being together are not mutually exclusive goals. As the defecting Basque terrorist wearily tells them – doing some audience channeling in the process – after being on the run for two years, one cannot escape who they are. We also get to see the other pairing of Team Bartowski, Casey and Morgan in action, and the anticipated hilarity is met and exceeded.

This is a landmark moment in Chuck Fandom. After this episode aired it is a certainty that this is a time when all the various groups of the Chuck fandom have never been so unified. For those to whom the relationship reigns supreme to those that were weary of the WTWT dynamic to those whom wanted the show to return to happier times; this episode has brought them all together. Everyone of them have had their hopes for the show answered. For those who appreciated the Mordor like journey of the first thirteen episodes before the show returned to the Shire, stumbles and all during the execution of that storyline, with our band of heroes coming home older and wiser; this episode is what makes such dark journeys compelling. This is the payoff for what the characters had to go through to get there.

Episode Flashes:

• Another great opening sequence – misdirect with the conductor sharpening his blade when bringing the first of many meals to Chuck and Sarah’s room
• Chuck and Sarah’s ‘honeymoon’ measured by the number of meals brought to their room
• Chuck with a Clark Kent curl in the first train bedroom scenes with Sarah
• smiling Sarah – and she smiles a lot! Perhaps 3 seasons worth?
• MORGAN! Like every scene he was in! – hmm I posted the same last episode. A trend?
• Morgan manipulating Casey into allowing him to search for Chuck
• Morgan knowing about Oracle databases – he gets such great throw away lines
• Morgan’s ‘Intersect’ knowledge of Chuck is eerie and a little disturbing but very useful
• Chuck and Sarah unable to turn off their spy skills
• Chuck and Sarah getting turned on by comparing spy notes
• Canada! (sorry I am a Canuck.)
• Morgan’s need to root for the plane to stay in the air
• Chuck and Sarah improvising a mission with no spy gear – they do make a great spy team indeed
• Morgan seeking safety abroad behind the Canadian flag – O Canada!
• Charles and Nora Charles – Thin Man!
• The Charles and their southern accent – I made an oopsie!
• handcuffed Chuck and Sarah punching Casey in unison
• handcuffed Sarah fighting on her own with Chuck on the other side of the door
• Jeffster UnPlugged! ‘Leaving On a JetPlane.’
• Chuck and Sarah on a scooter
• Chuck and Sarah swing dancing their way through a fight – in handcuffs again of course
• Casey and Morgan re-enacting the tied together fight scene from UnderCover Lover
• Beckman’s – ‘an unlikely pairing often produces successful results.’ Times two for Team B.
• Morgan peeking over Casey’s shoulder at Beckman during the debriefing and jumping in with his two cents worth
• ‘Release Agent Walker!’ LOL
• Beckman going Meta and voicing fandom’s, ‘Its about damn time,’ sentiment in regards to Chuck and Sarah being together
• Chuck getting to say good bye to Ellie and letting her know he has grown up and is not alone, ‘We’re together.’
• A turntable! Vinyl! Chuck really is an audiophile nerd!
• Chuck picking out Sarah’s favorite song – “Feeling Good” by Nina Simone – and the two of sharing the moment together – ’nuff said

‘Chuck Bartowski, do you agree to not quit the spy life and be with me.’

‘I do. Sarah Walker, do you agree to not quit the spy life and be with me.‘

‘I do.’

‘Chuck Versus The HoneyMooners’ is so much fun. The writing tandem of Lauren LeFranc & Rafe Judkins, in conjunction with Ali Addler, experience no sophomore slump after writing episode 3.10 – Chuck Versus The Tic Tac. They prove that outing was no fluke with this second effort. What a find these two have been. We need to see more from them and soon! Robert Duncan McNeil continues to show his skill and experience with directing the cast as well.

It is a credit to the creative team that puts out an episode like this that deftly sweeps season long arcs, such as Sarah’s desire to leave the spy world, under the rug and it is not an issue. This episode also proves that the showrunners do listen to the fans.

Returning to some points made in previous reviews, I hope everyone can join me in thanking and applauding the Chuck team for taking the risks they have this season. How many shows let their characters grow? How many shows put their two leads together? And do it before the final episode? How many shows keep on changing the dynamics of the show and push the characters into new areas?

Have there been stumbles? Sure. But that goes with risk taking. The rewards have been great and plentiful. Cannot wait to see what else the show has put out there for us to experience in the next five episodes left for this season.

This season has showcased the wonderfully broad range this show can operate within. From the dramatic to the comedic.  From the dark to the light. Each of us has preferences as to which end of the spectrum the show should reside but statements that the show needs to stick to one setting sadden. Variety is the spice of life and I like my Chuck as spicy as possible. Mix it up as much as possible. The perfect blend would take the best elements of all the previous episodes. We have seen the cast is more than up for it. A better balance is the goal the show should strive for. Walk both sides of the fence in equal amounts.

The show has come full circle. As Captain Kirk proclaimed at the end of Star Trek IV – The Voyage Home, ‘My friends we’ve come home.’

Time to start off on the next volume of adventures!

They Are Still Our Chuck & Sarah Too – Episode 3.13: Chuck Vs The Other Guy

Written by Chris Fedak

Directed by Peter Lauer

‘I appreciated the tank.’

Chuck and Sarah are together. Huzzah! The elephant in the room has been set free. What was so great about this episode is that the Sarah and Chuck relationship was resolved early in the episode. That early resolution allowed attention to shift to other matters such as tracking down the Ring Leader.

The episode opens with the best teaser the series has done to date. Like Chuck we rightly believe that Shaw is intent on seeking revenge on Sarah. He leads her to an abandoned Ring location where monitors show Sarah’s Red Test playing in a never ending loop. Sarah learns that Eve Shaw was her Red Test while Shaw hovers menacingly in the background. With that setup a hilarious payoff is delivered when Chuck arrives on the scene after seemingly mobilizing the entire military to rescue Sarah. Including stealth bombers and tanks.

From the teaser the episode never falters as it gives resolutions and changes for the main characters all done in that uniquely comedic touching and heartfelt way that the Chuck show does so well. When the show shifts back to the spy world, the little beats between Chuck and Sarah as they worry about Shaw in general and about him finding out about them specifically; continue the fun of the previous normal world moments.

‘You saved me.’

The show shifts gears in the final act as Chuck really has to save Sarah this time as Shaw’s end game plays out. Season long threads are revisited as Chuck’s aversion to violence, his priority on family and friends, his Red Test, and the struggle to not lose himself even as he must do necessary things he abhors. The final act is the serious version of the teaser and this time it is all about Chuck handling it on his own with no backup.

Chuck tries everything in his power to prevent the eventual outcome from happening but once he knows there are no other options he does the necessary thing and pulls the trigger. A trigger pull that he knows will save Sarah’s life but may cost him Sarah’s love. If Sarah remains steadfast in her belief that if Chuck kills it means he cannot be the same guy she fell for. Fortunately for Chuck, Sarah was able to witness the moment in her paralyzed state so she knows the truth of that moment. She knows what Chuck did was unavoidable. She saw Chuck trying everything to not have to kill. Sarah knows he had no choice and that Chuck’s love for her is such that Chuck was able to have the stones, as Casey would say, to pull the trigger.

Chuck saved her.

Most fitting that the theme of Chuck doing the right thing no matter what the cost is the very thing that brings him and Sarah together.

Episode Flashes:

• Opening sequence – one of the best ever for the series. Tense, action packed, and funny.
• ‘And the tank too.’
• General Beckman chewing Chuck out for his rescue mission – ‘This bill is longer than my copy of Atlas Shrugged.’ LOL
• ‘I appreciated the tank.’
• MORGAN! Like every scene he was in!
• Morgan saying goodbye to Big Mike
• Casey and Morgan wishing each other well in their respective old lives
• Chuck on a nerd bender mixing whiskey, mint ice cream, guitar hero, and John Hughes movies.
• Sarah’s amazing ability to conceal knives no matter how she is dressed
• OMD -’If You Leave,’ on vinyl! Or at least the show used a needle on record sound effect
• Morgan yelling he hates the song now
• Sarah admitting she loves Chuck – without ever saying it – and fell for him pretty well from the start
• Morgan obviously eavesdropping on Chuck and Sarah’s heart to heart and popping out at the mention of a mission
• Chuck and Sarah worried about whether or not Shaw knows about them and resultant shot down the elevator shaft
• the elevator scenes – including the cheesy Ring logos at the end of the hallways
• Morgan sussing out right away that Shaw’s fight was staged – Sonny Chiba for the win!
• Beckman does sleep sometimes! Plus she uses the clapper!
• Morgan’s Yoda line delivery, ‘There is another.’
• Morgan rallying Casey to help out Chuck rescue Sarah
• Chuck trying everything to avoid killing Shaw but doing what was necessary in the end
• Casey getting back on the team and adding Morgan to Team Bartowski!
• Joy at RingLeader Mark Shepherd not being dead somewhat muted by him being captured
• Sarah’s realization that Chuck saved her for real
• Beckman’s interruption – very Bondish
• Sarah’s, ‘Shut up and kiss me, ‘ followed by Chuck’s you betcha head shake before diving in
• closing shot of Chuck’s Chuck hanging out of the bed before panning to the Eiffel Tower

‘Shut up and kiss me.’

‘Chuck Versus The Other Guy,’ is a crackling piece of enjoyment. The action, the humor, the drama, nerd/80s references, and of course – romance are mixed together to provide a finale in midseason. Chris Fedak has introduced several major changes, the key one being the long awaited, and for many – way overdue, resolution to the Chuck and Sarah, ‘Will They, Won’t They,’ storyline. Yvonne and Zac nailed their heart to heart scene with Josh hovering in the background. Chuck at its best. Funny and touching.

There were many other things to like in this episode. With the Love Interest storyline between Sarah and Shaw finally put to bed, so to speak, the shift of focus to Shaw’s revenge storyline was most welcome. Too bad it was undercooked and left till so late in the game. However the production budget was apportioned for the episodes, this one felt like it had something a little extra as there was never a moment where costs seem to be an issue. The Paris scenes especially looked very authentic. Kudos to the production crew!

Most enjoyable was Morgan’s role in this episode. He straightened out Chuck several times, pointed out Shaw’s duplicity, and gave Casey a kick in the rear to boot. His inclusion on Team Bartowski opens up a wealth of story possibilities and the comedy potential is off the charts based on his interactions with Casey and Beckman. Glimpses of him in action from the promo for the upcoming episodes are hilarious.

Quibbles with the episode? Three minor ones. First one; the lack of Ellie and Awesome was a disappointment in what is a midseason season finale. Secondly; thematically the same material was covered again contrasting Shaw against Chuck. It felt like the character of Chuck was treading water, waiting for everyone to catch up until the last act. Finally, it would have been a nice call back to 3.04 if Chuck had repeated his nothing matters more to him than family and friends creedo in response to Shaw’s belief that Chuck would not pull the trigger.

The gang is back together and the next 6 episodes should be a blend of the best elements of Seasons 1 and 2 mixed in with the evolved characters of Season 3 to date. Safe to say, everyone is looking to the next half dozen episodes with great anticipation.

Believe It Or Not, It’s Just Me – Episode 3.12: Chuck Vs The American Hero

Written by Matt Miller/Phil Klemmer

Directed by Jeremiah Chechik

Greatest American Hero Theme Song – Believe It Or Not

Click link to hear song.

Look at what’s happened to me,
I can’t believe it myself.
Suddenly I’m up on top of the world,
It should’ve been somebody else.
Believe it or not,
I’m walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it’s just me.
Just like a light of a new day,
It hit me from out of the blue.
Breaking me out of the spell I was in,
Making all of my wishes come true.
Believe it or not,
I’m walking on air.
I never thought I could feel so free.
Flying away on a wing and a prayer.
Who could it be?
Believe it or not it’s just me.

‘No thanks. She’s still there.’

With the attainment of his goal of becoming a spy, Chuck believes he can finally be together with Sarah. Everything seems to be falling in place when Beckman tells him he can pick the members of his team. Naturally his first choice is Sarah. So Sarah’s angry reaction upon Chuck’s return and offer is a shock for him. Telling Chuck that because he has killed, Sarah; based on how her Red Test affected her, does not believe that Chuck can emerge from that test as the same guy she originally fell for.

Sarah is grieving for what she believes is the death of the Chuck Bartowski she fell in love with. If we apply the Stages of Grief to Sarah:
1)Denial
2)Anger
3)Bargaining
4)Depression
5)Acceptance,
in 3.11, she was in the denial phase, hence her proclamation of no longer loving Chuck. Now she has moved onto the anger phase which her behaviour and responses upon Chuck’s return validate. Chuck is trapped because he cannot reveal that Casey killed the mole and not him.

Fearful that Sarah is slipping away from him into a life in DC with Shaw; Morgan, Casey, and Devon rally to Chuck’s aide; albeit they do so with ulterior motives. As expected, the results of this mission are less than helpful but provide a lot of enjoyment as Civilian Team Bartowski(CTB) unknowingly vy with a Ring Team intent on capturing Shaw. This leads to excellent Ellie moments as she first scolds CTB and then Chuck.

This time Chuck returns to woo Sarah with a clear head. Rescuing Shaw, with the knowledge that Sarah may very well end up leaving with Shaw, Chuck does the right thing again. Even if it is at a personal cost. Through his actions, Chuck proves to Sarah that he is indeed that guy she first fell for. Chuck is the ‘True’ American Hero of this episode as what he did was for selfless reasons in stark contrast to the revenge reasons that motivate Shaw.

Chuck’s closing speech is much like the one he gave Sarah at the end of Lethal Weapon. Except this time he is blunt and direct in relaying to Sarah his feelings. And again, he leaves the choice up to her. He shows Sarah how deeply he feels by being willing to give up the spy life he has worked so hard to attain to be with her.

Episode Flashes:

• Beckman’s waiting area with multiple receptionists and spies waiting to see her
• Chuck trying to find out how to sit comfortably with a gun
• Chuck and Beckman scene – ‘I understand that the hand wringing and the second guessing are all part of your process.’
• Ellie excited to go to Africa because she thinks that is what Devon wants
• Chuck’s Civilian Team Bartowski(CTB) – Casey, Morgan and Devon!
• Morgan telling Casey to take a number
• Morgan telling Casey love is a battlefield
• Jeff and Lester being totally cognizant and up to date on the Sarah/Chuck/Shaw triangle -’Guy knows how to fill out a pair of slacks!’
• CTB with their own agenda – ‘We help you get the girl back, you help us get out of Burbank.’.
• CTB and Ring Team targetting Shaw at the restaurant
• Morgan telling Devon, ‘You live in a bubble. A freakish bubble of awesomeness.’
• Morgan calling Shaw out of the restaurant and getting carried away with instructions
• Morgan getting tasered! ‘Man down! I’ve been tazzed! Bring a stretcher. Wheelbarrow….change of pants!’ LOL
• Ellie scolding CTB
• Ellie’s anger at Chuck for going to CTB instead of her
• Ellie’s pep talk to Chuck telling him to act like a Bartowski and that one can never go too far in the pursuit of love
• Jeff & Lester berating CTBs stalking skills and proving theirs by tailing Shaw in Loretta
• ‘Stalker’s Log: Possibly for sexual encounter. Both men are physically fit. Should be lively.’
• Casey selling ‘Hot Zone’ vacuum cleaner
• Chuck’s Batman jump into Shaw’s sports car
• Dr. Jibb Pop Machine elevator entrance into Ring base
• Ring Leader – very cool
• Chuck and bad guy’s reactions to impending flash bomb explosion
• Stealth Bomber Sequence
• Chuck’s rescue of Shaw – The ‘True’ American Hero
• Chuck’s final speech to Sarah – ‘One time because it feels really nice to say. I love you Sarah Walker.’
• Casey’s confession of killing mole in Sarah’s apartment. Adam really nailed it.
• Reveal that Sarah killed Shaw’s wife – Eve.

Phil Klemmer was tasked with kicking off the Sarah and Shaw relationship in 3.07 – Chuck Versus The Mask and along with Matt Miller in Chuck Versus The Greatest American Hero, he has drawn the short straw once again in ending it. If he volunteered for these two episodes then Phil is to be commended as the Real American Hero of the Chuck writing staff. If it was the luck of the draw then Phil should not take it personally if no one takes him up on an offer to pick lottery ticket numbers.

With this episode the final pertinent pieces of the Sarah and Shaw relationship have been placed in the open. I have been withholding final judgment until this moment, hoping that the writers would pull a rabbit out of their hat to salvage this arc. Alas, it is not to be. For all the props I have given the show in my reviews, I am behoven to call foul when appropriate. To be blunt, the Sarah and Shaw relationship was a sham. It did not work and the episodes that included it, suffered because of it. A further examination of why will take place in an article(s) looking back over the first 13 episodes during the upcoming two week break after 3.13 airs.

Proof that the Sarah and Shaw relationship is irrelevant is that if you can isolate and ignore those moments the episode still works. Works very well. The inclusion of Morgan into Chuck’s spy life continues to reap great dividends. The interplay between Casey, Morgan, and Devon is a hoot to watch. The action beats were great. The Chuck and Sarah moments were as good as they have ever been. Casey’s continuing struggle in the civilian world continues to intrigue.

‘I love you Sarah Walker. Always have.’

As mentioned in the 3.11 review, I was banking on a Casey and Sarah counterpart scene to bookend the one that Chuck and Casey had, which came to be true. While the scene did not prove to be the deciding factor in Sarah’s decision it did put to rest any lingering doubts she had during her packing. Adam and Yvonne played the scene beautifully. Casey’s furtive glances at Sarah’s packing on the bed and his round about way of wishing Sarah well was done to perfection. My favorite scene of the episode.

With the reveal that she killed Shaw’s wife the stage for the next episode has been set.   So glad that the episode ended with Sarah being shown as having clearly made up her mind.

Spy or not, Sarah believes it.  It’s just Chuck.

A Fistful of Catch 22′s – Episode 3.11: Chuck Vs The Final Exam

Written by Zev Borow

Directed by Robert Duncan McNeil

‘Catch 22,’ a novel by Joseph Heller:

“There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind.  Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions.”

‘I love irony.’

In 3.10, life changes were introduced for several of the cast members. This week those changes were explored in their various stages of progression for the three leads. Tied into those changes were barriers for each of the characters. In some cases the barriers are external. In others internal. In all cases there is a Catch 22 element to them. Damned if you do. Damned if you do not.

Catch 22 Scenario 1:

Chuck is convinced that in order for him to be together with Sarah, he has to become a spy. The catch? In order to become a spy, Sarah believes Chuck cannot accomplish that goal without losing the qualities that has endeared him to her in the first place. Those qualities are more than endearments. For Sarah they are lifelines to redemption as we later see.

Catch 22 Scenario 2:

This one is built on a false premise.

In order to be a spy, Chuck must pass the red test, which means he must kill. If he does not, Chuck goes back to his old life. This one has always struck a false note right from when it first arose back in 3.01. As long as Chuck has the Intersect, how can he go back to a normal life? It would be more plausible for him to go back to an asset status. Or bunkered. Maybe that is what the show means, but since they leave the details of what his old life are nebulous, the inference is that he will be a civilian. Which makes no sense if he still has the Intersect.

Catch 22 Scenario 3:

Chuck has become a spy dishonestly. With Casey taking the shot the cheat has worked in Chuck’s favour this time. In Stanford, the cheat cost Chuck his diploma. Ah yes, the smell of irony. The catch here is that Chuck cannot come clean for Casey is a civilian and what he did was murder. So Chuck’s hands are tied in being able to tell Sarah the very thing she needs to hear.

Catch 22 Scenario 4:

If Chuck passes his spy test, he gets everything he wants, except Sarah in his new assignment. If he fails he loses everything including, it is inferred, Sarah. What would anyone put the chances of Sarah resigning to stay with Chuck if he did fail though?

Some of these barriers do not bear up under examination but we must accept them for what they are. They are the factors being used to drive the actions of the characters. The main thing to take away is that for the story to continue the log jam has to be relieved. Which it looks like it will be in the next episode. With the relieving of these pressures, changes for the characters is inevitable.

Episode Flashes:

• Beware blue bubble wrap envelopes! They bring ill tidings.
• Casey finding his spy skills cannot be employed at the BuyMore
• For the men – nice legs shot of Sarah
• Chuck and his reaction to the spy test – #2 pencil and scantron!
• Chuck’s new cover as a billionare in Rome – pretty sweet for a first gig
• Chuck Bond! The Nerd is getting smoother all the time.
• Chuck Stake Out Essentials with his own specialized case of champagne, Sizzling Shrimp and Stake Out play list amongst other items
• Sarah’s twisty mouth ‘I shouldn’t be falling for this but I am,’ reaction
• Private Eyes!
• Chuck and Sarah showing the chemistry is still there in gobs during the stake out/date.
• Sarah hiding behind binoculars as Chuck’s words get past her emotional defenses
• ‘I can expense this, right?’
• For the ladies – Chuck in a towel
• One of the Russian baddies named Ivan Drago! Ala Rocky IV ‘I must break you.’
• Chuck fighting in the Steam Room in TV version of Eastern Promises
• Ka-kaw! Ka-kaw! Chuck bird call to help ID the CIA mole
• ‘I am a spy!’ – cue shot of dropping towel – ‘I am a naked spy!’ – eat your heart out James Bond!
• Chuck strutting in the OrangeOrange up to Sarah, ‘Hi there colleague!’
• Chuck’s gift to Casey
• Sarah having to deliver Chuck his final mission test – the red test
• Washroom fight – Casino Royale style!
• Chuck trying his best to bring the CIA mole in alive
• Chuck unable to take the shot
• Casey taking the shot
• Sarah’s remorse and the intertwining of her feelings of her red test with those of being responsible for leading Chuck down the path to taking the red test

Zev Borrow has crafted an episode that seems very much like the launching pad for some major story threads in the next episode or two. All done with the trademark mix of humor, drama, action and comedy. Characters are being positioned to make irreversible choices. Once again, this has become a mantra, the three leads turn in strong performances. With Chuck we get the first glimpses of the spy he will be. Zac Levi’s merging of the Bondian aspects of the spy world with Chuck’s innate goodly goofy qualities is a treat to watch. Adam Baldwin’s turn as John Casey as a hair triggered weapon with no place in the so called real world of the BuyMore was fun. Finally there is Sarah’s back story reveal of her red test which explains much, if not all, of her behaviour this season and the series. Yvonne nails the turmoil and anguish of that moment and encapsulates Sarah’s behaviour since Prague.

‘It was the worst day of my life.’

With Sarah’s backstory reveal of her red test, the final piece of the puzzle for her seemingly inconsistent behaviour this season has been added. Not only is she struggling with dealing with real feelings for the first time in her life, Sarah is seeing a chance to reclaim a part of herself through Chuck slipping away. Sarah has been struggling with her identity, as has Chuck and Casey, all season. Meeting Chuck gave her an anchor upon which to re-establish whom she was. When Chuck decided to become a spy, Sarah lost that anchor and has been adrift ever since. Staying with Chuck and watching him evolve by incoporating the very things Sarah hates about the spy life has been torture for her. Worse because she feels responsible for tainting those rare qualities of truth and honesty that Chuck has. This explains her request for transfer and distancing herself from Chuck all season as that process fermented. Now, believing Chuck has killed and knowing the fallout from her red test, Sarah is at her lowest point.

Her statement of not loving Chuck is a sympton of pain but Chuck is not the source. Sarah is. It is herself that she loathes. Chuck represents her past. And her shame. When Chuck passed the red test it equated to a lost opportunity for Sarah. A chance that may never come again to, in some measure, redeem herself. This is a line in the sand moment. Not a reinforced bunker. Such lines can be crossed. Sometimes the person making them is begging for someone to cross them.

‘You’re not a killer Chuck.’

Exciting times ahead. Sarah is about to discover that all is not lost through the actions and words of, not just Chuck, but Casey too. This is what we have been waiting for.

Payoff time!

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes! – Episode 3.10: Chuck Vs The Tic Tac

Written by Rafe Judkins & Lauren LeFranc

Directed by Patric Norris

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strange)
Ch-ch-Changes
Don’t want to be a richer man
Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes
(Turn and face the strange)
Ch-ch-Changes
Just gonna have to be a different man
Time may change me
But I can’t trace time

~

David Bowie

‘You ready to die today?’

Tis the season of change in the Chuckverse. Even for a show where events often occur at a rapid clip, Chuck Vs The Tic Tac places characters on their own personal precipes on a scale never encountered before. To wit, five of the main cast members are left at the end of this episode faced with life altering changes:

1. Chuck
2. Sarah
3. Casey
4. Devon
5. Ellie

The quoted line is the question asked of a young Alex Coburn who must chose to serve his country or return home to his loved ones. Coburn choses to serve his country and in the process gives up who he is ie dies and is reborn as John Casey.

In Tarot, the Death Card is misleading. It signifies death as not an end but an agent of change. Or a new beginning. Redemption stories are about the death of the past. Coming of age stories are about the death of the child. So all stories begin at a point of change for a character. All stories are really about death in terms of change.

‘I know you’ll make the right decision. You always do.’

So Colonel Keller tells John Casey. But did young Alex Coburn really? Its a tough question where there is no clear answer. Casey certainly seems to think so. Was his decision to serve his country altruistic or did he see it as an opportunity to hide from feelings which he and his girlfriend acknowledged he has trouble dealing with. The answer is not clear and maybe this aspect of John Casey’s life can be explored in the future. Maybe Chuck will show a new path to John Casey.

The background reveal of Casey’s backstory explains much of his character. Quite a nifty piece of work as it sheds new light on Casey’s history of intolerance for the relationship tension between Chuck and Sarah since Team Bartowski came into being. Casey was often quick to express his displeasure when the relationship spilt out into missions and he always delighted in making Chuck and Sarah painfully aware when the other’s attention was diverted elsewhere. But he was always there to give both of them a nudge too when he saw things heading in bad directions. His actions in previous episodes take on a different light now because of his back story.

Most significantly for Chuck, making the right decision is at the basic core of his character too. We have seen Chuck do this time and time again even when it comes at his personal happiness. For Chuck, and for Sarah, to see the personal price that Casey has paid is hopefully a revelation that will play some part in the final outcome between them.

‘Don’t give up on the things that make you great.’

What Tic Tac does is crystallize the issues running between Chuck and Sarah. There is an accepted conceit that Sarah, and Casey, believe that in order to be an effective spy one has to make personal sacrifices. For Chuck to be a spy, Sarah believes that he will lose the very qualities that attracted her to Chuck in the first place. This is the challenge Chuck faces. To prove to Sarah, and maybe even to Casey, that the two lives do not have to be mutually exclusive. That being a spy does not mean giving up the essence of who you are. For Chuck has an ace card up his sleeve. The Intersect. With it, if he learns to control it properly, he has the power to prevent that from happening.

The catch to mastering control of the Intersect is he needs to have someone watching his back. Not so much in the physical sense but the emotional one. Someone to share with. To keep it simple. To keep it real. This is what he and Sarah need to discover together.

Episode Flashes:

• Robert Patrick by just being himself, which is all his role asked, was still cool
• Morgan spying on Casey
• Team B working their way through 15 levels of CIA security
• Castle debriefing scene which starts out with Chuck goofiness and quickly escalates into the most intense scene in the series to date – a Showcase sequence that demonstrates Chuck at its cross genre best
• hats off to Fitzroy’s ability to quickly upgrade CIA security
• Chuck’s smash into plexiglass wall and Sarah’s reaction due to said upgrades
• Sarah’s applauding of Fitzroy’s upgrades to defuse the situation and turn it to their advantage
• Fitzroy and Morgan. Is it just me or would these two together not be hilarious?
• Fitzroy revealing he is a big fan of Carmichael’s and his glee at Chuck kissing Casey back in Season 2
• Sarah’s punchout of Fitzroy and her exasperated ‘Yes’ to Chuck for it being necessary
• Devon and Morgan circling one another as they feel each other out as to how much they each know about Chuck
• Morgan agreeing to help Casey if he gets a codename like Condor or LadyFingers
• Chuck promising Sarah he still is that guy that Sarah met three years ago
• Sarah and Chuck helping Casey despite the potential consequences
• three excellent fight scenes:
  • Casey getting to do a Terminator toss of Robert Patrick
  • Sarah getting Casey’s back and taking out 5 baddies on her lonesome
  • Chuck’s slomo/speedup drug enhanced flash fight
• Sarah seeing her nightmare version of Chuck, echoed by what she saw in Casey’s fight, the perfect emotionless spy and confirmation she wants no part of that version of Chuck
• Casey’s discovery that he gave up much more than he realized
• Casey giving Chuck advice about him and Sarah. Can a Casey and Sarah talk be that far away?
• Ellie telling Chuck that her choice in Devon was her best choice regardless of the sacrifices made

This is an entertaining and intense episode which marks the impressive writing debut of Rafe Judkins & Lauren LeFranc. They blend together those cross genre elements of the show with deft ease. The debriefing scene in the Castle after the first mission is genius. To take something that starts out as a piece of Chuck charming goofiness and turn it into the most intense scene in the serie’s history is writing prowness at its best.

Add on to that some true comedic moments for Sarah, long overdue and most welcome, coupled with some kick ass action sequences and great scenes with Morgan, Ellie and Devon and it is all the more impressive. The cast continues to shine this season with Yvonne and Adam getting to extend their acting chops. Zac was stellar as usual.

The only quibble would be around the use of Laudanol by Chuck to suppress his emotions to better use the Intersect. While the intent is clear; to show Sarah the nightmare version of Chuck she dreads; the implementation was weak. Maybe budget restrictions were the true culprit here but for Chuck to be freaking out about having to fight too many guys, when he easily handled a similar number the episode before, undermined the purpose of those scenes.

‘Walker is a good woman.’

If anyone had any doubts about whether the Chuck and Sarah romance storyline is headed for imminent resolution, Casey’s speech to Chuck at the end of 3.10 is a big, flashing neon sign. It is has been a long running hope of mine that Casey would play an important part in resolving the Chuck and Sarah relationship and it looks like that is going to transpire.

Do not be surprised if John Casey has a similar moment with Sarah soon.

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