New shows: What’s up, ‘Chuck’? Nerd power, that’s what

Nerds and geeks rejoice, we’re cool — at least in Hollywood’s eyes, and at least this season. NBC’s new show “Chuck” is just one new drama featuring an unabashedly geeky character, who’s more familiar with pi than Prada, and plays more “World of Warcraft” than tennis.

Of course, this doesn’t mean Hollywood will lay off the cliches, but based on its pilot, “Chuck” isn’t bad. It’s the story of a guy who works for the Nerd Herd (thinly disguised version of the Geek Squad) at a Best Buy-like store called Buy More. Through a weird series of events, he ends up with a computer full of spy secrets buried in his brain. A beautiful blonde spy joins him, and they’re off to save the world.

NERDS, UNITE
Likable Zachary Levi plays Chuck, and Josh Schwartz of “The O.C.” and McG (“Charlie’s Angels,” etc) are two of the producers. When asked about the nerd herd invading television, Schwartz made a perfectly logical point: “We know many more (television) writers who resemble Chuck than, say, Jack Bauer. Just saying.”

Actors Levi and Joshua Gomez, who plays his best pal, Morgan, fit the geek/nerd stereotype in some ways, too. They confessed to being regular Xbox LIVE competitors. And in one example of life imitating art, Chuck is featured in the pilot with bandaged hands from playing too much “Call of Duty.” Shortly after shooting the pilot, Levi himself ended up with a bandaged hand from an overactive session of Nintendo Wii tennis. “I got 14 stitches,” he said. “I put my hand through a light fixture in my living room. So I’m cool.”

“Nerd” and “geek” aren’t the vocabulary choices of Levi, however. “I would say the cool-challenged, maybe,” he said. “Or the jock-challenged.”

GAEL’S GRADE: Based on the pilot, I give “Chuck” a solid B.

‘THE OFFICE’ II?
The producers also hope to derive humor from Chuck’s work setting and his nerdy co-workers, mentioning “The Office” as an inspiration. “Everybody wants to take Chuck down at work,” Schwartz said. “It’s almost as scary as when he goes out into the field and has to do spy work.

SCIENCE-FICTION ROCK BLOCK
“Chuck” will lead into “Heroes” on Mondays, followed by another show with sci-fi elements, “Journeyman.” Obviously NBC is hoping that the crowd that has made “Heroes” a hit will find a connection in the other shows. “I think guys (who are) like Chuck like ‘Heroes,’ ” said Schwartz.

(source)