ChuckTV.net The CHUCK archive
This week’s article is a report from the 2009 edition of the Toronto SF Expo. It ran from Friday, August 28 to Sunday, August 30th.
Chuck Director and Executive Supervising Producer, Robert Duncan McNeill, was one of the major guest stars lined up for the Expo. On Sunday he did a Q/A panel. He did a great job of deftly answering questions. The panel crowd was thoroughly entertained and charmed by Robert’s wit and sense of humour.
The questions were mostly about Star Trek: Voyager but Chuck did surface a few times. Here are the Chuck related excerpts from the panel:
1) What’s it like working on Chuck?
I have been producing and directing a show called Chuck. Which is in the States on NBC and I think it is on up here [Toronto] on CITY-TV.
Chuck is great! Chuck is a dream show for somebody like me because I really enjoy comedy. I’ve always enjoyed a set that is funny, as you can tell. So Chuck is a great hybrid show. We’ve got great comic writing, great comic actors with our Nerd Herd and Buy More staff.
Zac Levi is an amazing leading actor on our show. So you got the comedy and the quirky characters and then also we have great emotion with the Chuck and Sarah love story and good writing there.
To top it all off I get to blow stuff up and shoot lots of guns. So you know it’s a dream show for somebody like me. It reminds me of classic Hollywood blockbuster action-comedies like Lethal Weapon and Die Hard. You know the ones with great action and memorable comic sequences. Its just great. Its really fun. So, I love it.
2) What are your current projects?
I’m really pretty immersed in Chuck. This is the third season. I just finished editting the season premiere, just two days ago. Its really exciting.
For those of you that watch Chuck or know it, you know that the guy who created the show, Chris Fedak, probably put it the best, when I heard him say this year that Chuck is really about the birth of a superhero.
The first season was about Chuck about having this computer in his head and being really confused and overwhelmed. The second season was about him kind of going – you know what? I just want to be a regular guy. I don’t want to be a superhero. He was in the denial phase. This season is really about Chuck going – Wait a minute! This is kinda of cool. Yes, I want to be a spy. I do want to be a superhero.
So its really been an interesting project to be involved with because it is just not one concept that keeps repeating itself every week. Its a real evolution. Every season has been a very different kind of chapter.
3) I really like on Chuck this season that we got to see that Jeff was a former Space Invader (Missile Commander actually – LS) champion. I was wondering if there was any more plans to see a little more of Jeff?
Yeah, we are going to see more.
Definitely one thing that is going to happen this season, partially due to budget cuts and the economy and the way life is, you know we were presented with a problem of some budget cuts. So how do we do that? Well, maybe we can’t see the entire cast in every single episode which has actually led us to solve the budget problem.
But that means we write a little deeper for each character. If Jeff and Lester are in an episode they will have a little bit more to do. If Morgan is in an episode he may not just be in the Buy More, we may see him involved in Chuck’s spy life a little bit.
So there is going to be [because] of the economic situation for Season 3 has led us to some interesting ideas, so yeah you are going to see a lot more of those guys.
It was a great time for everyone and was topped off at the end by Robert giving a shout out to a couple of fans dressed up as Chuck and Sarah – with the girl done up as Sarah – Weinerlicious style.
Till next week and another article, this time titled – Angst: The Newest Four Letter Word.
Great artical Lou…Sounds like an exciting season coming up. “Angst: The Newest Four Letter Word.” Hah!
Lou – you’re beginning to remind me of ME when I was a little kid. I wasn’t the one who misbehaved and got into trouble, but I was the one who would “come up with the ideas” for my best friend (who had no fear) to do – and then he would get in trouble! In other words, I was “THE INSTIGATOR!!”
After a thread of almost 100 – sometimes very heated, and even a couple of very nasty – comments from the Brandon Routh Guest Star/Rival for Affection story, we’re going on to the ANGST angle??
Oh Please, Oh Please, Oh Please don’t let your article be another “firing on Fort Sumpter” and the start of another Civil War (Angst-Likers vs. Angst-Haters).
All kidding aside, keep up the great stories. You’re helping all us Chuckaholics go through this painful period of withdrawal until S3. Still SIX more months! 🙁 Hopefully we won’t implode before March 1st!! 😉
Thanks Rick. What can I say? I’m a baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaadddddddddddd boy! 😉
Not sure any of the fans are Angst likers actually just some fans realize that the great good is served by being positive about the show and other fans have complete diregard for such concerns, or perhaps even want to instigate negative reactions to the show to express their dissatisfaction of the best show on television.
Hey Dave – I see your point. I could have put my humor-intended comment a little differently. If there are “Angst-Liking/Loving” fans out there, then they must have problem-free lives – because life is filled with enough ANGST. I think that’s why some very adamantly (sometimes maybe too admantly) react negatively to the ANGST aspect.
But here’s a point I bring up for your – and anybody else’s consideration who cares to chime in. (And sorry, Lou, perhaps I should be saving this for when you actually publish the ANGST article). I may not be remembering word for word exactly – and where I actually saw or heard it – this site, or NBC’s site – or Chuck Me out – or wherever – but at least once in interviews both Zach and Yvonne stated (or at least implied) that the fans somehow “love” the kind of tortured aspect of the Chuck and Sarah relationship. Like if that’s what kept us watching. THAT – I think – is a misreading of the majority of fans. We might tolerate the angst/tension/difficulty [some better than others ;)], but we certainly don’t thrive on it and it’s certainly not what keeps us glued to the tube watching – as you correctly note, “The BEST show on TV!”
I’m not in favor of ANYONE over-reacting and “leaving the show,” but if they want to express an opinion, that’s O.K. To me (and I could be wrong – wouldn’t be the first time) that’s a sign of true love for the show – to be passionate about it.
I don’t care for the angst, on-again/off-again aspect of the show – because (and yes, I know that this is “fiction” and only TV), how many times can you watch character that you care about with their hearts broken or in tears? I think that Chuck and Sarah are characters that have real depth, and that depth could be explored more if the relationship moved forward in some way. Not “walk down the aisle,” but move forward so they get beyond the awkwardness of the relationship to this point. Difficulties because of who they are and what they do are one thing, ANGST and on-again/off-again is another.
Will I be a frustrated if the ANGST continues – sure I will – but I won’t stop watching the show (unless, like I’ve stated previously – it gets awful like HEROES did after Season 1). I’ve spent too much of what little money I have on copies of DVDS, tee shirts, hats, coffee mugs, Subway sandwiches and gift cards, etc, etc., to turn my back on a show that I enjoy so much.
Anyway, too much already from me. Chuck IS the best show on TV – and this site is the best place to go for info. about it and to discuss it amongst each other. Bottom line, however, I think one can have concerns, dislikes, etc., about the show – and express them – while still absolutely loving it. I don’t have a wife (and for obvious reasons I won’t), but if I did, I’d still love her with all my heart even if she had bad breath or laughed like the Wicked Witch of the West (or East – I don’t remember which was the cackling one). 😉 Same goes with CHUCK. I’ll love it even if it’s breath stinks!
That’s all. And PEACE all you Chuckaholics! 🙂
The problem is that 4 or 5 male ‘fans’ just keep taking it to the limit, acting exactly like trolls. And honestly, Rick, when you start mentioning civil war and nasty comments on a brand new thread, it seems to be instigating, not helpful. But I will assume that as you say you are just joking around. Hopefully you really did not think carefully that words have consequences and that re-hashing stuff makes it re-appear yet again on a new thread. The reason people who are just sick and tired of the negativity don’t bother me with the occasional nasty outburst aimed at fans who like to rant is because I know they just care about the show and are equally irate as I am that a small group of 4 or 5 men keep being negative about everything. The negativity needs to stop. It has run it’s course.
What I suggested several times before comic con was that our representatives in the media explain to Josh Schwartz how people feel on the whole angst angle and just spell it out for him. This would have been a constructive dialog. Unfortunately this did not happen as far as I can tell, but instead a small group of male fans just sort of kept an endless negativity loop going ever since Comic Con with no signs of a let up. It has run it’s course. It is just plain old.
The creators of this show, and especially Ali Alder, are keenly aware of how we feel at this point. What more needs to be said to rehash the negativity?
Dave, my Civil War comment was in no way meant to be “nasty.” It was basically a commentary on what we just had on the Brandon “Superman” thread, and a HOPE that the ANGST article by our friend Lou wouldn’t fan the flames all over again.
You and I apparently have different opinions – or maybe we’re seeing things the same but through different colored glasses – whatever. Lou – the writer of this and the future ANGST article certainly didn’t seem to see any nastiness in my comments. As you saw, he responded to me with humor as well. I didn’t take his “bad man” comment seriously. He wasn’t hyper-sensitive to my comments and I wasn’t hyper-sensitive to his.
Honestly, if there are 4 or 5 “trolls,” the best thing to do is just ignore them. I’ve been on other sites that have discussed Chuck and there are trolls on them as well. People who just come out and say “Chuck sucks!” REAL, hardcore trolling! I went at it with them for awhile, but you know what, it got me nowhere. It was an exercise in futility – the last thing I needed.
If there are 4 or 5 people who troll on this site – who are, as you say, negative about EVERYTHING, then just ignore ’em. Believe me, they’re not going to bring the show down. There are too many devoted fans who love the show – and who have worked (and spent) very hard so that it would surivive. A handful of trolls aren’t going to bring the show down. Be aggravating? Sure. But Mel will filter out any vile stuff that some may attempt to post.
Bottom line is that CHUCK will stand or fall on it’s own merits in Season 3 (and on NBC’s promotion or non-promotion of it come February/March), not on whether or not trolls bad mouth the show. And for the next six months, people with different opinions regarding certain aspects of the show – like you and I – are going to discuss the show and where we’d like to see it go (or not go) – hopefully with respect, civility and also realism.
Peace, Dave. And to all in “Chuckland” as well!
I was not referring to your civil war comment as a nasty comment, or implying that your comments were nasty. What you said was this: “After a thread of almost 100 – sometimes very heated, and even a couple of very nasty-comments”. In other words I was mentioning that perhaps we should just shelf the talk about nasty comments on other threads or civil wars BECAUSE words have consequences. The very fact that we are having this conversation shows how easily things are misinterpreted over the internet.
The 4 or 5 male fans that can’t bring themselves to be positive about the show basically log into every site, not this site in particular. Up until recently this site has been somewhat of a refuge from people that just want to complain.
I am not trying to argue with you and again it is just the fact that the internet is a difficult medium to communicate on. When you re-hash stuff from contentious threads, it just perpetuates the whole negativity angle in my opinion. I understand that is not what you are trying to do, however my message remains the same. It is time to focus on the positive.
I am sure in your line of work you have heard the pharse “Have faith”. I have faith in this show and I sort of don’t get why some people need to live in a negativity feedback loop indefinitely. It really is time to move on.
Again, I am not referring to you, Rick. It is just hard to express what exactly I am saying on the internet. I think it is time for everybody to show a little faith and be a little positive, in a nutshell.
Because of the internet medium it always comes out wrong. Anyway my beef was not with you.
Agreed. Time to move on. I’ve also heard in my line of work the phrase, “bear good fruit.” Hopefully we can all move on to other “Chuck stuff” that will be more fruitful and less contentious.
Might I be so bold as to suggest possible (somewhat trivial) topics that might take us away from what trips certain triggers. Perhaps:
1. Where are these people going to work now? Chuck, Casey, Morgan – who
all quit the Buy More – and even Sarah for that matter. Can’t ALL work
at Subway!
2. Where are they going to LIVE now? For example, would it be better now
for Chuck with Intersect 2.0 to live with Casey (or Sarah) – or even
has been hinted, Morgan!
3. What characters from last season (besides Carina who we already know
is back) would you like to see return? Roan? Daddy Bartowski?
Daddy Burton (or whatever is the real last name)?
4. Does Chuck own a car? I’ve never seen him in anything but Nerdherders,
The Vic, or Sarah’s car (or did I overlook something)? And if he’s
going to be given a car, what kind of car should the government give
him?
5. Will we (and do we want to see) Chuck and/or Sarah’s mom(s) in S3?
6. Who should Chuck tell next that he’s a spy? (or shouldn’t he?)
7. What happened to Julia Ling? She seems to not be in anything anymore
related to Chuck. (Comic Con, posts on this site and others, etc).
8. Superman had a dog. Should Chuck get one, too?
9. What do you think will be the next skill/ability that will manifest
itself in Chuck via Intersect 2.0?
O.K., Maybe some of these are stupid. Maybe they all are. Maybe they’re not “article worthy.” But at least they will put us in a different, more positive and less contentious direction and bring “peace to the valley.” What do ya say, Lou?? 😉
Methinks Lou has other plans in store to tweak us!
As far as the topic list:
I am wondering if they are planning on putting the guys back in the BuyMore. I see that as sort of a step backwards. I think instead that Subway should give them a lot of leeway to trash the Subway shop from time to time and then they could use Subway as a legitimate prop. Not in a disrespectful way but in the same way they used BuyMore and had bad guys showing up. I think it would pay dividends for Subway to give a lot of leeway on that issue and be a really cool sponsor who is not afraid to be hip. I could see people running through the subway and somebody getting thrown through the front window from time to time. I just think that kind of hip advertising sells well with the younger crowd.
We already know Chuck will live with Morgan. I always sort of liked the idea of Casey moving in with Chuck and having to tolerate Charah messing around in the back room, getting on his nerves big time. I also like the idea of Chuck and Sarah starting a secret relationship and Casey having to put up with it much to his annoyance.
Roan must come back!!
Chuck can ride shotgun in Sarah’s multiple porsches. She had about $600,000 wrapped up in her automobiles from the first two seasons, if she paid list price.
I want as much Sarah backstory as possible, she is far and away a more interesting and deep psychological person than anybody on the show. She is likely flat out ashamed of her childhood spent scamming people yet she can’t seem to hold it against her father. She is just too nice to the men in her life. There is so much to tell. Was it hard for her to become a killer? I sort of have a vision of her killing for the first time and then going back to her hotel room in Jakarta and finding the hotel bible stashed in a drawer and just praying for forgiveness. Just to show that at one time this stuff bothered her.
Morgan will eventually find out about Chuck being a spy.
What happened to Anna???
Not sure about the dog. Bionic dog?
Chuck’s next skill will be to take a good hard slap across the face when he throws himself at Sarah with a total lack of restraint.
I find this sort of stuff rather interesting personally.
Now I’ve got to get back to writing this homily!! 🙂
Rick, I had a splitting headache this morning. Perhaps you are right and I was too sensitive. However, I made a couple general points that apply to the overall situation. Just about being positive mostly. You and I have both been in the trenches working for this show’s success, which is why I wanted to make sure that there are no civil wars even if it was just me not being sharp enough to understand the early morning banter. Hope that makes more sense.
No problema, my friend. This is all stuff in fun and for a release from the stresses of “real life.” Unfortunately, the stresses of real life can carry over into our fun time.
Let’s just get March here so we can end this torture! 🙂
Did anyone notice the comment about Morgan getting involved in Chuck’s spy life?
Now thats something we can talk about without using that nasty word that starts with A and ends with ngst.
I think the positive news coming out about Chuck far outweighs any vague references to situations involving that dirty little A word.
I think Season three will be amazing. I will miss Anna if she is gone, but oh well. I literally have none of the worries that seem to keep surfacing which is why I don’t get why fans jump to conclusions.
We have been given a mountain of spoilers. Just loads and loads of spoilers. They want us to like the show. Josh Schwartz is human. When we criticise him, he feels it.
That is why I am at a loss when I read such doom and gloom comments lately. Like Ali said, anybody who does not watch this season will miss out on the best season yet.
I hope they get plus nine episodes and use it to tell backstories.
I even like the summer plan.
Maybe next year there will be a Chuck panel at the Toronto con. It would definitely be a reason to visit Toronto again.
Wow! What a compelling thread you guys have going. Nobody mentioned the car. It should be American made, but a 21st century version of Bond’s Aston Martin from Goldfinger. Now… What spy devices do we put on it? Anyone?
I still remember Robbie as Nick Locarno in “First Duty”, he was a great character, and I always felt like Tom Paris was a cheap knock off of his… now after I heard Robbie, I gathered I was right in the first place, all because of some stupid credit system in the Hollywood back-lot.
I find it somewhat sad, but then as a Trekkie, Voyager is my least favorite show
(If you don’t consider Enterprise, which most Trekkers don’t) among the four.
So that was definitely my fiance and I dressed up as Chuck and Sarah!!! I was so excited when he pointed us out, I really hoped he’d notice, lol. The panel was amazing, and he was the sweetest guy. That definitely made my weekend!!
Do you have any photos of yourselves in your Chuck/Sarah getups?? Perhaps Mel might be so kind as to allow one of them to be posted on this here site (hint, hint)!!
yep, I join Rick’s proposal…I never seen a ‘dressed up’ CHUCK fan.
I do have pictures!! How would I go about sending them to her? I would love if one was posted on here, that would be awesome, I worked really hard on that costume! 🙂
I don’t know how you would contact Mel directly, but just the fact that you’ve made it known would give Mel a “hint.” To sign onto this site you need to put your email address, so they’d have yours to contact you if they’re interested in posting any fan pics. Just a thought.
Not to take any business away from this site, because it’s my FIRST SOURCE for all things “CHUCK,” but if it’s not possible to post a fanpic here, you might want to try Zachary Levi’s site. It might be more geared to posting fan “stuff.” Just another thought.
I would love to see those pics! like said before, I’ve never seen a Chuck fan cosplay or whatever its called.
On another note, Roan MUST come back! the hech with “superman”, Roan can be Chucks teacher LOL. Also Chuck should get a Pontiac G8 GT ((RIP) I say that only cus I want one), or maybe a Crown Vic to piss off Casey! XP Really though I’m not sure what car Chuck would drive, maybe a Malibu or a focus or something along those lines cus Chuck is NOT an old school mussle or luxery car and it would be not be plasible to have a car like Sarah’s. Maybe with new Chuck 2.0 he will have abit more cofidance and good, agressive diving skills and he could go for a new school mussle car (or even a KITT car LOL, J/K) Of corse any car he gets they have to “Bond” it up like the “sports model” of the herder.