Charah: Point-Counterpoint

The relationship between Chuck and Sarah is complicated, shifting, and often maddening. It is by far the most discussed element of the show on this site, drawing some of the most passionate and eloquent comments as well as some of the must frustrated. For today’s guest article, we actually have articles from two Chuck fans, each arguing a different side of the Charah relationship. Take a look at the point-counterpoint below from Aardvark7734 and Wepdiggy. Where do you fall?

Assassin, Spy, Girlfriend

Why Chuck needs “Charah” to succeed
By Aardvark7734

My first exposure to Chuck came from a TV promo. When I first saw it, I was attracted because of three things: It was a light comedy, it seemed centered around a nerd who was (cough) not completely unlike myself and it promised entertainment in “fish out of water” situations where nerd and spy cultures clashed. So, on the day it debuted, I watched.

But something unexpected happened as I watched the pilot. In the restaurant scene during Chuck and Sarah’s “first date” I realized something special was happening between the two leads. That it was enjoyable watching them banter and flirt awkwardly. That they complemented one another.

By the end of the “beach” scene, I was hooked. Maybe the nerd could get the girl.

As episode after episode rolled out, it became increasingly obvious that the show runners agreed and were letting the romance unfold. And while there were occasional setbacks (Lou, Bryce, Lon Kirk) the season ended with a rooftop scene (‘Chuck vs. the Marlin’) that sent a clear signal they’d eventually find their way to each other. Right?

Then came season two.

With it, a veritable smorgasbord of angsty disruptions and derailments ensued. They broke up, the ex-girlfriend returned, Sarah committed an unconscionable act, James Bond showed up to make Chuck jealous, it went on and on. And just when it seemed as if the pair would finally step over the line into blissful intimacy (‘Chuck vs. the Colonel’) their situation was thrown into doubt in the finale.

So it wasn’t surprising that the fan base reacted with some annoyance and, towards the season’s end, with exasperation. Some of the disaffected voiced the idea that maybe this whole frustrating focus on the Charah ‘will they – won’t they’ question was a waste of time. That the show, full of spy action, comedic high jinks and ‘bromance ‘ would be just fine without it. I have just one thing to say to those people:

Are you out of your frakkin’ minds?

With all due respect to others’ opinions, it’s way too late for that. Chuck’s romantic pursuit of Sarah is now a crucial factor in the show and there’s no going back.

To understand why this romance is fundamental to the core of Chuck and why it must be Sarah, and not a more conventional girl, that eventually wins Chuck’s heart, you need to get beyond the classical appeals of their matchup (fantasy, chemistry, forbidden fruit) and understand who Chuck is and where he is going.

Many people believe that Chuck is the “everyman” in this story, the guy we can all relate to. But he’s actually much more than that. Chuck is an underachieving hero, knocked off the path of greatness by unfortunate events. When fate shows its hand, thrusting him and his loved ones into perilous circumstances, he is forced to become the hero he was meant to be.

Sarah is an intrinsic part of that journey, the scintillating gem in Chuck’s new reality – both fascinating and flawed. And while she initially seems incompatible and unavailable, we find out over time that she’s neither and, incidentally, his savior. How’s that?

In Sarah, Chuck has a woman who sees the man he could be, and pushes him towards that destiny. She’s supportive, compassionate, and shows disappointment only when he fails to have confidence in himself. Other women, even those in his spy life (Jill), want Chuck to embrace ‘normal’, which for Chuck means settling far short of his true potential.

And while Sarah is broken, emotionally stunted, a product of a dysfunctional childhood, it is through redeeming her, transforming her from a cold-hearted assassin to a woman who can love again, that Chuck grows out of his adolescence. In choosing her, he chooses his shiniest future, the one that he’d gotten used to believing he’d never have.

As Chuck says to Sarah in ‘Chuck vs. the Ring’, “Everyone keeps asking me what I’m going to do with my future. And the truth is, I don’t have a clue. All I know is that I want you to be in it…”

His choice is made. The die is cast. Now it’s up to season three to deliver.

The Hero’s Journey

Why Chuck Doesn’t Need “Charah” to Succeed
by Wepdiggy

I feel I must say this to start: I am not against Chuck and Sarah as a couple. Okay, there it is, shippers, I’m not against you. Well, I’m not totally against you, though I feel that we watch a different show Monday nights on NBC.

The show I watch is about the predestined hero coming to terms with the path that lies before him and learning to balance that new life with the life he already had. It’s about family and friends. It’s ‘spy-fy’ fused with the everyday world.

Chuck is a coming-of-age-story. The kid, from humble beginnings, who finds that he was meant for so much more. He learns to be a hero and saves the world while not losing himself in the process. That’s the story of Chuck.

Notice that nowhere in that brief description did I say anything about the story of Chuck and Sarah which, while a good story, pales in comparison to other parts of the show. Relationships are a key component to Chuck, and I get that, but the singling out of that one particular couple and the ways in which it is done have proved to be, for me, more of a distraction than a benefit to the entertainment value of the show.

There is just too much to be explored within this universe for the creators of the show to continue to suckle at the dry teat that is ‘Charah’. It’s boring at this point, and it has the potential to become unbearable. Either put them together or let them stay separate, but don’t make me watch more indecision.

I, as a viewer, am not interested in seeing two adults pining away for one another like pimply faced teenagers. If I wanted that, I’d watch Gossip Girl. Instead, I watch Chuck in hopes of seeing the interaction of TeamB, fun missions with zany solutions, and Jeffster; but I’m constantly disappointed when I get Chuck and Sarah gazing longingly at one another when the other isn’t looking. In fact, I’m completely convinced that episode 3.07 will be called ‘Chuck vs. The Staring Contest’, and will be 43 minutes of Chuck and Sarah looking at one another. Before you dismiss it, think just how plausible that is.

‘But in Chuck, the nerd gets the girl.’ Okay, I get that premise, but why does ‘the girl’ have to be Sarah? I don’t think it’s vital to any franchise that the lead male ends up with the lead female. Luke didn’t get Leia, nor did Harry get Hermione. There is a precedent for this sort of thing with these heroes. And honestly, if ‘getting’ Sarah means that Chuck has to be either absolutely crushed, humiliated, or even emasculated at least three or four times a season, I’d just as soon he find someone else.

So far, we’ve seen Chuck prepare a romantic evening for him and Sarah only to have her scoff at him; he’s watched her make out with Bryce Larkin in his bedroom; he’s shown up with wine and a flower to be greeted at the door by Bryce; he’s watched Sarah suck face with Cole Barker in the Castle, not to mention the infantilization that happened during the entire Cole Barker situation; and he’s asked Sarah to leave her life to go away with him, only to have her decline and say that she was going back to work with Bryce. Will the humiliation for Chuck ever end? Not if this focus on Charah continues the same way.

Chuck is a hero, and he deserves better. Where’s Lou when you need her?

Aardvark7734 and Wepdiggy are Chuck fans on opposites sides of the Charah spectrum. Their debates about the impact of that relationship are both passionate and respectful, showing just what a complicated show Chuck really is.