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Finally, something substantial from Ausiello!
Question: These Chuck ’shippers are driving me crazy with their negativity after “Chuck Versus the Mask.â€Â Can you give them something positive in regards to Chuck/Sarah that will get them to retract their claws? Please help! —Jason
Ausiello: This mini Q&A I conducted with exec producers Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak via e-mail shortly after Monday’s episode should do the trick…Q: Did you anticipate that the episode would elicit this kind of reaction?
SCHWARTZ AND FEDAK: We knew it was going to cause a bit of angst in some viewers. We didn’t expect this level certainly, though we are appreciative that our fans are this invested in the characters. One thing we didn’t anticipate when we made this episode was that it would be the last episode before a three-week hiatus.Q: Why did you decide to have both Chuck and Sarah embark on new romances (with Hannah and Shaw, respectively) in the same episode?
SCHWARTZ AND FEDAK: Because we are masochists. We kid, we kid. It happens sometimes in life. If you see one person moving on, it can spur you to move on as well. But we want to stress, Chuck and Sarah are not emotionally in the same place at the end of this episode.Q: Which of the two relationships poses the bigger threat to Chuck and Sarah?
SCHWARTZ AND FEDAK: There are things far greater than a relationship that threaten Chuck and Sarah… Stay tuned.Q: Can you offer any hope to Chuck/Sarah fans?
SCHWARTZ AND FEDAK: As we’ve said before, [Monday’s episode] was Chapter 7 of 19 of this season. We love and appreciate our fans. We know our fans are why we’re back this season. But we need them to trust us to tell the most emotionally satisfying story possible. This has been mapped out from the start, and we always knew telling this portion of the story would be difficult for some. But we need people to come to back to the show March 1st — now more than ever — and we think if they do take this journey with us, they will see what we had planned the whole time. This is part of a bigger story than just “will they or won’t they.â€It’s worth pointing out that not everyone was disgusted by Monday’s turn of events…
Question: I absolutely love Kristin Kreuk as Hannah on Chuck. Any idea how many more episodes she will be in this season? —Jeremy
Ausiello: Just one. Schwartz and Fedak confirmed that Kreuk’s arc will conclude on March 1. Meanwhile, Brandon Routh’s stay has been extended yet again, although Team um… Schwedak (?) wouldn’t provide an updated episode count.Question: Any chance the name of Christopher Lloyd’s shrink on Chuck is Doc Brown? Also, does his episode have a title? —Jeremy
Ausiello: His character’s name is not Doc Brown. And the episode is called “Chuck Versus the Tooth.â€
Not sure why Ausiello didn’t confirm Christopher Lloyd’s character name – it’s Dr. Leo Dreyfus – but whatever. Comment away. I’m going to turn off my email for a while.
So does BR have more episodes after 13 or is Ausiello referring to him being extended to episode 13?
Not going to lie, I want Team Bartowski back. Shaw imposes for me.
Agreed BR brings nothing to the table.
I agree–I don’t really like BR’s charcter. But, I don’t think we are supposed to. My bet is on him actually being a double agent for the Ring.
yeah i believe you are right. i was telling a friend the same thing. i don’t like him because i think i’m not supposed to like him.
his character would be way more interesting if he’s evil.
I really hope he isn’t.
You might be right we aren’t supposed to like him, but he can be a jerk and still be on their side. He could simply be some level of anti-hero to be used a tool to help drive character growth in the members of “Team Bartowski”.
I certainly hope Routh only lasts until 3.13. I miss Beckman, too.
IMO, the objection to BR is twofold. First, the obvious romantic rival angle. And second, that he messes up the team dynamic.
But I think folks are letting their fears rule. BR’s real role is a spy one. I think we’ll see that happen very soon.
I think that JS just tipped us off. The Ring is coming after them. And that’s going to drive the story. Pretty sure that C/S are going to become much closer in that environment, not less.
All I want are for JS and CF to look at the episode and say with some humility.
“Okay, looking at it, we might have made some tactical errors in terms of the execution of the trapezoid. We’re sorry about that”
That’s all. Show some humility.
Except that they may not think that they made errors. They know the story, we don’t.
I’m a huge Chuck/Sarah fan, but I didn’t really think that either one acted out of character, and I actually really enjoyed the episode despite the Chuck/Sarah seemingly going in the wrong direction.
Just because people feel betrayed and angry doesn’t mean that what they did was wrong. We’re just going to have to wait until ep. 8.
I’m sure they don’t think they made a mistake. However, the last time they didn’t make a mistake, it cost the show 800,0000 viewers and a drop from 2.4 to 2.1 in the demographic. I’m hoping its not that bad this time, but if anyone thinks there won’t be any fallout, their crazy.
I have no problem with Routh’s character. I just think he’s an awful actor.
I do have a problem with the Shaw character. As my wife would say, “he’s a snake>”
But I agree that if they are going to have a character named Shaw, then they should have gotten someone who can act.
Is Brandon Routh’s supposed to be wooden, stiff, and totally void of emotion, can Routh not play a character that is animated, smooth, and a touch of emotion.
Shaw is not Chuck. He is supposed to be an icy, ruthless, commanding, aloof and efficient super spy. And that’s exactly how BR plays him.
Oh, but he is not totally void of emotion; watch his final scene in VS First Class again. 😉
Well, they didn’t need to pay star money to an actor to play an emotionless, wooden character. Any actor can do that.
I think Brandon Routh is doing a great in the show. Definitely a great addition. His casting is what brought me to discover CHUCK in the first place, so the more of the Shaw character in the show, the better for me! 🙂
Oh, and I forgot to add that I’m enjoying the show so much. Can’t wait for March 1st!
Really? I could’ve sworn you’d been around longer than that. Go figure. 🙂
Ditto for me Mel.
Why did you think so? I’m curious. 😀
But yes, I stated watching the show because of Brandon; I thought I should find out what the show was all about, and once I started watching (the pilot), I totally loved it. Thought all the cast was great, especially Zach.. 😉
Because I recognize your username quickly; it usually takes a while (or a lot of posts) before I can recognize someone with the context of their thoughts on the show. Especially with so many people using a variation of “ChuckFan” these days!
I hope they aren’t putting Brandon Routh in episodes beyond 3.13. He’s supposed to be a guest star, but he’s in more episodes than all but the three central characters and Josh Gomez.
More Jeffster!!!!!
I actually wished Kristin Kreuk was the one with more episodes than Brandon Routh. I like Hannah’s character a lot. Maybe not have her as a love interest as to not upset ‘shippers’ lol…But yea, I wouldn’t mind seeing more of Hannah.
From JS’s answer about Routh’s Shaw character, it sure seems like we’re going to be dumped on even more by a useless character.
I had no idea that Season 3 of Chuck was going to be a vehicle to highlight Brandon Routh’s incredible non ability.
My last sentence should have ended with … non ability to act.
Ok people this is getting rediculouse.how long are we going to talk about the CHUCK “contrevarsy” for it happened it happened.these are all the stories that CHUCKTV has done on this story in the past 72 hours (in no particular order)
1)Schwartz & Fedak vs the Controversy
2)Zac’s Take on the 3.07 Controversy
3)MidSeason Melodrama – Episode 3.07: Chuck Vs The Mask – Part I & Part II
4)The Double-Edged Sword Of Devotion: ‘Chuck’ Vs. The Entitled Fan Base (though not directly related the comments are on the same subject)
5)RATINGS: Chuck 3.07 Sees A Drop
6)Sepinwall Reviews Chuck vs. the Mask, Says What I Would Say
than add the intresting article by the BuyMoriaKing
“Chuck vs. The Ratings- Numbers, Demos, Trends, and Charts” witch was nither good or bad in terms of overall viewers
This is gotten out of hand com on people i know IT WAS BAD but not bad enough to have 6 seperate articles on it.im not going to mention the NBC boards.i dont dare go there on good days it must be ground zero for this CHUCKOPOLIPS
my parting words as i walk away from this contrevarsy (NOT the show just this particular conversation)is take it easy and calm down the only direction is up.
seee you in two and a half weeks!!
I have to agree with Chris and Josh’s third answer. And again, this assumes that everything we saw in the mask was “real.”
They are correct in that Chuck and Sarah are not in the same place emotionally. It appears as though Chuck moved on once he seemed to have gotten the OK from Sarah at the end.
She looked conflicted and seemed to back off again for Chuck’s benefit, not hers. You watch the episode more than once and you get the feeling her smile to him was real when he referred to her as a partner at the museum, but the one she flashed at Castle was forced and cheesy, and faded to some pain and anguish as he walked off.
She still looks uncomfortable around Shaw, and I agree that she should.
More HANNAH pleaseeeeeeeeee!
I seriously LOVES her!and i wasn`t even a KK fan!
I like the idea of “guest” actors, not squatters. BR’s character “SHAW” could certainly have been a recurring role or some sort, but this intrusion on Team B detracts from what I always enjoyed about the show. I’ll keep watching to see what happens, but it is truly a struggle of late.
I wonder what Zachery Levi and Yvonne Strahovski think of the controversay coming out of “Chuck vs the Mask?” I haven’t seen anything noting their views of the fan angst.
BR sticking around into the mini arc tells me that Chuck asks for his mothers braclet back, dad teaches him how to deleate his identy because Ellie is mad at him, Sarah rubs shaw in his face, Morgan moves on. He feels all he has done is let the people he loves down and splits! Just my take on it.
Sarah supposed to be intellegent, strong and a woman with principal. Not like in Episode 3.07. Again like other previous episode, she an easy woman goes into other so call hero-like arm such as Cole IN A VERY SHORT TIME. So Chuck, forget Sarah. THERE ARE MANY FISH IN THE OCEAN (Casey Statement. BE a MAN.
I agree… when she told Shaw to back off, i was like “yeah, thats sarah” but then again.. disappointment. At this point, i would be perfectly happy if chuck is with hannah, and we drop the whole “Chara” story. Sadly thats not going to happen.
just wanted to add my two cents – chuck versus the mask has done something with chuck and sarah completely new – this is the first time both are in other relationships and willing for it to happen. allowing each other to be in this situation demonstrates just how close the two are and eventually they will be reunited i’m sure…
so does anyone know for a fact how long the shaw character will be in the show?
long enough to completely alienate the fan base. but hey, it’s fedak and schwartz’s show, and they’ve made that perfectly clear. it’ll also be their show when it joins other shows in the tv show graveyard.
Bingo. JS/CF believe, and maybe they do, they are perfect story tellers. Obviously, it’s their show and they can do anything they want with it. Just as obviously, I have zero control over the story that’s getting told. All I can do is stop watching if it gets bad enough. It isn’t bad enough yet, but the show is closer that point with me than at any time since I started watching.
I thought the Shaw character was going to end at Ep 3-13. From this interview, JS says the Shaw character has been extended once again. What does this mean? I’m reading tht to mean that stupid character is going to be in the 6 episode mini season.
It was strange to see Shaw lamenting over his wife’s ring at the end of one episode and then the next time we see him he is obsessing over Walker and studying all of her daily routine and assigning himself to be the official neck kisser of Sarah. Easier to believe Hannah, with an amazing resume, moves her entire life to Burbank, CA and takes up a job at a Buy More to be near a guy she met for a few minutes on a plane. Ok, so they both seem weird and forced.
I think we will find out one is a spy and the other a double-agent.. otherwise, it is a stretch to see how these actors fit into Team Bartowski.
There is so much more we could learn about John and Sarah and even Morgan.. before we get force fed these temporary guest stars. I’d much rather get some more Jefster!
Already they can say what the producers of Chuck should want but the season 3 has lowered very much of level with relation to 1 and 2. Already they can say what they should want but there can no be a romantic constant tension between the both most important prominent figures who are Chuck and Sarah because ultimately he bores. I was one of the big defenders of this series in Spain, but the producers do not leave me already any argument and I am going to recommend that they should do like I and do not see her. The problem is that the scriptwriters sometimes believe a top being and lose the reason and destroy a series that was OK and was very good.