ChuckTV.net The CHUCK archive
(Its Not Will They, Won’t They? Its They Will, Won’t They!)
Of Journeys Versus Destinations, Work Environments, and Relationship Geometries
This is bound to generate passionate responses so some posting rules will be in effect to prevent flame outs and/or personal attacks. Using one of Television Critic Alan Sepinwall’s rules for commenting as a starting point keep the following points in mind when composing your post:
- BE NICE
- this is an opinion piece for a show we enjoy and a place where people can and should argue passionately for their point of view.
- there is a difference between arguing with passion and arguing with hostility.
- If you can’t find a way to express your viewpoint without:
- insulting other commenters
- getting strident and self-righteous — say, equating your opinion with fact, and deriding other people for not seeing the truth of your word
- either tone down your words until they’re more respectful to other people
- or DO NOT comment.
In other words BE NICE and post as if the words are being directed at you and not someone else.
Failure to follow these guidelines will result in deletion of your post. This will be strictly enforced.
Note – this article deals with the purpose of PLIs not how to set them up. In the wake of 3.07 the setup of PLIs became a flashpoint for fandom. For my thoughts on that please read my review and article on Chuck Vs The Mask.
This is the conclusion of this series of articles.
The previous articles tried to establish how the work environment that Chuck and Sarah find themselves confined within, effectively strait jackets them. In the first two seasons Chuck wanted to get out of that world and now he has opted to stay in. So the concern is now about Chuck becoming proficient enough as a spy to protect himself while not losing those qualities that Sarah fell in love with.
At the same time Chuck must maintain his dual life with his family as the two worlds are becoming increasingly intertwined. As of episode 3.06, Chuck is isolated as Sarah is still struggling with the balancing of her feelings against the job while Ellie, Devon, and Morgan are becoming less and less enamored with this new Chuck. This puts a lot of pressure and Chuck which explains why the relationship has been on the back burner since 3.03. The man has rather a full plate at the moment.
With all those pressures on Chuck and Sarah they are effectively immobilized. External forces are the most expedient and effective way to break through this gridlock. In romance stories this invariably involves bringing a third party; most often in the form of a Potential Love Interest(PLI). There has been considerable resistance to this being used in the third season. Why are they going back to that old stick again? Did they not beat that whole concept to death in the first two seasons?
With only a slight amount of facetiousness these comments are rather humorous. Romance stories without angst? Without PLIs? Really? It is akin to saying one likes westerns but without the gunfights or horses. Or Science Fiction without any science. Returning to seriousness, the real issue is not so much the use of PLIs but much rather how the PLIs are used. Angst and PLIs are tools that can be used effectively. The cheapest tool in a carpenter’s tool box is a pencil. But it is there for the same reason PLIs are. Because they both work and often make the rest of the work the better for it.
There is another reason PLIs are being used in the third season. Again it revolves around the work environment. For in no other fictional world work environment, such as the spy world versus the real world, are the opportunities for character growth so limited. Each week brings a new mission and with it a new set of characters. No continuity there. Outside of the established cast members, none of which present the opportunity to push Chuck, and especially Sarah, in ways that will force them to grow. Except for Casey, the supporting cast members are tied to the real world and while they may have problems, none of them face the weekly life and death situations that the two leads do. So any pressure they can bring to bear will be relatively inconsequential.
Why use PLIs again? In the first two seasons the PLIs were used to show things about Chuck and Sarah in relation to their handler/asset relationship. This season the PLIs will be used in relation to their spy/spy relationship. For the first time they are interacting as equals. By necessity for Sarah these PLIs have always been with other spies because her personal life is a closed book. With the exception of Chuck all her male relationships have occurred in the spy world. With Chuck there is more manuveuring room in the PLI are because of the duality of Chuck’s world. He has his family and friends in addition to the spy world.
PLIs are not about how they present an obstacle to the Chuck and Sarah relationship but rather how they allow mirrors to be held up against them. Bringing new characters in allow Chuck and Sarah to reflect on what it is they are struggling with answers for. It gives them a new reference point to compare what they like about each other and reaffirms what they are leaving behind and gaining by chosing one another. The arrival and departure of PLIs results in Chuck and Sarah being closer together each time they come back to themselves.
Why use PLIs again, outside of the work environment issues? Sorry, if I keep bringing this point up, but it is necessary because it is continues to be marginalized. In the first two seasons Chuck and Sarah’s views of one another were those of fantasy. Chuck saw Sarah as an amazon spy woman – beautiful, cool, invulnerable, and totally in control of her life. Sarah saw Chuck as a representation of an idealized life that was never available to her. His innocence, naivete, warmth, caring, and innate goodness are qualities that do not exist or survive very long in the spy world.
Over the course of the two seasons they grew to know each other and discovered the real person underneath their fantasy views. So the PLIs during those first two seasons were reflecting the reality of their world against the fantasy they had of each other. With the departure of each PLI they came away with a more realistic and stronger view of one another.
With the flip in roles this season the PLIs will serve a different purpose. For Chuck it will be a reaffirmation that he has left behind his normal world. For him to have a successful long term relationship in the spy world, it has to be with someone special. Someone who understands the dynamics in maintaining mutliple existences yet still treasure the simple things. The real things. Built on a foundation of mutual trust. It takes the heart longer to absorb what the head knows already.
For Sarah the PLI will be used to examine more complex emotional issues. For her the reflection being cast when comparing a new PLI against Chuck will be narrower. Chuck will be not necessarily losing but controlling or submerging many of the qualities that attracted him to Sarah in the first place. But a loss of innocence is inevitable. Plus she will be doing so with a toolset of emotional muscles that have atrophied over time due to her life history and the mental barriers she has erected.
Are there other ways for Chuck and Sarah to move towards one another? Absolutely but they would take more finesse and hence more time. For those invested in seeing the two of them together as a couple, the blunt force trauma of PLIs is the swiftest way to reach that point.
No doubt there is a price to be paid while the two of them are in this state of uncertainty or flux. Those little romantic moments between the two of them will be on hold. Throughout these articles, the approach has been to treat the character arcs for Chuck and Sarah as nonspecific ones. The evolution and change these characters are undergoing are not unique but universal. This has been done to prevent these articles from getting bogged down. The actual experience of going on such journeys is a very subjective and emotional one. The better the audience can empathize with the characters the more intense the experience. We all know how deeply we identify with Chuck and Sarah so this makes reactions to their journey all that much more positive and negative emotionally.
Growth is a painful process. In transit enjoyment, may be difficult. Here is to the hope that, for those struggling with the journey right now, when it is re-experienced, with the payoff known ahead of time, that it will be entertaining and appreciated. Chuck and Sarah being together is not the end of their journey. It is the conclusion of one volume in their story. The PLIs of the third season will get them to the end of the current volume in the most expedient manner possible. Here is to the upcoming conclusion of this volume. And to many more volumes in the future.
Because the Chuck and Sarah journey has never been a, ‘Will they, won’t they?’ story. It has always been a, ‘They will, won’t they!’ one.
You guys should start a Chuck magazine. Seriously.
I totally agree!
What a great idea…LOL
As usual OD, very nice piece! You should apply to Chuck’s writing-team 🙂
I do however not agree with PLI’s being necessary for the angst and story. Look at Farcape, they kept the angst up brilliantly for 3.5 seasons without introducing a single PLI…..
Thanks. Re: Farscape – again, different work environment though, no?
And PLIs are not a requirement but in the world Chuck and Sarah live and work in it is the quickest way to move their relationship ahead.
Very different, agreed.
Although there are similaritys between the characters, Chrichton/Chuck is somewhat similar and Aeryn/Sarah is almost identical 🙂
But I see your point and agree that it is probably best for the show to take the quick route considering they never seem to now how many eps they have left..
You are 3 for 3 in the great articles department. Way to take one of the key elements of the show and dissect it into easy digestible parts. I love it.
Definitely very different work environments. But keep in mind that, however small, there were other PLI’s in Farscape (Gilina, Larak, etc). They may have only been there for an episode or two, but they were there.
Another vital contrast is the immediate cast of characters and how they interacted is incredibly different. As Lou mentions, in the Chuck universe there aren’t very many people to interact with in the workplace for possible growth, where as in the Farscape universe each of the crew of Moya were able to grow based on situations with their crewmates.
As far as the relationship of Chuck/Sarah vs Crichton/Aeryn: unique to the Farscape universe, they were able to test out a Crichton/Aeryn relationship because of the cloning.
It was a storyline that I, and many were skeptical of at first, but there was definite payout at the end. So, one can hope the Sarah/Chuck storyline also has a similar payout.
I am one of those crazy shippers. For me, the two main character’s current state toward one another refelcts my own current state toward TPTB. I love the show they created, and the mood their show left me in each week in S1/S2. In season 3, TPTB have created doubt in my mind, that they will deliver that same show in the future, that same feeling, that I had come to trust from them S1/S2. Isn’t that more or less where chuck and sarah are toward each other right now, doubting if what they felt was real? For them, we have a pretty good idea, thru a stroke of the pen, all will be well with 5 minutes to go in the 13th episode. For me, I am not looking for 5 ‘mythical’ epic minutes at the end at the expense of 12 hours and 55 minutes of angst. I need a warm CS moment at 3.8’s end, at the end of most episodes for that matter, or I will probably never let the show ‘hook’ me quite the same as it did S1 / S2. By the way, that’s not a threat, it is something I prefer not even happen, it is just the way I’m starting to feel. That is one crazy shipper’s side of the story.
I tend to agree with what you wrote.
For me, I’m just not liking this year’s story like I did Seasons 1 and 2.
Put another way, if I had been introduced to Chuck beginning with Season 3 Episode 1 thru S3-E07, Chuck would definitely not become “Must Watch TV”. It would be something I might continue watching if nothing else came up, or not.
I agree. If I had started watching from season 3, 99.99% chance I wouldn’t have continued watching Chuck. It’s everything season 1 and 2 wasn’t.
I hate the Olympics.
don’t we all? (apparently this comment is too short sooo I’m adding words.)
I think you touched on what my biggest issue is with the way the relationship arc is being pursued, Lou. While you’re absolutely right in that, if they want to pursue Chuck/Sarah in a way that is “more realistic” and “shows character growth”, they may be doing it in the right way, I think, for me personally, that’s not what I necessarily want. For me, Chuck/Sarah is just one of the many aspects of the show that I enjoy, but I enjoyed that part of it because it always seemed to be a bit of a fairytale romance. It was two people from completely different walks of life, thrown together through circumstance, who come to realize that they have much more in common than they’d originally thought.
It seems to me that, through the use of PLI’s, that the fairytale part of their love story is being thrown out the window in pursuit of this more “real” portrayal of romantic entanglement. And all along, “Chuck” has been more of a fantasy series than one that explores reality. So it makes me scratch my head that *this* is the issue that the creators have chosen to delve into as being “real”.
At the end of the day, I would much rather wait longer for the conclusion of the Chuck/Sarah courtship if it means that the fairytale is still intact, but I suppose I’m alone in that opinion.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts!
That is a very good point and may explain what others are experiencing as well.
An understandable position. For me, the more realistic approach is my preference.
I would love to see Chuck and Sarah moved into a higher stakes type of environment because the characters are so good together.
I get that, and I’m sure there are many, many people that feel the same way you do. But what’s that old line about not being able to please all of the people all of the time? Of course, Dead Prez would tell you that if you pleased the right ones, then the rest would fall behind. Or was that fooling people? Anyway, not important.
Okay, getting back on track here, I was just going to say that, yeah, in the end, Chuck and Sarah will probably be together, and many, if not most, in the fanbase will rejoice. Just for me, the story that drew me in won’t be there anymore, so that part of the show will more than likely no longer appeal to me.
And that’s alright. I can still enjoy Casey being Casey. I can still enjoy the Buy Morons, and their antics. I just won’t really care about the Chuck/Sarah stuff, as, for me, it will have been cheapened. No big deal. You win some, you lose some, as they say.
Wepdiggy i agree with that notion and iam sure other may feel the same way.But we also have to understand that there neeeds to be character growth in order for the show to contine.What we are seeing is that growth.It may seem strange at times but thats all leading up to the conclusion of Sarah & Chuck being together.
Also Lou exelent job on the past three articles,they are very well writen and i enjoyed them tremendously.I agree with all three of them and think that if one is to take some time and analise the show as a whole so far they would see that this is only the beginning of a long and prousperous show.
look foward to more pices from you OD after the Olympics.
But it’s my opinion you do not need sophomoric, teen driven angst to further character growth.
There are many, many ways to have character growth. If Schwartz/Fedak would allow it, the writers could come up with great stories furthering the story arc and character growth with out all the “will they, won’t they” or even “they will, won’t they” stuff.
I keep seeing this posted. Would love to see some solid examples. Do you have any?
Because, mission related ones could do the same trick, but would take a lot longer.
Despite the logic on the value of PLI’s I have to confess I’m still not completely convinced. Even after Chuck’s sudden rejection of Sarah’s plan to run away with her and the deep hurt that she felt when he didn’t, she still trusted Chuck when he suggested the zip-line escape from life-threatening danger. Despite her attraction to spies like Bryce, Cole and now Shaw, she doesn’t seem to trust anyone except for Chuck. So how can PLI’s for Sarah do all that much except to underline the fact that Chuck is “that guy” the only guy that she can have a real relationship with?
As for Chuck having “more maneuvering room in the PLI area because of the duality of Chuck’s world” again I’m not convinced. If Chuck thinks that he will have more success now with someone like Hannah than he did with Lou when he was just an asset, then the grasshopper still has a lot to learn. One would think that someone who has been as far along in his spy training would have learned that lesson or at least would have had his team reminding him of the limitations of his chosen life.
Rather than getting impatient in seeing them together, I’m more interested in seeing Sarah let Chuck know the real her and in seeing Chuck realize his responsibility of not just helping the world with his super abilities but also in helping Sarah become a whole person. While romance is great the bigger mission for me is to see these two characters reach their full potential.
That’s so well put, Donovan.
Sarah was tremendously hurt, as we saw in Pink Slip. Yet, by the end of The Three Words she was on the verge of tears because of Chuck’s admission of love. By the end of Angel of Death that hug was as tender as anything we’ve seen. We *know* she wants something real, someone the spy life can’t give her. Yet we’re so quick to believe she’s reverting back? – back to someone who represents everything she’s rejected and cried over for Chuck? Don’t think so.
And when Chuck lost Sarah in Prague, he reverted to a capital-L Loser of whom even Ellie said “He’s dead to me.” He wants to go back to *that*, as represented by Hannah? Can’t believe it.
I don’t hate the Olympics, but I sure to hate the break!
Great article Lou, I guess my biggest problem is that the PLI’s for season 1 and 2, Lou, Bryce, Jill and Cole all made sense as PLI’s as the storyline continued and most definitely helped Chuck and Sarah grow. This is not the case for the PLI’s in Season 3, at least not so far. I find Shaw and Hannah unbelievable and not just because of the last episode Chuck Versus The Mask. Shaw and Hannah would be more believable for me if A) At the end of Pink Slip Sarah should have given a even harsher comment to Chuck that there was no going back to the way it was for them and that she only wanted to interact with Chuck in a professional spy setting and their friendship was over. B) In the Three Words Chuck should not have given his speech that he gave while trapped in the vault. He should not have said that he loved her. He said that Carina throws words around like love, but not him. Well if he loves Sarah as he claimed how can he jump into Hannah’s arms so easily? C) In Angel Of Death they should not have been joking about being fake friends. And Sarah should not have said that they need to take things slowly. Slowly means moving forward and in the context of the conversation means that she wants to reconnect with Chuck on a personal level. D) In the end of Operation Awesome Sarah comes to the dinner. Now yes so does Casey, but Sarah coming continues to show that she wants to rebuild their fractured relationship.
The problem basically is that the Season 3 episodes in sequence have shown the gradual rebuilding of Chuck and Sarah relationship both professionally and personally as well, which makes Chuck’s interest in Hannah so baffling to me. There is no question that Chuck has a lot on his plate right now. I can see why he can’t be with Sarah right now, for various reason. But that doesn’t explain his intense interest in Hannah. And of course Sarah’s sudden interest in Shaw is also baffling and just not believable.
Hopefully future episodes will explain what is going on. I have my theories, but who knows for sure what will happen. For now Shaw and Hannah are simply unbelievable as PLI’s for me. And worse I am starting to question as to whether Chuck ever loved Sarah at all or whether he just thinks he does when it is convenient for him. Like when there is no other girls around showing an interest in him. First Lou, then Jill, and now Hannah. If all it takes is a pretty girl with a interest for Chuck to lose interest in Sarah then he most certainly does not love Sarah. Thanks!
Hailey, i agree with what you are saying for the most part.
However, I think if you are going to use that rational with Chuck, then you must apply the same standard to Sarah as well.
I admit, I did not like the idea of Chuck & Sarah expressing there love for each other this season early on & then the show putting the breaks on their relationship again with new PLI’s. I don’t like it mainly, because I want to see Chuck & Sarah as a couple finally & for them to begin working on there “Real” relationship & finding the balance between work life & personal life as a couple.
I say, this, because I want Chuck & Sarah together & have since the start of the show.
In the forums, I went as far as saying ” that I was tired of Chuck falling for every pretty girl that smiled at him, just because he is so desparate for a girlfriend.
So, in that sense, I agree with you.
However, if we are going to use that logic concerning Chuck, I feel we must apply the same standard to Sarah.
I am getting tired of Sarah’s character using the excuse of not wanting to be with Chuck becayse he’s a spy. She uses this excuse concerning Chuck yet the show has written every other possible PLI she has had, as being a spy.
Not a valid excuse in my opinion.
If Chuck loves Sarah great, begin to work through your issues & be with the one you love.
If Sarah loves Chuck, then it should not matter that he wants to be a spy & if Sarah loves him great, support his career choice.
Especially since the biggest reason behind Chuck making that career choice was for Sarah.
I just find it not believable when Sarah does not want to be with Chuck, because he wants to be a spy but continues to have interests, however brief in other spies.
Especially, considering that it has been Sarah, encouraging Chuck for 3yrs, that he was a hero & good at this job.
Just my opinion & not totally disagreeing with you.
BMB.
I’m sorry your name was Hally right?
My mistake & unintended.
Have a great day.
BMB
Halley!
OMG Sorry.
BMB.
I agree with everybody’s point of view on this subject. I can see how people are getting anger. But, I don’t agree with all the trash talk. I personally want to see the characters grow and evolve together–as they are. I think that the articles sum it up the best. How believable is it for them to be together and the journey is so worth the wait. I truly believe we will see them together at some point in the future. All this talk about losing the romance is wrong though. I see the romance still there every episode–“mask” was evidence of that. Sarah seemed to be okay with evrything, but her face didn’t show that–she’s upset about trying to move on and ultimately that will lead her back to Chuck with a renewed appreciation. I like this season and have felt that it is taking us on a new journey that we can appreciate in the end as a complete story. Rather than bits and pieces jumbled together like most other shows. I think people are crazy for not wanting to take the journey–it’s all about entertainment and feeling like you are part of the show. That’s the way I feel this season and am happy to buy my Subway sandwiches, buy all the seasons on DVD, Blu-ray, and on iTunes. I will support this show for as long as it takes–why? Because I love it and that is ultimately what matters. Or, we could stop watching and let it get cancelled and watch shows that don’t even have half as much heart and enjoyment. Wake up out there–please, before it is too late.
Sorry for all the typos. I just get ahead of myself when I get typing about my favorite show
I totaly agree with the chuck magazine idea! 🙂 love your writting!
Very nice article, Lou. I enjoyed it immensely. You give me something to ponder until epi 3.8 airs. Thanks for your insightful analysis.
I agree with Lou completely, as well as the other commenters. The characters are growing and I think the characters know it. They need to work on things personally before being happy together. I think interest is not in the people, but a chance to move on. Ultimately, they know and we know that the new relationships won’t last. Whats wrong with a little breathing room? If they don’t do this now, their relationship could end up like Ross and Rachels. I understan how people feel about the how can they trust each other if they keep running off with someone else whenever they get the chance. I agree with that in the first two seasons, but not this one. As I said, they need the closure from their messy relationship in order to restart and generate a healthy one. When the season is over, and we look back at it as a whole, I have a feeling it will all make sense. Great article!
Well put Sam!!! I wish everybody could see it that way, but unfortunately they don’t. I will pointing my finger and mocking these people at the end of the season and then revel in victory. LOL
I disagree with one thing you wrote. “Unltimately, they know and we know that the new relationships won’t last.”
Obviously, we the audience know things will turn out since we can “look into the future” via comments from the show runners, etc.
However, the characters themselves can’t see into the future. Just as we the audience in our real lives can’t seen into the future. Since they can’t see into the future, if they knew the current relationships can’t or won’t last, then they wouldn’t be jumping into the relationships in the first place.
Agreed, Sam. BTW, I’m enjoying this season immensely. Hate the Olympics, though. :/ lol
“For me, the more realistic approach is my preference.”
Yeah, me too.
I still this should have been resolved allready JS trick us last because he thought the show was cancelled then hit the reset button you you may be right they will eventually get there but the fustrated fans will have long abandoned the show so no 4th season I am afraid
Excellen Article, I found it very helpful.
Let me start by saying I WAS one of the crazy shippers, and after seeing 3.07 and Sarahs whiplash enducing opinion change regarding Shaw I was freaking out… A LOT. After having some time to think about it(dang olympics) I realize that while I do ultimately want to see Chuck and Sarah together, the part of the show I truly miss from this season is just them being good friends and seeing the underlying subtext of them loving each other. We’ve seen glimpses of that like when she showed up at the dinner at the end of Operation Awesome but thats it. I miss the sense of love and friendship from those two and desperately want that back so that they can finally be together.
And like it was said before, them being together is not the end, just 1 very awesome stop along the way.
In life as well as Chuck and sarah you unintentionally hurt the one you love. I think Sarah and Chuck are both guilty of this. I think they will grow further apart before they grow together. This step is nessessary in the story writing process to keep the audience hanging and wanting more.
Make that, most of the audience. I, for one, do not like to be kept hanging. And it’s beginning to make me want it less. I’m fast getting to the point that I don’t care, and that’s not a good thing.
But one dissatisfied viewer doesn’t count for much. Schwartz/Fedak had better hope that large numbers don’t agree with me.
Again, I probably an audience of one, but I still believe Schwartz/Fedak could have told the story differently but still showed “growth” in the characters. But apparently “teen angst” is what they do best.
Hi, all. I’m the new gal here. Thanks so much for the wonderful articles, comments, opinions that have given me so much to consider about the number 1 show on TV. Part of me wants the old Chuck/Sarah but I also know that all relationships change and grow.
I agree that the new PLI’s will provide opportunities for Chuck & Sarah to grow and expand/broaden themselves and untimately bring them closer together.
I’m so glad I found this site and have the chance to benefit from everyone’s comments and insights.
Thank you for writing this article!!! I agreed with most (if not all) of this and held many of the opinions expressed in the article previously about this season. I posted on the necessity of your termed “PLI” after the controversy with the “Chuck vs. the Mask” Episode. Might have been a bit rude to some of the people who threatened to stop watching Chuck because of that episode. Got frustrated and I believe I threw out the word “shameful” to describe them…. Sorry about that and glad you posted this article. Goes back to the old Tension Bridge Model… can’t have cables fixed to two violently moving points. The love square/trapezoid could be used to help the characters come to relatively fixed points. To reiterate a few of my comments that got deleted in that blaze of frustration comment. The writers know what they are doing. They have carefully maneuvered around love interests in the past (even some unpopular ones). I definitely did not like Jill’s character in those few episodes (I thought about punching the tv… haha). I hope that your article has convinced those people on the border of not watching to reconsider their threat of a “boycott.”
If you want to know why Chuck should be with Sarah, check out this phot that Adam Baldwin posted on his Twitter account.
http://twitpic.com/13tojh
When I saw 3.07, I was disappointed, too, but then I had time to reflect:
What does a guy like Chuck do when he’s put himself out there to profess his love to the girl of his dreams (while being suffocated by poisonous gas), only to be ignored by her? What is a guy supposed to do when he tells her he loves her, explains his motives for not running away with her, only to overhear her ask for a transfer from Gen. Beckman? Well, he tries to move on.
Of course the important word here is “tries.” I agree with Lou’s argument because it’s that attempt to find love with someone else that will make his love for Sarah clearer and more painfully real. Listen, the guy’s already put himself out there, trying to win her over “again and again and again” in previous seasons. Chuck’s at that point where he’s trying to move on, but I think the payoff for us will come as he finds it impossible to move on from Sarah.
As for Sarah . . . Bryce told her once that she’s never been good at expressing her feelings, and I would add, acting on those feelings. Here at 3.07 is the perfect example. Her fear of being emotional vulnerable is what we love and hate about Sarah. For example, she says she “won’t make that mistake again” after the monumental kiss in season 1, and of course does; and in 3.02 she tells Chuck she won’t make the mistake of rashly acting on her feelings again. These are great scenes because we can see through her bravado, but this fear of vulnerability is also what’s keeping her away from Chuck. She hates it every time she puts her feelings out there, and this time she has good reason because Chuck rejected the life she offered him away from the spy world.
At 3.02, she knows that Chuck really does love her, and that his choosing the spy life was not a rejection of her love, but an affirmation of how much he’s been changed by her, how much their lives are inextricably linked now. However, she learns this watching a computer screen, alone in Castle (Chuck’s dreamy eyes aren’t looking into hers). It’s her move to make, and that’s the hardest position to put Sarah in. She’s so afraid to put herself out there again, and she doesn’t trust her feelings for Chuck since the Chuck she fell in love with is seemingly changing before her eyes (ep. 3.06). Sarah is testing her feelings, seeing if she could move on from Chuck, because loving Chuck has been the hardest thing she’s ever done.
As Chuck and Sarah have said to one another, they’re not good at relationships. But how many of us in real life are? I definitely have stories to tell about trying to move on, about unstated feelings, pining, all of that, and that’s my real life. I wasn’t trying to balance romance with life-or-death, spyworld demands. And by the way, I am married to that love of my life (for 18 years now), but it took some time for us to figure out that we were both ready to take that step.
Maybe what some of us objected to in 3.07 was that this episode too closely mirrors real life, where people hide what they truly feel and end up sabotaging their one chance at happiness. All the time in real life people move on from their “true love,” the nice guy who really would love them and who really knows them, only to marry the jerk who will leave them 15 years later. That’s real, ugly life, and it happens all the time, and we hate seeing it unfold in the lives of our favorite escapist TV characters.
But on the brighter side of things, this is TV, and we’re at a very interesting point in the story of Chuck and Sarah. If Sarah and Chuck turned to each other and chose each other right now, there would be no turning back. That’s terrifying to Sarah because when you finally have him, you could always lose him, especially since he’s chosen to be a spy (mirrors Shaw’s story, doesn’t it?). She’s still weighing her choices. They’re in that stage of emotions where one reasons, “If I could be happy with someone else, then maybe I should try, because the one I’m drawn to makes my life so complicated and makes me feel terrifyingly vulnerable.”
I would argue that Sarah and Chuck are right where we want them because they’re testing their feelings. When they find out they only want each other, there will be no turning back.
Wow Denae you really hit the nail on the head some fans think this season is not as good as the first 2 and some fans are just mad that chuck and sarah are not married with six kids by now.
What the writers are doing is showing what the two main charaters lives are like now that they are in a real relationship just like in real life we do not always end up together right away if at all but we learn about ourselves through our relationships with others as we all know chuck has already but his heart out there many times before he even explains how he has to keep winning sarah over again and again when ellie and awesome asked how they kept their relationship so fresh.
The biggest thing keeping chuck and sarah apart is sarah she has to open up alot more keeping everything hidden is only hurting her yes both chuck and sarah now have some adjustments to make but that is the point of this season the fantasy that they each had about the other is long over now comes the hard part of making the relationship last in the spy world.
sorry about the typo I meant to say put not but
[quote]
Are there other ways for Chuck and Sarah to move towards one another? Absolutely but they would take more finesse and hence more time. For those invested in seeing the two of them together as a couple, the blunt force trauma of PLIs is the swiftest way to reach that point.
[/quote]
Well said. This is exactly why this season has the hardest and most painful love trapezoid of them all.
I think it might help those of us with no literature background if perhaps in the articles there are references/footnotes to more famous works of fiction with similar romance storylines. Just a thought…
Before anything I should point out that English is not my native language, only my third or fourth in terms of proficiency, so just bear with me.
A fellow disgruntled fan of Chuck sent me this link (Part 1, 2 and 3) and I have to say I am impressed. Your texts are very well written and make several good points. The level of the actual commentaries is very good as well and the site seems amazing. Probably there are many others, for this or other shows, but never had the time or the curiosity to actually find them. And, to be honest, still won´t have after this.
I find two fundamental problems regarding the third season. The first one could not be avoided by the writers, the second one is essentially their fault.
Well, I’m sure you agree that to actually watch a show and immerse ourselves in it, we need to suspend, for the duration of said show, our innate disbelief, adjudging as real something we knew beforehand was fictional. We do this through the fictional facts the writers provide us and that we have to understand and assimilate. The better they do this, the more immerse we will be in that reality. But all shows need “ropes†that keep us connected with the real life or real world as you may. In this show, I believe the ropes are the strong relationships, Chuck and Ellie, Ellie and Awesome, Chuck and Morgan, etc, and Chuck and Sarah. Of all of them, the last one is the most important, as it is the one they invested more time (through fictional facts) that we process as character background and growth. (Going to the point now, sorry)
So the first problem, to me, is just cultural. It’s not culturally “accepted†(in general terms) in Latin Europe the usage of romantic third parties at this stage of Chuck and Sarah’s relationship. They have already confessed their love for one another so the next logical step is going forward or, in case that is not possible, just shutting down completely to external romantic advances for the time being. There are three basic layers, Admiration, Desire and Love. I’m not even going to start talking about the Perfect Love (and only love) defended by some like António Vieira, Plato or Solomon as most people don’t believe in that. But you can’t have Chuck going around saying that you love Sarah, that you don’t say it lightly, and then have him so quickly forget that for the next girl that shows up.
And, just as an example, we all remember Sarah being so nervous (great job Yvonne) when helping Chuck prepare his gear for his first mission, a kind of worry you don’t have just for anyone, and then make her all of a sudden notice the fantastic “body armour†Shaw has.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against the introduction of PLIs (as you call them), I agree they are the quickest way to get the characters to the point the writers want them to be. And I actually liked all the PLIs introduced until now. The problem here is that there is no way you can introduce PLIs at this stage, without damaging the likeability (does this word exist?) of Chuck and Sarah, and without damaging their characters background and story. Chuck cannot really say he is not like Carina, say that he loves Sarah and then just go with Hannah of the first chance. Come on, I’m a guy as well and I wouldn’t do that.
But as I told before, this is not their fault and not something very important, as the show is made to North American viewers and not for European viewers, and I’m perfectly aware of this.
The second problem is their fault as it evolves on the way they introduced the PLIs and some changes to characters background through faulty premises.
It seems out of character to me that Chuck can so easily “burn†his asset and lie so calmly to his sister with whom he grew together (without parents at some point).
One doesn’t change his principles for almost anything, especially just for work, even though people depend on you to do so. And I know this by fact.
Just 2 brief notes before I go (finally):
There is a Portuguese music that actually fitted perfectly on the relationship Chuck and Sarah had before season 3. If you want to watch here is the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLhDQ6V4sVg
You can find a translation easily on the Internet or I can provide one if requested.
The other thing is that I know for a fact that there is no “Ring†operation in Lisbon.. and Sarah was here just because it is a beautiful city that you should visit when possible. 😉
Have to go now as Benfica is playing right now! :p
Kudos to you all for the great job and thanks for the patience for reading all of this.
Ploteus! Well written – especially for not being your primary language. Always a treat to hear from international fans.
Thanks for taking the time to write and Go Benfica Go!
I love your explainations… Very Well done. I have another idea to ponder:
These two Love Interests could have another plot purpose…
What if??? #1
What if Hannah gets killed…. we know that she’s only in one more episode.
What would that do to Chuck? He’s always worried that someone close to him
would get hurt because of the Spy World… Hannah getting killed would send
him over the edge – especially if he wasn’t able to protect her.
What if??? #2
What if Shaw had something to do with Hannah’s death?
Not directly responsible – but perhaps not doing anything to stop it either…
All this stress and worry about Shaw and Hannah would change rather suddenly
I expect… Anyways – I’m really looking forward to the remainder of Season 3!
i understand why there is use for PLI’s and i dont mind their use, however what concerns me is how and why chuck and sarah’s relation came to be at this point.
how did chuck expect to win sarah back after he rejected her at the station without giving her a tangible explanation and simply walked away leaving her heartbroken.
then after he got kicked out of ‘train chuck camp’ he realized what he lost and tried to contact her and explain, she wasnt taking calls (his that is)
7 months later (a very long time) he finally explains why he chose to be a spy (this time a good explanation) but a little bit too late she had already harddend her heart.
i know this how the writer decided to write this season but if chuck had simply told sarah what he said in the vault at the train station we wouldnt be in this situation, why did he not tell her then? is the question.
And why did he bother to tell her 302?
To all my fellow chuck fans who think that the PLI’s don’t work is say this some of our favorite shows all had story lines like this some more complex and others not so complex take for example Who’s the Boss for eight years we watched as tony and angela danced around the fact that they loved each other and wanted to be together we kept on saying just do it already but when they finally got together they both said the reason that it took so long was the fear of not being together at all why get in a relationship with someone only to end up hating each other the thought of that kept them apart for eight years. this is kind of the way chuck and sarah are acting now only it is sarah that is keeping them from moving on she needs to see that in any relationship that chance of getting hurt is always there but if you let that fear run your life you will never be happy chuck understands this he is not afraid to but himself out there but he is not going to wait for her to come out of her shell he is done with the whole pining for the girl that broke his heart been there done that with jill he will not go through that again he even tells sarah that while it will hurt seeing her with someone else he is going to move on she on the other hand has to make the choice do I keep stringing him along do I just give up or do I finally grow up and except the fact that he is not going to intentionally hurt me and that he is the only one I want to be with these are the decisions that this charater has to make in order to grow more as a well rounded person.
the PLI s are make sense for this season hannah is really what chuck would have been if he had never had the intersect and shaw is the perfect template to show sarah that even the most hardend spys can still love and have lives when these two relationships end both chuck and sarah will be able to fully take their relationship tho the next level but not until they both get a better understanding of their flaws.
we as fans all want them to be together right now but just ignoring the story that the writers are trying to tell is causing alot of us to miss out on the great thing s about the show.
all of us just need to sit back relax with a Five dollar footlong and let the show take us and great ride
Colour me stupid, but I don’t really get the distinction between WTWT and TWWT.
I’m not trying to be snarky or anything, as I essentially agree with almost every point you make within the articles, but you seem to think this is kind of profound, and it just falls flat for me. Are you trying to point out the differing levels of emotional investment implied by the two questions?
By the way, I laughed out loud when I read your comment about Romance stories without angst or PLIs. I’ve muttered those same words many times when reading various Chuck forums!
WTWT implies uncertainty. TWWT makes it a fait accompli. The first is a question. The second a declaration.
Switching two letters around makes quite a difference. Didn’t intend for it to be profound but amusing.
Hmm… TWWT still seems like a question to me, but a good set of articles nonetheless! Keep up the good work!
Its all where you place the emphasis. 😉
Thanks for the feedback.
I think the thing that rings untrue about the direction our heros are going, to me, is their disloyalty to one another, unless this turns out to be one gigantic con. It definitely gives the appearance of wishy-washiness or no internal compass (or one that just spins and spins and spins). Chuck has no problems with his loyalty to his sister, Devon, Morgan, his Buy More co-workers, his Dad, friends or assets but to Sarah (the woman he loves???) he appears to be easily swayed to stray. This could present a susceptibility problem in spyworld when a beautiful spy shows an interest in him, I guess. Oh well, I guess that is part of character development. Chuck’s words and actions don’t match up. Sarah has major trust issues but at least you get the sense that she wants to be Chuck’s partner in spy world or out. I know I am going to mess up this quote but the gist is….Jessica Rabbit in the movie Roger Rabbit….”it’s not my fault, it’s the way I was drawn.” Maybe it’s not Chuck or Sarah’s fault, it’s the way they are written.
It’s interesting to argue which is in the wrong. We can empathize with Sarah because we can see the emotion written on her face. Everything she wants to say is so obvious when you look at her. However, Chuck normally doesn’t see this, she’ll have her back turned or she’ll wait for him to leave. If you’re in his shoes how much do you read into what she’s saying when she’s telling you she’s leaving, doesn’t go to the suburbs, etc. etc. Yes she wanted to run away with him. But was that because she is uber protective of him or because she loves him. Tough to tell.
Ellie indicated to Chuck that “she (Sarah) is really into you,” this season Carina told him “she (Sarah) loves you.” Chuck has the tell in the shower scene while washing Sarah’s back that he is still deeply affected by Sarah even while dating Jill. Chuck tells Sarah he loves her and then does a 180 in a short period of time. Heros we root for seem to stick with a game plan in the face of uncertain outcomes and are not a weather vane in the wind. (an aside: My family stopped watching HEROS when it became so convoluted that the characters had no definition other than an amalgum of goodish-evil and evilish-good. Mediocre fighting mediocre. Aren’t they both actually on the same sides? We simply did not care about their plight or their path anymore).
My son is 25, within the coveted 18-49 demographic. He was converted to Chuck last year. I asked him what he thought about vs. the Mask. His one word reply was, “annoying.” His best friend (also 25), a convert from Season 1 & 2 DVDs said…”all Chuck has been saying from Season 1 on was ‘I want this normal life, I want the woman I love. He gets that chance and then says no…what’s up with that?\'”
I understand character development but I also understand being true to the characters you have created.
Some shows use a near death experience to bring two lead characters together Why couldn’t Chuck and Sara be trapped in the Castle together in 3.07 they would have force to talk you still could have Shaw finish his story arch
I’m only confused because she can date Shaw, but not Chuck? Isn’t it worse to date your boss than date just another spy, granted said spy is the intersect. The Prague incident was a convenient way to justify the Sarah/Shaw pairing because the writers can say she was hurt by Chuck, betrayed even. However, with everything Sarah knows about Chuck’s personal life you think she would understand. Plus there is the fact that he knows nothing real about her. PLI’s aside, which is all well and good, nothing will be resolved between these two until a little honesty is injected into their relationship. This seems to be the major rate limiting step in their relationship. That and Chuck can’t shut up to let the girl get a word in.
Great article. I don’t think it is even necessary to analyze it that much but it’s true and hopefully this help ease some of the fans who are up in arms over the whole thing. Chuck is still just as good as it was since the pilot.
Ya know what no one noticed or at least I haven’t read on here? At the end of Chuck vs the Mask there was the voice of that woman saying take a look at some of next weeks Chuck and it cut right to something else. I was so mad at not being able to see a preview….
well that explains a lot of questions that i had before.
thanks
I think people are making this more complicated than it is. While I enjoyed your articles on why the writers are doing PLIs, I think there are much simpler reasons. The main reason is it is a TV show and that every season they are unsure whether there will be another one. If NBC had said here is a contract for 5 seasons, I am sure the writers would have been able to create a more believable relationship curve with Chuck and Sarah without any inconsistencies. However, since its season by season basis inconsistencies in their personalites and behavior is bound to happen. In the case of Chuck and Sarah the writers had good leads with great chemistry and their relationship developed at a fast pace due to the uncertainty of the show’s future. With Season 3 they had to look for a way to try to slow down or divert the love story between the two to avoid losing the “yearning,” that audiences feel for the characters to get together. They had the choice of either creating PLIs or putting Sarah and Chuck together and then break them up in some painful way. In a sense they did both but I think there could have been more plausible ways to keep them appart other than work/PLIs. For example they could have made the glitching intersect in Chuck hurt Sarah in some way either by failing to work when she was in danger because of Chuck’s feelings for her or it working but hurting her because Chuck is unable to control it. I think with the realization that his new powers hurt the woman he loves would have forced Chuck to step back maybe even push Sarah away to protect her as his character would do. In order to work with her still but not hurt her he could have went so far as to somehow use the intersect to erase either his memories or block off his feelings for Sarah until he can learn to control the new intersect without hurting Sarah. I think this would have been much more believable and in line with how the characters feel with one another. Sarah could even agree to this to help Chuck. They could have confessed their love giving fans what they want but then take it away when Chuck loses his memories of “falling in love with Sarah,” and Sarah has to pretend that she doesn’t love him even though she has all the memories. Then he could have flashes through out the season of the memories he erased. In this case Chuck getting a PLI would be believable and Sarah getting another PLI would be somewhat believable to protect chuck from falling for her again. What do you guys think? I’m not a professional writer of TV shows or anything but I am a fan of the show and I do think they could have definitely been more creative and believalbe in continuing the show and Chuck and Sarah relationship without it seeming forced which it is right now. I will still keep watching to see if there is going to be some clever twist ahead to explain why Chuck and Sarah are acting out of character.
First time poster.
Wow, I am amazed with the depth of the articles and the comments.BRAVO.
Just watched yesterday 3.08.
Does anyone else think the PLI thing risks on becoming a little promiscuous?
The love token and the PLIs were supposed to bring realism, but in my reality it doesn’t at all.
I once broke up with a girl I loved, we tried different partners but when we wanted to be together again, it just didn’t work. The jealousy was too much to bear.
Episode 3.08 was great and hillarious but the angst in the end almost made me throw up.
I am curios if Sarah will sleep with Shawn. Otherwise, I see a great asymetry in the way they interact with the PLIs. Chuck sleeps with the girls, but Sarah is only shown kissing the guys (if my memory serves me well.
I hope it has nothing to do with the social clichee(?) that when guys sleep around they are macho, but if women sleep around they are beaches. Please pardon my french if it sounds too rough but english is not my mother language as you noticed.
So, if Sarah respects the symetry, how is the C/S love going to be strong and pure?
Anyways, the angst at the end of 3.08 was too much for me, involuntarily I yelled “why are they doing thisf??” (i.e. the producers and Sara/Shawn)
But then, maybe I drank too much coffee. Thanks for sharing your oppinion on this.
P.S. I don’t know who came up with the syntagm WTWT/TWWT but there is a very nice tribute line to it in 3.08