Why Chuck Fans Should Check Out Undercovers

One of the fun things about writing about TV is that we often get screeners – episodes in advance – for the shows we cover or that the networks hope we will cover. A stack of screeners for NBC’s new shows was waiting for me when I returned from Comic Con, including the pilot for a show Chuck fans have been chewing over for months – Undercovers.

When word about NBC’s interest in J.J. Abrams’ spy show first leaked last spring, some fans wondered why NBC needed another spy show, positive it meant they were going to cancel Chuck. Others thought it sounded like the perfect pairing for Chuck, two spy shows back to back. In the end, NBC not only picked up both Undercovers and Chuck, they put them on different nights (Undercovers will air Wednesdays at 8/7c). Why should Chuck fans start tuning in to NBC on Wednesday nights?

Although the pilot episode doesn’t quite have the magic of the Chuck pilot, or the jaw-dropping moments we’ve come to expect from J.J. Abrams, it has the potential to be a lighthearted spy romp with just enough drama to stay out of parody territory.  Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Boris Kodjoe take on the lead roles as Samantha and Steven Bloom, married former CIA agents who are reactivated five years after they resigned. They may not be household names yet, but leave it to J.J. Abrams to launch a pair of relative unknowns. The two are engaging and eminently watchable here. They have an easy, believable chemistry as a married couple, with plenty of spice to keep life interesting.

When they became involved several years ago, Sam & Steve (I know!) agreed to keep their spy lives separate, which wasn’t so difficult after they left the Agency but does provide both some points of both conflict and humor now. In short: If Chuck & Sarah ever achieve the “normal life” they’re after, I think it would look like the Blooms. And probably last about as long before they get their spy groove on again.

Although the pilot is mostly concerned with introducing us to Sam and Steven, we also meet a few characters who I hope will be part of the regular supporting cast. Sam’s sister Lizzie is a bit of a mess, but serves to ground Sam’s normal life. Think season 1 Morgan, if he were a girl. Gerald McRaney shows up as the Blooms’ handler, giving General Beckman a run for the Cranky Authority Figure title. Leo reminded me a lot of Bryce in the beginning; in fact, the entire opening sequence will remind you of the Chuck pilot. Leo sticks around longer and will, I hope, continue to interact with the Blooms. And finally there’s Hoyt, the CIA techy who hilariously worships the ground Steven Bloom walks on but sure would come in handy on future missions.

That combination of humor, action, romance, and drama that we find so appealing on Chuck is present here, too. It’s not quite as well done as when Chuck is firing on all cylinders, but the potential is certainly there. Bottom line: while it doesn’t quite have the “zing” of Chuck, this is a show worth checking out as a complement to our favorite spy show.

Undercovers premieres Wednesday, September 22 at 8/7c on NBC.