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Chuck season 4 is off to a good start with episodes that are fun but still have emotional weight. Now, I felt that most of season 3’s episodes were also fun but with more emotional weight, especially in the first 13. So why are fans responding better to season 4? My theory: the endings. Many of the season 3 episodes were made up of the humor, action and character interaction we’ve come to love, but ended on a down note, leaving viewers with a sour taste in their mouths. While I would argue that easily 35 out of the 42 minutes per episode were fine Chuck outings, those last few minutes, sometimes the last few seconds, could erase all of the good vibes for some fans. Clearly endings are important.
With that in mind, here are my favorite episode endings on Chuck:
- “Guys, I know kung fu.” – This statement from Chuck at the end of “Chuck vs. the Ring”, the season 2 finale, concluded an eye-popping display in which Chuck, having just downloaded the Intersect 2.0, takes out several bad guys. Casey and Sarah watch in disbelief as they witness Chuck take control of both his destiny and the Intersect.
- The Eiffel Tower – You know what I mean. That beautiful ending to “Chuck vs. the Other Guy” with Chuck and Sarah in Paris was the culmination of three years of yearning, both for the characters and the viewers. Played with a little bit of levity, a lot of joy, and a healthy dose of passion, we so deserved that in what was almost the season 3 finale.
- “Mary Elizabeth Bartowski” – The Mama B (semi-)reveal at the end of “Chuck vs. the Ring, Part 2”, the actual season 3 finale, was one fans had been hoping for since Papa B reappeared earlier in the season. Following the heartbreak of losing Papa B, we were happy that Chuck was set on the path to finding his mother, and intrigued about where she’s been and what she’s been involved with all these years.
- “If you ask me, I’ll say yes.” – Sarah says this to Chuck, who she thinks is asleep, in “Chuck vs. the Coup d’Etat”. I think 5.5 million people shared Chuck’s secret grin, cheering as Sarah acknowledged that she was ready to take that step with him.
- Awesome is Taken – Yes, NBC spoiled it with their promo for the following week, but on its own the end of “Chuck vs. the Angel de la Muerte” had us gasping. For the first time, we ended an episode with someone outside of Team B in jeopardy after Awesome was grabbed by unknown kidnappers. Not really a positive ending like the other four on this list, but one that showed the writers’ willingness to mess with the status quo and throw in some twists and turns.
What are your favorite episode endings?
The Eiffel Tower
The kissing scene on Chuck’s bed at the end of “Honeymooners.” Listening to Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good”, which Chuck picks to be their song together while Sarah and Chuck stroke each other’s faces.
It was a great scene.
I second this. Swap this episode anding with the ending to the end of the episode where Awesome is taken and the list would be perfect.
i’m with you Gambs and nycfan 😉
one of my favorite endings trully
one of the scenes i go find and replay many times in my laptop from time to time
I LOVE THAT ENDING.
I also loooove Nina Simone, so I am extra biased 🙂
The end of Honeymooners is my all-time favorite as well.
I would put the Honeymooners ending in my top 5. Just a really great ending to an episode.
Me too! That was my favorite ending so far.
Gambs -I agree that closing bedroom scene was one of the best–really sweet (I cannot believe I said that!) The Honeymooners was one of the best episodes–Last weeks closing remarks by Sarah “If you ask me I will” were also a great ending.
Yup. Favorite ending scene ever.
Money.
A lot of good things compressed in about 4 minutes.
Chuck’s wicked vinyl collection (gotta put this at the top of the reasons), plus the fact that Chuck made sure Sarah had a favorite song… that’s just thoughtful. The whole scene was perfect: it was realistic, sweet and oh so satisfying.
The song alone makes that a top pick.
I also like the end on the Anniversary. Those last seconds with MamaB kicking ass and the poor Marko begging for his life cuz he had a family of his own and MamaB replying “So do I” where just incredible!
I really liked all five endings that you have listed, but I’d take the ending of Leathal Weapon over almost any of them. The double barreled “live the life I want with the girl I love” and the Tron poster reveal was exceptional.
Yes! The Tron Poster reveal was the original ‘gamechanger’ for me.
Oh! Yes! I loved that.
Absolutely! That was the moment when the show became my favorite!
I knew I was forgetting something from season 2! OK, I change my #5 to the Tron reveal.
Mmmm. I’m not sure that I would swap Awesome out though. I was behind in my viewing and hadn’t seen any of the promos when I first saw 3.03; it was a real cliff hanger and, after the way Emmett had been killed, I was genuinely concerned that they might kill off Awesome.
That was my all time favorite ending. The song in that scene was amazing too.
Another really good one was when they found out Jill was fulcrum.
Also another good one was when Sarah took Chuck to his father.
Not to mention the Bloc Party song that was playing in the background.
‘Signs’ had the right tempo, right melody to showcase Chuck’s confidence in himself, that he was going to remove the intersect one way or another, and his Tron poster/intersect map was proof.
Hey, might be another friday five: music that fit well with the scene 😀
the end of chuck vs the living dead the song at the end really sets whats coming ahead.
For me its these scenes:
1. “If you ask me, my answer would be yes”
2. “I think I’ve found the one, This is gonna be your favorite song”
3. “You’re my home Chuck, you always have been”
4. “Guys, I know Kung Fu”
5. “Shut up and kiss me”
Honorable mentions:
“I need you to do one more thing for me, trust me Chuck”
The ending of Lethal Weapon was amazing on multiple levels
The surveillance video at the end of Three Words. Great ending even though the writers completely ignored it going forward.
“Whoa, ahh, Wow, Hmmm, Ohhh”
“You’re committing treason Sarah, I know”
Yes! I lied in my last post this is it! (: haha Uplink you just took the thoughts out of my head better than I could.
uplink–You also had some great choices. Hard to keep them to just 5–all upbeat-no downers.
Vekisto–I hated the Break Up–the whole episode was a downer to me–the spilled wine was really lame.
Ergo, the ending was highly appropriate! (I said “ergo”!)
I can’t remember episode names, sorry, but you’ll know these, right?
Where Chuck and Sarah have driven to a trailer home in the middle of nowhere in search of Papa B, seem about to give up and go away, then seem about to kiss. The door opens to interrupt their kiss and the camera remains fixed on their faces as Chuck says, “Dad?”
Chuck and Saran I believe have just decided by the courtyard fountain that a real relationship between them will not work but they have to maintain their fake relationship for their spy job. They look at each other sadly, then turn around and paste convincing (but we know they’re fake) smiles onto their faces so they can go into the apartment where everybody else is gathered and happy.
Funny how those two are kinda similar because they focus on Chuck and Sarah’s faces and emotions while they’re side by side.
You will not believe the number of times I type “Saran” instead of “Sarah” and have to fix it. Perhaps the show should promote plastic food wrap. 😉
The first one is “Chuck Vs. the Broken Heart.” (3.18)
The second one is “Chuck Vs. the Breakup.” (3.03)
Thanks. See? I don’t have to remember episode titles.
I agree with all of these except for number 5. I love the ending of Ep.1 Season 1. (Well its not exactly the ending scene but close enough) With Chuck and Sarah on the beach and she says “Trust me Chuck.” I think that scene sets up all the other episodes and even all the other seasons…she started their trust tower right there.(:
The fact that there are so many great episode endings and that people remember the details and the episode titles off the top of their heads is a testament to what an incredible show “Chuck” is. I agree with all of the above comments about episode endings. Great list Mel and great fan comments!
I agree, you can’t just pick 5.
I agree, it is very hard to pick the top 5 episode endings.
I have to vote for the end of vs. the Colonel, when Sarah meets Chuck in the courtyard before the Awesome’s rehearsal dinner. Her response “It is real…” after Chuck clumsily explains the feeling of finally removing intersect 1.0 was just perfect, and the scene closes with them holding hands in a meaningful way, which, as any mature adult knows, is where true intimacy starts.
And there was that blue dress, my personal all-time favorite look for Sarah (bikinis notwithstanding, of course).
Remember that this was all in the context of whether or not the show had a future, and it seemed to me at the time that the writers were preparing for this to be the series conclusion. Then we got the amazing vs. the Ring episode, which has to be my personal favorite complete episode ever.
i think chuck Is really asleep as sarah tell him she would say “yes”, maybe his subconscious that is happy.. ahuah
but i like the end of one episode on the first season, where chuck asks sarah’s middle name.. and when he leaves she says its Lisa… it’s kind of sad.
And I also love the “feeling good” scene too! ^^
“The Colonel”. Except for the cliffhanger tack-on of Ted Roarke thumbing a ride, I thought the “It is real” scene with the handhold closeup was breathtaking. At the time I thought that if “Chuck” did not get renewed for a season 3, that this scene would have made for a superb conclusion, even with one episode left to air.
Don’t know if they’re in the top five but some other top endings worth considering:
vs. the Alma Mater from where Sarah lets him look at the disk and he finds out why Bryce got him kicked out of school to him pulling his Stanford picture out of the trash scored with Oasis’ Don’t Look Back in Anger.
vs. the Nemesis where we’re left hanging with which phone Sarah would answer.
vs. the Santa Claus where Chuck sees what Sarah is capable of and she lies about it.
vs. the Beefcake everyone talks.
vs. the First Kill we have to run.
vs. the Nacho Sampler our boy is becoming a real spy, that’s a good thing. Is it?
These are the ones that haven’t been mentioned so far.
I really liked the ending of Nemesis, especially when you still hear both phones ringing after the episode cuts to black.
Dude the ones you listed are actually some of my favorite! I like the happy ending episodes as much as the next guy, but the endings with somewhat of a twist or a downside are the ones that really show me how invested I am in the characters. The ending to Chuck vs The Santa Claus was brilliant.
I’d add the end of ‘Vs the Undercover Lover’
#1. vs The Subway. Most. Epic. Ending. Ever.
#2. vs the First Kill. great and suspenseful.
#3. vs the Ring part 2. The long awaited reveal of Ma B.
#4.Pilot. Lovely scene on the beach, and ”Trust me Chuck.”
#5. vs the Ring part 1. ”Guys I know kung fu.”
So there’s my list of epic Chuck cliffies. 🙂
With the amount of really good endings that Chuck has that can be mentioned off the top of the head one wonders why is it they are having problems getting new viewers.
All episodes mentioned have good edndings because they insight an emotion in us, a couple that were not mentioned thugh on the down side are Vs the subway Papa B being shot and killed, and from the same chucks “there’s no one left to help us” remark
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, why are people complaining that there has been too much focus on Chuck and Sarah’s relationship in S4 when clearly the endings that most people love most are those between Chuck and Sarah. I agree with almost all of the above and would find it difficult to pick a top 5 because there are just so many great endings in this series and I have no doubt that there will be many more to come if the first four episodes of S4 are anything to go by.
I don’t think the complaints have been about a focus on Chuck and Sarah but about what type of focus *some* fans seemed to be asking for in season 3 and their apparent total rejection of anything else. For my money, the Chuck/Sarah focus so far this season has been pretty entertaining – not too angsty or cloying despite Casey’s loud grunting about it. Was that wording diplomatic enough, Mel, or have I just kicked the worm can over again? 😉
I think that hardcore shipper fans were disappointed that C/S didn’t spend as much time together in season 3 that they would’ve liked and not for much else, in season 4 now they’ve granted the fans wish with more C/S but what I’m disappointed in, is that C/S are taking so much time ‘Talking” on their relationship, and not spending most of it trying to find Chuck’s mom, with only a mention in each episode. That’s a little sloppy for me I love the spy missions and the extended family dynamic more then I love C/S angsting over their issues but each to his own. That’s my say.
I agree with all that, Hope. I’m pretty disappointed with how this season is going so far, and I’m hardly alone if you read reviews and comments from all over the net. This season is subpar so far. The other seasons, including #3 are stronger overall in every way.
Oh wait I got another killer ending:
S02E07: Chuck VS. the Fat Lady
“Safe at last.”
Song: Frightened Rabbit – Keep Yourself Warm
Good bit of editing, proper use of slow motion cinematography and the music was friggin perfect. Jill?! Fulcrum?! What?!
My gawd, that ending could’ve been a season ender.
I love the cliffhanger endings, the “is it next Monday yet” ones. For example,
vs Imported Hard Salami – Bryce Larkin is alive
vs the Beard – Casey gets a mysterious call on the Ring phone starting him on the vs the Tic Tac mission.
and, as previously mentioned,
vs the Lethal Weapon – Tron poster reveal
vs Angel de la Muerte – Awesome is dead (except for the stupid NBC promo making it immediately clear that he’s not dead, just captured)
On another note, the one episode I turn to if I only have time for one epi is vs Tom Sawyer. I simply love that episode! And that finish, where Jeff says (paraphrase) “If I had to lose my title, I’m glad it was to you”, and then in the quiet, in the dark, in the midst of fallen confetti and streamers, Jeff pulls out a quarter and starts playing again. It makes the heart glad. And for the heart to be glad about Jeff… that’s saying something.
1. “Guys, I know kung fu.‗- “Chuck vs. the Ringâ€, the season 2 finale,
2. “If you ask me, I’ll say yes.†—- “Chuck vs. the Coup d’Etatâ€.
3. “I Think I’ve found the one” —-“Chuck vs. The Honeymooners”
4. “You’re my home Chuck, you always have been†—-“Chuck vs. the Suitcase”
5. “Shut Up and Kiss Me” —-“Chuck vs. The Other Guy” The one where we were all like “Finally!!!!”
Honerable Mention
The Reveal of Mama B in —“Chuck vs. The Ring Pt II” We knew chuck couldnt give up the spy life.
There are so many more episodes to come. This season is by far one of the best yet.. witht he good emotional endings with meaning.. Im really enjoying this season(s4)
Long Live Chuck!!!!!!
I’m really surprised no-one has mentioned vs. the Wookie when Sarah says her middle name is Lisa. That whole last scene really showed the Chuck-Sarah dynamic of that first season. I also liked vs. The American Hero when Chuck says “I love you Sarah Walker, always have.” Then when Sarah asks Shaw where they are going and he says “To settle an old score.”
Reading all these posts has made me reflect I why I started watching this show and why I love it so much. I think Chuck has the greatest fan base of any show out there, and I love being a part of it.
“Then when Sarah asks Shaw where they are going and he says “To settle an old score.â€
Yep, that’s one of my top faves, Daniel. Lots of tension!
The above are all good, no doubt.
One of my favorites has always been the handholding at the end of Best Friend.
I wouldn’t say that fans are responding more positive to this season, maybe some of the fans are (especially the ones that post in this site), but many of us all over the net aren’t really happy with season 4. It’s just too fluffy and boring with too much Chuck and Sarah drama.
Oh almost forget, my fave endings are probably these:
-Subway
-Living Dead
-Ring
-American Hero
-Operation Awesome
I have to add two more:
Lethal Weapon and Dream Job
I agree. The Chuck and Sarah drama must be a part of a story, not all the story. I prefer the intrigue
As always stargazer you’re right. I haven’t been pleased by all the C/S crap. I love the spying, the missions, the extended family dynamic much more. Let’s hope they remedy it soon.
Yeah, I mean, I like Chuck and Sarah enough, don’t hate them or anything, but the catering to a certain section of the fanbase is so blatant and it’s ruining the show, imo. It feels too much like a soap opera now. There is a lot more to the show than those two. I prefer to learn more about how Casey really feels, or to see more about Chuck looking for his mom or communicating better with his sister. Now that’s more interesting, especially now where the show could end. We already KNOW that Chuck and Sarah love each other, there is really no more tension about those two.
1. “I know kung fu”: When I watched I just can’t speak a word
2. vs. the other guy: Wonderful! Chuck becoming a real spy for Sarah
3. vs. the Nacho Sampler: A dark ending… just as I like it
4. vs. the living dead: The perfect prologue for season finale
5. The Tron poster: Finally Chuck is going to do something for himself
Sorry for the bad english 🙂
Any mention of Chuck vs the Truth? Fresh feeling by the eels was one of my all time fav chuck songs. And how, at the end, Sarah reveals she lied when she told chuck their relationship was going nowhere. The way she stares at chuck when he breaks up with her and goes to see Lou….Gets me every time. Definitely in my top five 🙂
Vs. The Truth is also one of my favorites. I forget to mention it earlier.
“Chuck vs. the Break-up”: Chuck and Sarah at the fountain, and Chuck explaining why he cannot be with her because Sarah will “never be normal”. The acting was absolutely stellar…Yvonne showing Sarah’s heartbreak and struggle to compose herself; she and Zac standing before the apartment door with Sarah and Chuck’s somber expressions before putting on their “happy faces” for Ellie and Awesome; and the quiet yearning looks between Sarah and Chuck as he watches her with Ellie and Awesome. Beautiful, beautiful acting that really struck a chord with me with its subtlety and truthfulness.
ANY chuck/sarah ending. and TOTALLY agree with you about grinning at the end of Chuck vs. the Coup d’etat. I had a huuuge smile during that entire scene 🙂
Chuck writing his spywill, with Shaw downloading Intersect into his head.
It was impressive and Zac really sold it with the tone of his voice.
I can´t help it but I have a feeling that there will be some dealings with spywills in the future, too.
It would be cool for Chuck (and us) to learn some backstory on Sarah through the spy will. We’ll have to learn her full birth name at some point seeing as she wouldn’t be pulling a wedding license under her CIA alias.
I guess you have to devide between C/S endings and other endings. Because usually any C/S ending ranks higher in my all time favorites. But if I had to choose among C/S endings: Not in order:
1. Coup Etat
2. Honeymooners
3. Truth (also because of song and Sarah, I wish I wouldn’t have thought: “Chuck you idiot all the time”;-))
4. Other Guy
5. And how could anyone forget: Cougars/Delorean
6. And yes:You are my home
Other endings/which don’t have necessarily to do with the C/S relationship
1. Subway
2.I know kong-fu/Ring 2
3. living dead
4. Sandworm
5. Pilot
6. Dream-Job(Song kills me everytime)
It might not have been precisely the ending of the episode but, Chuck VS the Dream Job
Stephen Bartowski: Remember when I told you not to trust your handlers?
[Sarah and Casey enter, protecting Chuck]
Stephen Bartowski: Maybe I was wrong.
plus Glasvegas’s “Daddy’s Gone” gets me everytime.
I can’t think of all of the endings but the one that sticks out the most for me is Chuck Vs The Fat Lady in which we find out that Jill is a Fulcrum agent, this just was on mind all that week which is weird cos Heroes was still on at the time and I was way more into that when it was on and I would usually think about that all week but that cliffhanger just blew me away, also I actually read the sypnopsis for Chuck Vs The Graviton where it said Jill is Fulcrum couple of weeks before Fat Lady aired and somehow I must of slipped out of my mind or I just wasn’t as surprised when I read rather when I saw it. And ironically speaking of Jill I’m watching Fast And Furious 4, lolza.
“My middle name is Lisa.” Still my favourite scene of all time.
But I think I was left the most excited by “I know kung fu.”
There really are too many to mention.
if you asked me for real, my answer would be yes!
Wow, Mel! Great Friday Five and great comments. I now realize that I could not choose just five-Maybe a Friday Fifteen is in order.
Every time I watch the “Guys I Know Kung Fu” clip on YouTube, I get a goofy grin that is just PLASTERED on my face and I can’t get it off because it’s so freakin’ epic. “Chuck Vs. The Other Guy” is another one of my favorites. I could go on all night. Well, see you next episode.
I think chuck & sarah’s endings are the best, ’cause dispite how they’re bad comunicators, we know that in the end of the ep(s) they always say the right things… And if they don’t or sometimes fight, we know they still love each other!
(Sorry if my engilsh is wrong somewhere, Im brasilian:p)
i liked how you concluded all of this..
The one thing that make all our ideas as one 1 – no other than – CHUCK & SARAH!
Don’t agree with this top 5 personally. Season 2 had a string of brilliant endings (maybe it’s just I prefer the cliffhanger/ devastating endings). The Jill is Fulcrum ending, Chuck finding Dad ending with Bon Iver playing, the Xmas ep ending, Orion being caught with “Daddy’s gone” playing. Those are the big endings that I think of.
My favourite endings: Lethal Weapon, Angel de la Muerte, Nacho Sampler, Subway, Ring: Part II
Honourable mentions: Pilot, Sandworm, First Date, Best Friend, Suburbs, Predator, Broken Heart, First Kill, Ring, Operation Awesome
my top 1 as of now is “If you ask me for real, my answer would be YES” ^-^
I LOVE YOU CHUCK!
The Best ending ever is : Guys, i know kung fu..
it makes me suffer waiting for the premiere of the 3rd season!!!
Chuck vs. the Cougars. Sarah has finally decided that Chuck has earned the right to ask any one question about her and her past and she’ll answer it honestly and truthfully. Everything Chuck has wanted to know is there laid out before him.
“I know who you are,” he says. “You’re a girl I want to share a cheeseburger with.”
It was a very sweet, honest moment between the two of them.
I don’t think I am mentioning any new ones here, I think the really great endings speak for themselves. For me the top five endings would be:
1. If you asked me, my answer would be yes!
2. Guys I can do Kung-Fu
3. The reveal of Jill as Fulcrum and Sarah and casey running out of the Castle
4. Mama B at the end of Anniversary – Awesome!
5. Honeymooners, Nina Simone was was perfect
Did anyone miss the parallel that I found interesting between “Point of No Return” (aka messed up spy) with our Sarah which at times has been a messed up spy and the fact that both have used the “Nina Simone” song?
Rod
Here is the final scene to “Chuck vs. the Ring” AKA, “Guys, I know Kung Fu.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cc4a3haKLyg
And, here is the final scene to “Chuck vs. the Honeymooners.” The only question is when Chuck says, “I think I found the one,” is he talking about the song or his soul mate?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUpn31DJlQ8&feature=related
I like Vs The Cubic-Z’s ending more than Coup d’Etat, it’s such a sweet and small scene and edited so beautifully.
5 endings is tough but for me;
1 has to be “guys i know kung fu”, in large part to the 9 months of waiting for season 3…
2 When Jill is revealed as Fulcrum. nuff said.
3 Tron Reveal… people have already talked about it, but still its when we see Chuck really has grown up
4 Honeymooners, its just a nice Chara ending and a good song
5 Sarah’s look at the end of the Suburbs… I know this episode is not among many fans’ favorites but it really was the beginning of seeing Sarah moving towards Chuck emotionally.