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Part III – Conclusion
The Hopeful Shape Of Things To Come In Season 4
Spoiler Warning! This article is based on spoilers that have been released to date. If you do not want to spoiled then do not read past this point.
The season long arc for finding MamaB is going to be the spine for the fourth season. Much like Fulcrum in Season 2 and the Ring in Season 3 the search for MamaB will be the engine that drives the story. Unlike those previous seasons that employed nebulous, largely unseen and impersonal forces, the Season 4 through line will be very personal with the focus on a single individual that we will get to see in the very first episode. There have been references to Volkoff Industries which may turn out to be this season’s version of the Ring but the focus is on a person this season. MamaB.
The impact of switching the season arcing focus to a single person will be immense. Especially for our heroes. The fallout from MamaB’s departure irrevocably marked Chuck and Ellie. Her departure also eventually led to PapaB’s leaving and taking on the Orion identity. Even though PapaB’s return has assuaged some of the guilt and confusion that Chuck and Ellie have carried since childhood, their lack of knowledge about their mother’s true story continues to mar them both. Chuck’s discovery in the Orion Cave(OC) at the end of Season 3 that the force that drove PapaB in everything he did was to protect MamaB sets up a great arc for Season 4. It makes Season 4 very personal. It makes Season 4 all about family which gives everything much more immediacy and vested interest(s). For the characters and, more importantly, for the audience.
The MamaB storyline will be so interwoven into Chuck and Sarah’s developing relationship that its import will be felt right from the opening moments of the first Season 4 episode. With Sarah still in the CIA and Chuck not, at least as an agent, the OC will be a tension point between them. Combine the tension of Chuck protecting the OC with the likelihood that Sarah’s mission in Season 4 is to find and bring in MamaB and these story points set the stage for good drama. Not cheap or artificial or angsty issues but tensions that make sense and are believable extensions of the world that Chuck and Sarah live in. These items will set up conflict in their relationship about issues of personal relationships trust issues versus duty; be it from the requirements of a job or the familial bonds of carrying on a legacy.
Then there is the possible parallel between Chuck and Sarah’s relationship and the one that previously existed between MamaB and PapaB. In both cases it seems that the Nerd did indeed get the Girl. A girl who just happens to be a kick ass spy girl. For Sarah finding out that she and MamaB are cut from the same cloth could finally provide her with a kindred spirit to whom Sarah would feel really understood her concerns and fears. For Chuck and Sarah the dangers of the spy world are omnipresent. Sarah has lived in the world for so long that death is a constant companion. So far not for her but for her partners. The only people she has had any sort of personal connections with. PapaB’s death is another reinforcement of a fear that Sarah is carrying with her into her relationship with Chuck.
Carrying a Death Head is just one of the ghosts that float at the edge of Chuck and Sarah’s relationship. Another one that Chuck and Sarah will have to face is what force could have been so ominous that it ended up either driving and/or forcing Mama and PapaB to leave not just each other but also their children. Such a concept must almost be incomprehensible for them, especially for Chuck, in the birthing stages of their very young relationship. Burned by his parent’s abandonment at an early age, Chuck has already come to loggerheads with PapaB over the issue of leaving family. Yet circumstances may arise where Chuck and Sarah face similar conflicts and have to face the same decisions that Mama and PapaB had to make.
Top it off with the likelihood when Timothy Dalton shows up, that some form of replay of the Chuck and Sarah and Bryce and/or Shaw triangle has happened between MamaB/PapaB and Dalton. The opportunity to dramatize another aspect of Chuck and Sarah’s relationship in this light should be illuminating for them and entertaining for us.
Each of these relationship forces may or may not get a lot of play. None of them need be overwhelming in tone that would carry the show too far into the dark. In all likelihood most of them, while undoubtedly giving the show its gravitas for this season, will be handled in a lighter, comedic tone. Surely the exploration of Chuck and Sarah feeling their way through the early stages of a relationship will provide many humorous and feel good moments.
Throw in the new triangle for Season 4 between Casey, Morgan, and Alex and expect this one to be run at an even higher comedic level. Interaction between Casey and Morgan in a familial way as a potential father-in-law/son way brings a big, goofy smile to my face just thinking about. I also look forward to Chuck and Morgan interaction on both the home and spy fronts. Josh Gomez was given a long overdue opportunity to step up to the acting plate and show his skills in Chuck Vs The Beard. And knocked it out of the park. Up until then, even though his character was steadily evolving, Gomez’s acting range was throttled to overplay some of Morgan’s more pronounced characteristics. The Beard was proof that Gomez was capable of much more modulation with his Morgan persona. That episode totally won me over my concerns about Josh Gomez’s acting chops. Morgan’s increased involvement in the spy world augers well for the show.
With the barriers down, for the most part, I am really hoping that all the characters finally get to interact with one another and build up relationships instead of skirting around things because of story barriers. With no need to maintain cover identities the main characters are now unshackled and free to interact amongst each other. This allows the show to have scenes between characters that normally do not. Hopefully the show will take advantage of the opportunity. Bring the main characters together instead of keep them apart.
Building families. That is what I would like to see overall in Season 4.
How about you? What do you want to see on the personal front in Season 4?
Bonus Notice!
I am pleased to announce that with the start of the season next Monday the episode reviews will pick up once again. This season there is an extra special surprise! Audio reviews! That is right. Each written review will be accompanied with an audio podcast review.
The podcast will include your very own Cyphers as we help you decode NBC’s Chuck. Each week your friendly neighborhood Nerdposium Quorum will assemble to share their reactions with you on the latest Chuck episode.
Joining me in this Quorum will be:
Happydayz aka Jan – moderator of the ChuckTV forums
Klindsay aka Karen – a member on the ChuckTV forums
Jmbuckley aka Joe– one of the founders of the Chuck This blog
In preparation for our first episode review here is the introductory podcast of the:
CNN, or the Chuck Nerdposium Netcast.
This is a chance to find out a little bit about us and our thoughts on the first three seasons of Chuck and our wishes for Season Four.
The intent of these podcasts is to have FUN talking about Chuck and broaden the scope of the written reviews beyond my viewpoint.
A special thanks to Mel, Liz, & Gray for their gracious approval in letting us do this.
We are all excited about doing this and hope you will enjoy them too!
Well the article makes good points, but i thought this season was supposed to be a lil bit less dramatic and back to more light heartedness like S1/S2 were. And the Chuck and Sarah issues, well from what i read, this could be even angstier then the previous seasons, because of Chuck trust issues and Sarah’s sense of duty. I don’t mind them having some issues, that’s what normal couples try to solve, but i really hope is not gonna be a constant bickering between the two of them. I wonderwhen Chuck will reveal to Sarah about the OC. Anyways i’m pumped, can’t wait for S4 to start 🙂
I think it’s probably, at least I hope a balance between drama and light. There will be plenty of excitement/maybe a little dark were it needs to be, but they’ll balance it out with comedy and light hearted bantering. I for one am looking forward to more Casey snarking (seriously they do give Adam the best lines. 🙂 )
While in season 3 there was some comedy while the rest was just…dark.
P.S. I like the parallel from Steven and Mary’s love to Chuck and Sarah’s and maybe finding out more about that. I think you’re on to something here.
While I’m still wary of Morgan and Alex’s romance, I’ll muddle through somehow and hopefully it be as bad as I’m fearing. Only a five days to go I’m pumped. 🙂
*Won’t* excuse me. :/
Lou gets across the idea that this season will be much more “personal” than the last. And now that he’s made it, it seems fantastic. I think the “lightheartness” of S1 & S2 was there because things struck us so personally, Taliesinjoe. The issues were personal and boy, could we all relate. It brings both tears and laughter, right?
I’ll be really happy seeing S4 go in this direction!
The point of a posible parallel between Chuck and Sarah’s relationship with Mama and PapaB is very interesting. If that’s the case I hope that out favorite couple take better decisions. I really hope that the issues that they have don’t become a constant and that they’re able to spend some happy moments like they did in the last episodes of season 3.
It’s a very good article
I don’t know what is going on, but I wrote way more than one sentence before…. Anyway, if Chuck is going to Milan with Sarah, doesn’t that mean that he might be back in the CIA?
Finding Mama B might be a nice way for Chuck and Sarah to learn about and avoid repeating their mistakes as a couple and a family unit.
I still prefer calling it the “Lair”, but the “OC” is also fun.
I like the Lair too, but the OC is fine as well. And don’t feel too bad about the whole “I wrote a lot more but but something’s wrong, it won’t come up” scenario. It’s happened to me more times then I care to remember. The post button I’ve learned needs to be hit gently pushed too hard and you get less results at least coming from my prospective.
Hope that helps. 🙂
Thanks, Hope! I’m gonna start using your button-pushing-technique and hope for the best.
And the posting wisdom is passed on from Chuckster to Chuckster.
Thanks Hope! I am going to try that and be nicer to the “submit comment” button 🙂 . I have been trying to post a comment about the Sarah and Mama B’s standoff post, but it hasn’t been working!
No worries glad to help out a fellow chuckster. 😉
The risks and rewards of finding Mama B. are rather huge. Beginning a search for her is like opening Pandora’s box. How can not one but both parents abandon their kids at such an early age? There will likely still be some unmet expectations even after the truth is learned, but hopefully finding her will be worthwhile in the long run like it was with Papa B. And hopefully it will bring further healing to Chuck, Ellie and Sarah.
I bet we’ll be learning more secrets about that. I’ve no worries in that regard.
What does “carrying a Death Head” mean?
It means that in Sarah’s line of work people dying is a regular instead of infrequent event.
I hope you all enjoy the podcasts! (And all praise to Lou for the hard work doing the prep., the editing and getting it up on-line.) I can’t tell you how much fun we had doing it 😉
Its a team effort. Jan, Karen, and Joe have been most patient and understanding as technical requirements and issues were sussed out.
With all that out of the way – it is time to have fun doing some SEASON 4! episode reviews! WooT!
Yay Team!
Morgan in the Beard and Sarah in the Honeymoon Train both took steps in showing their acting skills. Sarah, a comedian-who would have guessed!! I appreciate all the time taken to show the various viewpoints on how the show may proceed through season 4. As long as Chuck and Sarah stay together I will be happy. If Mama B happens to be in prison she may not know of Papa B’s demise. I look for a better overall season than season 3. The Shaw/ Sarah relationship was not a good thing and limited the number of episodes I actually enjoyed–however the last 5 or 6 episodes were particularly good. It is almost time Chuck fans!!! Lets all help to get some new viewers or at least try to get some viewers back that left us last year.
Yvonne is definitely under-used in comic situations. I’ve thought so since “Hard Salami” in season 1, where she does the faux-sex scene with Vik Sahay atop the Wienerlicious counter. I laughed so hard that…well let’s just say I’m glad my couch was Scotch-guarded.