The first time we see Chuck Bartowski this season, he's hanging upside down from a dangerously high spot, pleading with the bad guy holding his ankles not to let go.

So, yeah, maybe he hasn't fully grown into the role of high-level government asset and part-time spy. Nonetheless, though, a season of spy missions has made Chuck (Zachary Levi) just a little more comfortable with the idea that his life consists of more than Buy More technical-support jobs and Call of Duty strategizing with best friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez).

"I know that in the writing, they've tweaked it a little so he is a little bit more comfortable," Levi says of his character -- who, for those just tuning in, had the contents of the government's top-secret Intersect computer deposited in his head at the start of the series last year. "And I know that when I was starting to approach the role at the beginning of the season, I wanted to do that as well. I don't want it to be exactly the same Chuck that we all came to know last season. ...

"He does have a little bit more confidence. He has more confidence in [his handlers] Sarah [Yvonne Strahovski] and Casey [Adam Baldwin] because he trusts them much more now. And he's kind of seen how they work and he's seen the things that he's been able to kind of bumble through and how that worked."

That's not to say, though, that there won't still be plenty of comedy as Chuck tries to manage his double life, nor will he abandon Morgan and his Buy More mates. Levi and Gomez discussed what's to come last week.

Chuck vs. Guest Stars
The season premiere feature Michael Clarke Duncan as the aforementioned bad guy holding Chuck upside down. John Larroquette, Melinda Clarke, Nicole Richie, Michael Strahan and Jordana Brewster guest in coming episodes.

Levi: "Oh it was awesome, yeah. I mean, first episode back and we have, you know, a bona fide movie star. That's really everything you can hope for. When you're doing a television show you hope that you're making a product that other actors and directors of a certain caliber watch and appreciate themselves. ... And so it was really an honor that [Duncan] decided to come and play in our sandbox. And he was a really sweet dude."

Chuck vs. Casey
NSA operative Casey will find himself growing attached to Chuck -- which bothers him.

Levi: "I think A) they want to show that Casey isn't just a robot. And we kind of touched a little bit upon that last season. And B, I think they want to show that Chuck -- you know, part of his charm I suppose is that no matter how irritating he may be to his handlers, particularly Adam Baldwin/John Casey, he's like an infectious disease almost -- a good infectious disease, whichever that may be. ...

"As many times as Casey has saved Chuck's life, Chuck has also saved his and Sarah's in return; albeit, you know, in some clumsy un-thought-out way. ... And Casey sees -- he's privy to my whole personal life and my sister and my friends, and knows that I'm a good dude just trying to do my best in the world."

Morgan vs. Adulthood
Like Chuck, Morgan will be doing a little bit of growing up this season.

Gomez: "I think he sort of is left a little bit more responsibility by Chuck at the Buy More right in the beginning of the season. [But] he still does things the Morgan way, I like to call it. So it's usually some sort of crazy scheme or weird -- like, you know, when Chuck asks Morgan to [help choose] the assistant manager, [he stages] a steel cage match, a la Thunderdome. So that's sort of -- that's Morgan maturing right there. But he got the job done. ...

"Morgan and Anna [Julia Ling] starts to develop even more and there are a lot of decisions he has to make about that ... Are they going to take this further and do whatever, and he's forced to kind of look down that road. And all he's ever kind of tried to do is avoid those roads -- hard work, adulthood, all that stuff. That's the stuff he tries to avoid and now he has to come face to face with."

Chuck vs. Sarah
Unresolved romantic tension between Chuck and his CIA minder remains thick.

Levi: "This is one of those questions everybody wants to know what's going to happen: Are they finally going to have their chance to be together? ... Fortunately or unfortunately, the way that television -- the best television keeps you on the edge of your seat.

"And so they're going to string it out as long as they can. And I don't blame them because you look at another NBC classic, Friends -- Ross and Rachel. Everyone was like, Oh my gosh are they going to get together, are they going to get together? Then they finally do and the ratings kind of took a dip. And they're like, Well, what the heck is going on?

"So they break them up again and everybody is watching the show. So I think that, you know, people want to see the tension. They're rooting for them -- for Chuck and Sarah to get together. But we can’t go there yet. We're all hoping that we'll have a healthy span of, you know, five to seven seasons - god willing. I have no idea what NBC has in mind. ...

"But you'll definitely see lots of good stuff that will satiate your desire for Chuck and Sarah. And there's, you know, a little DTR -- a little define the relationship discussion that we have a couple episodes in."
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Chuck premieres at 8 p.m. ET Monday, Sept. 29 on NBC.

Comments

hope the boy does grow up, as i did tell him at the start, (little boy) IM THE DADDY, i think he is still trying to become a man..

D ADDY | Sep 26, 2008 3:30:36 PM | #

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I thoroughly enjoyed the first season of Chuck. I liked the mix of action, drama, humor, camp, romance and geek, along with the cool spy stuff. It was perfect popcorn escapist entertainment.

Morgan was a little irritating at first, but they toned that part of him down and now I don’t mind his character hanging around all the time.

In addition, the close relationship Chuck has with his sister Ellie seems genuine and real.

I must admit that kinda miss the Buy More rivalry between Chuck and Harry Tang. Giving Chuck a nemesis at work made for some hilarious moments.

At least, hopefully, Big Mike will still be around with his newspaper and Danish pastry yelling “Chuck!”

HT | Sep 26, 2008 4:50:53 PM | #

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I don't think the answer for keeping a couple interesting is to keep them apart as long as possible. You just have to have writers who know what to do with a happy couple (instead of just having them fight over petty things all the time, or keep breaking up and getting back together). Jim and Pam are still the best couple on TV, even after the will they/won't they ended and they got together.

Billiam | Sep 27, 2008 11:25:41 AM | #

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