This week, Chuck achieves the impossible: It makes me sympathize with Morgan. Heck, I actually kind of liked the guy by the end. Oh, and there was some spy stuff, and some butt-kicking, and some great lines, and it was highly cool. But it's the rehabilitation of Morgan that's shaking the foundations of my world.

Everybody was kung fu spoiling.

Morgan and Ellie came into their own this episode. I haven't been a fan of Morgan (I know that's a shock), but I finally am coming around to the view that he brings an extra dimension to Chuck, showing how Chuck is loyal and caring and sees beyond the annoyance factor that would deter anyone else.

It's the same with Ellie: I hadn't really seen the point of her character, but watching her react to Chuck letting her down, again and again, and finally getting a bit of the backstory about the siblings, added another dimension to the show. I can see why she's so protective of Chuck. And Morgan and Ellie's regard for Chuck, and their eventual bonding over missing him, makes Chuck all the more impressive.

Too bad Chuck spent so much time disappointing the people who love him. It was Chuck's bad luck to spot Mei-Ling, China's top spy, in his and Morgan's favorite Chinese restaurant. Casey and Sarah draft Chuck into helping figure out what she's dong there, and they eventually track her to a nightclub, where it looks like she's set to assassinate someone. Sarah and Casey tell Chuck to stay in the van, which he does until the shooting starts, and he sees an elderly Chinese man in a wheelchair fleeing. He helps the poor old guy into his car -- and then sees the old guy's flunkies loading a bound and gagged man into the trunk. Oops.

Turns out Mei-Ling is in town because her brother, a low-level bureaucrat, has been kidnapped. The Chinese government refuses to pay his ransom, so she's going to rescue him herself. That "helpless" old guy was Ben Lo Pan, a triad leader and her brother's captor! The next day, she demands Chuck's help in making it right -- or else. Because Chuck feels so gosh-darned guilty (and in fear of his life), he agrees to try to get Casey and Sarah to help. When Mei-Ling promises to defect, Sarah and Casey agree to help out.

While Chuck waits in the van and provides surveillance (and running commentary), the spies invade Lo Pan's mansion. But he's ready for them, and the spies are caught. He couldn't get ransom for Mei-Ling's brother, so he proposes selling Sarah and Casey to the spymasters of China. Casey gets word to Chuck that he's supposed to go home and stay safe, but Chuck ignores those orders and tracks them (ineptly) back to the house of Sizzling Shrimp. There, he causes a diversion by loading the bad guys' van with illegal fireworks and releases the spies from captivity in time for the requisite butt-kicking. The spies prevail, Chuck catches Lo Pan (hilariously), Mei-Ling defects, and all is well.

Then it's time for Chuck to try to make up with Morgan and Ellie. Morgan needed Chuck's help to succeed in a sales competition -- if he lost, he'd be fired -- and Ellie was getting ready for their own personal Mother's Day. When Chuck dissed them both (he was busy saving lives), Ellie and Morgan bond, and Morgan shows Ellie that he's more than annoying collection of ticks and posturing. This inspired Ellie to buy a whole bunch of electronics, giving Morgan second place in the sales contest. Aww.

Highlights, thoughts and other tidbits:

• How adorable were Chuck and Morgan as they wandered through Chinatown miming bits of Enter the Dragon? I love it when geeks can be geeks. Ditto Morgan's fireworks jones, and Chuck's fear of losing various limbs. It was great to see them really bouncing off each other, and I bought that Chuck genuinely likes Morgan, not that he hangs out with him because it's in the script.
• Chuck on stakeout was a joy to behold -- ordering Sizzling Shrimp to be delivered to the surveillance van (but it's ok, because he used a false name)? Giving said shrimp voices while he ate them? Composing a stakeout mix, and including Hall and Oates' "Private Eyes"? Completely awesome.
• Morgan begging for help from Chuck's Stable o' Hos, and getting rejected, actually made me feel for the poor guy. And when the Hos decide to use their patented "Wounded Raccoon" maneuver to get him sales, and it fails miserably? It was at once brilliant and horribly uncomfortable.
• I loved Chuck telling Mei-Ling's brother "This is when we hide" when the fighting started, and both men's reactions to the hits. Hee!
• Possibly my favorite part of the episode: Chuck grabbing Lo Pan's wheelchair and intoning "Forget it, Ben, it's Chinatown," then geeking out over the movie.
• By the way, Ben Lo Pan was played by James Hong, who has been the go-to Chinese Guy guest star in every third TV show, movie and video game for the past 50 years. The man is everywhere!
• Ellie and Chuck share a bit of their history -- they celebrate the day their mom left, because it's the day the realized they didn't need anyone else to take care of them and they could depend on each other. I notice they didn't say their mom died, which makes me wonder if there will be a plot development involving mom in the future. I kind of hope not.
• My one quibble: Mei-Ling was just going to defect, just like that? And her brother was going back to China? I just don't buy it. But the rest of the episode was so much fun (and surprisingly touching) that I'll let it go.

What did you think? Was your opinion of Morgan changed, or verified (and yes, Dark Disciple, feel free to gloat). Did you love the fight sequences? Does Ellie make sense to you now? What was your favorite Casey moment this episode?

Comments

Not only did James Hong play Ben Lo Pan, he played the demonic David Lo Pan in the classic "Big Trouble In Little China."

Andy | Oct 22, 2007 8:32:33 PM | #

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Damn it! Andy beat me to it. I was about to make the same post.

Rishi | Oct 22, 2007 8:56:58 PM | #

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Excellent episode. Good to see Morgan's character getting more fleshed out, and I am glad they put the Chuck "romance" on hold. The fight sequences continue to impress, and Casey rules.

AC | Oct 22, 2007 9:25:46 PM | #

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Really like how they expanded more on Ellie and gave us some sort of background to Chuck and Ellie, and why Ellie is there in the first place.

I can still easily do without Morgan, but I didn't mind him in this episode.

Corey | Oct 22, 2007 11:13:37 PM | #

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I liked this episode too... but I'm already getting a little tired of the "Chuck lets his friends down and misses important events because he's a spy" conflict.

Jess | Oct 23, 2007 3:12:12 AM | #

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I never actively disliked Morgan. I am glad they focused somewhat on Ellie and Morgan in this episode, and I didn't miss Captain Awesome. I'd like to see more of the Stable of Ho's as well.

Siansonea | Oct 23, 2007 8:23:03 AM | #

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I don't know...I didn't really like this episode. Other than the Hall and Oates "Private Eyes" moment (how awesome was that?), it seemed a bit contrived to me. But I'm not worried about the show. It's not like Chuck will end up in a lake because of a faulty GPS system or anything.

Girley | Oct 23, 2007 8:36:58 AM | #

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Girley: But contrivance is the name of the game. Every story is going to be contrived that Chuck happens to see something that causes an Intersect flash.

VideoBeagle | Oct 23, 2007 8:53:47 AM | #

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A funny episode, a little simple in terms of plot. Writers need to take care not to copy things from week to week, Chuck gets a flash, the conclusion about the flash is wrong; leads to trouble.

Good background on Elle and chuck's background and why Elle is such a mother hen to Chuck and is somethings kinda creepy. Still not a huge Morgan fan in large doses (which was tonight). How was chuck suppose to magically help Morgan sell stuff? Morgan sucks, chuck can't make him a better salesman. Please, I get the story/joke with Chuck and Sarah having a relationship, Beauty and the geek without Ashton. But please don't have Elle and Morgan get together!! I don't think it will happen this year but you can see them laying foundation for year 3.

When Chuck grabbed the wheelchair he should have quoted 'Jack Burton'.

jbw | Oct 23, 2007 9:50:17 AM | #

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I like Captain Awesome and Big Mike....they sell their characters and belong in every NBC program.

Tony from Jersey | Oct 23, 2007 9:54:07 AM | #

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This episode had some Dilbert moments in it, as well, especially the convoluted and somewhat evil sales competition. Only in the mind of some corporate exec (or the manager of a chain store) could the faux competition be considered "motivating." Good thing the Best Buy clone doesn't sell guns (other than the light-kind for video games). Anyway, Ellie is a character I've not decided how I feel about yet. In one scene, she and Chuck obviously care for each other deeply, both out of past necessity, and because they just like each other. In another, she acts like Chuck is her son instead of her brother. Little icky when that happens. Did I miss Captain Awesome, or was he not in this episode? And I'm finally glad people (including reviewer Sarah) are finally getting the whole Morgan-Chuck dynamic. Morgan alone would be suicidal; Morgan with such a fierce, fierce friend (to quote the great-and-gay Professor Dumbledore in the fourth Harry Potter movie) as Chuck is gold. I agree that the flash-and-follow plots will get a bit redundant after awhile, but then so were all the James Bond movies after Dr. No (see bad guy, see Bond seek bad guy, see Bond do amazing things and have multitudinous sex with beautiful women whilst chasing bad guy, see Bond catch bad guy, rinse, repeat). Chuck, the series, works simply because it is repetitive and sweet and silly and just what one needs after what usually amounts to a horrendous Monday at work. Glad it's been picked up for what I presume is the whole season.

Dark Disciple | Oct 23, 2007 12:02:31 PM | #

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cool show but they need to get pass everyone is HOT thats a female spy

| Oct 23, 2007 12:04:50 PM | #

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Could Momma Chuck be an international spy the likes of Irina Derevko?

I kind of hope so...

Alyx | Oct 24, 2007 6:54:37 AM | #

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I really have never minded Morgan as much as some, but last night had me actually liking the guy. I think the little annoyances in his character come in part because he is not "in on it." He comes across as more annoying say than...Sock in Reaper...mostly because his character is supposed to have a different role in the main character's life.

Love this show, but worry that it slipped another mil in the ratings. How can that be???

Jodie | Oct 24, 2007 7:28:39 AM | #

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Weakest episode by far! There was so much wrong with it, I do not know where to begin.

Ellie a doctor? Right. Ellie suddenly has warm feelings for Morgan? Right (she already knew Morgan was close to Chuck, and still despised him until last night). Casey was unfunny for the first time (worst sin of all. The spy mystery was silly and convoluted (Mei-Ling defects? The Chinese government would never pay the ransom for a low-level bureaucrat, so why would Triad kidnap one?).

I did like the October Mother's Day element. Nice touch.

Tony | Oct 24, 2007 9:43:24 AM | #

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The Private Eyes moment made me think of Veronica Mars. I still remember Vinnie Van Lowe singing that song to Veronica after he found the bug she placed in his office.

I do miss that show.

Jen | Oct 24, 2007 11:21:59 AM | #

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"Help me, Chuck Bartowski. You're my only hope." - Morgan

Not my favorite ep (that would be the tango one). They're still working out the balance of "spy" vs. "real" life. I don't love Morgan but this show would lose itself it he wasn't around. (Faux-fu fighting with Chuck. Hee.) Loved him bonding with Ellie. I feel it worked because he was not annoyingly pursuing/drooling-over her in those moments, he was just being honest about the disappointment in his life.

Chuck was great as usual. I was surprised to find myself missing Captain Awesome and Harry Tang. And I was surprised how I felt nothing when Ellie kept bringing up Chuck's "serious" relationship with Sarah. While their are sparks between Chuck & Sarah, they are so far away from anything happening at this point which is good. I want the slow burn. Alot of that is due to how guarded and mysterious Sarah is. Oh, and love Casey's bluntness. ;-P

Kalena | Oct 24, 2007 11:35:57 AM | #

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I absolutely love this show, so I hope NBC gives it at least one full season. I agree with Dark Disciple -- Morgan is a necessary character because he's an example of how loyal Chuck is.

It was so good to see James Hong again. He has been in literally hundreds of TV shows and movies, but I'll always remember him from "Wayne's World 2". It was also great to see Gwendoline Yeo as this week's superspy (she was in "Broken Trail" and "Desperate Housewives" last year).

I missed Harry during the Buy More sales competition. He should have been there, and naturally he should have won first place (so he can kiss up to the manager).

Also, I wanted more screentime for Casey. I really enjoyed watching Casey, Sarah and Mei-Ling work together to rescue her brother. My favorite part was at the end when Chuck asked Mei-Ling to fill out the standard customer satisfaction survey for the Nerd Herd service. :-)

Paige | Oct 25, 2007 9:06:13 AM | #

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I love this show but this was the weakest episode so far. The plot line was so silly it bordered on stupid. Of course, there were many redeeming moments, particularly with Casey, but overall not quite up to par.
They've got to do something with Morgan because he's not a 'best friend', he's a leech. If they actually let him help Chuck somehow his character might become redeemable. Right now he's just a parasite living off of Chuck. It's the moments with Casey and Sarah that make the show fun - all the extra family complications can become irritating very quickly if not done properly.

wmeador | Oct 25, 2007 12:32:53 PM | #

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I didn't miss Captain Awesome. Seeing the depth of character on Ellie, why would she be with Awesome. He seems like an airhead and the relationship is just physical. Harry Tang was missed and could be a good character to invest in. Anyone notice the dissapearance of the girl tech that worked with Chuck?

Jay | Oct 26, 2007 11:05:37 PM | #

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