Again, it's a good news/bad news situation with Chuck. The good news: Great episode, lots of drama, Buy More hilarity, character development, clever lines, and kick-ass spy stuff. And finally, Chuck is happy and content with life. The bad news? It's all about to change.

What's in the box? Spoilers!

Chuck is blissfully happy -- and steaming up the Nerd Herd car -- with Lou. Sarah, less so -- and the NSA higher-ups aren't thrilled, either. Chuck thinks all is well until he flashes on a sign in Lou's shop that leads him to the mission of the week: Lou's ex is involved with smuggling, and he and his father are bringing in some biological nasty from Finland. Tainted reindeer? Wild Santas? Non-compliant narwhals? We'll find out soon enough.

The ex, Stavros, runs a club, and Chuck gets drafted into going in with Lou to try to get intel. He succeeds in his mission, dropping the 80s-inspired flying V guitar pin/bug where it can pick up the smugglers' conversation, but he pisses off Lou something fierce, and it looks like he's going to lose her. Alas.

Sarah and Casey track down the shipment that the smugglers were talking about, but it's a decoy -- there's just a surveillance camera in the shipping container. (I'll confess to being slightly confused at this point -- why was it a decoy? Do smugglers do that all the time? Did I miss something?) It's back to square one -- and square one seems to involve Lou, who the spies have caught meeting with Stavros on the dock under shady circumstances. Is Lou  some sort of criminal mastermind?

Not so much -- she's smuggling in fabulous dried meat products for the deli, meats that would get held up in customs and go bad. After she storms off, Stavros jumps Chuck and Sarah and drags them back to daddy, who demands information. Casey managed to track them down with Lou's help -- he tells her he and Chuck are undercover FDA agents -- and the two are saved. But there's still the matter of that biological bad stuff that's set to expire. As the timer counts down, Chuck and Sarah fight over who can stay and try to defuse whatever is inside. They argue too long, and with two seconds left on the timer, Sarah flings herself at Chuck and kisses him passionately. At least they'll die happy.

Yeah, about that -- nothing goes boom. Sarah is uncomfortable, Chuck gleeful. He and Lou break up (she can't date a secret FDA man), and Chuck prepares to get back together with Sarah, for real this time. But unbeknownst to him, the spy guys have figured out how to open the container. The timer tracked oxygen supply, not explosives. When they open the box, they find Bryce. He's not dead. Doh!

Buy More hijinks
With Chuck "dumping" Sarah, Lester makes his move. Jeff announces he's ready to go after Anna, who shoots him down with "I'd rather hook up with Morgan!" Morgan takes this as an invitation. He shouldn't have. Anna keeps it quiet, but Morgan blurts it out. Now his humiliation is known throughout the mall.

But wait! Anna sees how miserable poor wee Morgan is, and decides that maybe he's not so bad after all. There is much kissing, and my brain sort of hurts -- Anna is way to fabulous for Morgan! But when Chuck announces he broke up with Lou, Morgan decides to publicly, via store intercom, break up with Anna. Idiot. I hope she makes him suffer.

Highlights, quotes and odds and ends

• Lester and Jeff are flabbergast when Morgan tells them Chuck is breaking up with Sarah. She, of course, sells the break-up, walking out in tears (and Chuck is adorably flustered watching her get in character.) This leads to the Pat Benatar quoting, which I heartily approve of.
• Casey is loving that Sarah got dumped. He's equally funny when Sarah gets peevish when Chuck is in the club -- ok, falling for guys she works with is her thing. "Just so we're clear, sister -- not interested." Thanks, Casey!  Good to know!
• Was anyone surprised that Lou made Chuck a "very happy man" with a sandwich, not with nookie? Much better was Chuck's tough-guy act winning Lou back by ordering a hard-core Rueben. Even the deli guys were smitten.
• When Lester approaches Sarah the day after the dumping with an offer of a date, she retaliates by playing the man-eater. Lester's panicked, flustered reaction "Uh, I think your foot slipped... is that Jeff calling me?" is priceless.
• Morgan is back on the annoying tip with me. "[Chuck] hasn't mentioned me?" he asks Lou. "Probably means he doesn't think you're going to be sticking around for a while." And then he takes Chuck's lunch. Sigh.
• Chuck on a rose that Casey gives him -- "Oh, of course! Let me guess -- this is equipped with some kind of microscopic, infrared tracking device that determines her mother's communist affiliations?" "No, idiot," replies Casey. "It's so you can get laid." Hee!
• Chuck is shocked that Morgan kissed Anna -he had no idea Morgan liked her? What is this "like" you speak of? Asks Morgan. "Occasionally, on Planet Earth, men will consider their feelings for women before jumping atop them." Morgan has no idea what Chuck is talking about -- he just wants to belong! Sigh.
• Sarah, when the bomb doesn't go boom: "Well, the good news is we're alive. And the bad news is that this is kind of an uncomfortable moment right now." "It's completely comfortable on my end," replies Chuck. "I'm just saying." 
• Goodbye, Rachel Bilson. You were adorable. We'll miss you.
• Hello, Bryce. You also seem adorable. It's a shame you're going to make Chuck's life even more miserable. But I can't wait to hear what you've got to say. But I have to wonder -- how long were you without oxygen in that case? Although I suppose if Casey's bullets didn't kill him, a little breath holding wouldn't do him in either.

Comments

How predictable was it that Bryce was both alive and in that box? And Lou was annoying, so good riddance. All that said though, I adore this show!

Al | Nov 19, 2007 9:17:48 PM | #

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Morgan is a moron- he'll never do better than Anna. I won't miss Lou, but I will miss the sandwiches- it's amazing how hard it is to find a decent deli.

AC | Nov 19, 2007 9:59:42 PM | #

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This show is getting more and more predictable by the week. Chuck defies his handlers' wishes, screws things up more, ends up being okay.

And I'm sorry, the Buy More stuff is just painful for me to watch. As far as I'm concerned, all the Buy More supporting cast can be cut from the show.

And Bryce is alive...right then...

Corey | Nov 19, 2007 10:40:22 PM | #

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Methinks some people just like to say "oh, that was so predictable" after a great twist just to make them feel better about themselves.

Agree on the Buy More stuff, although if Morgan was not the center part of it, I might be ok with the other characters.

ferretrick | Nov 20, 2007 5:20:20 AM | #

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Great Show!

I just can't get enough of the chemistry between Sarah and Chuck. Casey is the perfect straight man.

The Buy More crew doesn't bother me. I thought Harry Tang was great. The others...not so much, but they're okay.

Dave | Nov 20, 2007 6:23:43 AM | #

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Ah first Harry and now Lou, but then the tension between Sarah and Chuck increase. And Casey's lines this episode? SOLID GOLD. If "Pushing Daisies" is, as someone posted at TV Gal, "honey coated innuendo," then Chuck is a pure nerd-gasm.

pakopako | Nov 20, 2007 7:59:18 AM | #

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| Nov 20, 2007 8:17:16 AM | #

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Totally didn't understand how Bryce was supposed to spoil if not opened before the O2 timer went down to zero, but was fine the next day when they opened the case...Loved Casey's, "Didn't I kill him?" upon seeing the contents of the case. Not too happy Bryce is alive, but I suppose they needed to do something to create romantic tension between Chuck and Sarah.

himespau | Nov 20, 2007 8:26:32 AM | #

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What a twist. I kind of had this feeling that Bryce would be alive but didnt know when or how. Every year I get attached to a show and then boom its cancelled. i am sure this will do better once dancing with stars is over

Nick | Nov 20, 2007 8:32:52 AM | #

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Another episode that was lots of fun. Sarah's obvious dislike and jealousy over Lou was great. Morgan dumping Anna after learning Chuck was breaking up with Lou was also funny. I think Morgan might want to reexamine his feelings for Chuck; but don't ask don't tell.

Well Bryce is back; not a shocker for the show, but he was dead. I suppose he will have interesting stories to tell next week. What side will Sarah take.

Finally a kiss, Chuck's blissful look after the fact was great. Plus his wanna go on a date phone call was good.

jbw | Nov 20, 2007 9:22:05 AM | #

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Ever since the pilot, I knew that Bryce wasn't really dead. Yes, it was completely predictable that Bryce would be inside that box, since Chuck, Casey, Sarah and Morgan have mentioned his name almost every week. It reminded me of Firefly's first episode when River was revealed to be hiding inside the box. Nevertheless, I still loved this episode!

I love the twist that Morgan had a girlfriend, then dumped her to be with Chuck, then Morgan wants her back because Chuck wants Sarah back (really confusing to type that out!). Remember, lone wolves are often... lonely. :-(

Once again, I must note the amazing chemistry between the characters: Chuck/Sarah, Chuck/Morgan, Chuck/Casey, and even Anna/Morgan ? It's too bad we didn't get to see Ellie or Awesome, but I guess there was too much funny stuff happening at the Buy More.

Casey had the best lines this week. I loved how he told Lou that he was from the FDA, so they wouldn't have to reveal their real identities. "By the way, I love your pastrami" was probably the highest compliment he could have given her. AWWWW! :-D

Paige | Nov 20, 2007 10:48:32 AM | #

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Of course shows like Chuck are predictable, Corey...this is NBC. You want twists, turns and Academy Award winning screenwriting, go watch HBO or BBC. Chuck is a show where the whole fun is watching where the writers will go with a particular plot, whether the expected or the surprising. So what if I saw Chuck and Sarah finally sharing a "we're going to die, so what the hell?" kiss before mid-season? It was just a fun scene to watch, and as long as the writers don't overdo it, I'll be interested to see where that particular path goes. As a whole, the episode was spot-on, the dialogue was better than on any Grey's Anatomy of the past two seasons (maybe longer, as I didn't watch it when it was first on), and while yes some parts were as predictable as somebody saying on this blog how predictable some parts were, it was a fine episode. Food is always great foreplay, so I loved the sandwich sex routine in the deli after Lou's and Chuck's heavy petting session in the Nerdmobile. Predictable, sure, but still quite funny. Predictably, the predictable plot twist predictably dictated that Bryce was still alive, as predelictions towards predictability predominate in prime time programming, presumably. *sigh* That was sarcasm, for those that don't speak the language. Anyway, I'll also miss Lou, even though I've never really been a fan of the actress herself (tight smiles tend to annoy me, and Rachel Bilson does it constantly). I just hope the return of Bryce doesn't lead to a loss of the humor that makes Chuck so enjoyable to watch, because people might leave in droves if that happened. Predictably...

Dark Disciple | Nov 20, 2007 12:39:57 PM | #

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Dear Al: What are you talking about? Bryce being in the box was absolutely not predictable. If you are really trying to say you figured that out, then you are a liar. No way did you do that. This show is simple and fun. No sense in trying to delve too deeply into the "whys" and "hows" of a show like this -- you either enjoy it, or you don't. The new hour-long shows on NBC this year are all entertaining. Viewership has been moderate-to-awful for most all of them, however, so I try not to get too attached. And this "Dark Disciple" dude is just plain annoying. A self-loving idiot trying to sound smart. He's gonna have to try a lot harder.

A | Nov 20, 2007 12:58:06 PM | #

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A, such hostility, and when I was merely trying to be sarcastic, not serious about a comment about predictability in shows like Chuck. Come on now, do you mean to tell me, that you don't recognize sincere insincerity when you see it? Fortunately, I tend to ignore posts from people who don't even have the guts to give themselves a decent screen name beyond the first letter of the alphabet, but thanks for the entertaining post all the same. Perhaps the powers-that-be herein can put our screen names first, instead of at the end, so that those who might find me and/or others "just plain annoying" can skip the post and go on to others more of their liking. As for me, I'll continue to enjoy this well-made show, post my opinions as to where the show is going and let the chips fall where they may. Thanks to everyone who watches, and especially to all those who read these posts and take the time to let everyone know what you think. Even if "A" might not agree, everyone has the right to post here, and I'm always glad to see as many people doing so as possible. Keep it up!

Dark Disciple | Nov 20, 2007 2:16:28 PM | #

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the moment it was mentioned that the timer was counting down an oxygen supply, not a bomb, i knew it was bryce in there. i just...knew. so, it is possible that someone else figured that out (not that it's a bad thing, for me, anyway). i don't know how i feel about this development. that one episode, a few weeks back, was made all the more touching because we knew bryce was dead (the one where chuck finds out why bryce really got him kicked out). i don't think i like the dead coming back to life in this case.

i'm very disappointed that lou is gone. i really liked her character and would have loved her with chuck. oh well.

washington | Nov 20, 2007 2:21:31 PM | #

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What a fun, engaging show. I'm glad the network leads off my Monday evenings with Chuck!

Seattle Dan | Nov 20, 2007 3:52:54 PM | #

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Hey A, they've been telegraphing Bryce's return from the dead since the season started. And the NBC "give it all away" promo department certainly left little doubt for those of us expecting Bryce's return. (Along the lines of: "You'll never believe how this one ends!!!!!!" Hmm. What would seem most unbelievable in the Chuckiverse? Oh, yeah, Bryce still being alive!) What I really can't believe is that there are people who don't believe that there are people who can predict the future of a TV storyline.

And DD, your suggestion to put post-ers names BEFORE the post is brilliant. Predictably, though, some would complain that such a move would be akin to a "spoiler alert," and we all know how much some people like to whine about the mere use of the utterly practical and thoughtful spoiler warnings we get at this site!

Goph | Nov 20, 2007 5:16:49 PM | #

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A: Goph is 117% correct, the promo that was aired after last weeks episode which showed the casket-like device opening left no other option than Bryce being alive, unless it was Mother Bartowski or Tony Todd's disappearing character. Completely predictable, but that doesn't lessen the enjoyability for this type of tongue-in-cheek show.

Bystander | Nov 20, 2007 7:31:50 PM | #

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This show just continues to rule more and more after each showing! Love Rachel Bilsons guest starring the past few episodes, I hope they bring her back, she was such an adorable character. MORGANS DA MAAAN!! LOVE HIS CHARACTER. Dont know theres so much hate for the guy, he rules all. Anyway, excellent episode, the ratings arent stellar, so everyone spread the word to your friends and family about this how! Would hate to have it cancelled.

Rob | Nov 21, 2007 5:42:41 AM | #

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love this show!!!! yes some parts were predictable... so what? it was predictable in a fun way. glad to see how sara really felt when they thought it was their last moments alive, of course they can't get together just yet so bryce was the perfect wrench in works... or however that saying goes. lol.

this show just keeps getting better and better. too bad the strike is going to put an end to our enjoyment soon...

joits | Nov 23, 2007 9:11:37 AM | #

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