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'Chuck': Holiday hijinks and Casey’s true love
Thus far on Chuck, only two members of our spy-tastic triumvirate have had love lives. Sure, we've heard plenty about Chuck and Sarah's ideal mate, but what about Casey? This week, we meet his idea of perfection -- and she's a lovingly maintained, buffed-and-polished, decked-out 1985 Crown Victoria. Hee!
It's time for the Buy More annual Spoiler party.
Things are tense in Chuck-land -- Sarah had to choose between following Bryce or sticking with her mission, and Chuck. She's not too happy about it. Chuck is pining for Sarah, when he's not feeling betrayed. The only one having any fun is Casey, but that's because he's got a sadistic sense of humor, so he finds all of Chuck's romantic turmoil amusing. And that makes me like Casey even more.
The case of the week is triggered when Chuck gets a flash off a counterfeit $100 bill while he's out on a fortuitous computer install with Les and Jeff. That bill is linked to Lon Kirk, and business magnate turned international philanthropist. Chuck, Sarah and Casey have to infiltrate his swanky society fundraiser, which means Chuck and Sarah are going on a date. This is as awkward as you'd imagine, with Sarah flirting up a storm with the target, and Chuck getting more and more flustered, making more and more stupid moves. He even blows the entire $100,000 of CIA seed money on a single roulette spin. We get it -- Chuck is no James Bond.
When Sarah goes to Kirk's yacht to cozy up to him, Chuck gets a little wigged and comes down to the dock. There, he gets a flash on a crate being loaded onto the yacht -- it contains the counterfeit engraving plates! Yeah, except it doesn't, so everyone is pissed at Chuck, and Casey and Sarah get benched by their government bosses.
Meanwhile, in Buy More land, Morgan thinks Anna is cheating on him, but discovers that it's just that her parents are in town from Taiwan for a big charity thing. He wangles an invitation to meet them, and, despite a frankly disastrous first encounter, gets to join the family on a lovely yacht trip sponsored by the Taiwanese attaché. Morgan sends Chuck a photo from the boat -- and wouldn't you know it, he spots the same crate again. Casey doesn't seem interested in following another potentially faulty flash, but Sarah believes him. They rush down to the dock in time to see the yacht that Morgan, Anna and a bunch of Taiwanese notables are on -- and they notice a GPS-guided missile target on the side of the boat. Yes, the counterfeit plates are on that yacht, and it looks like Lon is determined to destroy the evidence now that he's been raided by the Feds.
Chuck and Sarah work together to cause a scene while Casey (who joined them so he could protect the Intersect, and so he wouldn't miss any gunplay) takes out a couple of the guards. Cue the butt-kicking on all sides. Lon fires off the missile -- through Chuck's legs, and that can't be healthy -- so Chuck has to use his computer-install knowledge to reprogram the GPS on the missile. Unfortunately, that sends the missile hurtling back toward their boat, and they need an alternate target. Luckily, Casey had mentioned that his One True Automotive Love had a state-of-the-art GPS tracker hidden in it, and he grudgingly allows Chuck to use that as a target. Oh, the pain!
In the end, Chuck and Sarah make up and decide to be friends. It's all happy happy joy joy, except for Casey. He's not only mourning the loss of his car, he also gets a call from the general, telling him that the new Intersect is almost complete, so soon Casey will have to neutralize the current version. Translation: Pretty soon, Casey is going to have to kill Chuck. And right now, I almost believe he'd do it.
Highlights, thoughts and odds and ends:
- I'm a bit annoyed by the Lester as the sole Jew on staff plotline. First of all, it seems to me it's a con on Lester's part -- he knows enough to sound Jewish, but he keeps changing the rules for the dreidel, or having to look up recipes for latkes. Second, I have a hard time believing he'd be the only Jew, real or fake, on staff. It strikes me that Lester combined with an eggnog-mad Jeff is Josh Schwartz trying to come up with another Chrismukkah storyline, but this time, it doesn't work.
- Lester is also being set up as the new nemesis -- did you catch the ominous music that played when he "advised" Morgan? Sorry, Lester -- you're no Harry Tang.
- I was astonished to learn that we're actually getting off easy with Morgan. Because Morgan being himself is annoying. Morgan pretending to be someone he isn't? Horrifically annoying. Again, and as always, he so doesn't deserve Anna. (I do respect his warning to Chuck, though: "Never trust a woman whose name is a palindrome."
- Casey was on fire tonight. The car waxing scene? Glorious. His put-downs of Chuck and Sarah? Fantastic. And I loved this line, when it looked like Sarah may have gone after Bryce. "Don't worry! I hear there's a great selection of new handlers in the CIA Christmas catalog." Hee!
- Chuck did ok himself: "I know that grunt. Yeah, that's the number 7, right -- skeptical with a side of cynicism?"
- And yes, I loved Sarah taking out her alarm clock with a throwing knife. I've had many mornings where I wished I could do that.
- For some reason, I found it perversely amusing that one of the images that kept coming up when Chuck flashed on the case was a road sign that said "Caution: Otter Crossing."
- The bad guy was convincingly smarmy: "I always bet on red, because it reminds me of all the pain and suffering in the world." Oy.
- I kind of loved the Buy More Christma... sorry, Holiday Party. Big Mike can move! And "Christmas in Hollis"? Classic!
What did you think? Will Casey follow through and execute Chuck? Did you cheer when Chuck confronted Sarah? Were you almost hoping the missile would take out the yacht Morgan was on?
Thought tonight's episode was great! Morgan doing the Titanic thing before the commercial break made me die of laughter. As for the ending... what a cliffhanger huh? Will Casey follow orders?? Chuck and Sarah just friends... yeah right... it's just a way to provide the romantic angst. Will be going through Churck withdrawals until the new year! GREAT SHOW!!
Willy | Dec 3, 2007 7:53:44 PM | #I don't think Sarah did a good job of neutralizing the tension between her and Chuck, as she proclaimed to Casey she'd do. In that sense, Willy's right. This is gonna amp up again real soon.
Like say, Sarah vs. Casey over Chuck?
Maybe Intersect 2.0 will be KARR to Chuck's KITT.
I bought MorgAnna much more the last couple weeks. C'mon Morgan put the shrimp down and shush! Help your girl out.
To me, Chuck is braver when Sarah is in danger or flirty. Seems making missions matter to him makes him a more productive team member.
I would never say this show sizzles, but it's really hitting a stride- and whoa Sarah is delicious! Shame it's takin a break.
Casper | Dec 3, 2007 9:19:47 PM | #| Dec 3, 2007 10:10:49 PM | #
I'm so hating the Morgan character. First of all, he a stalker who doesn't know how good he got with Anna. And what with the jumping to conclusion and then pushing her to let him meet her parents when he doen't want to in the first place. He so annoying and one person I wouldn't mind be written out. Bring back Harry Tang, he so much better.
LT | Dec 3, 2007 11:01:46 PM | #I'm so hating the Morgan character. First of all, he a stalker who doesn't know how good he got with Anna. And what with the jumping to conclusion and then pushing her to let him meet her parents when he doen't want to in the first place. He so annoying and one person I wouldn't mind be written out. Bring back Harry Tang, he so much better.
LT | Dec 3, 2007 11:01:53 PM | #I found one thing quite annoying - they essentially implied that the government of Taiwan was involved in some way with counterfeiting American bills. Considering how many Americans often don't know where Taiwan is and the issues in that region, this isn't a case where any publicity is good.
Annoyed | Dec 4, 2007 1:40:39 AM | #what happened to Chuck's sister and her boyfriend? All of a sudden BANG nothing in the last 2 episodes...
Mark | Dec 4, 2007 7:12:58 AM | #On the boat in the montage of Morgan trying to act cool to the parents, he says, "There I was, There I was, There I was in ... the Congo". I beleive that was an old Steve Martin bit. I'll have to see if any of his other comments were inside jokes like that.
I don't really mind Morgan's character that much, maybe they just need to tone him down a little. Harry Tang was a much more over the top caricature.
sac | Dec 4, 2007 8:22:35 AM | #Come on, Morgan is awesome. Why do people hate him so much?
hrivnak | Dec 4, 2007 9:00:04 AM | #So much for SARAH - she turns out to be a big nothing
Get CHUCK back with Rachel Bilson and let Sarah pine away
Good riddance
So much for SARAH - she turns out to be a big nothing
Get CHUCK back with Rachel Bilson and let Sarah pine away
Good riddance
Another, funny well done episode. I agree its a shame with the strike and december that its going dark for awhile. One hopes the writers strike(@#$#) will be over soon and they can get back to work.
So what will go wrong with the new Intersect to keep Chuck in play and not dead? Will Sarah destroy the new one to protect Chuck?
jbw | Dec 4, 2007 10:18:41 AM | #Cut out all of the Buy More filler crap, please. Nothing like building momentum with whatever case Chuck, Sarah, and Casey are working only to completely stall it every 15 minutes with useless crap about some of the most annoying people on the planet.
And I'm sorry, this cliffhanger is a terrible cliffhanger. Yep, they'll kill off Chuck, off of a TV series named "Chuck." This is like people actually thinking Grey was gonna die in "Grey's Anatomy."
Don't get me wrong, this show is extremely entertaining, but scale down the cast (aka eliminate the Buy More) and it'd be an even better one.
Corey | Dec 4, 2007 11:43:24 AM | #The cliff hanger isn't that Chuck might die, it's that the whole status quo we've been enjoying is about to fall apart. If the CIA/NSA/secret-shadowy-government-types no longer need him, we not only should get one good ep where everyone is after Chuck, but the premise may change a bit afterwards (would we really end up back to Casey and Sarah protecting him for just in case he flashes?).
And seriously, how could you not look forward to Casey trying to kill Chuck?
Oh, and Ellie and Awesome have now been absent for two episodes.
Billiam | Dec 4, 2007 12:26:36 PM | #I love the Buy More filler and would be disappointed if they removed it.
Bob | Dec 4, 2007 12:46:03 PM | #What's wrong with everyone?
This episode was the conclusion of last week's episode which Ellie and Awesome were in the Thanksgiving one, when Bryce got back.
And the Buy More stuff is great - Chuck's story can't be just about going on missions. Buy More shows us his charming character otherwise he'd be just an idiot they'd have to lock up until he flashes on something. Chuck would be boring without Buy More - this at least shows he has a real life!
I think Ellie and Awesome were probably on the Christmas getaway they discussed when Thanksgiving was such a disaster. And I'm with Solly... the Buy More stuff makes the show! Without it Chuck would just be a cheesy, less-stylish Alias.
Allie | Dec 4, 2007 1:11:10 PM | #Any notice the images that flashed on the New Intersect?
Morgan, Ellie, and Awesome -
Why would they be in the new
intersect?
Great show, and yes.....
Sarah is one big plus to watch it. BLACK BIKINI>>>YEPPIE!!!!!!
the look on casey's face when his car blew up was priceless. it looked as if he was going to cry. awwwww
Dory | Dec 4, 2007 4:36:14 PM | #I had a girlfriend in high school who was half-Japanese, and so I could relate to Morgan trying to, er, impress the parents of a supposedly-traditional Oriental girl. In my case, as with Morgan, Kristina was anything but traditional herself, although she was a fine actress when her folks were in the room. More fun that way. Anyway, I enjoyed the episode, and even though people tend to be hot or cold when it comes to the Buy More scenes, I think they add to the show, if only to emphasize that Chuck is not a trained operative. He's a regular schmuck who works at an electronic store whose so-called friend made him what is now a target for assassination. Doesn't happen in real life, true, but ain't it grand? Oh, and did anyone else catch the near-homage to the James Bond theme when Chuck and Sarah were on the yacht? It was close to being plagiaristic, but just far enough off that it didn't risk a lawsuit. I almost expected Chuck to ask if his martini had been stirred. Casey's expression when his car went kersplat was priceless, as was his reaction when Chuck lost what he thought was $100 at the roulette wheel. No wonder Casey's bosses want Chuck dead. As for the Intersect Part 2, I get the feeling that there is much, much more going on than has been shown to date, and that both Sarah and Casey are going to be looking over their shoulders as well. As long as they keep a fair balance between the spy stuff and the comedy, Chuck should go far, but if they start tinkering with the formula, the sharks will begin to circle. I'll miss this show while it's gone. Might actually have to go to Best Buy a few times to bide my time...
Dark Disciple | Dec 4, 2007 7:32:14 PM | #I've got one thing to say: Captain Morgan.
Hard to resist a decent pun.
Yossarian | Dec 5, 2007 6:42:11 AM | #I am sure I am a minority of one, but I am loving the writers' strike, or at least the timing of it. I can really use a break to concentrate on the holidays. Ususally, I end up with a huge back log of shows to watch. As long as they are back sometime in January, it works for me.
tom | Dec 5, 2007 10:35:38 AM | #"There I was, There I was, There I was in ... the Congo. I beleive that was an old Steve Martin bit."
Not a Steve Martin but, but actually a (pretty obscure) reference to an old Bud commercial from the early 90s. Sadly, it doesn't seem to be available on YouTube but it obviously stuck in the minds of more than a few people...
Really? Lester and Jeff advising Morgan on women? And the idiot listening?? When was the last time either of those two had a date with a woman?!
Did anyone notice that Morgan and anna were colour co-ordinated for her parent's lunch date.
I love that Morgan told Chuck as soon as he saw Sarah "cheating" if only enough people did that maybe more relationships would be saved.
Sarah's like a whole new person and she still doesn't have any chemistry with Chuck but my goodness Zachery Levi's nailing the hurt Chuck's feeling perfectly. You just want to hug him.
Now that Harry Tang's gone shouldn't there be another assistant manager at Buy More? Wasn't Chuck next in line?
yeah i also saw Morgan, Ellie, and Awesome in the new intersect, should be interesting later on to see why they are in there. Is this an updated version of the intersect? or where these 3 always in it, and if so, why hasnt Chuck flashed on them...hmmm.....anyway, excellent show again! My favorite new show of the fall season. And come on Sarah, lay off Morgan, he's hilarious!!
Rob | Dec 7, 2007 1:02:57 AM | #
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