ChucK!

[Faustus]

I would just like to point out that this coming Sunday night, I think a two hour "premiere" at 9, "Chuck" is finally returning to TV. NBC has not treated this show very well during its first two years in its scheduling and positioning (the writers' strike also dealt it along with so many other shows two seasons ago an almost mortal blow), but it turns out the pathetic offerings NBC otherwise has thrown out there have, in retrospect, made Chuck's showing pretty rosy looking by comparison, so it has been rushed back early, instead of a supposed post-Olympics return. Regular airings will remain in that dodgy Monday at 8 slot, I do believe, so NBC is still not doing it any huge favors although SyFi has been airing re-runs the past night or so, it seems.

For those unfamiliar with its premise (which I think includes much of the Free World), Chuck is an affable young guy whose student promise as a whiz kid computer techie at Stanford was derailed by his unjust expulsion from Stanford, now doomed to a life as, in effect, a Geek Squad member (Nerd Herd in the Best Buy-esque Buy More chain). His friends are fellow deadbeats going nowhere in life. He lives with his sister, an ER doctor whose husband is an ultra cool surgeon known as Capt. Awesome. Chuck's future is bleak.

BUT, one day an old college friend who became a CIA agent, in a tight life and death squeeze needs to dispose of something called the Intercept, the one Government computer base including everything known about Evil in the evil world around us, and to safeguard it upon his own impending death, sends it to a safe place - he cell phones it to Chuck, where somehow it becomes hardwired into Chuck's spectacularly retentive brain (ok, you do need some suspension of disbelief on occasion here). Thus while our government's Intercept is gone, across in suburban Burbank, CA, Chuck becomes a living version of the thing. Simply by seeing someone or something included in that database, Chuck's brain fires off and reveals to him that Evil is about to take place.

Clearly, Chuck cannot be allowed to go on the loose, so the Govt. sends two handlers to watch over him day and night. The CIA provides agent "Sarah Walker", a spectacular blonde, who fronts as Chuck's girlfriend and supposedly works in season one at the fast food "Weinerlicious" across the parking lot, which in season two becomes an orange juice bar (underneath housing a fabulous secret CIA/NSA bunker). I'm afraid this year it becomes a Subway, to bring NBC more ad money (I'm not kidding). NSA sends along John Casey, unrelentingly gruff rightwing trained assassin. They do not always get along, although the chemistry between Chuck and dreamgirl Sarah takes off. And so the fun begins.

The first two seasons have been most entertaining, and the plot has not surprisingly thickened as the show developed. The interaction between the co-workers and family of Chuck, who do not know of his alter-life (although Capt. Awesome has just stumbled onto the fact ending season two), and the secret spy life that Chuck now must lead whether he likes it or not, has proved a rich one thus far. The show has been smart, witty, funny, clever with many references to other shows and cultural icons, and always full of action. The acting has been great - Yvonne Strahovski has been a revelation as the emotionally vulnerable Sarah, and Adam Baldwin has been intergallactically fun as Major John Casey. It's had some wonderful guest stars (last season Chevy Chase was a Bill Gates-esque evil genius trying to take over the world). It is more of a guy show, I admit. It has always been great fun though. There's no telling what NBC will have done to it for season three (so if it stinks, this long essay here can at least find usefulness as a plea to Netflix the first two seasons). I do hope, however, that some of you who've not followed Chuck in the past will give it a shot this year.

[pfrduke]

Plus one here in support of Chuck. It's truly an entertaining hour (well, 45 minutes with DVR) of television. The post above sums it up well, but allow me to also recommend the following article if you're interested in the show but not yet sure you want to dive in:

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/tv/i..._-_sepinw.html

[DukieInKansas]

I love Chuck. I think they are planning on making him more of a "spy" in season 3 which worries me. Part of the fun is Chuck really doesn't know what he is doing - unless he channels his inner Carmichael.

I caught some of the episodes on SyFi last night - I always chuckle at the one where Chuck plans the operation and insists on no guns.

[pfrduke]

I love Chuck. I think they are planning on making him more of a "spy" in season 3 which worries me. Part of the fun is Chuck really doesn't know what he is doing - unless he channels his inner Carmichael.

I caught some of the episodes on SyFi last night - I always chuckle at the one where Chuck plans the operation and insists on no guns.

My fiancee got me the Season 2 DVDs for Christmas, and we've been feverishly catching up in advance of the Sunday premier. Just watched the Rush episode (where he takes down the satellite via video game - amazing).

Although, we first skipped ahead to watch the last two episodes of the season, which, I think, are two of the best hours of non-Lost television I watched last season. The Jeffster! "Mr. Roboto" wedding performance/shootout is probably the best scene the show has ever done (especially with the inclusion of the "why are you letting Sam Kinison and an Indian lesbian ruin your wedding?" line).

[alteran]

Another vote for Chuck. All Hail the Buy More!!!

I agree that I hope they don't turn Chuck into a superspy or something.

[Faustus]

P.S.
For some reason I've typed "Intercept" when it should be the "Intersect". And I, too, have some qualms about what will be changed with the "new" Chuck (at the end of Season 2, the brand new Govt. super database once again got installed in Chuck's brain, although now it includes the ability to beat the crap out of people, previously singularly missing from his repertory). But the show couldn't stay where it was and things did need to progress.

People look at me funny when I say this (but then people generally look at me funny anyway), but Chuck is my favorite show, by far, of the last couple of years.

[alteran]

... the brand new Govt. super database once again got installed in Chuck's brain, although now it includes the ability to beat the crap out of people, previously singularly missing from his repertory). But the show couldn't stay where it was and things did need to progress.

I agree, the "leaving Chuck in the car to be safe" thing was getting old, although I thought the tongue-in-cheek way the show handled it let them get away with it for a long time.

My biggest fear is that it's too easy to have Chuck go all "Matrix" whenever he gets in a pinch. That's going to get lame in a hurry. I think the writer's and show are astute enough to avoid the trap.

[DukieInKansas]

I don't typically buy DVDs of tv series, ok I've never bought a tv series on DVD for myself, but I might have to make an exception for Chuck.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

I've enjoyed Chuck since it debuted!

From the coming attractions, this season he is/will be a kung fu guru (or something similar).

[Reisen]

Chuck is awesome. I've been watching since the beginning, along with a few other very underrated shows like HIMYM (which has since gotten a lot more credit / publicity), Life, etc.

I really hope it does well this season. Nice writeup in the OP (although there were a few minor errors: Chuck receives the intersect in an email, that sort of hypnotizes him all night while embedding the images in his brain).

The guest stars are great. You've got actors from Firefly, BattleStar Galactica, etc. etc.

[BD80]

Big Chuck fan. Well, more of a Sarah fan, but still ...

I think they are going to leave Chuck clueless, but have special abilities (due to the Intersect) kick in at unexpected and probably uncontrollable instances. A preview shows him Ninja-kicking his friend when the friend playfully challenges Chuck to "bring it." Seems like they are going to recycle the schtick from Jackie Chan's "Tuxedo" movie, where he is an unintentional spy who becomes a secret agent with special abilities when he puts on a hi-tech tuxedo.

Like all shows that rely upon the romantic spark between the lead characters, the show cannot have much life left. They must keep Chuck and Sarah apart to keep the plotline tension, but too much protraction will get stale and contrived. So far the writers have been great, bringing in ex-flames and new ways to keep them apart.

I am really looking forward to this season.

[94duke]

I loved last season's finale. We all saw it coming, but it was sooooo great to hear...

"I know Kung Fu!"

[Clipsfan]

Big Chuck fan. Well, more of a Sarah fan, but still ...

I think they are going to leave Chuck clueless, but have special abilities (due to the Intersect) kick in at unexpected and probably uncontrollable instances. A preview shows him Ninja-kicking his friend when the friend playfully challenges Chuck to "bring it." Seems like they are going to recycle the schtick from Jackie Chan's "Tuxedo" movie, where he is an unintentional spy who becomes a secret agent with special abilities when he puts on a hi-tech tuxedo.

Like all shows that rely upon the romantic spark between the lead characters, the show cannot have much life left. They must keep Chuck and Sarah apart to keep the plotline tension, but too much protraction will get stale and contrived. So far the writers have been great, bringing in ex-flames and new ways to keep them apart.

I am really looking forward to this season.

I've also been a fan of the show and I'm looking forward to it coming back although I really felt that they were wrapping it up towards the end of the second season and received an unexpected reprieve. As such, the timing will probably be strange and I'm worried about his super-powers (given that the premise was that he was clueless as a spy). They've already played a lot of games with his relationship with Sarah and I wonder how many more iterations of that there can be (and how many super-hot ex-gfs who come out of the woodwork).

[OZZIE4DUKE]

They've already played a lot of games with his relationship with Sarah and I wonder how many more iterations of that there can be (and how many super-hot ex-gfs who come out of the woodwork).

I hope Chuck and Sarah get together. Worked on Hart to Hart pretty well!

Anyone else remember Hart to Hart? Robert Wagner and Stephanie Powers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hart_to_Hart Ilove that show. Well, I loved Stephanie Powers

[Faustus]

Geez, I even remember Stephanie Powers from "The Girl From U.N.C.L.E," where she was sort of a poor man's Avenger's Emma Peel (was her character named April Dancer?).

By the way, I virtualy never buy DVD sets of tv shows either (only previous one was the wonderfully quirky "Keen Eddie" from a few years ago that Fox began as a summer replacement and didn't even allow it to finish its brief run, but it was a terrific little fish-out-of-water show about a NYC detective (Mark Valley) punished by being attached to Scotland Yard, and on top of that Sienna Miller refuses to move out of the London flat assigned to him, and she hates his nasty little dog). But I have bought both seasons of "Chuck." Idiotically, NBC refused to release the DVD of season 2 until this past week, mere days before airing the new season (mine was back-ordered since July). Season one has only 13 episodes, but I do recommend it for those new to the series. There's definitely an accumulated knowledge that is needed to appreciate this great little show to its fullest.

[Reisen]

the wonderfully quirky "Keen Eddie" from a few years ago .

You and I have similar taste in tv shows. That was another terrific show.

[Faustus]

Bump for tonight, after which another episode airs in the regular slot tomorrow night at 8. As Casey says in the final episode last season, "Chuck me!"

[duketaylor]

Reading this thread I'm really feeling the love, please keep it up!!
May have to check out the series, too

The comment, "Chuck me," is reserved for a special someone

[Faustus]

I shall henceforth reserve that phrase for National Championships, or at least Final Fours

To be honest, I was somewhat disappointed by the two episodes they ran last night - admittedly they did have a lot of plotline to re-align from the previous season, but it didn't appear a seamless transition to me and the characters' personalities and behavior have certainly wobbled a bit in doing so. Almost like the creators were so surprised the show actually got renewed that they weren't quite sure how to pick up the pieces and get things going again. Hoping tonight's episode is more like the series that was such fun previously.

[camion]

I would agree with the above. In particular it seemed like the first hour was done to undo the farewell show from last season and explain why they're still on the air.

For some reason,



I was distracted from the plot



at various points.




Don't know why.