(S01E05) "This is the part where we hide" - Chuck
I am still on the fence about Chuck and this episode does not do anything to knock me off in one direction or the other. It is still a humorous, character-driven show that isn't too messy or overwrought, but at the same time it seems to have no continuing plot that makes me want to keep with the show. Everything manages to tie up neatly at the end, which isn't bad, but just merely not all too compelling.
With that said, I was a fan of "Chuck Versus the Sizzling Shrimp." The episode was sweet in the way that makes you say "awwwww" out loud in a room full of guys.
Chucky is seeing problems in his domestic and professional life. He can't cope with juggling friends and family which causes him to abandon them when they need him most. Meanwhile, he has to figure out at gunpoint how to help a Chinese spy (Mei Ling) save her brother. Talk about work pressure.
It was good to see a Morgan-heavy episode. I was surprised that it came so early, but it is still good, nevertheless. The entire sub-plot of Morgan fighting for his job in a sales competition was actually more enjoyable than the main story line. It also gave us a chance to spend more time with Lester and Jeff, the Nerd Herd employees that are creepy like an undergrown mustache.
The arc did a great job at provoking feelings i didn't think existed for Morgan. I laughed at his "An evening of Morgan" suggestion. I got angry when he got his pity sale treatment. I welled up with tears when Ellie came and bought a mess of electronics just for him. I was actually just mostly shocked. I was sure that it would be Chuck through some government connections that would save the day, but I predicted wrongly.
Ellie really came through in this episode. She bonded with her brother and Morgan and just came off like a genuinely lovely girl. It almost makes me feel bad for questioning Sarah Lancaster's acting abilities. Given her huge aversion to Morgan in the first couple episodes, I was taken aback when she opened up to the Seth Green-clone and really treated him as a human.
The episode was rather simple. It followed the straight-forward plot. Even Chuck's flashes weren't that prevalent in this episode. Rather than focus on the plot as a whole, I will highlight a couple of key moments that really stuck in my head.
Every week, I mention how Chuck manages to use one spy movie convention or another that adds subtly funny layers to the narrative. This week we are hit with another Bourne parody with Mei Ling's phone call to Chuck. If you haven't seen the trilogy, there is a running scene where Jason Bourne makes phone calls to people who he can see, but can't see him. Chuck was on the receiving end of such a phone call, but I was expecting a different punchline out of the gag. I was really hoping that it would pan or rotate to show her right next to Chuck (I thought it would be funny in my mind), but the writers decided to go with an ominous remark about a mustard stain, which was humorous in its own right.
One of the things I really enjoyed about Chuck was its action sequences, but not so much this week. The kitchen fight scene with Casey, Sarah, and Mei Ling was edited awkwardly with still frames right before any punches thrown. The choppy, stylistic choice really lessened (rather than emphasized) the impact of the kicks and punches thrown by our trio of spies.
Speaking of punches thrown, what about making Mei Ling defect before helping her out with her kidnapped brother? You would think that our guys would go after a Triad gangster, who got away because of Chuck, but they demanded she switch over before considering giving any assistance. That is awfully harsh to make someone leave their job and their country behind to help them with a problem that you help create. They really underplayed what it meant to convert a Chinese spy and I was surprised that even Sarah was so insistent about making her switch sides.
This may seem like a completely off-topic gripe, but how lame are those Seinfeld Bee Movie TV Juniors? I think the conversation is pertinent, because they really lessen my enjoyment of Chuck... that is how much these commercials suck. They feature Jerry in random skits that aren't funny, even by Carlos Mencia standards (and those are some mighty low standards). For some reason some advertising executive convinced Jerry Seinfeld that he needs to tap into the Youtube market with non sequitur, poorly-produced clips.. I have never abhorred a commercial so much that it interfered with my perception of the show. Hopefully this torture doesn't last too long and since Bee Movie is releasing on Nov. 2, I may find relief soon enough.
Two last notes about the episode. They haven't really discussed how Chuck's parents passed or what happened to them and it made me very curious about the truth, but I worry it may be one of those mysteries that the writers never bother answering. Secondly, I don't know if it is the first time for certain, but Morgan revealed the name of Chuck's ex (Jill). Jill, Sarah these names are the two most boring female names ever. This is feeding directly into my conspiracy theory that Sarah is secretly Chuck's college girlfriend after an extreme makeover. I know it is way out in left field, but a boy can hope, can't he?
Oh Snap Award
This week's award goes to the lovely Mei Ling for her double-pistoled gun fight in sketchy bar. Some one had to dethrone Casey, but I didn't think it would happen so soon. Casey almost notched another victory with a vicious door slam to a thug's face, but there is so much head-hurting one can do before it gets stale. Come on, Casey! Let's see something new.
I question Mei Ling's victory simply because she managed to miss almost everybody she aimed at, but her antics were enough to squeeze her past the Major. I am sure Adam Baldwin will take home another Oh Snap-y sometime soon, but this week it goes to the guest star.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-23-2007 @ 8:33AM
Jim said...
I only got the soundtrack -- no dialogue -- for the first 45 minutes of the show.
Has this ever happened for anyone else?
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10-23-2007 @ 8:57AM
Michael said...
How in the world can you possibly be on the fence about this show? Admittedly, it's no CSI or House but it's not really supposed to be. For the type of show it is, I have no complaints at all. It's fresh, funny, smart and I like all the principals starring in the show. It would be easy to let it drift into Alias territory but I think the show would suffer a similar fate as Daybreak. With the tongue in cheek attitude of the show, we know that its making fun of a lot of the stereotypes that are featured in each episode. At the same time, it is entertaining and fun - bottom line is its far better than nearly everything else the studios try to present each fall. Chuck is one of the best new shows to come on this year.
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10-23-2007 @ 8:59AM
Ras Thavas said...
Jim-
Yes. In the Norfolk Virginia area there was no dialog sound on the HD feed. It has happened before (grr, first episode of 24 last season.) Luckily I still have standard cable so I could switch over and watch the SD feed which had sound.
Check out the AVS forum section on local reception. Often the engineers post what happens when things go wrong.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=45
I liked this episode, and I like the show more and more each week.
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10-23-2007 @ 9:02AM
William J. said...
I don't know how many caught the part that James Hong played (the guy in the wheelchair) his character name was LoPan the same name he used in Big Trouble in Little China
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10-23-2007 @ 9:09AM
justelise said...
Morgan? A Seth Green clone? Don't insult Seth like that.
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10-23-2007 @ 9:10AM
horsenbuggy said...
I absolutely loved that Chuck seriously made a mix CD for the stake-out and that "Private Eyes" was on it.
I love the fact that everything wraps up nicely in each episode. I am tired of entire season story arcs where you can't miss a single episode of a show. Chuck is pure fun, a throw-back to TV from the late 70's and early 80's.
How funny was it when the black manager told Morgan that he couldn't be fired because he was the only Hispanic employee? I mean, they would still have the Asian girl and the Indian (?) guy (not to mention Chuck's Asian nemesis). Buy More has no problem with racial diversity.
This was the first time that Ellie got on my nerves. I didn't understand the whole Mother's Day thing (until the end). So I was annoyed that she seemed so demanding of Chuck. Of course, it all worked out in the end. And I missed Captain Awesome - he really is a great character.
I loved when Chuck told Mei Ling's brother, "This is the part when we hide" and they huddled under a table while the three spies fought the bad guys. I meant to rewatch that scene to see if the brother's facial expressions matched Chuck's - I think they did.
I just love this show. And I have to admit that it is all due to the casting. The only way it could be better is to actually have Seth Green.
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10-23-2007 @ 9:22AM
H?ne said...
"it seems to have no continuing plot that makes me want to keep with the show"
If you're looking for an ongoing storyline, check out these spoilers. (almost half down the page)
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10-23-2007 @ 9:23AM
H?ne said...
Forgot the link! Sorry!
http://www.eonline.com/gossip/kristin/detail/index.jsp?uuid=e45169b3-6e80-48d7-8f11-4a752c65a026&sid=fd-hot5-txt
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10-23-2007 @ 9:50AM
Quinton said...
Loved the review, but just a side note; Sarah probably isn't Sarah's real name at all. Last week, Karina let us in on the fact that spies never reveal any personal information about themselves, and Sarah wouldn't even tell Chuck her middle name. I'm assuming "Sarah" is just the psuedonym she's using for this assignment.
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10-23-2007 @ 7:27PM
MosquitoControl said...
I suppose they are going 80s style rather than serial. It's a nice change, maybe, but I still fear for where this show is going.
How far can it really go? How long can the premise last? The premise, mostly, is the same as you'd find in a few thousand Hollywood movies that barely filled 80 minutes (Agent Cody Banks, Underclassmen, If Looks Could Kill, etc.) Can they really do a full season of this? A full series?
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10-23-2007 @ 10:10AM
Jim said...
Thanks, Ras. Admittedly, it took me a minute or two to realize it wasn't just a gimmick.
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10-23-2007 @ 10:14AM
bubbalove said...
@ William J.- Yeah, I caught that little nod to Big Trouble In Little China. That makes two in the past few weeks, with Charlie in IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA making the comment how he expected to see a "dude in a big hat and lightning shooting from his hands and then Kurt Russell fights him..." Let's hear it for some Jack Burton love!
I too was expecting Chuck or someone else to bail Morgan out of the sales competition. Having Ellie do it was an "awww" moment to be sure.
This show is still one of my favorites. While not always consistent ("Chuck vs. The Helicopter" didn't do too much for me), it remains an interesting show with a certain "coolness" factor that you can't just describe, but most other shows wish they had.
Favorite line: Chuck (to Ben LoPan): Forget about it. It's Chinatown. Did you ever see that movie?
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10-23-2007 @ 10:37AM
Musketeer said...
I'm in the same boat - I do like the show, but I'm not exactly itching to tune in every episode - although I have so far. I think its because there's nothing to hook me - like wanting to know what will happen next. If I had to lay money on it, I would guess that I'll eventually drop the show.
Btw - is it just me, or are there quite a few decent new shows premiering this season? Normally I'm lucky if I pick up just 1 new show, but I seem to have latched on to half a dozen new ones recently!
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10-23-2007 @ 10:41AM
Anthony said...
I had the same idea about pseudo-delivery girls in short shorts... anyone recall what Sarah's middle name was as revealed in the previous episode (Chuck vs. the Wookie)?
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10-23-2007 @ 10:50AM
kevin said...
Dear McG,
Please stop ruining shows with your MTV teeny-bopper sense of style. Desaturate the color in the show a bit, stop the freeze-frame fight sequences, hire some real geeks to provide you with legitimate dorky references, and for your own sake Joseph, you're damn near 40...drop the McG.
If you're going to give this show the Fastlane treatment, at least hire Tiffani Thiessen. You are no longer "Pretty Fly (for a White Guy)".
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10-23-2007 @ 10:58AM
moonrunner said...
At the very end of the show, Sarah said her middle name was Lisa, but she said it so softly that Chuck didn't hear her.
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10-23-2007 @ 11:36AM
Tim said...
The Bee-movie skits were just obnoxious. My two roommates and I were watching and when we saw the first commercial, I turned to them and said "Is this supposed to be funny? How low has Dreamworks and Seinfeld sunken?"
Whoever approved and aired those commercials should be fired.
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10-23-2007 @ 11:45AM
slutsdigme said...
what bothers me is the fact that chuck is invaluable to the goings on of all these missions we see and in constant danger of catching a stray bullet or roundhouse kick. what's the compensation? he can't really be sacrificing his health, career, and interpersonal relationships pro bono for the good of his country right? that guy should be making mint! casey has no appearant appreciation for him and a guy needs more benefit for his major role in it all than the faux, non-intimate relationship with sarah.
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10-23-2007 @ 11:50AM
strahotski said...
You can find more pictures, interviews, and exclusive Yvonne content at her new fan site Strahotski.com:
http://www.strahotski.com
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10-23-2007 @ 12:29PM
ajb26 said...
I'm surprised that no one's picked up on the references made to Chuck's parents at the end of the episode. The whole Mother's Day thing was about her leaving them, and Chuck then says that his dad was here, 'but he wasn't really here'.
To me this just seemed an obvious hint from the writers that Chuck isn't the only member of his family involved in the spy business and that later in the series one of his parents is bound to show up in an intersect flash. Just a thought!
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