(S01E08) "Huh ... Tiniest cop I've ever seen." - El Capitan Awesome.
So I guess the writers are going to try out this little whole, entire let's-actually-have-a-continuous-plot thing they implemented last week with the revealing episode on Chuck's back story. Although it is good that they are trying to create a new arc (involving guest star Rachel Bilson), I think it is kind of short sighted to not include anything about the revelations from last week.
It's like he totally forgot that he was originally meant for the CIA and the Larkin didn't ruin his life. I guess when Ellie got poisoned there was a little reason for distraction, but the rest of the time he should be pulling his hair, searching for an explanation to his life. But this show isn't Heroes (where you are meant to be on edge week to week for the next plot twist). It is about having some fun, kicking some gluteus, and hot girls.
Speaking of hotties, they showed up in spades this week, didn't they? Even Mrs. Tang was kind of hot. Since I am not the subject of Tang, might as well talk about this week's sidestories first. The Buy More story was a little weak in this episode, which is a little disappointing. I had actually gotten used to the Morgan adventures the past few weeks and not getting to see Joshua Gomez do his annoying-thang made me slightly blue.
The idea was that Lester taped a conversation with Morgan that sounded unintentionally promiscuous. This combined with Lester's little act of betrayal last week has made me really despise the little weasel. In the first couple of episodes I thought his job was to be annoying, but now I think he gets pleasure in ruining people's lives. I guess the all-too-brief Buy More story was necessary to get rid of Harry Tiberius Tang, but I wish there was a little more meat on the narrative skeleton.
Also this is a random question. I thought that Tang got the assistant manager job because Chuck didn't show up to the interview and that is what the corporate guy declared. Not that Big Mike felt guilty for having an affair with Tang's wife.
I am going to miss Harry Tang. I personally think they dropped his character way too early. Hopefully, he comes back later as a wannabe agent or something like that. It could be really hilarious having to deal with a rogue Harry Tang.
The other side story involved Chuck's sex life, or more accurately lack thereof. Basically, Chuck and Sarah have to fake a relationship, which makes Chuck long for a real one. Enter Lou and you got some drama. Oh and you get to see Sarah in some nighties, which surprisingly made it past and Standards committee again. There were several jokes about the size of Sarah's "talent," which I am also surprised made prime time television, but I guess with Dirty Sexy Money and Desperate Housewives on they air, is it really that surprising?
I totally saw the ending coming from a mile a way (Trained in dealing with pentathol? Really? That's why you didn't tell Chuck you wanted his nerdy body?). I guess that makes this show more dramatic and more drama means more continuous story. I am excited to see where they go with this Lou thing next week. According to the previews, Lou is involved in some sketchy dealings which probably means that she is an agent or a baddy or related to one. But then in the teaser there was something that looked like a regeneration pod. So maybe Lou is a robot clone android cyborg sent from the future to save the Intersect? It might be a stretch, but stranger (i.e. dumber) plot twists have happened.
Today's baddy of the week was a personal fav. Kevin Weisman is one of my favorite random actors. If you haven't seen his scene in Clerks 2, go out and rent the movie and watch the Hobbit-madness and begin. Although Wesiman is currently serving a prison sentence on Moonlight, I will always remember him as Marshall from Alias. I didn't really buy that he was an "ex-gymnast," but watching him disarm both Casey and Sarah was pretty awesome.
Chuck had an existential crisis when he realized that his spy life is crossing over in to his real life. It must be scary to realize that you get can get everyone you love killed in a second by making one bad move. However, a bad move would also include telling your comatose sister that you were a spy. I wonder if the writers are going to pick up on the scene and have it revealed that Ellie knows Chuck's secret or they just going to dismiss the scene complete? I think for the sake of simplicity (and the Lou storyline) they will dismiss it or at the very least have Ellie know, but she secretly hides it so Chuck doesn't have to worry about her.
Oh Snap Award
Sarah shot a back-flipping dude in the knee. No thought. No drama. No emotion. Just dropped a cap in him. And that my friends is the definition of badass.
It was a pretty funny poke at the spy movie genre where most ninja-esqe bad guys make their escape by tumbling out of frame, but not on Chuck. Before the cold-as-ice moment, I was thinking about rewarding it to Casey for throwing a crutch at a dude or Weisman for using a hospital bed in a fight. But how could you beat such a (as Devon would say it) awesome move from such an awesome cutie.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-13-2007 @ 9:59AM
Ras Thavas said...
Morgan to Chuck "You're a mind cheater."
That exchange cracked me up.
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11-13-2007 @ 10:09AM
Matt said...
This was my favorite episode of the season. I liked seeing Chuck move on from wanting Sarah. I, for one, didn't expect the resistant to pentathol bit, because I figured she would genuinely keep business and pleasure separate. But, whatever works for the story. Hopefully Rachel Bilson isn't just a couple episode character. I want them to drag the Chuck/Sarah thing out as long as they can.
I'll miss Harry Tang, because I'm a big Dexter fan, and thought he was a good antagonist...really, the only recurring antagonist. Hopefully he sees his way back somehow.
I was also a huge Alias fan, so it's nice to see Weisman on TV again. I wish his character would've been a little more wisecracking, like Marshall was, but that's just the "I miss Alias" in me talking.
Lastly, thanks to spoiler sheets, I know who's in the box. Hell, Isabelle reported it in Spoilers Anonymous on at least one occasion, so a fair amount of regular TV Squad readers should know who it is. Hopefully the scene will still be interesting, despite its lack of surprise.
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11-13-2007 @ 10:22AM
puddy77 said...
"Casey, your jaw was chiseled by Michelangelo himself." - Chuck.
I also thought it was interesting that Chuck could flash on a fingerprint.
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11-13-2007 @ 11:00AM
Michelle said...
I like Rachel Bilson, so it was fun to see her guest star...Maybe this will change because she is actually a baddie or something, but her character is so much like Summer, and Chuck already reminded me so much of Seth, it was kind of a throw back to the O.C.
They even mentioned the Nana...
I do just have to say, that Chuck is quickly becoming one of my top shows of the new season!
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11-13-2007 @ 12:41PM
horsenbuggy said...
I can't believe they got rid of Harry Tang! It stands to reason that he would eventually have noticed something fishy going on between Chuck and Casey since he was being such a micro-manager. But I would love for him to have figured it out for himself rather than to stumble upon it in such a clumsy way. But, dude!, Harry Tang was awesome. Who will provide the drama at Buy More now?
I really didn't like Ellie going off on Awesome. Yes, we all recognize that he's annoying. But I thought that she genuinely loved him. So far, Ellie is my least favorite character. It has nothing to do with the actress. I just hate the way they're writing her.
Why did Sarah have to go to Chuck's house? It seems more logical that they would have gone to her place since she lives alone. Chuck should be able to see that she's taking this "cover" excuse too far. I know it worked out better as a device for the story for Casey to get interference. I just think it's silly that she showed up at Chuck's house in a nightie.
Yay! for seeing Marshall again! He's so awesome.
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11-13-2007 @ 12:24PM
Blair Mitchelmore said...
I'm going to post my theory as to what's in the pod so ignore this if you don't want to read theoretical spoilers.
It's Bryce Larkin.
I could be wrong, but the whole show is headed to Bryce still being alive, if only as a way to cap off the season.
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11-13-2007 @ 12:46PM
Margaret said...
Love Kevin Weisman! I think the whole gymnast backstory was a shoutout to us Alias fans watching. Marshall (Kevin Weisman) living out his geek dream - being the "Sydney Bristo" kind of spy instead of the super-technical backup he was in Alias (kinda like Chuck).
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11-13-2007 @ 12:47PM
Tim UF said...
Chuck and Sarah is going to continue NBC's legacy of characters with a lot of sexual tension that just don't connect for most of the show. Just like Rachel and Ross in Friends, and just like Josh and Donna in The West Wing.
This episode was the best of the season so far. The chiseled jaw comment was great. Does anyone else think that Adam Balwin's comedic timing/talent is very underrated? I love how he charicatures the government agent badass character. Sending Tang to Hawaii was classic as well, though, i think the buymore scenes will lag a bit without an antagonist.
Is anyone else creeped out by Kevin Weisman, or is it just me?
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11-13-2007 @ 1:04PM
simon said...
how racists was the portrayal of mrs tang?!? why couldnt harry be married to a caucasian lady? or an african american lady? or a latina? why some fobby ass asian lady?
that was really disappointing.
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11-13-2007 @ 1:11PM
hub said...
Britney Spears? *Britney Spears*? What the hell is that? Bleh.
Other than that, I love Adam Baldwin. Casey settling in to listen to Sarah and Chuck was hilarious.
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11-13-2007 @ 1:19PM
Jussup said...
Great show and good review. I track with you as a writer fairly well Varun, but seriously dude you need to proofread better.
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11-13-2007 @ 1:45PM
YooToob said...
Nobody has yet mentioned my favorite moment during this episode. The "Hot Coffee" reference was hilarious in it's subtlety.
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11-13-2007 @ 9:06PM
timcur2525 said...
Wow, i definitely hope Lou stays on. Rachel Bilson is easily the hottest girl on this show.
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11-13-2007 @ 2:45PM
fred said...
I've never been a fan of the show, bit I do love Rachel Bilson so I had to watch this episode, obviously.
Of course I liked her character, and the show needed to slow down the Chuck/Sarah thing or else they'd actually have ended up together before the end of the first season, strike or not!
That said, I had a few continuity issue with this episode. Like as mentioned how Chuck didn't care to know what the CIA wanted him for, or what was Brice intent when he send email that started this whole thing.
Or, yes, how Chuck not showing up & Morgan trying to cover up was what resulted in Tang getting the position.
Or how a couple of weeks ago Chuck and Sarah already made love. Or did "getting lucky" meant something else ?
http://88.191.26.34/i_watch_tv/2007/11/13/chuck-chuck-versus-the-truth/
ps: would be nice if Chuck would stop yelling "bad guy, bad guy" as soon as he flashes, because they're always right in front of him, or watching, hidden in the dark.
Of course, giving his name & address isn't a good idea either...
And Rachel is still as gorgeous as ever, love to see her back on TV - even if only for a few episodes.
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11-13-2007 @ 4:02PM
bbrown said...
My favorite part was when they went to Weismans' apartment and knocked and when he asked who it was Chuck responded with the CIA, FBI and me. I'm a little more complicated to explain. Or something along those lines. And yes the chin chiseled by Michaelangelo himself was pretty good too. Best episode yet IMO.
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11-13-2007 @ 4:36PM
Ian said...
Definitely my favorite episode of the season, too. The Chuck/Sarah storyline is great, and I love seeing Kevin Weisman and Rachel Bilson. Would have probably watched this episode for either of them even if I didn't watch the show regularly.
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11-13-2007 @ 5:23PM
carterman said...
Y'know, Adam Baldwin is exceptional at playing jerk characters you love to hate, if his stints on Day Break and now Chuck are to be believed. This episode was really funny, but I'm kinda sad to see Chuck and Sarah's relationship on hold, but I guess that we've got to have something to hope for in the future, eh?
Also, when Sarah shot Kevin Weisman's character in the leg...hilarious, and reminded me of the scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark where Indy just shoots the guy using fancy swordwork.
"
I really didn't like Ellie going off on Awesome. Yes, we all recognize that he's annoying. But I thought that she genuinely loved him. So far, Ellie is my least favorite character. It has nothing to do with the actress. I just hate the way they're writing her."
Well, Ellie kinda had to go off on Captain Awesome because of the potassium benzoate in her system that caused her to be just a little too honest. The scene made sense to me, I mean, there are people you love, but aren't there things that annoy you about them as well?
The only thing I didn't like about the whole episode was "Toxic". Britney Spears for the loss.
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11-13-2007 @ 5:40PM
Manuel Reis said...
It was really a very good episode, just saw it now...
I personally dislike The O.C., therefore, I kinda dislike Rachel Bilson...She's not good enough for some roles like this one...
And BTW, when the WGA strike ends, I would like to see Chuck kissing somebody! It even can be Big Mike! (ok, that would be too weird...)
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11-13-2007 @ 8:00PM
eugene said...
This is the first episode of this show I've watched... and yay, another primetime show that makes fun of asians. How refreshing. I swear, if they showed some african american lady as a FRAKING carictature of sterotypes speaking in heavily accented "ebonics" there would be rioting and jesse jackson would be calling for prayer meetings to get this show off the air. But hey, it's only racism if the hate is directed towards any ethnic group other than asians and europeans, right?
It's stuff like this that just proves that ideas like racism and tolerance has been completely co-opted and that true tolerance and understanding has taken a back seat to black versus white grandstanding.
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11-13-2007 @ 8:19PM
sitruc said...
Ever watch 30 Rock, eugene?
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