(S02E04) A high school reunion episode? Didn't I see this before? Well, yes, the idea of a plot centered around a high school reunion has been a popular staple on episodic TV, but the way Chuck used the concept was really something special. It gave us new insights into Sarah's character and deepened her connection to Chuck. There was still plenty of action, but oh how I love that back story.
Guest star Nicole Richie -- looking pretty, but in need of a milkshake or two to put some meat on her bones -- is not much of an actress. Still, she can play a jealous skank with aplomb, and that was her role here.
As Heather Chandler, Sarah's former classmate at San Diego's James Buchanan High, Chuck discovered things about Sarah heretofore unknown. Good for us viewers, too. If you haven't watched the show yet, beware plot revelations after the jump.
There was also the mission involving Heather's hubby, Mark Ratner, who was like a kindred spirit to Chuck, a fellow nerd/smart guy. One look at him and Chuck's brain intersect gizmo connected him to a superbomb.
Chuck got a chance to don his Special Agent Charles Carmichael guise, which is fitting him really well lately. His soul may truly be a computer geek, but under stress Chuck is remarkably able. His taking the microphone at the high school reunion, for instance, and using the spotlight on the Russian henchmen was brilliant.
Meanwhile, in the showers and locker room, it was mano on mano -- or would that be womano on womano? -- between Heather and Sarah. Fight scenes in bathrooms are always good to me because you get the idea that every body slam on the tile has to hurt like crazy. Then there's the pipes and the water.
The revelation that Heather was the mastermind and was using Mark wasn't too surprising. She claimed that a girl like her would never go for a nerd, but Sarah contradicted her because, in fact, she's starting to have real feelings for Chuck.
The highpoint of the episode wasn't just seeing Sarah so freaked out about her past coming out. It was learning how she went from Jenny Burton, high school dork, to Sarah Walker. The CIA gave her that name, and honed her spy skills, too. But it was her father -- who was in prison when she was in high school -- who trained her and set her on this espionage path. Exactly what he did and if he's still behind bars remains a mystery, but the affect on Sarah shaped her life. In true Chuck style, he doesn't force her to share her past because he feels like he knows her already.
Back at Buy More, while Chuck took the day off and Big Mike went fishing, Patel employed his voodoo economics called "Friendly negotiation sales strategy." It was a great policy for consumers; not so good for Buy More. Having a kegger in the store to make up the deficit of $3,700 was too over the top to be believed, but it restored Patel back from his assistant manager's role to sales staff.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-21-2008 @ 8:02PM
Argus said...
Just so you know, it was a superbomber, (plane) not a superbomb, and "mano a mano" means "hand to hand."
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10-21-2008 @ 8:13PM
ssskel said...
great episode ! Chuck is really a great show !
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10-21-2008 @ 8:14PM
Mike K. said...
Also of special note was the music, which totally took me back to 1998.
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10-21-2008 @ 8:21PM
Cincinnati Mike said...
...And the entire plot, which took me back to "Grosse Pointe Blank."
10-21-2008 @ 8:30PM
jonsel said...
The pop cultural references alone make this show great. This week was loaded with them:
• Heather Chandler was from Heathers
• Mark Ratner was the geek in Fast Times
• Sarah all soaking wet with the tiara looked like Carrie
• the aforementioned Grosse Pointe Blank
I'm sure there were more. It was really a great high school movie parody.
And I liked "womano a womano". It made me chuckle.
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10-21-2008 @ 8:40PM
xnifex said...
2 things: Great episode. Oh yeah, not even Jenny Burton is Sarah's real name because even Candyman, I mean Tony Todd, was saying she had other aliases before Jenny. I wonder if we'll ever find out her birth name.
Second thing: BRING BACK THE OH SNAP! AWARD from the reviews in the first season.
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10-22-2008 @ 8:10AM
killer_twinkie said...
OMG I totally agree I miss the Oh Snap! awards.
A couple of other notes.
First, It's nice to actually see a review again as opposed to what they have been in the last few weeks which were lacking at best.
Second, I think now that Lester is no longer going to be the assistant manager of Buy More Morgan should be. He may still be goofy Morgan but his character has become just as independent, strong, and confident this season as Chuck in my opinion and would be nice to see him get the position.
10-21-2008 @ 9:24PM
Matt said...
*ahem* The appearance of Ben Savage totally brought me back to 1998 too. Did anyone not notice Cory from Boy Meets World?!?! That used to be my favorite show and there seemed to be some nice references to that too.
-High school "sweethearts" liek Cory and Topanga (ok maybe not this part)
-Cory being stuffed in the locker!
-"Boys and girl" kind of like Cory, Sean, and Topanga
Okay, I'm looking way into this but Ben Savage was more active than Nicole Richie in this episode and that is much appreciated. Then again, maybe everyone missed this because Boy Meets World was for preteens/teens back in the day.
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10-21-2008 @ 10:31PM
xnifex said...
I recognized Ben Savage as well. I guess it helped that I downloaded & watched the first 3 seasons of "Boy Meets World" a couple of months ago.
10-22-2008 @ 4:55AM
Patrick said...
Right!!! Ben Savage no mention in a review about the guest star. Apparently 7 seasons on an ABC series that got great ratings back when people watched TV on Friday nights. But no otherwise great half assed review of a great show. Keep up the good work TV squad.
10-22-2008 @ 6:25PM
Jesse said...
I for the life of me thought it was Fred Savage and kept thinking he looked off but Ben Savage makes sense. Oddly he's not listed on IMDB as guest staring which is odd.
10-22-2008 @ 2:26PM
George said...
@xnifex: "I recognized Ben Savage as well. I guess it helped that I downloaded & watched the first 3 seasons of "Boy Meets World" a couple of months ago."
And that's why ISPs are capping bandwidth.
10-21-2008 @ 10:34PM
rob said...
The EFFECTS of which AFFECTED her greatly.
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10-22-2008 @ 12:07AM
Brent said...
I agree with the Buy More plot being too far-fetched to believe, just like last week, and I'm starting to wonder about the BM escapades altogether. Without Chuck they just don't seem to be working too well.
Otherwise, another fun episode with a surprisingly decent performance from Nicole Richie.
http://tinyurl.com/6pj2n2 - more thoughts
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10-22-2008 @ 1:14AM
maestro610 said...
I like the fact that we got a peek at Sarah's past while still being swerved by the fact that she'd already had multiple identities before high school.
Also, I like the fact that while Chuck is not capable of protecting Sarah physically he is well equipped to protect her emotionally. Also, Agent Carmichael has quite the operational resume at this point.
While it was pretty over the top I think the Buy More party was trying to create more of a connection to the high school theme.
It was like every movie party where the kids trash the place, then they clean up but manage to destroy just one thing so the parental units flip out.
I have to say I like the direction Chuck is taking and I only wish that Heroes was going nearly so well.
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10-22-2008 @ 3:16AM
Cyantre said...
I love the Buy More parts of the show. Believable or not, there are definitely some of the more comedic and light-hearted scenes of the show.
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10-22-2008 @ 3:45AM
KenMo said...
James Buchanan High was also the name of the school in Welcome Back Kotter.
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10-22-2008 @ 6:54AM
LightHouse said...
Sarah's real name is Lisa. She's whispering it in the first series at the end of the second or third episode.
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10-22-2008 @ 10:54AM
Don-Don said...
Lisa is her true middle name, not her first name. Props for remembering the name at least!
10-22-2008 @ 8:23AM
Kim said...
Personally, I look forward to the Buy More scenes. They are funny and light-hearted. I don't really care if the scenes are "realistic". Hello! The entire premise of this show is fantastical! That's what I love about Chuck.
Thank you, much better review this week!
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