(S02E05) I knew it! Others have thought video games were nothing but mind-numbing entertainment that produced a generation of nerds, dweebs, and creators of Red Bull. But they were more...much more. They were keys to, pardon the phrase, weapons of mass destruction. What dual roles have other video games had during their history? Space Invaders as the guide map for the invasion of Iraq? Pac-Man the secret plan to solve America's energy crisis? And...and...what about Grand Theft Auto? Okay, that's really mind-numbing entertainment. But, that's beside the point!
This is just further proof that you need to take your children's video game consoles and toss them into the deepest pit in the farthest land. Well, except for the Wii, because you can exercise and play games at the same time. Brilliant! And, hey, if your kids ask you where they should put their missile launch codes, tell them to place them in a shoe box under their beds. Just the way you did when you were their age.
Now you know, and knowing is half the battle. Let's get on with this week's review.
It's probably not stretching too much if I say that this installment of Chuck was one of the weaker of the season. Something was just missing. It was probably the loss of interaction between Chuck and his other CIA playmates that left that void. The connection between all of them has changed this season as Mr. Bartowski has grown into his role as super spy and world saver. So, his jump back down into the world of Buy More was somewhat of a let down.
This doesn't mean that a 'Buy More' episode wasn't warranted. Over the last four episodes the Nerd Herd have been demoted down to second story status with a number of Chuck-less plots. Having Chuck get back into the swing of things was a good idea, especially since this was sort of a break from the character's death-defying adventures. I just think the concept of was not the best.
It wasn't the idea of Atari's Missile Command being a vessel that stored launch commands that was bad. It was how it was played out. It felt awkward and, to be honest, kind of forced. It was hard to tell if the mention of Atari was a product placement or not. They're still a powerful player in the video game market, but to the point of name dropping on a 25-year-old game? It was just weird. That so many people would come out and see Jeff, the former Missile Command champion of the '80s, attempt to reach the kill screen was even weirder.
Speaking about Buy More -- we did at sometime in this piece, didn't we? -- why haven't Chuck and the rest of the gang been fired yet? Every time we turn around they're having a party, or Mad Max fights in the cage, or video game demonstrations. Luckily, Emmett Milbarge has been brought in to get the store in tip-top shape. It looks like he'll be staying for a bit as well in the role of assistant manager. While it may be a small role, it is good to see Tony Hale on a comedy show again. He exudes just enough weasel to have us both like and dislike him at the same time.
There were a few good things that took place this week. First, Chuck finally received his degree from Stanford, which closes at least that chapter in his life. This may have stopped his sister from worrying about all of the plans Chuck put on the back burner, but it doesn't stop him from contemplating his dual life on a daily basis and wondering when it will end. Another fine moment was Chuck's decimation of all of those missile during Missile Command. No one ever knew why video games and Rush's song 'Tom Sawyer' were interconnected. Now we know it involves mathematical equations.
That's it for Chuck this time around. Mr. Bartowski is taking some time off due to Saturday Night Live's election special next Monday. He'll be back in two weeks when he faces the greatest threat to his life since he became a super spy: his ex-girlfriend. See you then.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
10-28-2008 @ 8:21AM
mwatcher said...
This episode did it for me because of one thing: The Touch! I can't believe they actually (and brilliantly) used the most powerful song from the 80's Transformers movie! Chuck absolutely rocks just for this alone!!!
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10-28-2008 @ 3:58PM
kip said...
Great call on the touch! I could not for the life of me remember why that song was special.
10-28-2008 @ 8:23AM
yusria said...
To be fair, Rush was sort of an arcade staple pretty much from the start, especially Tom Sawyer.
I mean it's got a mention of Space Invaders right in it, even the stoniest of burnouts is going to pick up on that.
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10-28-2008 @ 4:51PM
viewdrix said...
If you thought everyone coming to see Jeff play Missile Command was weird, you need to see The King of Kong. Thye shot one of the "JEFF BARNES RETURNS!" scenes in the same arcade as that documentary.
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10-28-2008 @ 8:46AM
Ras Thavas said...
I would have to disagree.
I thought this was a great episode.
The best part was when Chuck told Morgan he needed a Rush CD and Morgan replied that he had Rush on his Zune. Chuck gave him that serious look and said something like "oh buddy, a Zune?" Morgan than says "no, only kidding, it is on his i-pod." I lol'd.
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10-28-2008 @ 4:31PM
Argent said...
i happen to have a zune (and like it more than i ever did my ipod) -- but even i thought that line was hilarious. :)
10-28-2008 @ 9:08AM
DavidM said...
I loved the PC Tech at Atari clowning the Nerd Herd. That is so true. PC Techs always look down on Firedog and Geek Squad employees.
Minor correction for the writer, Atari is dead. It is no longer a major player in videogames and hasn't been one for at least 10 years. The Atari that is alive now is a subsidiary of Infogrames.
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10-28-2008 @ 9:48AM
John Hewitt said...
Loved, loved, loved this episode. The main reason it rocked was that it had Missile Command AND Tom Sawyer. The second reason it rocked was Amy in a grass skirt and bikini top (nerd heaven). Finally, it rocked because we didn't spend time on Chuck and Sarah's "relationship" angst for once. Best episode of the year.
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10-28-2008 @ 9:30AM
GL said...
This was a great episode. King of Kong.
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10-28-2008 @ 9:32AM
Riley Freeman said...
i hope they bring back the chick from the o.c. it was good when she was in the mix
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10-28-2008 @ 9:53AM
Nancy W said...
Loved this episode!
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10-28-2008 @ 10:08AM
Kim said...
Gotta disagree with your assessment AGAIN! I thought this episode was great! Of course people would turn out to see Jeff, the greatest champion of all time, try to break his own record. For Pete's sake, people are turning out to see the comeback of New Kids On The Block. It's called nostalgia.
I just love that Jeff has this famous past but couldn't handle the pressure of fame. It kind of reminds me of Hurley on Lost who couldn't handle the fame and bad luck after winning the lottery.
I also loved the use of Tom Sawyer as the musical/mathematical key to Missile Command. Every techie I knew in the 80's was a Rush fan.
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10-28-2008 @ 10:22AM
Elf said...
"Emmett Millbarge?" Hmmm...
I thought the name sounded familiar until I realized it was a mash-up of the two main characters from the 80's classic "Spies Like Us" with Donna Dixon and Vanessa Angel. Ah, memories... Oh yeah, Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase were in it too. (Yes kids, Chevy Chase used to appear in classics.) Chase was Emmett Fitz-Hume and Aykroyd was Austin Millbarge, the lead characters, but it was hard for a 19 year old to notice them when either of those women were on screen.
So I see three possibilities.
1) Complete coincidence, which I find unlikely.
2) The writers appreciate their 80's classics. This theory would have been more likely had there also been a scene featuring interminable introduction of doctors.
3) There is more to the new assistant manager than meets the eye.
Of course, I'm rooting for number three.
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10-28-2008 @ 10:31AM
Puck said...
Great minds think alike, Elf.
10-28-2008 @ 3:59PM
kip said...
Nice detective work! Hopefully he ends up being a ninja for the bad guys.
10-28-2008 @ 10:30AM
Puck said...
It was a great episode. I was blown out of the water when they played "The Touch". It made me wanna break out my Transformers: The Movie DVD just to watch the sequence when it played. What I think some people didn't realize that Emmett Millbarge's name is a combination of Dan Ackroyd & Chevy Chase characters' names from Spies Like Us, Emmett Fitz-Hume & Austin Millbarge. Genius.
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10-28-2008 @ 11:34AM
Ryan said...
I really liked this episode because it let Chuck be a super secret super spy and then getting the credit he deserves. This season is all about Chuck wanting to do MORE with his life and while he is a super secret spy he still sees his life as largely stagnant--living with sister, working at Buy More, having a faux relationship, etc.
In this episode he gets his well-deserved glory and celebration for saving the world. Sure, the people were only celebrating him becoming Missile Command Champion, but to him it was the validation he probably needed to do all of this super secret spy stuff where all the glory is also kept secret.
Chuck also gets his due as a super secret spy agent when he gets his diploma. It was a reward he desperately needed as he's having his quarterlife crisis (it exists people!). And yet the episode began with the Buy More employees already telling us Chuck is great. He's their moral compass, go-to guy, etc.
This episode was a much needed boost to one Chuck Bartowski. Oh yes and video games. Very good episode indeed.
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10-28-2008 @ 11:46AM
mikedt said...
Best episode of the year. Tons of geek humor that made me laugh out loud and made my wife look at me like I was an idiot.
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10-28-2008 @ 1:00PM
ac said...
I actually felt this was a rather weak episode. It wasn't bad, just not as good as the rest of the season. Maybe it was because my friend was distracting me throughout the episode so it didn't have my full attention, or because I was never a big gamer (I do own a 360 however but I barely own any games). I did love Morgan's Zune comment. That was my favorite moment.
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10-28-2008 @ 1:14PM
Paul said...
Awesome moments in the episode, once again the reviewer misses the mark entirely. Of course it was a silly storyline, but that's pretty much all of them. The moments and scenes are what makes the show, and this episode was chock full of them.
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