(S02E19) Chuck, Chuck, Chuck. Just when you think you're on the verge of getting answers, you wind up with a lot more questions. We knew going in that Chuck had finally tracked down his father, ostensibly to fulfill Ellie's dream of having her dad walk her down the aisle at her wedding.
On the most superficial level, Chuck achieved his goal. He did find his father, Steven J. Bartowski, but he also found all the craziness that sent him off in the first place. Only it wasn't really, really craziness. It was something far more nefarious.
It was interesting how Chuck and Ellie had different feelings about their father. Chuck was ready to forgive the old man, but Ellie has a hurt that won't go away. It looks like that same unforgiving streak will be part of her life with Devon, because she has not forgotten about the bachelor party. Ellie's a grudge holder.
We met Ted Roark, Steve's friend from grad school, who had ripped off his best ideas. Roark Instruments, giant software company, was releasing a new software operating system and after flashing, Chuck was assigned to get a job at Roark.
That was the dream job of the title, although I don't see how Roark was supposed to be better than Apple or Microsoft, as Chuck suggested, but that was the myth they wanted us to believe. Especially when Ted Roark was revealed. Sadly, Chevy Chase wasn't asked to do more than be an asshole. He did it well, but Roark was a paper-thin character, an evil egomaniac who told bad jokes and was really a Fulcrum agent.
It was revealing to see Morgan act like a jilted lover about Chuck's new job, I believed that. However, when Sarah and Casey put on nerd get-ups for the NextExpo, it was lame and unbelievable. It looked like they were extras from Revenge of the Nerds, and instead of blending in, they stood out like sore thumbs. That's not how to go undercover.
On the other hand, it was great to see Chuck don Casey's combat gear and infiltrate RI -- after tranquilizing Casey naturally -- and become a man of action. For all his Nerd Herd externals, Chuck actually has proven to be quite capable in dangerous situations. However, after disrupting the NextExpo, how did he not get arrested? That wasn't explained at all.
You have to hand it to Scott Bakula as Papa Bartowski. He was frustratingly eccentric and mad as a hatter for most of the show. But it was worth it for the fun part when he snapped into Orion mode; yes, dad was Orion, and once he said it, his whole demeaner changed. Even his hair looked cooler.
At break neck speed, we were told that Steve left Ellie and Chuck to protect them. Of course the fact that the Intersect -- which he created, but only the cool parts -- somehow made it into Chuck's brain is a major coincidence. Hopefully down the road, we'll discover it was part of some grander scheme.
Then Orion/Steve agreed to sacrifice himself to Fulcrum/RI, offering to create a working Intersect for them, in exchange for Chuck's life. Chuck fought it -- shades of Kirk fighting to save Spock from dying in The Wrath of Khan -- but Fulcrum took Steve away while Chuck was dragged off by Casey and Sarah.
This set up Chuck's new mission, with the General's approval, to get Orion back and keep Fulcrum from completing the new Intersect. Should be interesting.
Chuck' Show & Cast Photos
CHUCK Adam Baldwin as Major John Casey stars in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Adam Baldwin as Major John Casey stars in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Michael Clarke Duncan as Colt and Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker star in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski and Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker star in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski and Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker star in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski, Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker and Michael Clarke Duncan as Colt star in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski stars in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski stars in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski and Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker star in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
NBC
CHUCK Yvonne Strahovski as Sarah Walker stars in the episode "Chuck vs. the First Date." Airs Monday, September 29, 2008.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
4-07-2009 @ 10:40AM
CYNDI said...
Did anyone catch when Scott Bakula replied "Oh Boy," a line repeated quite often in Quantum Leap? Also loved, loved, loved the music in this episode.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 11:47AM
Ric Kaysen said...
The "Oh Boy" was perfect...loved that!
4-07-2009 @ 10:57AM
Pamela said...
Absolutely LOVED this episode and Scott Bakula was awesome.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 10:59AM
bruce said...
Was anyone actually surprised that Chuck's dad turned out to be Orion?
I think it's time that Ellie learns about Chuck's secret job. Maybe Morgan, too... but definitely Ellie. It's gotten to the point where Ellie not knowing seems to be endangering Chuck and the mission... as well as Ellie (she should know to keep her guard up and be suspicious of certain people).
It was nice seeing Scott Bakula on TV again, been way too long.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 11:47AM
Brian said...
Anyone notice Chevy's lines to the Japanese investors? Not Japanese, just random English words that were vaguely Japanese-sounding.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 11:51AM
patrick said...
Bruce- that's the point. Having it mess up Chuck's personal life is what they promised them they wouldn't do and what he's mainly fighting for. Also, it's greater conflict, which those "at home" scenes would be boring without.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 11:52AM
patrick said...
Brian- they weren't random Japanese words. I forgot the other one but I know the first guy Chevy Chase called Morigato. As in "Domo Morigato Mr. Roboto."
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 1:21PM
Michael said...
its arigato
4-07-2009 @ 12:01PM
Cuuuk said...
Maybe it's just me, but (check the picture above) do ALL TV characters named Roark wear white? :-)
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 12:00PM
Ashley Boyd said...
Anyone else consider Roark Industries to be a reference to The Fountainhead or am I just hoping?
And yeah, the music once again was awesome. Anyone know where I could find out what it was (and in other episodes too?)
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 9:25PM
Suntzu said...
TV. COM usually has the music featured in any given show just search Chuck
4-09-2009 @ 11:02AM
fsu120 said...
One was The Asteroid Galaxy Tour - "Around the Bend" when he was walking into the Roark building.
4-07-2009 @ 12:28PM
Mike said...
I thought there were references to Apple with Roark. They held a NextEXPO and Next was the name of Steve Jobs' company after Apple. The OS was called RiOS but for some reason I kept hearing BeOS which Apple almost bought when Steve Jobs came back, plus the campus and the press conference was kind of Steve Jobs like, and even Chuck's Dad could be like Steve Wozniak although Jobs didn't steal stuff from Wozniak and Woz isn't crazy, but it was kind of the brains and the marketing combination of Jobs/Wozniak and Roark/Orion. And there was also the big campus with the high tech security just like Apple. I love all the references in that show.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 4:23PM
Frank said...
Totally.
Chevy Chase was definitely supposed to be at least a "Steve Jobs" type, if not Mr. Apple himself.
The magazine cover they showed at the beginning of Ted Roark, was very similar to the iconical to the Steve Jobs Newsweek cover:
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/msnbc/Sections/Newsweek/Components/Photos/mag/040726_issue/040717_COVER.jpg
4-07-2009 @ 12:38PM
ac said...
Best. Episode. Ever.
I dont care how obvious it was that Chuck's dad was Orion, the rest of the episode was so well done. This hopefully isnt the last of Chevy Chase who of course excelled as a douchebag villian.
The real question however is why the hell is no one watching this? Fun action comedy > C-list celebs dancing c'mon people!
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 12:37PM
lou.dalmaso said...
RIOS= Roark Industries Operating System..I thought that was obvious.
Is it me, or is this show getting a little too "it's a small world..."? Next thing you know Ellie will be revealed to be Morgan's twin sister separated at birth and given to the king of Alderran while poor Morgan was sold to slavery at the Buy More..
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 12:43PM
CYNDI said...
Ashley, you can find "Chuck" music at Chuckonline.net. Music is listed episode by episode. There's also an online petition to be found there.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 12:47PM
Sarah said...
This was a great episode and I am very pleased with how they revealed that Steve was Orion. I even enjoyed seeing Arnold Vosloo again. But by far my favorite part of the show last night was Chuck's mad tranqing skills! I loved the scene when he shot Casey and then where he shoots all of Roark's men. That was gold.
Viva Bakula!
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 2:00PM
Jason said...
If NBC cancels this, they're no better than ABC or Fox.
Reply
4-07-2009 @ 2:57PM
Leroy said...
I thought this was the best episode so far. But then, I'm really tired of the sophomoric nonsense that goes on at the Buy More (probably a minority opinion, I know) and we were spared most of that this time.
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