(S02E22) If this was the series finale for Chuck, it was a really satisfying and appropriate wrap up. If, as I'm hoping, it was only the season finale, this was a really satisfying and appropriate set up for the next season of Chuck. Therefore, any way you slice it, Chuck hit a lot of high notes -- including Jeffster's pre-wedding serenade. The show was filled with action, had new information that was just a little bit stunning, and overall, it was terrific.Have I mentioned how much I love Ellie and Awesome's wedding ? She looked amazing in her wedding gown and after the chapel situation turned into a scene reminiscent of You Only Live Twice with guys parachuting in through the roof (only in Bond it was a volcano), the outdoor, California nuptials were not only nicer, it gave Chuck a chance to give Ellie the wedding she really wanted.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. First there was Chuck's official exit from Buy More. He symbolically turned in his pocket protector, and since Emmet was in charge instead of Big Mike, it had to have been a lot easier for Chuck. With the future laid out before him, Chuck's only desire was to propose to Sarah...that they go on vacation.
It was naive of Chuck to think that just because the Intersect was out of his head -- and it really was because there were no flashes till the end of the show -- that it was out of his life. The reveal about Bryce, how he had been chosen by Orion to protect Chuck at Stanford and that it was Bryce's decision to put the Intersect in Chuck's head because he had faith in Sarah guarding him and Chuck handling it, made perfect sense. And it set up Chuck's heroic decision at the end in light of Bryce's death to become the Intersect -- the new, improved Intersect -- again.
The scene in the white room was the highpoint. The touch of making part of the new Intersect delivery system the original Mac Plus, complete with disk drive, was perfect. It tied it back to Orion's original construct. After taking in the new Intersect in an optical overload, Chuck not only had a world of information in his head, but he also had a whole new skill set.
Casey and Sarah were unable to disarm the bad guys (they didn't identify themselves as Fulcrum; the head guy said they were "spies"), but Chuck turned into a one-man kung fu wrecking crew. He reminded me of Jennifer Garner on Alias, kicking ass and downing all comers. Sarah and Casey were shocked. So was Chuck. And thus we were left with the "to be continued" if they do continue. Chuck as not only the Intersect to be protected, but the Intersect with an arsenal to protect himself.
There were a lot of things to love in this finale. Chuck's advice to Morgan to pursue his dream even if it's scary; Orion's passing on the wrist computer to Chuck; Chuck's grateful/awkward hug with Casey; Sarah telling Chuck during a very slow dance that he was a hero; Chuck finally getting paid by the U.S. government and using the check for Ellie's "awesome" beach wedding; Chevy Chase's smug Ted Roark character not only getting slugged by Stephen, but then shot by the guys he thought were there to rescue him.
What didn't work in the show as the over-reliance on music. There were too many musical interludes that bumped into each other, making it feel like a wall-to-wall playlist. Less would have been more.
Still, it doesn't change the fact that Chuck's finale was a home run. Now, if only NBC would allay all our concerns by giving the show a pick up for Season Three.
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.
NBC
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
4-28-2009 @ 10:30AM
Pingles said...
Domo Origato, Chuck.
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 10:38AM
Steve said...
Such an awesome finale, i loved chuck's last line "I know Kung Fu"
I really hope Chuck gets renewed season 3 seems like it may be a very different show with Chuck no longer working at the Buy More and now being a ass kicking intersect instead of having to rely on the 'Morgan' for self defense
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 10:55AM
edgore said...
I liked that they kept you waiting for it...you *knew* he was going to say it, but you had to wait, and wait, and wait. The timing was great.
4-28-2009 @ 1:14PM
Dan said...
I just hope that he doesn't become a super-spy, because part of Chuck's greatness is his personality as the coward who does heroic things because he cares.
I also don't think Morgan should be out of the Buy More, it allows more storylines than being a Benihana chef. I think he's going to fail and return to the BM and maybe Chuck will get a place with Morgan.
PLEASE DO NOT CANCEL CHUCK!!!!
Other than Dexter, it's the best hour-long show on Television!
I loved how Awesome's dad called Lester "that Indian lesbian"
4-28-2009 @ 10:49AM
nosidam said...
Oh, Chuck me.
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 3:03PM
WhoElseButME said...
Yeah, Chuck me.
So much awesomeness in one episode. And you know when you are expecting something to be awesome and it actually turns out that way, it sometimes slips you that it was infact doubly awesome to be able to meet your heightened expectations and then some!
Most important to me was the impeccable balance stuck by the writers for a show on the bubble. It gave some closure to long time die hard chuck fans like me while leaving the field open for a whole new adventurous season. To illustrate even a great show like VM wasn't able to provide any kind of closure to its cult. Here I was extremely satisfied by Chuck leaving the buy-more & Sarah and Chuck finally getting together (implied - she chose him over his job), Casey & Chuck becoming friends. Kudos to the Schwartz, Fedak & the whole team. Great job guys. Hope to see what you have up your crafty sleeves next season.
Again, Chuck me.
4-28-2009 @ 10:54AM
Mark said...
CHUCK ME!!! Awesome episode.
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 11:00AM
Key Rick said...
I'd watch a 3rd season, but, not that I could do better personally, I sure hope the Chuck character stylists don't get renewed. Chuck needs a more youthful appearance makeover before the cameras roll. I know it's a small complaint, but the helmet hair and black Converse lowtops aren't enough to convince anyone Chuck's supposedly mid-20's. The actor does fine portraying a nerd dropped into spy mode. But, he comes off looking way older than the Casey or Sarah characters. It's been fun watching Chuck learning there's loads he doesn't and, perhaps, never will know, and taking the rest of us along on his madcap adventures And, I agree, the amount of music in the finale annoyingly took away from the pure pleasure that could have been watching loose ends tied up and new jumping-off points introduced. Probably just me, though.
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 11:12AM
Joe said...
I'm praying for the third season, although the website is calling it the Series Finale. I'm hoping it's a typo. After all, we did see it say "To Be Continued..."
Maybe another network will pick it up.
http://www.joeonthetube.com
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4-28-2009 @ 12:28PM
Chris said...
On the nbc.com website (http://www.nbc.com/Chuck/) it says season finale. I'm hoping that it's just the season finale and NOT the series finale! I really hope that they keep this show!
4-28-2009 @ 11:16AM
Theglaeb said...
Anyone notice on the Chuck page at NBC.com it says Series Finale not Season Finale. I know nothing official has been announced, but it looks like bad news to me.
Here's hoping for a typo!!!
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 11:16AM
Vijay said...
Couple nice touches...
1) Awesome, now in the know about Chuck, going along with Chuck's stalling of the wedding.
2) The Matrix "Neo" music playing as Chuck fought (before he said the line).
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 11:22AM
Mike K. said...
Also, Jeff's instructions to the wedding band about "follow me through the changes" was a nice shout-out to Back to the Future.
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 11:30AM
Jimmy said...
This was a great finale, probaly one of the best episodes this season. It was great to see Chuck kick butt and who knew Zachary Levi could pull off the action scenes. This certainly changes things, but I wonder if it will all be good. If we get a third season will Chuck have to go back on his promise to Ellie about leaving Buy More; if not, will Buy More no longer be a part of the series? I certainly hope not. Those Buy More guys are some of the funniest characters on the show.
I also hope Chuck doesn't turn into just another action show: Alias with a guy. That would leech a lot of the fun out of the series. By the same token, I hope they don't just send Chuck back to the Buy More as part of the Nerd Herd. Chuck's grown too much for that to happen.
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 11:31AM
Christopher said...
Wow, you will be missed Chuck. In a way I can't see them continuing the show, they revealed so much in the finale, that there isn't much show left. I am very pleased with this finale.
Now bring on the stupidity that is NBC, "I'm a celebrity, Get me out of Here".
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 11:41AM
Stacie23 said...
Anyone catch the Back to the Future refrence?....when Lester was telling the orchestra members how to play the song he was about to sing it was like when Marty McFly before he sang Johnny B. Goode. Just thought I would throw that out there for those who like that stuff.
This show is so good and although I know the chances of it being renewed is slim, it would be a damn shame. It is so smart and so quirky.
If it does end, although I will be sad and upset, it ends on a semi-cliff hanger, which isn't terrible. Yes, we want to see where this new ability takes him, but if it ends there it will be alright. Alot of loose ends were tied up.
If NBC is trying to save money and time they would have Heroes run for 14-18 episodes and Chuck for 14-18 episodes. I'll take any Season 3 of Chuck at this point.
http://bsfactor.podbean.com
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4-28-2009 @ 1:07PM
Paul said...
I've thought that this is EXACTLY what NBC should do. Especially with only 2 hours of prime time available (given Leno's Monday-Friday move), keeping the same amount of shows, but running fall and spring seasons with no repeats, wouldn't cost NBC much more, but could allow for better ratings (with no repeats).
4-28-2009 @ 12:19PM
Jastrom said...
"Sorry to disappoint you Chuck but I'm a flaming Heterosexual." lol great line.
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 12:10PM
Jacob said...
Anyone else think that Bryce isn't actually dead? If you pay attention, his eyes were open the entire time that the intersect was uploading. It's possible that, if brought back for a third season, they'll have "Intersect vs. Intersect"...
Reply
4-28-2009 @ 12:15PM
Jason said...
It's a sad reflection on American society that we are more interested in watching people fail on bad reality shows than something good.
That's what Chuck is... something good. It's not the most intelligent show on TV, it's not the funniest, it's not the best writing or acting... it's just right... a perfect fit if you will. It has a perfect blend of ingredients to entice and satisfy your TV appetite. Cancelling Chuck would be like pulling the Sunday fried chicken and mashed potatoes off the table and replacing it with Matzo balls or pickled pigs' feet. Why the hell would you want to mess with our dinners, NBC? Keep your hands off my chicken.
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