I suppose it should come as no surprise that a Halloween themed episode of Chuck would be so good. What was surprising is how well they managed to balance each aspect of the show, even when they had such big guest stars and heavy plot points going on. I find that a nice balance of spy stuff, Buy More stuff, and home life are what make the best Chuck episodes, and this one delivered on all fronts.
Litmus Test
I think it's probably clear that I'm fairly biased when it comes to this show, so it's hard for me to really look at it objectively when it comes to each episode. I kind of use my wife's reactions as a litmus test for whether an episode appeals to those who don't come up with potential storylines in their head.
This was probably the first time all season that my wife laughed out loud at an episode of Chuck, or at least laughed out loud in a sustained way. All because of "Otters!"
The Double Cross
This episode was loaded with ambiguity, yet the one clear double cross didn't come from Chuck's mom, but from his girlfriend. I wasn't sold on this moment, but could be depending upon how it's handled in the next episode.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Chuck Should Go Rogue (and a brief 4.5 review)
Chuck vs. The Couch Lock
I don't actually have much to say about this episode. It was easily the best of the self-contained episodes we've gotten so far. I realize that's probably odd coming from someone who just criticized the show for having a ridiculous climax, but I didn't really have a problem with how this episode played out. I think it's the simple fact that Morgan is, when it comes to the spy world, comedic relief, makes the ridiculous situations play out better simply because they're expected. I suppose there's also the fact that the threat in this episode was never played up to be overly grave in any way, as it was just three guys who wanted to steal some gold, as opposed to the coup of a nation with nuclear weapons.
It's always interesting to see Chuck react to the fact that he's becoming desensitized to his life as a spy. Yes, using Casey as bait wasn't really a big deal, given that Casey probably would have suggested it on his own had he thought of it, but the fact that Chuck took initiative (and, in Beckman's eyes, it was completely selfless initiative) and came up with a plan on his own is a nice nod to his evolution as a spy. Besides, it's also nice to see Chuck in control, although I have some thoughts on that later.
Of course the big moment in the episode came with the phone call we'd all been waiting for. The earlier confirmation that Chuck's mom is not such a good person was handled well and, of course, puts Chuck into a particularly Chuck-like bind: believe the worst of his mom based upon the facts, or believe the best of her and walk in blindly. I'm guessing he'll pick an option in the middle while leaning towards the latter, because he is Chuck, after all. And if his father left for valid reasons, then his mom could have, too, right?
The Future
I said up above that it's nice to Chuck in control. I think they should do the exact opposite with the rest of the 24 episode season.
I want Chuck to go rogue.
Now, it's pretty clear that this would be an easy story to put together. Chuck finds out his mother is a bad guy, she says she's taking off but, after seeing Chuck in action, would love to have him be a part of her organization, Chuck agrees thinking, in that completely naive way that Chuck does, that he can convince her over time to see the light. And, of course, everyone would be against this idea -- or better yet, some or all of them would have no idea it was a plan at all.
Because, really, it's Chuck's idealism that ultimately gets him into trouble, but it's also what gives this show the angst that we all love.
Oh, yeah, and they should bring Jill back.
We haven't seen Jill since Chuck let her go towards the end of season two. She couldn't go back to the Ring (or Fulcrum, as that branch was called) and she was still wanted by the U.S. government. But if the Ring recruited her, it was because she had talent, talent that would eventually draw the attention of other organizations like, say, the one Chuck's mom leads.
Imagine that: Chuck "goes rogue" and when the smoke clears and he's with his mom at whatever base that can't be discovered, she says "let me introduce you to one of my top agents" and BAM! There's Jill. End scene, end act, end episode.
So now we have Chuck, in over his head and pretending to be one of the bad guys, working alongside Jill, his ex, the woman who broke his heart, the last woman he loved before Sarah. Suddenly there's not just a professional divide between Chuck and Sarah, but an emotional one as well -- and it's almost entirely organic (unlike the Shaw business last season).
You know, I can just imagine Ellie and Awesome desperately trying to get Sarah and Casey to let them be more involved in the search for Chuck and the lines that blur even more because of his absence. Gah! Imagine the episode where it becomes official that Chuck is gone, when Beckman has named him a wanted man. Imagine it ending with Sarah lying in the bed that, until recently, they shared together, looking longingly at a picture of Chuck.
See? This is why this show means so much to me. It's not just because I enjoy watching, but because it makes me want to write for it. I just love it that much.
So if anyone knows Josh Schwartz, tell him to give me a call. I'll work for free.
I don't actually have much to say about this episode. It was easily the best of the self-contained episodes we've gotten so far. I realize that's probably odd coming from someone who just criticized the show for having a ridiculous climax, but I didn't really have a problem with how this episode played out. I think it's the simple fact that Morgan is, when it comes to the spy world, comedic relief, makes the ridiculous situations play out better simply because they're expected. I suppose there's also the fact that the threat in this episode was never played up to be overly grave in any way, as it was just three guys who wanted to steal some gold, as opposed to the coup of a nation with nuclear weapons.
It's always interesting to see Chuck react to the fact that he's becoming desensitized to his life as a spy. Yes, using Casey as bait wasn't really a big deal, given that Casey probably would have suggested it on his own had he thought of it, but the fact that Chuck took initiative (and, in Beckman's eyes, it was completely selfless initiative) and came up with a plan on his own is a nice nod to his evolution as a spy. Besides, it's also nice to see Chuck in control, although I have some thoughts on that later.
Of course the big moment in the episode came with the phone call we'd all been waiting for. The earlier confirmation that Chuck's mom is not such a good person was handled well and, of course, puts Chuck into a particularly Chuck-like bind: believe the worst of his mom based upon the facts, or believe the best of her and walk in blindly. I'm guessing he'll pick an option in the middle while leaning towards the latter, because he is Chuck, after all. And if his father left for valid reasons, then his mom could have, too, right?
The Future
I said up above that it's nice to Chuck in control. I think they should do the exact opposite with the rest of the 24 episode season.
I want Chuck to go rogue.
Now, it's pretty clear that this would be an easy story to put together. Chuck finds out his mother is a bad guy, she says she's taking off but, after seeing Chuck in action, would love to have him be a part of her organization, Chuck agrees thinking, in that completely naive way that Chuck does, that he can convince her over time to see the light. And, of course, everyone would be against this idea -- or better yet, some or all of them would have no idea it was a plan at all.
Because, really, it's Chuck's idealism that ultimately gets him into trouble, but it's also what gives this show the angst that we all love.
Oh, yeah, and they should bring Jill back.
We haven't seen Jill since Chuck let her go towards the end of season two. She couldn't go back to the Ring (or Fulcrum, as that branch was called) and she was still wanted by the U.S. government. But if the Ring recruited her, it was because she had talent, talent that would eventually draw the attention of other organizations like, say, the one Chuck's mom leads.
Imagine that: Chuck "goes rogue" and when the smoke clears and he's with his mom at whatever base that can't be discovered, she says "let me introduce you to one of my top agents" and BAM! There's Jill. End scene, end act, end episode.
So now we have Chuck, in over his head and pretending to be one of the bad guys, working alongside Jill, his ex, the woman who broke his heart, the last woman he loved before Sarah. Suddenly there's not just a professional divide between Chuck and Sarah, but an emotional one as well -- and it's almost entirely organic (unlike the Shaw business last season).
You know, I can just imagine Ellie and Awesome desperately trying to get Sarah and Casey to let them be more involved in the search for Chuck and the lines that blur even more because of his absence. Gah! Imagine the episode where it becomes official that Chuck is gone, when Beckman has named him a wanted man. Imagine it ending with Sarah lying in the bed that, until recently, they shared together, looking longingly at a picture of Chuck.
See? This is why this show means so much to me. It's not just because I enjoy watching, but because it makes me want to write for it. I just love it that much.
So if anyone knows Josh Schwartz, tell him to give me a call. I'll work for free.
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Chuck 4.4 Review (spoilers)
I really, really enjoyed 3/4 of this episode. It brought the funny in a way that has been missing so far this season. The fact that I managed to skip doing a review for 4.3 should pretty much tell you what I thought of it; it could have been the first episode of Chuck during which I didn't let out a single chuckle. But 4.4 made up for that, and would have been the first truly great episode of the season if not for a really, really awful climax.
Heavy Cheese
As crazy as I am about this show, I know that Chuck isn't real. But there are, at the very least, levels of ridiculousness on this show. The simple fact that none of the spies just kill people, instead choosing to capture Chuck and his team, should be a good indication that "realness" is not a priority. This isn't the Bourne movies.
But there are times when Chuck pushes the boundaries well past the acceptable level of whimsy. It pushes so far past, that it turns into grade A American cheese. And that's what the climax of this episode was: cheesy. It was painfully cheesy. Even worse, it was heavy handed cheese. Sarah and Chuck need to talk about their relationship -- what a coincidence, so does the former dictator of a fictional country and his supposedly communist wife! Hey, the only way to fix this is by having Chuck walk in and get everyone to talk about their feelings. The fact that we didn't get a shot of Casey going "ugh" at some point in that scene just underscored how awful it was.
I'm fine with some ridiculousness now and again. But it was just too far gone in this episode, and far too fabricated and forced for the sake of the other plot line.
Old Is New Again
I think it's safe to say that this episode was anything but new viewer friendly. Granted, this isn't a great thing for a show that's in need of new viewers (more on that later), but the Costa Gravas set up from last season pays off nicely in this episode. A lot of the humor stems from Casey's past as the Angel of Death and it almost always works, but it obviously wouldn't for someone brand new to the show.
And, yeah, I think the Generalisimo is funny. I can't help it. "In Costa Gravas, we revolution, but then we party."
From the get go I thought this was going to be a good one. Chuck/Sarah, Awesome/Ellie double dates are almost always entertaining, and a vacation in which Awesome would be recognized as a hero was even better. That statue was priceless. And it's always entertaining to see Chuck and Sarah on a mission together these days -- I really can't get enough of that. I know I sound like a broken record, but I really love their dynamic. Chuck's "no, I didn't flash, really, I just want to be on vacation with you" bit was actually pretty nice and worked well on me. I like that Chuck can still be a reluctant spy from time to time.
Speaking of dynamics between two people, the Morgan/Casey show continues to get better and better. They did a really nice job with it last season and so far I really like the way they're handling the Morgan/Alex relationship. The scene at Casey's place was really entertaining -- the advice from Big Mike was just as good, too. Honestly, Morgan's creating a nice little reality of his own on the show which I'm really enjoying, although I realize some of that is to the detriment of screen time for Jeffster.
The coup was obvious, of course, but the nuclear angle was a good one. It was also great to see Chuck engage in some spy action in front of Ellie -- it's something they never really addressed after last season. It's also something I've wondered about everyone on the show: how much do they all know? We know that Morgan has the full story, but do Awesome and Ellie know about the Intersect in Chuck's head? Do they know how he became a spy? That Jill is/was a Fulcrum/Ring agent? That Bryce Larkin wasn't really a bad guy after all? I know it would most likely make for bad TV, but I would love an entire episode in which Chuck just explains everything to the others.
Climax notwithstanding, I also really liked the structure of this episode. I liked that the first half felt like an episode on its own, and how Sarah and Chuck were tasked to return to Costa Gravas. It's nice to be reminded on the show that Team Bartowski also happens to be the top spy team the CIA and NSA have. And this episode was a good example of why that is, given that Chuck flashed on the weapons system, Casey gave them intel, Sarah snapped off the pictures, etc. It was good to see the team working like an actual spy team, which is perhaps another reason why the climax didn't work for me.
And, of course, we finally got the Chuck/Ellie scene that I'd been waiting for. While not as clear as I was hoping it would be, at least it set things in motion. At least Chuck admitted he was looking for their mother, so he can claim his CIA work is completely related to that, which, of course, it isn't. I did find it strange that, when Ellie suggested there was no reason their mother could give to justify leaving, Chuck didn't point out that their father had left them and his reasons were pretty darn good.
Season of Previews
If nothing else, this season has had damn fine previews. I was really excited for 4.3 based on the preview, but was ultimately let down. I was really excited for 4.4 by the preview, and was more or less happy with it. Yet again I'm excited for another episode by a preview. Next week looks like it will be a lot of fun.
Heavy Cheese
As crazy as I am about this show, I know that Chuck isn't real. But there are, at the very least, levels of ridiculousness on this show. The simple fact that none of the spies just kill people, instead choosing to capture Chuck and his team, should be a good indication that "realness" is not a priority. This isn't the Bourne movies.
But there are times when Chuck pushes the boundaries well past the acceptable level of whimsy. It pushes so far past, that it turns into grade A American cheese. And that's what the climax of this episode was: cheesy. It was painfully cheesy. Even worse, it was heavy handed cheese. Sarah and Chuck need to talk about their relationship -- what a coincidence, so does the former dictator of a fictional country and his supposedly communist wife! Hey, the only way to fix this is by having Chuck walk in and get everyone to talk about their feelings. The fact that we didn't get a shot of Casey going "ugh" at some point in that scene just underscored how awful it was.
I'm fine with some ridiculousness now and again. But it was just too far gone in this episode, and far too fabricated and forced for the sake of the other plot line.
Old Is New Again
I think it's safe to say that this episode was anything but new viewer friendly. Granted, this isn't a great thing for a show that's in need of new viewers (more on that later), but the Costa Gravas set up from last season pays off nicely in this episode. A lot of the humor stems from Casey's past as the Angel of Death and it almost always works, but it obviously wouldn't for someone brand new to the show.
And, yeah, I think the Generalisimo is funny. I can't help it. "In Costa Gravas, we revolution, but then we party."
From the get go I thought this was going to be a good one. Chuck/Sarah, Awesome/Ellie double dates are almost always entertaining, and a vacation in which Awesome would be recognized as a hero was even better. That statue was priceless. And it's always entertaining to see Chuck and Sarah on a mission together these days -- I really can't get enough of that. I know I sound like a broken record, but I really love their dynamic. Chuck's "no, I didn't flash, really, I just want to be on vacation with you" bit was actually pretty nice and worked well on me. I like that Chuck can still be a reluctant spy from time to time.
Speaking of dynamics between two people, the Morgan/Casey show continues to get better and better. They did a really nice job with it last season and so far I really like the way they're handling the Morgan/Alex relationship. The scene at Casey's place was really entertaining -- the advice from Big Mike was just as good, too. Honestly, Morgan's creating a nice little reality of his own on the show which I'm really enjoying, although I realize some of that is to the detriment of screen time for Jeffster.
The coup was obvious, of course, but the nuclear angle was a good one. It was also great to see Chuck engage in some spy action in front of Ellie -- it's something they never really addressed after last season. It's also something I've wondered about everyone on the show: how much do they all know? We know that Morgan has the full story, but do Awesome and Ellie know about the Intersect in Chuck's head? Do they know how he became a spy? That Jill is/was a Fulcrum/Ring agent? That Bryce Larkin wasn't really a bad guy after all? I know it would most likely make for bad TV, but I would love an entire episode in which Chuck just explains everything to the others.
Climax notwithstanding, I also really liked the structure of this episode. I liked that the first half felt like an episode on its own, and how Sarah and Chuck were tasked to return to Costa Gravas. It's nice to be reminded on the show that Team Bartowski also happens to be the top spy team the CIA and NSA have. And this episode was a good example of why that is, given that Chuck flashed on the weapons system, Casey gave them intel, Sarah snapped off the pictures, etc. It was good to see the team working like an actual spy team, which is perhaps another reason why the climax didn't work for me.
And, of course, we finally got the Chuck/Ellie scene that I'd been waiting for. While not as clear as I was hoping it would be, at least it set things in motion. At least Chuck admitted he was looking for their mother, so he can claim his CIA work is completely related to that, which, of course, it isn't. I did find it strange that, when Ellie suggested there was no reason their mother could give to justify leaving, Chuck didn't point out that their father had left them and his reasons were pretty darn good.
Season of Previews
If nothing else, this season has had damn fine previews. I was really excited for 4.3 based on the preview, but was ultimately let down. I was really excited for 4.4 by the preview, and was more or less happy with it. Yet again I'm excited for another episode by a preview. Next week looks like it will be a lot of fun.
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