On the other hand, there’s the season (and nearly series) finale of “Chuck,” the perpetually on-the-bubble series that features product placement so pervasive that it was even the title of the first half of last night’s two-parter: “Chuck vs. the Subway.” But I don’t care. The symbiotic relationship between Chuckies (my name for fans) and the omnipresent sandwich vendor gave us a third season and may well have contributed to the fourth, so fine.
And when I say “other hand,” I mean that it doesn’t get coverage in multiple news outlets or its own Jimmy Kimmel special. But the bottom line is that I care far more about what happens to Chuck as an individual than I do about the entirety of the castaways (except maybe Jin and Sun)
First of all, if you’re not watching “Chuck,” you’re missing out on one of the best hours of entertainment on television. Even the doofus brigade at the Buy More has grown on me, and that was the weakest link in the series…a link that has been made moot in spectacular fashion at the climax of last night’s two hour extravaganza.
The finale was truly a family affair, featuring Chuck’s dad played by a perpetually hunched over Scott Bakula, conveying with his physicality a guy who spends his life trying to stay below the radar. In a plot involving a government-threatening infestation by the enemy Ring to infiltrate the entirety of the CIA (which I think we can reasonably assume would be a Very Bad Thing), the story nevertheless keyed entirely on family relations: Chuck and his father; Chuck and his big sister, Ellie; Brandon Routh’s hissable Shaw and his enmity both for Sarah (who killed Shaw’s wife) and Chuck (who stopped Shaw from killing Sarah in the first place); and, in what was basically a C-plot but nevertheless surprisingly moving, Casey and his daughter, Alex, who didn’t even know Casey was her father. It was an evening of revelations, of edge-of-your-chair chases and twists and turns, and a couple of truly heartbreaking moments. Plus there was a revelation at the end that I have to think would simply have been chopped off the slightly extended running time if the series had not been picked up for a fourth season. Happily it has, and I cannot urge you strongly enough to make “Chuck” part of your regular Monday night viewing.
PAD
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Mwa ha ha.
Funny thing, with Chuck the Subway product placement seems to work given the quirkiness of the show. Unlike say, “the what a great car this is” moments in several recent episodes of Bones.
And the Avatar episode a month before the movie came out.
The utter blatantness of the Avatar ep kept me from seeing it until early this month.
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Having seen it, I burst out laughing when I realized that the intern who didn’t get into the movie was actually IN the movie.
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But yeah… I agree, the Subway tie-ins usually work, especially when they involve Big Mike. It just seems natural that he’d be downing foot-longs. Now, some of the dialogue around it was a bit contrived, but far better than in Bones…
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And y’know, if the series had ended 2 seconds before Chuck’s phone rang, I’d’ve been very alright with that. I hope to get at least as good an ending when it DOES end.
Well, the ad placement works great for me, because I’m a long-time Subway employee.
Where are the Cowboy’s thoughts on the Eleventh Doctor?
They were foretold to come after the Weeping Angels two-parter, but so far nothing.
Yeah, I’ve been looking forward to that, too. Though I hope PAD doesn’t go beyond the Weeping Angels episodes since that was the last part I saw and probably the last I will see for a while.
It was a very good pair of shows. I especially liked that, with the flashbacks, we started thinking about missing parents, so ‘the gun was on the mantle’ throughout the show!
I just wonder when he will bring Ellie in on the new mission next season…
Charlie
Maybe NBC will wise up and move it from Monday to any other night. — Ed
My wife was watching the show last night and I was in the living room when the first hour ended and it goes to black for a moment. She’s then like “stupid cliffhanger”, only to discover seconds later that it was in fact a two hour finale. 🙂
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Oh, and she mirrors your thought on the revelation at the end.
Hmm, I’ve never seen this show because it looked stupid and I couldn’t understand how the premise could be stretched to sustain an ongoing series. But maybe I’ll give it a shot.
I watched the first DVD worth of Season One and didn’t feel enough impetus to cintinue.
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Maybe i’ll give it another try.
I watched the first episode, but I couldn’t get into it. I tend to get bored with TV actions shows in general, I don’t know why. I had hoped the show would be weirder and sillier than it was. (Maybe it got that way later. I wouldn’t know.)
I prefer my quirky TV shows to be extremely quirky, like Pushing Daisies or Twin Peaks.
I think partly my reaction was due to the fact that Chuck works in my own field, and i doubt that any of the creators have ever worked as field service techs (or helpline techs).
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I wonder how comic writers and/or artists would react to a similar series set at a comic publisher…
Unfortunately Mike, I think that’s how it is with pretty much everything on TV. Every bit of programming I’ve ever seen was wrong. My brother in law is a doctor and most medical shows annoy the heck out of him. My sisters are lawyers and they have the same reaction to law shows. I could keep going.
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Every once in awhile there’s an exception. Apparently Scrubs was extremely accurate depiction of how hospitals work. WKRP in Cincinnati got some things wrong, but it also got a lot of things right. So it’s possible to make a good show with the way the world actually works. I think many writers just have an idea in their head of how they want the show to be and they don’t really worry about if that idea fits reality.
The things “WKRP” got wrong were mostly things where getting them right would have caused story problems.
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And the reason for that is simple – Hugh Wilson was a long-time Atlanta radio person, at WQXI, before he created the show.
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(As i understand it, the turkey drop episode was inspired by a similar {though less disastrous} stunt here in Atlanta, and Johnny Fever is at least partially inspired by long-time Atlanta jock “Skinny” Bobby Harper.)
Jason Bryant said:
“Every once in awhile there’s an exception. Apparently Scrubs was extremely accurate depiction of how hospitals work.”
Rescue me was one that apparently also “got it right”
It came out shortly after 911 and the producers wanted to make sure that they weren’t going to offend any fireman and screened it in front of a local ny dept who all thought it was spot on.
I review the show for tvsquad.com and I love it. Who do you think should play Chuck and Ellie’s mother? I’m thinking Mary McDonnell.
Linda Carter. She looks a lot like Ellie and she’s an icon of a few decades ago, like many of the other guest stars they’ve had.
Mom? That’s easy. Kate Jackson. Who better than the smart Charlies Angel?
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PAD
Plus she starred in “The Scarecrow and Mrs. King” about a housewife in love with a spy, and the spy was played by Bruce Boxleitner, who played Captain Awesome’s dad. Which means we just can’t wait for the episode where Awesome’s father meets his mother in law.
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PAD
I really liked Scarecrow and Mrs. King. I can see the symmetry in this.
Yeah, I was kinda sad that they’d already used Scarecrow as Mr. Awesome so they couldn’t have the married couple a few weeks ago being that pair.
I really love this show, and as far as I’m concerned they can put Subway packaging in every scene if it’ll help keep the show alive.
It’s been interesting how they’ve reset the status quo at the end of each of the last two seasons–last year, it was with Chuck downloading Intersect V.2 and being able to flash combat skills. This year, well, go watch it online if you haven’t seen it already.
I am thrilled to hear someone who digs Chuck. I have been very vocal about how much this show is under appreciated. I would love to see it added to NBC’S Thursday night lineup.
Peter, I gave up after the video game ep in the second season because I simply couldn’t stand anything that took place in the buy more and was realising I was fast forwarding half the episodes for that reason, do they get better story-lines or is just repetition making them more endearing? Cause I really enjoyed the actual spy part of the plot
While I never got into CHUCK (a little too silly initially, plus giving him variable physical skills this season felt kinda desperate, like “the comic book KICK-ÃSS isn’t doing as well — let’s give K-A some super powers to boost sales!), I can appreciate the product placement technique. Much like THE COLBERT REPORT, CHUCK let the audience fully know about its product placement, which is at least honest. (I was less than thrilled when I’d watch LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT and see 2-liter bottles of Coke appearing digitally on the cops’ desks.)
Still waiting for your thoughts on Season 5 of Doctor Who…
Or as some of us like to call it, season 31.
Sure, but it’s officially Series 5 of the new Doctor Who.
Well, the last time I checked, the NBC website has Chuck on in the fall. I enjoy the show, but they put it opposite of House. Which I never miss.
This season we were Tivo’ing “Chuck” and “House” (we have a dual tuner Tivo), videotaping “How I Met Your Mother” and watching “Dancing With the Stars.” 8 o’clock Monday was either very good or very cruel to us, depending on how you look at it.
My point–and I do have one–is that you should record one and watch the other.
Chuck season finale better than Lost
PAD,
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I so agree. Chuck has managed to have smart writing that allows the characters to actually develop. What happens actually matters — and for the most part makes sense. And the writers don’t just play with the audience. In this, about the only show that had a decent balance like this was Babylon 5.
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I was worried that this season would be bad. The new intersect was just too powerful. Not to worry. They added issues and bumps in the road without resetting anything.
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The only problem I had was how quickly Shaw turned to the dark side. It made sense, but was a little too quick. But with a shortened season (originally), perhaps they didn’t have time.
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The finale left me so wanting more. And it hinted at a whole new direction — Chuck as a spy on his own, not as a government operative. Unlike Alias that changed directions and lost some of its purpose, this change — if I am right — is organic and would pose some interesting situations. What if his personal “vigilante” pursuits cause him to cross paths with Casey and Sarah? Can’t wait.
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Oh, and with the apparent demise of Buy More, will wait to see what is really next for the “B” story lines.
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Iowa Jim
The bit with Shaw bothered me a lot as well. Wanting revenge, yes. Wanting to kill Sarah, yes. Turning on the CIA when he must have known his Evelyn was set up by the Ring, no.
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It only made sense to me after a few more episodes when the viewers saw the Ring’s plan for Shaw. I think the Director used a prototype intersect on Shaw when showing him the videos of his wife (similar to the brainwashing in Chuck vs, the Suburbs, but specifically keyed to Shaw).
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Just my opinion.
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Sam
Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!! Im making up for every one who ignored PAD’s request.Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!Yes! Kate Jackson for Chuck and Ellie’s MOM!!!!!!
So, Thompur, what do you think of this idea of casting Kate Jackson as Chuck and Ellie’s mother?
I love “Chuck”. I’m glad its getting another season and since “The Big Bang Theory” is being moved to Thursdays, I’m fine with it staying on Mondays to keep conflicts to a minimum. ( just hope Thursday doesn’t kill TBBT).
Yes, I agree that the ending was set to be cut off if not renewal, but at least we would have had closure. Looking forward to what’s next.
The Subway placement has been handled well. Much better than most shows (Stride in Smallville last year, anyone? Excruciating). Last night was the most blatant placement in that Big Mike talked about it more than usual, but still only one scene and they haven’t put Subway in every episode so I can live with it if it keeps the series on the air.
I actually wouldn’t have minded if every episode with Big Mike had him eating a Subway sandwich as he talked. They wouldn’t even have to mention it, just have him wave the sandwich around when he’s making dramatic points.
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Before the season started, I saw someone online wonder if the Orange Orange was going to be destroyed and Sarah would spend the season working at a Subway.
One of the best shows on TV, and one of the best season finales. I love how well they place the comic book references (very DC-centrioc)in throughout. Chuck can’t go without purchasing his copy of Justice League, or the Titans clock. But, I loved the line when he looks at Shaw and says something to the effect,”You want me to make every dastardly villlain’s mistake.”
Any idea of roughly when the DVD season set is due out? I’ve enjoyed watching the first two sets (gave up watching most things on network broadcasts years ago when they started adding all the screen clutter) and am looking forward to the third season, although there’s a rumour they’ve written the Anna character out of the series? I hope not. She was a hoot.
Chuck Season 3 is pre-orderable at Amazon, but there is no release date listed… Given past DVD collections, they usually come out about 4-6 weeks before the new season.