"Chuck" Season 3 (1 Viewer)

[Lou Sytsma]

Another strong episode. Casey rocked - as he has all season. Chuck is becoming Chuck Bond - a great mix of cool and goofy. Sarah has hit the bottom of her arc for the season and really sold her anguish.

 

[todd s]

It's funny watching the first few episodes of "Chuck" and then watching now. You can see how he has grown. He is still a bumbly goof occasionally. But, he is much more cool under pressure even when not flashing.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Mindblowing episode. If Shaw's role was expanded, I guess this was a late direction for his character? Question: what was the original season finale? Since next week is 13, I'm guessing that's it? I keep waiting for a certain crazy, wild-eyed scientist.

Ellie looked outstanding tonight.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Yes 3.13 was the original season finale.

 

[Josh Dial]

See, I thought back when an extra six episodes were added to the order, they were filmed as a "mini-arc" of sorts, and placed in front of the pre-existing 13 episodes (whatever they had shot already). This would mean we've seen that six ep bonus mini-arc (the first six eps), and are now halfway through the original season(episode 12, originally episode 6--not at the original finale.

Is this wrong? If so, was the entire season arc just expanded to be 6 eps longer? I distinctly remember reading about a 6 ep mini-season placed at the front.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

You're half right. The six episodes added to the order were filmed as a "mini-arc", rather than padding out the existing episodes. However, they're more of a postscript to the third season, and will start airing after the original season finale next week.

Brandon Routh was reupped twice from his original episode count. There's some confusion as to whether the second extension brought his episode count up to eight (and therefore he'd be leaving the show next week), or if the first extension brough his episode count up to eight (and therefore he'd be sticking around for at least one of the "mini-arc" episodes).

 

[Josh Dial]

Originally Posted by Adam Lenhardt

You're half right. The six episodes added to the order were filmed as a "mini-arc", rather than padding out the existing episodes. However, they're more of a postscript to the third season, and will start airing after the original season finale next week.

Brandon Routh was reupped twice from his original episode count. There's some confusion as to whether the second extension brought his episode count up to eight (and therefore he'd be leaving the show next week), or if the first extension brough his episode count up to eight (and therefore he'd be sticking around for at least one of the "mini-arc" episodes).

Gotcha. Thanks Adam!

 

[Greg_S_H]

If next week's was a finale, it ought to rock.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

This was a great setup episode, I hope they can make the outcome as good. Can't wait for next week!

 

[Josh Dial]

I'm sure the whole "moving to Italy" thing is a tease that will never materialize--something will come up that keeps everyone in California. Maybe Ellie is pregnant or Awesome breaks his arms, and a new threat appears that only Chuck can deal with locally, etc.

That being said, I would honestly be totally on board if the show *did* change directions, move someplace else, and have Chuck asembling a "team" of spies, including civilian friends. Of course, this could be what happens, but only locally, instead of of abroad.

 

[joshEH]

So, yeah...it's pretty obvious that Chuck's first kill is going to be Shaw.

Like Sarah said last week, her "Red Test" was the worst day of her life. Through Chuck, she saw a chance at redemption/normalcy. That was taken away when she thought she saw Chuck kill a dude. It kind of matched her elation when Casey finally told her the truth.

Anyway, I fucking loved this episode. Everything got laid out on the table with no pussyfooting, and it was outstanding. The idea of the government approving a low-altitude strike over a massive population center with a damn stealth bomber makes no sense whatsoever, but, hey, it looked cool. And Mark Sheppard as "The Ring" director...always great to see him onscreen these days.
Also, I want Casey, Morgan, and Awesome to remain teamed up from now till the end of the show's run. So much brilliance could be had. (That, and the Jeffster Stalking-Squad.)
Next week is the original season finale. Looks like it will be pretty great, but I'm really interested to see where they go when Season 3.5 starts up at the end of April.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by joshEH

Agreed on Sheppard. He plays the same damn character in virtually every show that's on, but I like that character so it's fine by me. I perked up when I saw his name in the opening credits. Good choice for the Ring big bad.

Was Fulcrum ever destroyed, or did they just stop worrying about it?

 

[Kevin Hewell]

"Was Fulcrum ever destroyed, or did they just stop worrying about it?"

Isn't Fulcrum one part of the Ring?

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

An interesting but frustrating review in the Chicago Tribune with showrunner Chris Fedak. Interesting in that it goes far more in depth than other recent press on the show. Frustrating in that interviewer Maureen Ryan is clearly among those viewers who wanted the show to stay in its safe, comfortable and lighthearted place and isn't comfortable with anything that challenges the status quo. That means a good chunk of the interview is spent with Ryan trying to get Fedak to apologize for the parts of the season she hasn't liked. But if you can get past the time spent justifying decisions that in my opinion didn't need to be justified, it's a great look into the mindset behind this season.

 

[Greg_S_H]

She kind of embarrasses herself. It comes across like an angry fangirl getting to lay it out to the stupid powers that be that don't know how to tell the story as well as she does in her slash. That said, there's probably good stuff in the second part, but I'm not one to read spoilers. Also, I do eat healthy and fresh every week thanks to Chuck, but they don't have a suggestion box for me to say, "I eat healthy and fresh every week thanks to Chuck."

 

[Lou Sytsma]

I found her questions legitimate. I don't see her wanting the show to keep the status quo either. Her questions about the darker direction against the ratings is a logical one. Like others, I have greatly enjoyed the darker tone and the evolution of the characters.

Where I agree with her is the belief that it is past time to resolve the 'will they, won't they' storyline. I agree with her because of how the show has handled Chuck and Sarah plus the actors chemistry together. The relationship tension has become a big elephant in the room detrimentally diverting focus. Put the two of them together or break them up for good. Time to move on.

Shaw became a drag on the show when they started up the Love Interest nonsense in 3.07. He was far more effective and compelling in 3.04 & 3.05 when he pushed the team out of its comfort zone. I never bought his relationship with Sarah and the two of them had no chemistry together. Plus the show lacked the conviction to make the state of Shaw and Sarah's relationship clear. They left it ambiguous and up to the audience to decide which leads to viewer frustration. Clarity in story telling should be tantamount. If the show cannot stand behind a storyline then do not use it. Shaw would have been better served as a character if they left him as mentor to Chuck and confidant to Sarah. Too bad they didn't play up Shaw and Casey butting heads too.

What was frustrating about the interview was Fedak's refusal to actually answer the questions instead of skating around them. Totally expected though.

 

[Greg_S_H]

Well, then it appears it comes down to you agree with her and I don't.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Hmmm, I think its rather more I am in between you and her. That didn't come out right.

I liked the darker tone and character evolution but agree that the Sarah/Shaw stuff fell flat and dragged the show down.

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

Originally Posted by Lou Sytsma

Shaw became a drag on the show when they started up the Love Interest nonsense in 3.07. He was far more effective and compelling in 3.04 & 3.05 when he pushed the team out of its comfort zone. I never bought his relationship with Sarah and the two of them had no chemistry together. Plus the show lacked the conviction to make the state of Shaw and Sarah's relationship clear. They left it ambiguous and up to the audience to decide which leads to viewer frustration. Clarity in story telling should be tantamount. If the show cannot stand behind a storyline then do not use it. Shaw would have been better served as a character if they left him as mentor to Chuck and confidant to Sarah. Too bad they didn't play up Shaw and Casey butting heads too.

I agree with you that Shaw was most effective when he was shaking up the status quo, but I thought the relationship stuff worked. Sarah turned to Shaw in spite of her desire not to because she needed a rebound from Chuck and Shaw was the only available candidate. In a way Sarah was Shaw's rebound, too, because he still holds quite a torch for his late wife. Both of them therefore had lots of reasons not to pursue the relationship, which explains the ambiguity; they were unlikely to end up as a long term thing with or without Chuck's intervention.
And I'm personally glad the show didn't have Casey and Shaw butting heads; it would have been the obvious way to go, but I like that Casey is at the end of the day a consummate professional. Unlike the others, he loves his job. It's what he was born to do. But most importantly, he sacrificed everything for his country, and I just don't see him being petty after that. Even though the show derives a lot of its humor from Casey's guttural displays of displeasure, he's in many ways the adult of the trio. He sticks to his duty when Sarah and Chuck won't. It's why he was the one General Beckman turned to when it was time to tie up loose ends with Project Bartowski before the Intersect 2.0 was sabotaged.

All of that being said, I think these kind of differences in opinion are natural when a show changes direction. Different viewers look to a show for different things, and every time it goes in a different direction it's going to rub some viewers the wrong way.

 

[Lou Sytsma]

Well said Adam.

The main thing I wish they had done differently would have been to clarify Sarah's viewpoint in regards to Chuck becoming a spy. If the show had revealed the impact her Red Test had on her early in the season, that would have allowed the audience to be more sympathetic to her behavior this season.