Chuck season 2 - Page 7

Re: Chuck season 2

Best integration of Chuck into both storylines this year. Chuck/Morgan screen time together again, Chuck's sadness over Pluto no longer being considered a planet - AWESOME!, Sarah's nifty stickhandling with Casey about her feelings for Chuck, Chuck's Force and McGuyver references - and I vote Richard Dean Anderson to play his father, Casey's voice mail answering message - this is John Casey,grrrr!, Casey's Firefly callback - you are seriously damaging my calm, Jeff losing it on a customer, Ellie's wish for her father to walk her down the aisle etc, etc

All that plus Chuck seeing Casey's pain over his Sensei going rogue to reflect on his recent Jill encounter to begin focusing outward again instead of inward. And the father storyline - it was ambiguous at best whether or not he was alive. The mother seemed more certain.

Guilty of gushing? Guilty. I don't care - love this cast. They are a lot of fun to hook up with each week.

Re: Chuck season 2

I would add to Lou's list "Chuck realizing that Casey does not have a calm center to find".

Regards,

Re: Chuck season 2

I thought it also a great episode, we all know that at least one of chuck/ellie parents knows something about the CIA, I'm still waiting on how Bryce Larkin ties altogether these events. I can't wait!!

I'm surprised that all the geeks haven't talked about Bruce Boxleitner (TRON) appearance of Dr Awesome

the Sensei crushing the can is very cool.
Also emmett's burn to morgan/lester/jeff by giving a flat screen TV to the employee of the month was very wicked

Re: Chuck season 2

I don't really recall any integration into the Buy More storyline. It seemed like Morgan (except for that one scene) and the two other idiots were off on their own for the Employee of the Month storyline this episode. Chuck, except for his great pep speech at the dojo, spent most of the episode chained to a fast food counter. I actually agree. My confusion isn't because I thought this episode was bad (average for "Chuck" is better than what I can expect the rest of the week) but because I thought some other episodes were even better. Refreshingly, everybody on this thread actually seems to genuinely like the show.

Re: Chuck season 2

Yes, that is surprisingly nice. Course the show is not getting that many posters.

Re: Chuck season 2

I did enjoy seeing Bruce Boxleitner & Morgan Fairchild ("Whom I've seen naked" -Lets see who gets that SNL reference ) as Awesome's parents.

Re: Chuck season 2

If it turns out that Awesome's parents and/or Chuck's parents are CIA/Fulcrum, I can live with it, but I really hope not. Every show has to integrate every part of the show into the big picture now. Heroes has to give powers to even non-powered characters, and it seems like every new character is blood to Claire. Most Lost characters now had some kind of connection before the crash. There is no reason for the parents to have anything to do with Chuck's new life, since it's a life he basically fell into by chance. I'd hate to see something like--Awesome was manipulated into becoming close to Ellie so one of his parents could keep an eye on Chuck/keep an eye on Chuck's parents. It'd be nice if that is all kept separate and Chuck's dad is just a bastard.

Re: Chuck season 2

I think most of those connections were built-in from the start, just as all the characters were "destined" to end up on the island (or manipulated into doing so.) But Lost is supposed to be an intricately-plotted mystery with lots of backstory and hidden connections. Chuck is designed to be more episodic with some continuing plot elements, and I completely agree that having Chuck and Ellie's parents, or Awesome's, tie into the spy story is way too much stuff to hang on the slender reed which is Chuck the series. I frankly think the Jill thing was a little much, given the Bryce connection. I'd hate to see this show turn into the comedic version of My Own Worst Enemy (in any sense.) Someone should remind the writers that it is OK if sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

Regards,

Joe

Re: Chuck season 2

I'm a Lost fan, so that's just an example and not a complaint. Some shows it makes sense, even if it does seem too convenient. But, it's way too convenient for Chuck. The entire appeal is a regular guy being thrust into this, not a guy who was manipulated into it without his knowledge. I think they've had some hints along those lines already. I think there was something about Chuck being looked at as a potential recruit before things went bad at Stanford.

Re: Chuck season 2

Just speculation:

I believe that Fulcrum was interested in Chuck at Stanford and that's the reason Bryce got him kicked out.

Re: Chuck season 2

I don't think Fulcrum even existed when Bryce got him kicked out, and think the explanation Bryce gave in "Chuck Versus the Alma Mater" makes sense as is: the CIA was interested in Chuck because of his superior image processing skills (which would later make him the ideal human host for the Intersect) and Bryce didn't want Chuck's innocence to be trashed. But then again, I'm a pretty big fan of Occam's razor.

Re: Chuck season 2

Fulcrum recruited Jill at Stanford and she and Chuck were both there at the same time.

Re: Chuck season 2

Doh! And I only had to remember back to the previous episode.

Re: Chuck season 2

This week's episode blew last week's episode away, in my opinion. Gary Cole doing the kind of role Gary Cole does best. Anna Wu returns, and is awesome. Awesome is the most awesome he's been in a while. Buy More plot that ties directly into the spy plot. Chuck giving Sarah the same consideration and empathy that she always gives him now that he got to see a window into her human side. John Casey doing something nice. And a evil villian trying to get away in a barely functional 1981 DeLorean. A well-worn episode in exactly the right ways, this is exactly what I turn to "Chuck" for when I'm not hoping "Chuck" evolves into a little bit more.

Re: Chuck season 2

Nice summary Adam. Thought the action bits were clunky and the scam paper thing but the important stuff - the character moments were gold.

Casey rocked this episode.

Seeing the General Lee at the end was a blast too.

Re: Chuck season 2

Yeah not a bad ep. But can they change the format up a bit once in while because you always now when they think they get away with something the bad guy always comes back. Luckily the characters keep it interesting. Thhe Deloran had me cracking up with the music from Ferris Buellers Day Off when he saw the Ferrari.

Re: Chuck season 2

Gary Cole, bar none, owns the best guest role in the series entire run. With little screen time he has Cole creates the most multi-layered guest character. His mix of scoundrel and loving father with regrets was excellent and really enriched Sarah's background. He confirmed Sarah's thoughts about Chuck and for Chuck gave his blessing on their relationship with, 'Lucky for me, she found the right schnook.'

And Chuck offering Sarah his jacket and then seeing her father nod his approval was just as good as a hug.

The quiet scenes were awesome as usual. Yvonne really nailed the last scene with her father.

The Rocky Road scoops were code for her father to disappear - I'm guessing each scoop is 5 years? Maybe 10? Either way it will be a long time.

The only part that really grated for me was Sarah not telling Chuck about her date with her father. Even Casey knew! I mean come on. It was a cheap ploy to create tension and unnecessarily undermined Chuck. Also, the Jeff comment about seeing Lester's birth totally fell flat and should never have been spoken.

Overall probably my second most favourite episode of the season and it was rife with 80's callback including the Ferris Bueller music riff.

Re: Chuck season 2

Normally, I would agree with you. However, it wasn't code for a few reasons. First, in the flashback scenes the ice cream actually was ice cream, and this scene was a nod to that, in a nostalgic "awwwwww" way. Second, unless the father/daughter team later (before Sarah's recruitment) established the ice cream code, it's rather unlikely that one or two scoops is code for anything. Third, Sarah's father was walking away, not driving (and yes, I know he can "leave town whenever he wants"), which speaks to him actually walking to the store to get an ice cream cone. Lastly, the way Sarah looked at the clock, and then "though up" a way to get her father out of the building quickly, without revealing that she was law enforcement. That fact that she ultimately failed in this regard (as her father clearly realized she was a LEO), speaks to the dad's ability to put two and two together.

The scene was simply a nice way to end the arc.

Re: Chuck season 2

I think the General knew Sarah would warn her father. The General couldn't out and out let him off. She gave her a few hours before sending the cops. If she really wanted him. The cops would have been there instantly. At the least she wanted to give Sarah time with her Dad before he was arrested. But, I am sticking with my original theory.

Re: Chuck season 2

Since it was the regular police having him arrested, I thought it was the General's way of letting him off of the hook, sort of a "read between the lines" comment.

Re: Chuck season 2

Awesome episode. Gary Cole's too good for us to not see him again.

I was guessing who Morgan would see at the end. I thought maybe KITT, but the General was even better.

Re: Chuck season 2

I agree. Thus my qualification, "this is exactly what I turn to "Chuck" for when I'm not hoping "Chuck" evolves into a little bit more." I was also happy that, after the flashback in the prom episode, he turned out to be exactly what he seemed to be on the surface: a great con man. I was happy he didn't know about Sarah being in the CIA; it's one less parent that can be a spy. Now we only have Chuck's dead mom and absentee father to worry about (oh yeah, and every other minor character's parents except Awesome's) One thing I liked about the casting of young "Sarah" was that they didn't cast a beautiful kid with a passing resemblance to Yvonne. Instead, they cast a normal-looking kid that had a really similar face and enthusiasm. I felt like I was really watching the same character, which rarely happens with TV flashbacks to a different, younger actor. I don't think so, only because he seemed surprised when the cops pulled up in front of the hotel. I think the Rocky Road was just a way for Sarah to get her father out of the hotel at the right time. She could trust him to see the cops and bail. Considering how zealously she'd protected her past in previous episodes, I totally bought it. More importantly, she trusts her father about as far as she can throw him. Even though she loves him, at some level she had to realize he was a security risk to Chuck. Protect the mission at all costs.
But on a more personal level, after all of Chuck's bitching about never getting to have a life, I thought she was perfectly within her rights to have one night for herself. I totally forgot to mention the General Lee in my list of what made this episode awesome. I, too, am glad that it wasn't KITT. With the relaunch still on the air, it would have felt like a tacky promotional push.

Re: Chuck season 2

Gotta admit.. I was expecting the A-team van.

Re: Chuck season 2

Only, a General Lee owned by Jon Schnieder fetched $10M, and any 69 Charger in decent shape is gonna go upwards of $50-60K. A hemi tripling that.

Re: Chuck season 2

Any one see the promo for next Monday's Chuck? Looks like its going to be very intense.

Re: Chuck season 2

Like the Groundhog Day name drop...Ned Ryerson. And the whole Die Hard play...Genius.

Re: Chuck season 2

I saw Reginald....Then I heard Sgt.Powell. I laughed out loud.

Michael, I though the Ned name sounded familiar.

Re: Chuck season 2

Great episode overall. Lots of laughs and Big Mike's cousin turning out to be Al the cop from the first Die Hard was a nice touch.

Casey's bandaged fingers due to paper cuts from working the gift wrapping station was hilarious.

Nice fake-out about the incident. Turned out it was not just the execution but Sarah's bald face lie too. It all comes back to the trust issue again.

Love the parallel with Morgan and Anna too.

How long before Chuck calls Sarah on her lie?

Put this one up in the top two or three for the season.