Chuck -3x13 -"Chuck vs. the Other Guy"-Discuss/Grade <SPOILERS>

[the Dagman]

Chuckday again. Tonight should be quite an episode. We are on episode 13, what would have been (possibly) the series finale of Chuck. That is, before NBC came back and ordered another six episodes after these 13 were already "in the can". Does this mean we'll get a Jeffster performance tonight?

Spoiler: NBC's official episode description

Chuck, Sarah, and Shaw team up to find the Ring operative behind the death of Shaw's wife.

Spoiler: comment about NBC's episode description

Boy, they really blew the element of danger the last episode ended on with that. Telling us Chuck and Sarah team up up Shaw rather than Chuck saving Sarah from him? Bad form NBC.

 

[Sheep]

Where is everyone? Surely the NCAA championship game can't be pulling Chuck fans away?

I liked this week's episode, but it felt like they ran out of time trying to get everything wrapped up in 13 episodes and this episode had too much crammed into it. I can ignore Casey being Casey and not a civilian, but I'm not sure about Morgan as the newest member of Team Chuck. I have to keep reminding myself that this is a show about a geek with a supercomputer in his head.

But the trailer for the last 6 episodes did help assuage my concerns about Agent Morgan quite a bit. Looking forward to the return of Scott Bakula and Julia Ling too, although if Anna comes back as a newly-trained agent (remember what Casey said a few seasons ago about her being agent material), that might be a bit much. But wait--this is a show about a geek with a supercomputer in his head!

If the new episodes get really out of control, at least I now have a good ending point (especially if Chuck doesn't get renewed). This show will have ended with its 13 episode third season, just like Buffy ended after five seasons.

 

[elaithin]

I don't think there was anything in this episode I didn't like. The resolution of Chuck/Sarah came surprisingly early in the episode. I loved that Chuck flashed.. and use those abilities to tie up Morgan with game controllers. I'm perfectly okay with the inclusion of Morgan on Team Bartowski, especially as Chuck is becoming more and more of an actual spy. (I can easily see the new catchphrase of "Stay in the car, Morgan.")

I liked how Shaw's plotline was resolved - and under the circumstances which are only logical for Chuck's first real kill. Casey being back in the game is another plus to the episode - plus, Chuck finally gets to see the Eiffel Tower! A well-deserved Awesome vote for me.

 

[Yoda]

Great stuff for the most part. It started off a litte slow, and I kind of figured that Shaw would have to be a bad guy, even after they tried the fakeout. Extra points since I was sitting around in my boxers with a GH5 controller in my paws earlier today (ok, granted, no booze, and I was playing Rock Band 2 instead of GH5, but those are minor quibbles).

Some good lines in there, Colonel Sanders, Chuck and his waste of resources... It did feel a bit rushed, but it would've worked as a decently satisfying finale, save for the fact that Chuck's sis and Awesome are AWOL.

 

[Sheep]

I loved that Chuck flashed.. and use those abilities to tie up Morgan with game controllers.

Speaking of which, WTF was Sarah doing CUTTING all those controller cords to free Morgan??? It'll be a pretty penny to replace all of those.

plus, Chuck finally gets to see the Eiffel Tower! A well-deserved Awesome vote for me.

I don't think he'll get to see much of the Eiffel Tower or anything else outside of the hotel room.

 

[watermelony2k]

While I don't think this managed top last season's finale -- which was decidedly larger scale with a more threatening villain in fulcrum -- this would have made a good series finale if it had come to that. A lot of emotional and personal payoffs and resolution. It'll be interesting to see where they take the story next.

The budget cuts and resultant cast per episode switcharoos were really noticable this season, i felt that was its biggest weakness. that said the writers still maintained a good balance and the cast all had their moments to shine.

P.S. Psyched to see that Scott Bakula is coming back! I thought he was perfect as Chuck's dad.

 

[the Dagman]

Wow. I loved it. And they did the "James Bond" ending for the final scene too.

And General Beckman had the Clapper™ in her bedroom! She's really just this short little old lady, but she's the scariest one of them all. I love it! She was totally unglued when Morgan appeared on her monitor. You can tell she's not used to dealing with nerds as field agents and is having a hard time adjusting with just Chuck. Now that Morgan is on the team? She's going to pine for the days when she only had Chuck.

Oh, and Anna's coming back? Commence happy dance! And Scott Bakula too? Yay! This episode was awesome all around except for the lack of Mr. and Mrs. Awesome. See you all again in three weeks for episode 14 of the season.

 

[rouge77]

hy guys, my name is andrea and i come from italy.

i asking you for an help.

i like very much chuck tv series and i am following the plot in usa from italy, so i missed the one of yesterday and i am asking if someone of you can help me and tell me something about it. how it was ? what happend?

thak you very much for your help

PS: sorry for my english, but i am italian

 

[RoJoHen]

This episode was awesome all around except for the lack of Mr. and Mrs. Awesome.

True, but at least last week gave us a good reason for their absence.

This would have served as a great series finale, but I'm so glad there is more to come.

 

[Misfit Toy]

I loved that Chuck flashed.. and use those abilities to tie up Morgan with game controllers.

Speaking of which, WTF was Sarah doing CUTTING all those controller cords to free Morgan??? It'll be a pretty penny to replace all of those.

I thought the same thing!

 

[Joe Washington]

Chuck and Sarah together.

Can I get a HELL YEAH and FINALLY?!

 

[RoJoHen]

...until Bryce comes back from the dead!

 

[Othello]

I'm completely bored with this show. Just not very fun anymore.

 

[Starbreaker]

...until Bryce comes back from the dead!

Or she falls in love with the next guy she has to work with.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

hy guys, my name is andrea and i come from italy.

i asking you for an help.

i like very much chuck tv series and i am following the plot in usa from italy, so i missed the one of yesterday and i am asking if someone of you can help me and tell me something about it. how it was ? what happend?

thak you very much for your help

PS: sorry for my english, but i am italian

Me too - but in my case, I was disloyal and watched 24 instead.

So Sarah and Chuck finally had sex? Any other significant developments?

 

[nevermore]

hy guys, my name is andrea and i come from italy.

i asking you for an help.

i like very much chuck tv series and i am following the plot in usa from italy, so i missed the one of yesterday and i am asking if someone of you can help me and tell me something about it. how it was ? what happend?

thak you very much for your help

PS: sorry for my english, but i am italian

Television Without Pity recaps all the episodes here in detail.

 

[elaithin]

Me too - but in my case, I was disloyal and watched 24 instead.

So Sarah and Chuck finally had sex? Any other significant developments?

Yeah - Chuck got his first real kill, Colonel Casey is reinstated, the Director of the Ring is in custody, and Morgan is now a member of 'Team Bartowski'.

 

[Sheep]

Me too - but in my case, I was disloyal and watched 24 instead.

So Sarah and Chuck finally had sex? Any other significant developments?

Yeah - Chuck got his first real kill, Colonel Casey is reinstated, the Director of the Ring is in custody, and Morgan is now a member of 'Team Bartowski'.

You know, if I hadn't seen the episode and you told me all of that stuff happened in a single episode, I probably wouldn't have believed you and thought you were yanking my chain.

 

[elaithin]

Indeed. It's got me excited for the rest of the season - particularly the actual season finale.

 

[firehawk12]

It's so weird. I love the characters, but I hate what they've done with them this season. I already found the Chuck and Sarah angst annoying in S2, but the stories and the random Buy More hijinks made it worth sitting through. Turning the show into Chuck and Sarah drink and cry? It just lost me.

I'm hoping that now that this "arc" is done, they can go back to just having fun. No more crappy love triangles, no more bad scenes with fake drunkenness, just more Jeffster.