Chuck: not all that good

[Technobuilder]

^Granted, but I'm already too forgiving when it comes to a lot of shows so when I'm having to come up with reasons to stick around... It's time to go.

Hopefully that won't be the case here.

 

[Jack Bauer]

Hollywood Reporter

NBC has given a back-nine order to its drama series "Chuck," just over a month before the show's second-season premiere.

"Chuck," which returns at 8 p.m. Sept. 29, had a solid but abbreviated first season because of the writers strike. It's understood that NBC executives have been impressed with what they've seen from the first six episodes of the show's second-season order and decided to hand out an early full-season pickup.

"We couldn't be more excited with the creative direction Josh (Schwartz) and his team are executing on 'Chuck,' " NBC Entertainment executive vp Teri Weinberg said. "This show has really hit its stride and deserves a full-season commitment to carry out the producers' vision for this unique series."

 

[RoJoHen]

^Granted, but I'm already too forgiving when it comes to a lot of shows so when I'm having to come up with reasons to stick around... It's time to go.

Well, I was having fun with it from the very beginning, so I don't need a reason to come back.

Bring on the new season!

 

[Roshi]

Ahhh, more Yvonne!

 

[BigFoot]

^ Hell yeah.

 

[I Grok Spock]

Everything is a cliche on this show (nebbish reluctant hero, goofy sidekick, humorless straight-arrow) just like most of the other programs on TV.

The shows I like (Dexter, Lost, Pushing Daisies, BSG) either avoid cliches or subvert them, so just saying that "everything on TV is crap anyway" really isn't much of an argument.

Now, that wasn't my argument - my point was along the lines of subverting cliches, which I think Chuck does to some extent by sending them up so well.

I agree that Lost displays a very creative direction by taking a few tried and true genres, putting them in a blender, then hitting "liquefy." However, I find the Jack-Kate-Sawyer luv triangle to be pretty by-the-book, despite the achronological story telling method.

I haven't seen enough of Pushing Daisies to form an opinion, but it is entertaining, though the Storybook Narrator guy is starting to wear thin. OTOH, I do enjoy me some pie, so it's all good.

 

[Starbreaker]

"Chuck Versus the Sandworm" episode 1x06.

Well... I should have looked at an episode guide, I guess.

 

[BenRoethig]

I think the ratings would improve if Adam Baldwin just went shirtless.

They'd improve even more if Yvonne Strahovski and Sarah Lancaster went shirtless.

 

[Roshi]

I like Captain Awesome, too.

 

[ClayinCA]

I think the ratings would improve if Adam Baldwin just went shirtless.

They'd improve even more if Yvonne Strahovski and Sarah Lancaster went shirtless.

We've seen Yvonne in various states of undress (and more of that will always be welcome ), but the lovely Sarah Lancaster has indeed been way too clothed on this show.

 

[Guy Gardener]

I haven't seen enough of Pushing Daisies to form an opinion, but it is entertaining, though the Storybook Narrator guy is starting to wear thin. OTOH, I do enjoy me some pie, so it's all good.

They only made 9 episodes of Pushing Daises and 13 episodes of Chuck and yet we can create these far reaching opinions. These are not seasons. This is like comparing preejaculate to orgasm... My god. 9 episodes is a season. That's reprehensible. I shudder to think how Voyager and Enterprise were allowed, how even that can old shitty shit shit Andromeda was allowed to churn out 26 episodes a year.

How can we form an opinion on Pushing Daises after 9 episodes, and if the narrator is wearing thin after merely nine episodes, well then the long haul is going to be insanely painful.

Althoguh I must say, that nine episodes of private practice was more than enough. So much Spackle and filler, it's like they stretched three episodes of Grays out into a prolapsed season.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Hollywood Reporter

NBC has given a back-nine order to its drama series "Chuck," just over a month before the show's second-season premiere.

"Chuck," which returns at 8 p.m. Sept. 29, had a solid but abbreviated first season because of the writers strike. It's understood that NBC executives have been impressed with what they've seen from the first six episodes of the show's second-season order and decided to hand out an early full-season pickup.

"We couldn't be more excited with the creative direction Josh (Schwartz) and his team are executing on 'Chuck,' " NBC Entertainment executive vp Teri Weinberg said. "This show has really hit its stride and deserves a full-season commitment to carry out the producers' vision for this unique series."

Well that gives me more of a motive to stick it out this season.

Back to S1 - are there any other individual standout episodes anyone can recommend?

They only made 9 episodes of Pushing Daises and 13 episodes of Chuck and yet we can create these far reaching opinions.

Nine episodes in a row, all great, is very unusual for a series that isn't on premium cable, so that's enough to sell me on Pushing Daisies until (and if) the writers run out of steam.

Ordinarily, I give any series one & only one episode to impress me with. There's simply too much stuff on TV for me to be more forgiving with my time. If a show gets better, I hear about it via this place anyway. I bailed on most of the shows I sampled last fall after one episode or less and Chuck is the only one I'm giving a second chance (tho a lot of them aren't coming back anyway) on the rumor that it will be more serialized because episodic shows bore me.

Althoguh I must say, that nine episodes of private practice was more than enough

That's nine more chances than I gave that show. Soap operas and medical shows both give me hives, the idea of combining the two is something akin to contemplating torture...

 

[tenmei]

They won't get someone truly geeky and ugly in there as he won't have lead man appeal. So once again they get a hot guy, and make him give a few references to Star Wars or comics, then he's a "geek".

Because all geeks are ugly, right? And hot guys can't be geeks? What utter rubbish.

 

[RoJoHen]

^Everyone on this board must be hideous.

 

[Guy Gardener]

^Everyone on this board must be hideous.

Only deep down on the inside where it really matters.

I like Lester and Jeff.

They deserve their own show like Londo and Vir did.

 

[gblews]

I've been watching Chuck, I think I'm ten episodes in -- three to go -- but am going to find it hard to get through those last three. It's one of those shows where I feel I should like it more than I do.

The first three episodes were fab and fun. A real sense of style and confidence. But then I started to get bored becuase I realized that there's no substance. And a "will they won't they" thing is so old hat, I rolled my eyes as soon as it started to manifest itself (i.e. within about 5 seconds).

I didn't even think the first two or three episodes were any good. I have a hard time understanding what folks see in the show. I was really surprised that it got a renewal for a another season.

The chick is hot, though.

 

[Captain Ryan]

I found that show boring and un-realistic

 

[Bob The Skutter]

Personally, I thought it was a lot of fun. I'm not bothered if it's unrealistic, or has it's cliches, it's fun. Sure that might not be enough to carry it long term, but it'll do for now.

 

[Roshi]

^I concur, the fun factor has a lot to do with the show's popularity.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

They won't get someone truly geeky and ugly in there as he won't have lead man appeal. So once again they get a hot guy, and make him give a few references to Star Wars or comics, then he's a "geek".

Because all geeks are ugly, right? And hot guys can't be geeks? What utter rubbish.

If Chuck really were a hideous geek and not actually a cute guy masquerading as a geek, I wouldn't be giving the show another shot.

TV shows hire hot people as actors. What a news flash!