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CHUCK |
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Chuck Bartowski - Zachari Levi John Casey - Adam Baldwin Sarah Walker - Yvonne Strahovski Morgan Grimes - Joshua Gomez Ellie Bartowski - Sarah Lancaster Mary Bartowski - Linda Hamilton Alexei Volkoff - Timothy Dalton Vivian Volkoff - Lauren Cohan 
OTHER SEASONS Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 5 
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Chuck vs the AnniversaryChuck promised his sister Ellie that he was out of the spy game before his father's recorded message told him that their mother was still alive. Whilst Sarah and Casey get captured and taken to Moscow as prisoners, Chuck and Morgan follow their own investigations into Chuck's mother's whereabouts to, where else, Moscow. CHUCK returns, albeit to a new channel in the UK, but this opener is somewhat flat, missing the light banter that normally fizzes throughout. The plot is the driving force here and doesn't allow for distractions like smart dialogue, which is a shame because said plot is somewhat manufactured and stilted. Even so, there are still a few good moments and the set up with the change of ownership of the Buy More promises that the show will soon be back to its charming old ways. TopChuck vs the SuitcaseWhilst Morgan helps Casey with his parenting issues and the General with her Buy More issues, Chuck and Sarah are trying to regain some smart bullet guidance chips from a secret agent posing as a fashion model in Milan. The relationship between Sarah and Chuck has always been a difficult one and now that they are together they are both having to readjust. There is some fun to be had by them working out their relationship during a mission and the shenanigans set in the obvious comedy target of the fashion industry. Yvonne Strahovski has to pull out the twin weapons of stripping down to her underwear and having a fight with another hot female spy, but the big news here is Morgan Grimes bringing back the old Buy More crew, including Jeff and Lester, the two members of Jeffster. It wouldn't be the same without them. TopChuck vs the Cubic ZTwo high security prisoners are transferred the secret base beneath the Buy More and turn out to be people that the team have already tangled with. When one of the prisoners escapes, Chuck and Sarah have to recapture him, something that is made all the harder by the other one digging at Sarah's hidden weaknesses. Having just got over the suitcase thing, Chuck and Sarah have found a whole new thing to bicker and joke about throughout their mission, which is mainly crawling around in air ducts. This is fairly snappy, but suffers from the sense of familiarity and the writers are going to have to come up with something other than this every week. They also need to come up with something for the folk in the Buy More to do that links in with the story since the second string plot of a major video game release going wrong is just distracting and not funny. TopChuck vs the Coup D'EtatAs Chuck and Sarah work on their interpersonal communication skills, they become embroiled in a coup d'etat on the island state of Costa Gavras, not least when it is discovered that the island has a nuclear weapons system. Armand Assante is back as the Generalissimo of Costa Gavras (the name of the country being one of the best jokes in the episode), but the plot is purely secondary to the incidental pleasures of the show. Morgan's struggle to decide whether his relationship with Casey's daughter is worth the pain that Casey will put him through is pure CHUCK, whilst Awesome's response to the statue with which he is presented is equally amusing. Sadly, there are only so many ways that Sarah and Chuck's relationship issues can be put at the heart of the story. That needs a week or two off and the purely exploitative sequence of Yvone Strahovski trying on tiny bikinis is a throwback to a less confident show. TopChuck vs the Couch LockIn order to trap Casey's old team of experts, Chuck comes up with a plan that requires Casey to appear to be dead. Injected with a drug that paralyses him, Casey is taken by the team and everyone sets out to get him back. Morgan, meanwhile, has to find a way to tell Casey that he is dating his daughter. Eric Roberts co stars as the leader of Casey's old team, but his role is a throwaway. The plot twists and turns on itself with Jeff and Lester taking a more active role than usual and the concentration on Morgan and Casey's link through Alex gives it a bit of freshness. TopChuck vs the Aisle Of TerrorChuck's mother contacts him asking for help to close down a scientist who is selling a toxin that gives its victims absolute fear of everything, leading to their insanity. Not knowing which side she is playing and whether he can trust her, Chuck plays her game and ends up both under the effects of the toxin and within the Buy More's new Halloween Aisle Of Terror. Linda Hamilton is Chuck's mother and gets her largest part in the show to date as the might-be duplicitous woman who not only seems intent on betraying her son, but actually shoots him as well into the bargain. There isn't a lot of room in the twisty turny plot for the kind of wit and fun that the show usually generates and the titular Aisle of Terror turns out to be a source of great puzzlement rather than anything else. Whoever thought that this would be funny? Stunt casting of the week is Freddy Krueger himself Robert Englund playing both sides of his popular persona as the nervous, highly strung scientist and the sinister face of evil that the toxin produces. His part of the plot is ripped straight out of BATMAN BEGINS with him cast in the role of the Scarecrow. Not one of the best episodes, but even middling CHUCK is worth a visit. TopChuck vs the First FightChuck doesn't believe that his mother is the traitor that her sealed records would suggest she is. He goes undercover to contact her Britigh handler, the only man with documents that can prove her innocence. He is not, however, the only person after him. Bringing in two-time 007 Timothy Dalton to play a British agent who has read all the manuals but never gone out in the field is a masterstroke and he enjoys being able to send up the image. Meanwhile, the truth about whether Chuck's mother is a spy continues to bounce backwards and forwards with each new revelation. The scene in which Ellie finally gets to meet her mother again is a moving one and makes up for the nonsense of her father leaving a car in the middle of a street for days with a note pinned to it for her and it not having been stolen yet or the rehashing of the Chuck and Sarah discussing their relationship during a shoot out schtick. It all comes together in the final moments as twist begets twist and the truth about Chuck's mother still remains unresolved. TopChuck vs the Fear Of DeathChuck's mother didn't remove the intersect from his head, but blocked his access to it. The latest agency scientist believes that the only way to break the block is for Chuck to face the fear that comes with a mission, but a mission taken without the aid of Sarah or Casey. Chuck is placed in positions of more and more danger by his crazy handler, giving Zachary Levi a chance to mug up his scared faces throughout. Its not as funny or witty as others have been, but there is some nice interplay between the characters and the moment that Sarah tells Chuck that he isnt a real spy without the intersect is a heartbreaker. Richard Chamberlain guest stars as 'the Belgian' to little real effect, but his role at least has a purpose which is more than can be said for Summer Glau's cameo as the gorgeous assassin Greta being trailled by Jeff and Lester. TopChuck vs Phase ThreeChuck is in the hands of the Belgian who is using a drug induced artificial reality to cause Chuck to flash and bring up the secrets of the Intersect. Sarah, Casey and Morgan scour Thailand to find him and at home Ellie and Awesome try to break into her father's laptop. This episode borrows from the likes of THE PRISONER as Chuck's sense of self-worth is attacked and warped through the Belgian's mind games, but the main fun comes from Sarah's warpath across Thailand in which she becomes known as the fearsome shemale and takes part in a RAMBO style cage (well bamboo arena) fight. Matters are satisfactorily wrapped up, but what is it that Ellie finds on her father's laptop? TopChuck vs The LeftoversVolkov orders Chuck killed, forcing Chuck's mother to take action. Thinking that his beloved ‘Frost' has been kidnapped by the CIA again, Volkov locks down the Buy More and threatens to destroy everyone inside. The only escape appears to be inviting him to Ellie's 'Thanksgiving leftovers dinner'. Volkov loves Chuck's mum. That's the information that comes out of this episode. Not a lot for a 45 minute episode, but the story is split two ways with the Buy More siege making way for the family dinner half. Neither is really satisfactory, but the first half works better since it riffs on DIE HARD (with Morgan as the sweaty vested Bruce Willis wannabe) and has some good dialogue. As soon as Volkov learns that Chuck is Frost's son and invites himself to dinner things go downhill rapidly since this is a development that is never for a moment believeable, even though it is so very much like CHUCK. There are also only so many times that you switch Chuck's mother from being bad to good and back again before the audience just gets bored with it and loses interest. 'Wake me when you make up your mind' is the main response. TopChuck vs The BalconyChuck is planning to propose to Sarah, but after she tells him about her parents' disastrous proposal, he backs off. A mission to the Loire Valley, however, serves up the perfect location for him to pop the question. But first they need to find the missing microchip. CHUCK is back from midseason break and it is up to the usual sparkling standard. The setting of the mission in France (or in front of some obvious CGI backgrounds of France at least) gives a chance for the show to make fun of the French, but it's the usual banter between the leads that keeps things light and fizzy even though we've seen all these elements before. Lester's arranged marriage woes in the Buy More is the only fly in the ointment as these side plots and characters continue to get more air time than is good for the show. TopChuck vs The GobblerSarah is undercover in Volkoff's organisation, but she is going to have to prove her worth. He wants her to spring a prison inmate and she's going to need the intersect to do it. The usual CHUCK wit and charm is a little sparse in this episode which concentrates of the spying elements rather than the fun ones. It's a fairly standard undercover plot with the good guy being forced to do things that they really don't want to in order to get close to the bad guy. It's also a bit muddled considering that Sarah has a chance to kill the man outright and chooses not to take it. This is because they want his whole infrastructure, but since he is the controlling head and even he can't run things properly without something called Hydra then killing him would have shattered his organisation anyway. It makes little sense. It makes a lot more sense than the tediously dull and pointless subplot about Ellie and Awesome struggling to come up with baby names. If this is the best that the writers can come up with for supporting characters then perhaps it's time for those characters to leave. The serious turn the story takes with Sarah having to kill Casey is hardly unpredictable, but at least Timothy Dalton is having great fun as the unpredictable Volkoff. TopChuck vs The Push MixEllie is about to give birth and Chuck has a plan to finally take down Volkoff, gain the Hydra network's data. Volkoff, though is not a man to go quietly into the night. This could have been the final episode of CHUCK and it certainly ties up almost all the loose ends just in case. It does this in a very satisfying manner, although some of the twists can be seen coming. There is action, comedy and tension aplenty and all the cast have a great time. The birth of Ellie's daughter is sadly cliched with Devon, a highly capable doctor, turning into a gibbering mess at the prospect of a birth. This, though, chanceive us a chance for a new Jeffster performance. Awesome. TopChuck vs The Seduction ImpossibleThe team go on a mission to Marrakesh to save seduction specialist Montgomery, but then have to go back to stop Casey having to cut off his own arm. There's a real sense of deja vu about this episode since once again Chuck and Sarah go into a shooting mission whilst arguing about personal issues. The banter is familiar and the fact that it's slick and witty can't hide that. Only the fact that the General has history with Montgomery is original. TopChuck vs The CAT SquadPlans for Chuck and Sarah's engagement party are underway, but she has nobody to invite since she has such a complicated past with her family. Chuck calls up her old strike team, the CAT Squad, but their visit turns into a last mission against their old nemesis to unmask a traitor in their midst. Well, we have been here and done this before as Chuck and Sarah argue their way through a dangerous mission and adding in three female partners who also have something to bicker about doesn't disguise that fact. Adam Baldwin's Casey is completely sidelined and wasted and only Morgan suddenly becoming attractive to one of the team because of his being in a full-time relationship is something new. Only the fact that the General has history with Montgomery is original. TopChuck vs The MasqueradeSomeone is after the key to restoring Volkoff's organisation, but the only person who could have it is the daughter who knows nothing about it. Chuck and the team have to keep her alive whilst Morgan decides that it's time to move out. The story is straightforward enough and the decision by Morgan to move out is delightfully played throughout. The future direction of the show appears fairly predictable as a new enemy arises in what is supposed to be a twist, but that is obvious all along. The presence of Lauren Cohan as Vivian looks like becoming a recurring thing, which is to be applauded. The subplot about Chuck's sister and brother in law not getting any sleep because of the baby is just embarrassing. TopChuck vs The First Bank Of EvilVolkoff's daughter stumbles on a trail to valuables that he stored in the First Bank of Macau, a bank that is directly funding international terrorism. Chuck promises Vivian that if she helps them then the CIA will allow her to see her father. The bank robbery sequence in which Chuck and Sarah stage a robbery in the bank as a diversion is one the funniest, most delightful moments that the show has ever produced with hilarious nods to THE MATRIX and both of the principals having a thoroughly good time. As long as it can produce moments like this, the show can run forever. Ray Wise again channels the charming evil of REAPER's Devil in a guest cameo as the predicted turn of Volkoff's daughter to evil begins and he is as watchable as ever. TopChuck vs The A TeamChuck and Sarah learn that the new team Casey is working with contains two agents with intersects in their heads, a team that is now getting all the choice assignments. When a suitcase nuke shows up in the city, it's going to take more than an intersect to save the day. This is another solid episode of CHUCK, but it does feel a bit like time filling as we edge towards the season finale. There's nothing that we haven't seen before even if it is done with skill and wit.The show is in dire need of something to freshen it up. TopChuck vs The MuuurderChuck is given the task of locating a new candidate to have an intersect in their head. One of the four options turns out to be a killer who blows up half of the base. Can Chuck and the gang find out who it is before they run out of innocent victims? A slight change of pace freshens up the show as the team don't go on a mission, but instead find themselves in a TEN LITTLE INDIANS scenario with added explosions and small pigs (don't ask). It's not a compelling mystery and the wit isn't as strong as usual, but it's still highly watchable. Apart from the Buy More subplot, which is tedious in the extreme. TopChuck vs The Family VolkoffVivian Volkoff is scheduled for death, but Chuck tries to broker a deal. Someone sabotages that and the only way to get to the deadly weapon that she is now to create is by working with the newly reformed Alexei Volkoff. It's great to have Timothy Dalton back as Alexei Volkoff, still having a wonderful time playing up his James Bond image, here being able to add the layer of angst that a newly-reformed supervillain might have. His presence is a boon since the plot is fairly standard and the use of a prenup as a source of friction between Chuck and Sarah is tired and the subplot about Ellie and her father's computer is less than interesting. TopChuck vs The Wedding PlannerChuck and Sarah are conned by a fake wedding planner and turn to Sarah's father for help in tracking her down. In the end, they misuse CIA resources and get caught out, so when a real opportunity to help national security arises, they are not believed. Gary Cole returns as Sarah's father and their difficult relationship forms the emotional core of the story here, complete with annoyingly cute and sentimental flashbacks to Sarah's childhood. The highlight, though, is when Chuck and Sarah find their small lie suddenly snowballing out of control and the entire nation's intelligence effort being put onto finding their fake wedding planner. As oversentimentalised as the relationship between Sarah and her dad is, there is more kick and bite to Casey's finally coming face to face with his wife, the wife who thought him dead for years. There's no telling where that's going to lead just yet, but it has more truth in it than the family antics of the Walkers. TopChuck vs The Last DetailsOnly days before Chuck and Sarah's wedding, Chuck's mother is taken a prisoner by Vivian Volkoff. Before they can get to the rehearsal dinner, they are going to have to free her and stop an arms deal going down in Moscow and for that they are going to need Morgan. This is a bitty episode that has to have two stories to fill out the running time, starting with the trip to a Colombian quarry to free Chuck's mother and then to Moscow to stop the arms deal. The standout moment is Casey taking out the bad guys without being able to see them, but there really isn't that much else to get excited about. Until the last few seconds, that is. A cliffhanger has been set up that will ensure that the audience come back for the big finale. It's that good. TopChuck vs The CliffhangerSarah's life hangs in the balance. The only man who has the cure is Volkoff, but the CIA have wiped his alternate identity, so Chuck is forced to walk into the heart of Vivian Volkoff's evil empire with only a meek scientist for backup. This final episode is a bit episodic, but there is a lot to like about it. It's nice to see Timothy Dalton back, but his role this time around is entirely different which is fun, though the psychopathic Alexei Volkoff was a lot more fun. The show's return wasn't a sure thing, so a lot of plot strings are tied up nicely, but the opening to a new season is a very amusing riff on a previous one. Top |
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