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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 Gertrude Verbanski - Carrie-Ann Moss 
OTHER SEASONS Season 1 Season 2 Season 3 Season 4 
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Chuck vs the ZoomChuck and the gang are back, this time working for themselves. Morgan has the intersect this time around and Chuck's dealing with that as well as trying to find Sarah her dream house. Taking on a wealthy thief is one way to go. The final season of CHUCK comes to the UK via DVD since Living TV have not decided to show it. This opener has some issues to deal with in terms of the change in intersect status and setting up the scenario, which eats into the time for the plot itself leaving it somewhat slim and also repetitive. The humour count is also down as the banter fails to fly, though it is undeniably fun to see Morgan 'zooming' on the intersect. The Jeff and Lester subplot is embarrassing and hopefully not the shape of things to come. TopChuck vs the Bearded BanditChuck becomes Morgan's handler as the group get their first job, saving a villain's brother from the men who took him. They also find a rival in the shape of Verbanski Corp, run by a woman with whom Casey has history. There's a lot going on in this episode and it could have done without the substory of the Buy More problems. More and more the show doesn't need that side of things, but since this is the last season it probably doesn't matter too much. The rest of the plot threads dovetail together nicely though as the simple mission story becomes something larger with the involvement of Verbanski and Morgan's reaction to having the Intersect in his head. Not only is it eating away at his geek qualifications, but it is taking away his loyalty too. This is all good stuff, charming and likeable as ever, though a few extra one liners wouldn't have hurt. TopChuck vs the Frosted TipsMorgan quits the team and goes to work for Verbanski, taking their latest mission with him. The team learn that the Intersect he uploaded was was corrupted and is destroying his mind. The race is on to save Morgan, and the mission. Another top episode that has so many good things going for it that the Buy More side story really isn't anything more than an irritation. The higlight is the seduction/fight between Casey and Verbanski, giving Adam Baldwin and Carrie-Anne Moss a chance to really shine. Add to that the rooftop climax with the exploding helicopter and the last minute cliffhanger and this is vintage CHUCK. The production team are pulling out all the stops to make this last season one of the best and so far they are doing a fine job. TopChuck vs the Business TripA kill order has been put out on Morgan so the group have the Intersect removed from his head, but one of the assassins cannot be called off. Chuck poses as Morgan at a sales convention and he and Sarah get a taste of a normal life. This is a step down from the previous episode, but it is still a good one. Picking out the killer amongst the people at the party is a straightforward spy plot, but it does allow for some nice character interplay between Chuck and Sarah that has a bit more depth than usual. The Viper isn't a very good villain since the assassin fails to deal with the target in some obvious situations, but the story does have one last card to play just as things get a little too saccharine. TopChuck vs the Hack OffCasey is in prison and Decker offers Chuck and Sarah a deal. They have to locate the worst computer virus in the world and give it to him in order for Casey to go free. The virus is, of course, in the compound of a cult that is big on nudity. Ever wanted to see just about all that there is to see of Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski? Well, this episode gives you it all, admittedly with the personal bits pixellated. It's a gimmick that is fitfully amusing, though it damages the suspension of disbelief quite severely. This episode also introduces a much larger plot into play, providing the season with its arc. It doesn't come off as being hugely original, but promises things for future. The subplot of Lester in prison really hurts it's so bad. TopChuck vs the CurseWhen Ellie and Awesome are taken hostage by the bad guys, Chuck decides that he has to deal with the situation alone before the 'Bartowski Curse' can hurt any more of his family. It's actually a lot of fun seeing Ellie and Awesome trying to take on the roles of super spies and it's good that the show doesn't follow the more obvious storyline of having the amateurs somehow outsmart the professionals. It is disappointing, however, that Chuck doesn't have a better plan to deal with the situation and the release of the virus is rather poorly visualised. TopChuck vs the Santa SuitIt's Christmas and Ellie wants a perfect one for her daughter's first memory, but a blast from the past threatens to make it Chuck, Sarah and Casey's last. The truth is out and the person behind the Omen Virus is revealed. It's a surprise that the whole of the season plot arc seems to come to a finale in this episode. Brandon Routh returns and gives a really effective performance as Shaw, believably chilling and a credible threat to the team. And for once it is nice to see the Buy More minor characters serving a purpose to the main plot rather than distracting from it. With the virus gone and the bad guy dealt with, though, where does the story go from here? TopChuck vs the BabyA story from Sarah's past comes back to haunt her, taking the team to Budapest and a threat to her family doorstep. Considering it's only two episodes since Sarah went serious on Chuck for doing things alone and in his own way, it is disappointing to find the same point being made by this episode. There's nothing like hammering the point home, guys. That said, this is a fun story that has a nice backstory for Sarah, even if it does get too sugary at the ends. It is nice to see so many characters edging toward the happy ending that must surely come with the show's finale. The flashbacks are also very nicely handled, but it is stretching it a bit to suggest that Sarah could be fooled by a baby's crying since the 'baby' by that time would be five years older. TopChuck vs the Kept ManVerbanski hires the team to a mission that involves a lot of lying around the pool and getting Casey into bed. He reacts badly to this, so when she is kidnapped by gunrunners, he doesn't take the threat seriously. It is nice to see Adam Baldwin's Casey as the focus of the story for once and his relationship with Verbanski has been one of the strengths of this final season. The laugh out load moment of the episode is Sarah's reaction to catching them in the act. Sadly, though, the rest of the plot isn't up to this theme, being fairly perfunctory. Fortunately, the fringe fun benefits make up for that. TopChuck vs BoA strange message sends Morgan and the team to a ski resort where he apparently was Bo Derek's love bunny in order to retrieve some intersect glasses. This is one of the flat out funniest episodes of CHUCK in a very long time. Chuck and Morgan's reaction to Bo Derek are hilarious, whilst the repeated attempts to put Jeff and Lester off the trail are also very funny. Then there's a very nice cliffhanger ending that sets up a whole new plot arc, despite the fact that there's not much of a season left to arc over. TopChuck vs the Bullet TrainThe bad guys have Casey's daughter hostage and plan to swap her for the intersect that is currently residing in Sarah's head, already destroying her brain. After the fun and frivolity of the last episode, this one goes dark with Sarah's mind of the line, Casey's daughter in danger and a bad guy on the loose. With the big guns trapped on the bullet train, it's up to Jeff and Lester to save the day. Even the cliffhanger is a dark-edged one. TopChuck vs SarahNicholas Quinn has brainwashed Sarah by removing her memories of Chuck and ordering her to kill him once she has located the intersect glasses. This is an old idea, but it has some nice CHUCK twists that almost make it feel fresh again. The lengths that the plot has to go to in order to keep Sarah from getting to the point of actually killing Chuck get a bit silly along the way, but the story spirals down into the kind of darkness that the show has rarely flirted with. This is quality stuff and the first hints of the end being in sight are being sown. We are nearly at the end, but there is one more big finale to go. TopChuck vs The GoodbyeQuinn is collecting the three pieces of a key that will allow one last intersect upload, an upload that could bring back Sarah's memories. It's finally here, the last episode of CHUCK and what a brave episode it is to end on. Though it sets up the stage for the obvious solution to all the problems, it then pulls the rug out from under everyone's feet and has the courage to see its convictions through to the end. Finding a hopeful, uplifting ending in all that is perhaps more difficult than it ought to have been, but the ending has enough sweet in the bittersweet to make it work. Oh, and there is one last chance for the almighty Jeffster to prove that they have the sound to save the world. The goodbye beats CHUCK in the end, but we're glad that we knew him and his friends, for all of their faults. This last season tried to pile in a few too many plot arcs perhaps, but it was a fitting way to end the little show that could - and did. Top |
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