Chuck - General Discussion

[Shannon L.]

This is NOT the same as "Small Talk".  This is for discussion about the show as a whole.  Things that go beyond just one episode or one season. 

We've been watching this show on Netflix and are a few episodes into Season 3.  So far, I'm loving it, but I'm not so sure I'm crazy about the new intersect where Chuck can flash on certain abilities and just be able to do them (Kung Fu, surgery).  I'm willing to give it a chance, though, because I know they need his character to grow and change a little.  Also, was already getting bored with the "We need to talk about our feelings" conversations that have come up in what feels like every third episode long before Season 3..  I have a feeling that will be around for quite some time. 

[Shannon L.]

Ok, I'm going to try one more post--see if it sparks a conversation, no matter how short.

 

We are in Season 4 now and just saw the the episode where Sarah and Chuck were at the Milan fashion show going after the model who had the special bullets.  I know that the show is about them, but the creators have done such a great job with the supporting cast, that I find myself wishing that some of their stories weren't glossed over so much.  For ex.  I really wish they'd taken a bit of time to show us Casey and his daughter having that first talk after she realized that he wasn't lying--he really was her father.  I imagine after the awkward, serious parts of it, there would have been some levity with him commenting on how proud he is of her self defense moves  :) 

[JTMacc99]

I know that the show is about [Chuck and Sarah], but the creators have done such a great job with the supporting cast, that I find myself wishing that some of their stories weren't glossed over so much.

I think we all agreed with you at the time. The entire set of characters ended up being really rich, and their relationships with each other were worth tuning in every week regardless of the cockamamie plots they would sometimes cook up for us.

 

I barely remember any specifics of the show, but bringing up the relationship between Casey and his daughter does bring a smile to my face.  And yes, it would have been nice to have seen more of it.

 

And to be fair, I think the show would have done a lot more exploring of the rest of the characters if it wasn't always 30 seconds away from being cancelled. They always had to write the story arcs in a way that finished seasons as if there were not going to be another one.

Edited May 7, 2014 by JTMacc99

[ironclown]

I know that the show is about [Chuck and Sarah], but the creators have done such a great job with the supporting cast, that I find myself wishing that some of their stories weren't glossed over so much. 

 

At some points of the last three seasons, I found myself wishing that there'd be a mission where it was only Morgan, Sarah, and Casey, which was how annoyed I was whenever Chuck was a whiny wuss.

 

...I'm not so sure I'm crazy about the new Intersect where Chuck can flash on certain abilities and just be able to do them (Kung Fu, surgery).  I'm willing to give it a chance, though, because I know they need his character to grow and change a little. 

 

In fact, if memory serves, some of the post-Intersect 2.0 episodes that were quite highly regarded involved Chuck merely having an info flash (as opposed to an ability flash) and then using his noggin to plan and act on the information he got from the flash. Case in point would be "Push Mix": he tricked Volkoff into thinking Orion was still up and about, and was able to get him to say his vocal passphrase piece by piece.

 

You seem to be a new viewer, so I'd like to ask you something: what do you think about the Subway product placement? I had figured newbies might be justifiably annoyed by something we laughed at and appreciated at the time of airing.

 

...to be fair, I think the show would have done a lot more exploring of the rest of the characters if it wasn't always 30 seconds away from being cancelled. They always had to write the story arcs in a way that finished seasons as if there were not going to be another one.

 

Hell yes.

[Shannon L.]

 

You seem to be a new viewer, so I'd like to ask you something: what do you think about the Subway product placement? I had figured newbies might be justifiably annoyed by something we laughed at and appreciated at the time of airing.

I am a newbie--we're watching on Netflix right now and just saw the season 4 finale last night.  I love the Subway product placement (and Super Shuttle).  If it has to be done, then, imo, Chuck does it right!

 

 

In fact, if memory serves, some of the post-Intersect 2.0 episodes that were quite highly regarded involved Chuck merely having an info flash (as opposed to an ability flash) and then using his noggin to plan and act on the information he got from the flash.

Well, I said I'd give it a chance and I did and now I'm good with it. Many times someone in our family (even me) will say "flash, Chuck!". 

[VCRTracking]

Yvonne at Zach Levi's Nerd HQ show at SDCC:

 

[DebbieW]

At some points of the last three seasons, I found myself wishing that there'd be a mission where it was only Morgan, Sarah, and Casey, which was how annoyed I was whenever Chuck was a whiny wuss.

 

 

 

Yes.  Especially when the feelings conversations occurred right when they should have been paying the most attention to what was going on around them (you know, guns, bombs, abductions). I actually yelled at the TV (several times), "Pay attention, dumbass!"

[Trini]

So there's a Chuck soundtrack being released this April.

 

 

[supposebly]

So, I'm having Chuck season 3 running and it occurred to me that we never really found out why Sarah was ordered to kill Shaw's wife. They just pick anyone for target practice? The CIA looks really bad here. Well, the writers too since they seemed to have forgotten about clearing up that little detail. Shaw's wife from what we see looks like an innocent civilian. Unless I'm missing something.

[amensisterfriend]

I've been rewatching and think Season 2 is now my very favorite. Though Season 1 is a close runner up :) 

[Anela]

Last night, I saw the episode where Chuck finally tells Morgan everything. I loved that he got his best friend back. :) 

[amensisterfriend]

Oh dear...I may already have to revise my opinion, because I am LOVING S4! I love seeing Chuck and Sarah together. It always baffles me that I became such a Sarah/Chuck shipper, because 'allegedly "uncool" geek is lucky enough to get his perfect supermodel-y dream girl' is not a trope I usually enjoy, but the show subverted some tropes along the way and these two are pure gold. I also love S4 Ellie, and I'm a sucker for the emphasis on Chuck and Ellie's mom and how she's affected them. 

 

So right now all I know is that S3 is my least favorite, but the others are all vying for that top spot. I'm not sure I have the emotional fortitude to put myself through S5 again to find out where I'd rank it :) 

[amensisterfriend]

...I'm just rewatching again and love this show so very much. It's really such a fantastic combination of pretty much everything: humor, action, mystery, romance, drama, friendship, family relationships, etc. And while sometimes the writers try to throw in too much of all of that at once and end up with a kind of tonally jarring episode overall, there are always at least individual parts of that episode I'm guaranteed to adore.

 

I do find myself a tiny bit torn on Chuck (the character's!) development sometimes---on one hand, it makes perfect sense that he became more savvy and confident and (comparatively!) socially graced, and it would have been frustrating if he hadn't show any growth.  On the other hand, during later seasons I sometimes kind of miss the endearingly geeky, lovably 'uncool' Chuck of S1 and S2. 

 

It's interesting, because someone compared Sarah Walker to Castle's Kate Beckett the other day, and while I definitely see the similarities, I find myself loving Sarah so much more. I think maybe it's that Sarah was initially presented as this (mostly male!) writers' idea of the quintessential 'cool', hot, ridiculously perfect woman, but she soon turned out to have real vulnerabilities that resonated with me and is even a bit of a dorky introvert who's a little socially awkward sometimes. I also love how she's not constantly super witty and quippy like most female leads---it makes sense to me that she's more serious, and it also makes her feel more realistic somehow. By contrast, Kate Beckett initially came off to me as a somewhat socially awkward introvert who was soon revealed to be that improbably perfect, hot, cool, perfect at absolutely everything, font of all knowledge, super sassy woman to the point where at times she feels less like a real person to me than a comic book fantasy. 

 

I'm skipping a lot of the Shaw parts during this rewatch, but otherwise this show just makes me so happy. I don't even find Morgan quite as annoying as I used to :) 

[amaranta]

I'm skipping a lot of the Shaw parts during this rewatch, but otherwise this show just makes me so happy. I don't even find Morgan quite as annoying as I used to :)

 

You are me.  I loved this show when it was on and love it still.  I watch at least once every year, usually twice.  Most of the episodes I skip are Shaw related and in the first half of Season 3; I don't pass on the episodes where he finally becomes a full on villain.  Oh, and I always skip Chuck versus The Murder.  It doesn't feel like it's even part of the series, so I don't miss it.

 

The Season 2 finale, Chuck versus The Ring, might be my favorite episode.  They threw in everything but the kitchen sink and yet it all worked so beautifully.

Edited February 7, 2016 by amaranta

[Rina99]

Thanks to Netflix, I'm doing a rewatch, and am currently on Season 2.  I was never much of a Chuck/Sarah shipper, and still am not, but I do appreciate that the build up to their relationship was much more tolerable than most shows manage. I'm still dreading Season 3 though.  I didn't care about Sarah and Chuck not being together, but I remember the first 13 as just really not great even as a non-shipper, and Chuck being whiny and Sarah pretty much stone-faced during the first half of it.

[amaranta]

So I shouldn't be this upset at Netflix taking Chuck off at the end of October, right?  But I am.  I watch it every year, usually when most shows go on holiday break.

Damn it.

[snarktini]

On 10/6/2016 at 8:37 AM, amaranta said:

So I shouldn't be this upset at Netflix taking Chuck off at the end of October, right?  But I am.  I watch it every year, usually when most shows go on holiday break.

Damn it.

What?! Aw man, I considered a rewatch during the summer doldrums but put it off, and now it's leaving. How much can I watch in 20 days? Let's find out!

I never would have guessed Adam Baldwin would become such a favorite.

[stillsearching74]

I still love this show so much! The TV world needs more genre-blending, warm-hearted, funny and goofy yet emotionally poignant shows like this one, and I need more protagonists like Chuck Batowski. 

I'm in the group who initially thought Sarah would be the generic "hot cool girl" (other posters coined this, but it fit so well that I'm echoing it!), but she became a much more real, likable character than I'd hoped and I ended up loving her. I love how after a life of assuming different identities as a spy she had to learn who she really was as a human being and how her emotions could be assets rather than liabilities, while Chuck already knew who he was and just had to learn to embrace it. In a way her challenge was to let herself grow and change into who she was meant to be and his was to NOT let his bizarre new profession, external pressures and life in general change him. 

Favorite characters: Chuck, Sarah, Ellie, Casey, Devon (aka Awesome!)

Least favorite: Shaw and sometimes Morgan 

Seasons in order of my favorite to least favorite: 4, 1, 2, 5 and 3

Favorite episodes: ....too many to list, but I'll try to narrow it down! 

Edited May 9, 2017 by stillsearching74

[amaranta]

Quote

Seasons in order of my favorite to least favorite: 4, 1, 2, 5 and 3

My favorite seasons are 1 and 2, then 4, 5 and 3.  Shaw really was a bummer, wasn't he?

I'm still ticked Netflix took it off.  It was such a fun show.

[FnkyChkn34]

Chuck is probably my favorite show of all time, and made me fall in love with Zachary Levi.  (If it's not my favorite, it's very close, behind maybe Game of Thrones.)  I miss this show on Netflix, and am cautiously optimistic that Zachary can someday make the movie he wants to make.  

I also see the actors and actresses in other shows, and they'll never not be their Chuck characters to me.  :-)

[Doyounot]

I think what made it so satisfying is all the potential series finales they had (i think i counted 6). It must have sucked for them though to be so unsure of their future that they kept having to wrap up everything in a good way but keep the door open to more. I liked that they kept getting more episodes added to the seasons so there was like 2 series finales a season! Some stuff did get rushed because of this so not all positive but overall i think it helped more than it hurt.

It was so funny, had heart, had a positive view on life/being good and was light especially when so much of tv now is crazy dark. It also wasnt naively good though (the character chuck was sometimes but not the show) as bad stuff happens and it wasnt just a fantasy but the message (i got from it anyway) was awesome to stay good despite the shit and also showed the value of growing. I feel lame just typing that but it was what i felt i dont wanna lie.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Ahh, Chuck.  I don't really keep lists, but if I did, it would definitely be in my "Top 3 TV Shows".  [and needs a rewatch sooner than later]

I started from the beginning, but didn't start watching until sometime in the early going of S4 during its original run.  This show was (& still is) absolutely fantastic.  Chuck was the 'everyman' nerd.  The awkward geek who most of us could relate to.  I remember feeling that the BuyMore schtick got to be a bit too much when I first watched, but afterwards, and rewatches, I know the show wouldn't have been what it was without the BuyMorons and BuyMoria.

Doing a 'favorite episodes' list would be impossible as there's too many to consider, but I would personally rank the seasons as;
#1 - Season Two  [the last 9 eps of this season are arguably the greatest nearly-serialized run in TV history, ever (IMO), not to mention a few standouts in the first 13 before them]
#2 - Season One  [a very good start to a great series]
#3 - Season Three, the post-Shaw half dozen  [kicking Shaw to the curb - or off a bridge - turned this season right around, also got the official start of 'Charah' underway]
#4 - Season Four  [a few 'hiccups', but otherwise a very good season, also the longest one]
#5 - Season Five  [the start wasn't the best, being so focused on the bearded troll, but started getting good after they got the Intersect out of Morgan]
#6 - Season Three, the Shaw-shanked first 13 eps  [worst run of episodes in the series, unquestionably - and the blame lies with the writers & showrunners, but Chuck Vs The Fake Name will forever live in infamy.  There were 3 or 4 not-very bad episodes in these 13, and not coincidentally, each of those were episodes that didn't have any screen-time for Shaw]   

Edited June 29, 2017 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[Trini]

Chuck Cast Update - from ChuckTV.net,

'Chuck turns 10' - Zachary Levi interview with Entertainment Weekly; has update on a possible follow-up movie.

TVline looks at memorable guest stars for the 10-year anniversary.

[Loandbehold]

I didn't see anyplace else to put this. On last night's Blindspot, the villain worked as a Nerd Herder. But, in NY, not LA. Even the outfit was pretty close.

[marihunc]

16 hours ago, Loandbehold said:

I didn't see anyplace else to put this. On last night's Blindspot, the villain worked as a Nerd Herder. But, in NY, not LA. Even the outfit was pretty close.

Yeah, it was basically the same including the grey tie! :D Only the pocket protector looked a bit different, but they even took the original Nerd Herd logo!

[Trini]

Wow, really? I haven't been interested enough to get back into Blindspot, but that makes me wonder if the two shows have writers/producers in common.

[FnkyChkn34]

It was a great reference, and makes me miss Chuck even more...

[Loandbehold]

On 11/12/2017 at 11:12 PM, Trini said:

Wow, really? I haven't been interested enough to get back into Blindspot, but that makes me wonder if the two shows have writers/producers in common.

I was wondering the same thing. Then I saw this on: chucktv.net

So, I guess someone at Blindspot is just a fan of Chuck.

[SnoGirl]

On 11/11/2017 at 9:36 PM, Loandbehold said:

I didn't see anyplace else to put this. On last night's Blindspot, the villain worked as a Nerd Herder. But, in NY, not LA. Even the outfit was pretty close.

 

On 11/16/2017 at 2:43 PM, Loandbehold said:

I was wondering the same thing. Then I saw this on: chucktv.net

So, I guess someone at Blindspot is just a fan of Chuck.

I’m watching Blindspot on Hulu and I freaked OUT when I saw the Nerd Herder symbol. I wish the show would reference their LA undercover squad.

I’m amazed they pulled off the reference. You would think there would have to be a couple people in kahoots. Someone in costuming, someone in graphic design, and writing. I want to know who the Chuck Fan is. Or so you think they just found a box of Nerd Herder stuff somewhere and were like “this would work PERFECTLY.”

I prefer the secret fans working on Blindspot. Chuck is still the show that could.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

After this much time since it ended, I'm not all that sure about (still) wanting a Chuck 'movie'.

I would definitely watch it (at least once) - if it happened - but after 6.5 years [as of now] and would be more than that if ever actually done, I just don't know if the cast & crew could truly recapture the magic that made the show what it was after an extended absence and having worked on a multitude of different projects since Chuck ended.

[Glory]

I found out this was streaming on Amazon Prime and am in the middle of a re-watch. I gotta say - that first scene when Chuck uploads the Intersect 2.0 and then clobbers all those bad guys is still my favorite scene of the series. Plus, I haven't done a rewatch in quite some time so some things are "like new" to me. I really miss this show. 

There are a few things that don't hold up, though, in this "woke" age. Jeff and Lester specifically, but there are a few other things. 

[Loandbehold]

Ryan McPartlin (Captain Awesome) is in a few episodes of the new Spectrum* cop show, LA's Finest, playing cop Jessica Alba's lawyer-husband. I've only watched half of the first episode. He was in one scene so far.

*May only be available to those of us "lucky enough" to have Spectrum cable.

[doyouevengohere]

I am watching this on Amazon Prime.  I remember watching this in the first season when it aired and some of the 2nd, but I got busy and stopped watching tv for a while and I had no idea that this show lasted as long as it did!  I loved this show! I vaguely remember web episodes of Morgan cam and stories about the nerd herders that would accompany the series and I remember fans getting up in arms to boycott Subway if this was cancelled, lol! Right now I'm on season 3 and I hate Hannah and Shaw and find them both useless for the plot.  The lead actors are GREAT in this show even when the plot lines are weak.  Hopefully Prime won't get rid of this show while I'm in the middle of watching it (I was watching the whole of Inspector Lewis and then they changed it to PBS  passport pay only so I never got to see the end of the series).

[Loandbehold]

1 minute ago, doyouevengohere said:

I remember fans getting up in arms to boycott Subway if this was cancelled, lol!

It was actually the other way around. To save the show, the fans bought footlongs from Subway and wrote up comment cards. The mastermind of the plan was a poster on the old TWOP boards. She came up with the concept, got it out into the media, and was even interviewed on tv. In the end, it worked. Subway became an even bigger sponsor of the show and received free product placement (and basically commercial ads during the episodes themselves) starting in season 3. One of, if not the most creative "save our show" fan campaigns ever.

[doyouevengohere]

Thanks!  I couldn't remember the details just that fans saved the show by using Subway as a sponsor!

[doyouevengohere]

WOW! So I finished the series and I'm so amazed!  That was a great series finale ; the only thing that would have made it better would have been a guest appearance from Anna Wu.  I hated Daniel Shaw and I wish they had made Quinn the evil guy that did all that throughout instead of adding him on at the end.  Loved the character development of Casey throughout the series.  I actually started to hate Sarah a little bit by season 4- all her boohoo I hate weddings but I have to save Chuck b/c he is gonna propose to me........it was annoying.  Like they couldn't compromise and have a small wedding?  But all in all it's a great show; they don't make em like this anymore!  I think my favorite episode was where we meet Sarah's mom and adopted sister that she saved as a baby.....although if she had such a nice normal mom, why was she raised by her grandma and then dad?

Edited June 11, 2019 by doyouevengohere

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Just started a rewatch (eps 1-6) - hope I can continue, as time and life aren't always cooperative - but no matter how many times I watch any of the episodes, I never fail to smile or even laugh.

When I first binged the show (s1-early s4) to catch up to where it was 'live' on TV and hadn't watched it before, I found myself getting pretty tired of all the Jeffster and Morgan 'antics', but as I've rewatched and mellowed, even they don't bother me nearly as much as early on.

Nearly everything about this show just works.  The combination of spy-fi dramedy, acting and the soundtrack/score just all combines to make Chuck a classic.  One that can be rewatched and enjoyed many times over as the years continue to roll on.

[Loandbehold]

Per Josh Gomez (sans beard!), a mini-Chuck reunion. Josh, Zach, and Ryan

Edited July 14, 2019 by Loandbehold

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

Just out of curiosity, how many times have you done a full rewatch of Chuck?

Myself?  None, actually.  I've started rewatches quite a few times, but life/circumstances always interrupts and I think the furthest I've ever made it was through S3. 

Don't get me wrong, the majority of my favorite episodes are in that span, but I would like to complete a full rewatch just for the sake of actually doing it.

Want to start a rewatch now, but might force myself to wait until after the holidays.  More free time and less stress.

Edited December 4, 2019 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[Loandbehold]

1 hour ago, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

Just out of curiosity, how many times have you done a full rewatch of Chuck?

Probably two times, but not in the last five or so years. On rare occasions, I pop a disc into the ol' dvd player.

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

3 hours ago, Loandbehold said:

Probably two times, but not in the last five or so years. On rare occasions, I pop a disc into the ol' dvd player.

I feel the urge to rewatch a couple episodes - at least - a lot, but I am so behind on all my TV viewing I am torn on starting a rewatch or starting something new.

There's more than a few shows I'm behind on, or shows I want to watch but haven't started yet, etc.  But the urge to rewatch (at least some) Chuck just never seems to leave me alone. 

If that's not an indication of how much I like a TV series, I don't know what is.

[amaranta]

On 12/4/2019 at 6:35 PM, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

Just out of curiosity, how many times have you done a full rewatch of Chuck?

Five times, I think.  And I'm getting ready to go again - it's my holiday and a lot of stuff is on break show. I do skip a bunch of season 3 episodes.  I watch vs The Beard,  and then pick up again with Ep. 12, vs The American Hero. 

On 12/4/2019 at 6:35 PM, iRarelyWatchTV36 said:

I've started rewatches quite a few times, but life/circumstances always interrupts and I think the furthest I've ever made it was through S3. 

I recommend Season 4. Timothy Dalton was so much fun. My rank of all the seasons by how much I love them: 2, 1, 4, 5 and then 3. 

Edited December 8, 2019 by amaranta
Edited to add the obvious: I love this show!

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

10 hours ago, amaranta said:

Five times, I think.  And I'm getting ready to go again - it's my holiday and a lot of stuff is on break show. I do skip a bunch of season 3 episodes.  I watch vs The Beard,  and then pick up again with Ep. 12, vs The American Hero. 

I recommend Season 4. Timothy Dalton was so much fun. My rank of all the seasons by how much I love them: 2, 1, 4, 5 and then 3. 

My fave seasons would be ranked as;  2, 1, 3 [e 3+4+9-season finale], 4, 5, and 3 [6 of first 8 eps].

TD is fun, and I thought Linda Hamilton did a good job as Momma Bartowski (both in s4 & 5).  Another thing that stood out from a memorable standpoint, from s4, was The Matrix homage in Vs First Bank of Evil.

Edited December 8, 2019 by iRarelyWatchTV36

[Loandbehold]

Season 2 is my favorite. Season 1 was so much fun. Then probably 4 (yay Timothy Dalton), 5, and last 3.

Favorite episode is Chuck vs. Santa Claus from S2.

Most episodes w/ Shaw are difficult to watch. Can't stand BR and his "which of my 1-1/2 facial expressions do you want in this scene?" Always felt it was ridiculous that Sarah revealed her real name to Shaw instead of Chuck.

[Guest]

 

[ElectricBoogaloo]

According to this announcement, PBS will be airing She Loves Me (2016) with Laura Benanti, Gavin Creel, Jane Krakowski and Zachary Levi on 7/24

[snarktini]

Chuck drinking game: Take a drink every time a character says "spy". Two if they say it within earshot of people who should not know that.

Warning: You might die if you try this 😄

[iRarelyWatchTV36]

On 3/31/2022 at 10:07 AM, snarktini said:

Chuck drinking game: Take a drink every time a character says "spy". Two if they say it within earshot of people who should not know that.

Warning: You might die if you try this 😄

We'd all be dead by the 3rd episode into the series.  lol

The scene where Chuck and Sarah have arrived at the art gala, in search of La Ciudad.  Where he drops hors d'oeuvres sauce on his tie, then after Sarah laughs at him goes on about screwing up during his first time as a spy while lots of other people are walking around and Sarah quiets him down by telling him to quit saying he's a spy.

That's like 5 drinks in one scene alone.  I'd be sauced out of my mind after just that ~60 second scene. 

[moonshine71]

Rewatching this after many years. Have some mixed feelings about it, but it is a fun show most if the time.

 

The one thing I am absolutely certain about after 3 seasons is that I can't stand Chuck's sister. Not one bit. Jfc, she is insufferable.