Chuck: Chuck Versus The Colonel
By fred | April 21, 2009
(S02E21) I feel a little conflicted about this episode. On the one hand, this might have been the most awesome episode the show ever did, and yet on the other hand it was so good – and so well done in the way things went down – that I’m afraid of what will come next. As you all know, chances are that, unfortunately, there won’t be a third season. It’s just math, and the fact that NBC exec are morons.
Since they have lots of shows, already ordered a bunch of new series, all while at the same time giving up in the 10.00pm slot to Leno, they will cancel lots of shows, and Chuck might simply not be renewed because they don’t have a slot for it. That makes next episode a season finale, for sure, and quite probably a series finale as well — even though I hope not.
Thing is, this episode felt to me like a perfect way to end the season, while also providing what could be a satisfying series finale. Let’s face it, this was pure awesomeness everywhere, some great Chuck like we would have have dreamed to get, all condensed into one single hour of television!!
From Chuck & Sarah, now not a spy anymore (not officially), finally embracing their feelings for each other after spending the night in the same bed, with a scene both perfect as they finally were making out, and Chuck even taking a moment to look at Sarah and smile, happy this is really real and really happening, and pretty funny as Chuck could only find an IOU from Morgan for all condom.
Then we were right back into action mode, some cool fighting scenes involving Sarah & Casey on opposite sides for a change, or Casey having for sole weapon a radiator, and Chuck resorting to his nerdiness to feel safe: “You can’t kill me with that radiator! It is far too confined in the car for you to get any torque.”
Of course all Casey wanted was to be asked to join in on the fun, and while he didn’t miss Chuck’s face on a target-picture this time, he really wanted to help, and eventually did, ending with him (and Chuck) eventually re-establishing Sarah as proving they really are a team of three.
But before that, there was a stop in Awesome City, and as the foreshadowing events of Awesome almost catching the General not long ago led us to believe, he was the first one of Chuck’s close circle of family & friends to finally find out about Chuck’s double life. Loved to see Chuck certain that Awesome could handle it, Awesome realizing Chuck was serious and Chuck taking offense over the word “looser,” and of course what was I believe the funniest scene of the episode, maybe the entire series so far.
Captain Awesome trying to have Chuck’s back and cover for him, facing Ellie, and literally unable to say anything. “Yeah… I mean no. I mean… Well he’s fine. Yeah. / So you spoke to him? / No! Definitely not! / Someone else spoke to him? Casey? No? Sarah? / Who!?” It shouldn’t be a surprise, but he was absolutely awesome and that entire scene just made me laugh so hard, I had to pause a little while to catch my breath. (Also, rewind and watch it again a couple of times.)
Plus we had the whole “AssMan” and Vito Corleone Big Mike at the Buy More, or Morgan admitting his long-life dream to his girl (”…and I don’t even know where to get the knives!“), or Jess admiring Casey’s “stalker” equipment before using the chloroform on himself, or the General “hanging up” on Chuck when he wanted to express his feelings, …
(BTW though, if theyuse the same power as the Buy More, and have the cells open up when there’s no power, it makes for a lousy secret base I say… Not to mention they have of course padlocks inside the cell for nerds to reprogram the entire place and/or escape…)
And while Chuck was technically keeping one foot in the car, they all managed to get his father back and brought him home in time for dinner, all the while he got to take the Intersect out of Chuck’s head, this giving him his life/freedom back. Now, Casey & Sarah are still coming to the wedding, but as friends. Well, Sarah probably more than just a friend, as there is no cover to maintain anymore, and if they’re holding hands, this time no one is faking anything in any way.
And that, could have been a perfect season finale, and a satisfying series finale shall it ever come to that. There was even the bad guy who’s not really dead and heading towards the wedding as well as a cliffhanger for things to come… But to have one more episode, I have to admit I’m worried. I’m worried for a couple of reasons.
For one, I don’t see how they could possibly do anything that would be better and/or more satisfying a finale as they did this week. Also, I really hope they won’t go down the road of Ellie or Sarah being taken hostage, thus forcing Chuck to get the Intersect back in his head to save her/them, because that’d be a bit lame I think. And then again, if they go back and open back the road for a third season it will most likely be by introducing new questions and mysteries, aka make it all the more frustrating if the show doesn’t get renewed.
(And just in case you’re wondering: it doesn’t help the chances of getting renewed at all. Networks couldn’t care less about giving the viewers a satisfying ending or resolution to a cliffhanger. See any of the hundreds of (great) series that were canceled after a season finale full of cliffhanger, or even before the season could end, and whether or not it was a serialized show, whether or not there were questions to answer that could/would have been covered in future episodes never mattered one bit.)
What did everybody else think?
