Chuck "Pink Slip" & "Three Words" v. My Take

It's no secret that I am a pretty massive Chuck fan, hopefully you are as well because you'll probably be hearing a lot about it here over the coming months as Season 3 airs Mondays on NBC at 8 eastern.  

Season 3 of Chuck started last night with a two hour premiere of two episodes back to back but almost didn't happen, it was only thanks to the efforts of the very vocal fans that Chuck was saved and we're now being treated to what looks like a really great new season of the show.  

In the six months or so that the show has been gone I've managed to remain relatively spoiler free but these I guess reviews, for lack of a better term, will talk about the show in-depth and be kind of a brain dump of my thoughts on each episode.  I hope someone will find some value in them.

So let's jump right into the breakdown of last night's two episodes "Chuck v. the Pink Slip" and "Chuck v. the Three Words."

Spy-World

Overall I didn't think there were any major surprises, beyond the apparent frigid state of things between Chuck and Sarah, so far in terms of how Intersect 2.0 is going to work.  We see that Chuck's somewhat clumsy nature and emotions aren't exactly a perfect fit for the Intersect 2.0. As we've been seeing in the previews for months now it is also clear that Chucks feelings for Sarah also have more than a slight effect on Chuck and the intersect. We also get some good examples of how Casey and Sarah will remain relevant, for now, beyond training.  

Chuck and Sarah slide down the zip line and into a baddy ambush and in comes Casey mini-gun blazing (Incidentally possibly one of the best Casey moments yet is Mini-Gun Casey I don't think we've ever seen seen John Casey truly happier!).  In episode 2 Chuck and the intersect completely own the laser vault only to lean into one of the lasers and set off the alarm.  Enter Agent Walker to drop some kick-ass on the baddies and save Chuck's skin once again.  

I think there's interesting moment in the Buy More where Chuck has an encounter with Emmet and manages to override the Intersect kicking in, perhaps a glimpse that Chuck isn't totally without the ability to control the intersect. I feel like the implications of this scene cannot be understated they point to something for sure.

As far as The Ring it would seem we have more questions than answers, no surprise there. We know that some kind of device has been recovered, for the first time ever, and that it's function, purpose, whatever is apparently so secret that not even the intersect has high enough clearance to know what it is. We also learn that there is something Beckman apparently feels Team Bartowski needs to know, and it puts them in danger to not know, but her shadowy superior (we don't even know he's that) isn't convinced.

Charah (Chuck & Sarah)

How to even begin? Well we're certainly not in Barstow anymore are we? I'm a huge Charah fan and part of me would have expected to be quite upset at how things have ended up between Chuck and Sarah. I can't say that many of the Chuck Sarah moments didn't feel like a total punch in the gut. However for now I think that the way things ended up will be more interesting, compelling to watch, and hopefully someday if the mess does get cleaned up it'll be much more rewarding.

I think what I like, if that's even possible, about the new circumstances is the complexity, and nuance.  The rift between Chuck and Sarah now seems more…adult than the juvenile back and forth jealousy over Bryce Larkin of Seasons 1 and 2.

A large part of me wants to hate Sarah Walker for doing what she's always done and locking her feelings back up and being, as even Casey observed, downright mean to Chuck. Problem is you can't really blame her for it.  Since almost the first episode of the show she herself admits that she's never been really good with her feelings. For the better part of two seasons she's run from them out of fear for what they might mean. For the first time she gives into her feelings and emotions for Chuck and doesn't run from them she embraces them. She puts herself out there on a limb everything she's ever known before gone for the chance to be with Chuck and he says no!  Not only must she be feeling hurt and betrayed by Chuck but by herself and her own feelings as well.  Here she is for the first time embracing her feelings and she gets her heart broken essentially. It's hard to fault her for the emotions of anger that have replaced those of love towards Chuck and as a result we get what I thought was a very powerful sparing scene between them her anger, hurt, raw emotion is palpable and I genuinely believed that she may have wanted to really hurt Chuck there.

Alright so then Chuck is the bad guy for blowing Sarah off and hurting her right? Well it's hard to fault him either because as he eventually explains in episode 2 he was doing what Sarah had been encouraging him to do all along. She was the one who always believed in him who knew he could be a real spy, taught him that there was something bigger than himself out there.  His actions and decisions are as a direct result.  

So where does all this leave Charah?  Well it is very obvious that they were in love I never really questioned that but at least by the end of episode 2 I think that much is finally out there in the open.  It is clear Chuck now wants to make it right and still loves Sarah, however it's not as clear whether he'll be able to have his cake and eat it too.  Is it too late for Chuck can the damage ever be undone? What of this cardinal rule of spies that they don't fall in love? The whole cardinal rule thing reminds me of Anakin Skywalker frankly…and that didn't go so well. Honestly I'm not sure at this point.

Sarah for her part is obviously still spinning from what happened in Prague.  It is obvious that she once loved him but not as obvious that she will love him again. However there are still plenty of signs that all hope might not be lost.  We have Karina reminding Sarah that she loves Chuck, and there is her going away present where Sarah finally sees how Chuck really feels.  Perhaps the one line that I will cling as hope that Charah might rise from the ashes is a really great exchange between them:

[standing in the courtyard destroyed by the housewarming bender]
Sarah: 's quite a mess we made.
Chuck: Yeah, I'm really hopin' we can clean it up though.
Sarah: Maybe…but you're on your own with the courtyard.

Hopefully by tearing Charah down again in a more mature and intense way if the writers do decide to rebuild the relationship it will be one that can withstand and that's built on the mutual feelings of both sides.  One thing is for sure it is going to be a rocky ride and I suspect that the storm is going to get much, much worse before we see any may signs that it is going to break. I believe though, how can you not with moments like that?!

Buymoria

Not a lot happening on the Buy Moria front this week although I suppose the big news is that for the most part the gang's all back together. Chuck, Morgan, and Casey are now back at the Buy More as is Big Mike who we learn has been to business school.

One thing I did like was the housewarming party I think Buy More benders always amusing and comical I wouldn't mind attending one someday.  Of course Jeffster trying to score the "medium hot chicks from Underpants Etc." was hilarious.  Someday I'd love to see more of "the mall."  

Things that are "AWSOME"

- Mini-Gun Casey.

- Spastic colon running joke.

- Charah and Season 1 Episode 1 throwback when Sarah says "Chuck, Don't Freak Out." Wow.

- Morgan and Karina!!! Heck I even bought that her reasons were real in that no one had ever said "No" to her before it fits with her character I'd say.

- Angry Neighbor Casey. Casey with the water hose really never fails!

- Morgan's Benihana tool belt.

- Spy gear suit up montages! It should be obvious why.

- Emmet and Wilson Phillips LOL and he can't get the words right. Hahah!