Chuck vs. the A-Team: Thoughts from a Ho

This is the first time in a long time that I felt compelled to write a Chuck review.  I am happy to say that last night’s episode, Chuck versus the A-Team written by returning writer Phil Klemmer, was a breath of fresh air.  However, despite enjoying the episode Chuck’s future isn’t looking good to me but before I get into any of that let’s talk the episode. 

This episode revisited the Greta plotline that was introduced at the beginning of the season.  Both Isaiah Mustafa and Stacy Keibler reprised their roles (no Summer Glau though that could be a good thing for Jeff and Lester) and we soon learn that these Gretas are now Intersects.  I think from the beginning of the show we’ve wondered if anyone other than Chuck would or could get an Intersect.  The show has flirted with the idea before and this show did briefly have the character Shaw had an Intersect albeit a sketchy version.  However, this is the first time we’ve seen the Intersect be successful in other people and I liked how it played out.  We got a little Intersect v. Intersect action and even got to see someone other than Zachary Levi do that eye thing (by the way the Gretas win as they manage to do it without looking as constipated) though between us I liked the first aspect better.  More so, it was acknowledged that despite all the crap Chuck gets about not acting more like a spy it isn’t an easy job being the Intersect.  Captain Rick even admits feels sorry for Chuck and it becomes clear that although other agents can now download the Intersect, Chuck can still manage it the best.

The other plot included Ellie being stir crazy and wanting to revisit that laptop that her father left her.  I have to hand it to Klemmer as he managed to not only integrate the Buy More with the Awesomes but he did it well.  I was actually laughing at the Buy More scenes and I can’t say I’ve done that recently.   The Jeff/Lester/Ellie scene was one of my favorite parts of the episode and then the C-I-A scene came and I was laughing all over again. 

Other highlights:

·      Sarah using the 10mm darts on Morgan.  Let’s be honest though, I enjoy it when anyone is tranquilized.

·      Awesome being the greatest husband and reminding his wife that she’s not just anything but Mrs. Awesome.

·      Final Fantasy 2 reference and a blow on the cartridge.  Brings back so many memories.

·      That cliffhanger.  Ellie the Super Mom?  I think it fits.

Yet despite the fact that this episode felt like a return to the old Chuck there were plenty of issues excluding the Sienna commercial.  Many of the problems that the episode faced could be summed up in that many of the aspects have come too late in the series.  First off there were 9 episodes since the last mention or appearance of Greta and no hint to the fact that they had any real relevance.  This plot should have appeared earlier in the season or really earlier in the series when trying to create another Intersect was the plot.  Now, randomly in the midst of the new Volkoff plotline we get this episode.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d rather have this over the awful Volkoff daughter story but it doesn’t really make sense as of now.  Sarah all of sudden caring about being Casey’s partner was also random and out of place as well as Chuck once again being questioned as the Intersect.  It seems like we’re too far past all of these aspects to be going backwards.

So after all of that how can I still say I liked the episode?

I refuse to speak for anyone else but I’ll say that this season has been pretty disappointing for me, especially this later half.   Chuck has always been a lighthearted show and one that pokes fun at its own genre and because of that it is easy to forgive some of the ridiculous plots we’ve endured over the years.  However, it seems this season has hit a new lows.   I believe because of this I now have lower expectations for the show.  It seems if I am entertained I can hand wave the rest of issues off.  The show’s future, once again, is in question and perhaps in the possibilities of its last days I’d want to see various stories be told regardless of how random they seem.  If Chuck were to end then I’d rather it go out with a bang.  Speaking of a Season 5…

Do I think Chuck will get a Season 5?

I honestly don’t know.  The current state of NBC and the fact that most of the freshman shows are doing poorly (or have already been cancelled) might mean Chuck scrapes by for another season.  However, it should also be noted that Chuck is a Warner Bros. show meaning that licensing fees are always an issue and NBC could just decide it isn’t worth it anymore.  Also given the recent ratings I’d say that Chuck is a goner but honestly the show is the little engine that could.  If any show could make it then it’ll be Chuck.

Shouldn’t the fact that Chuck is close to 100 episodes mean renewal is more likely?

I don’t think so.  I hate to be realistic but Chuck is no Friends or Seinfeld and I don’t really see it running on TBS on the weekends or late at night.  I don’t think another 10 or so episodes will make difference and again costs should be taken into consideration.

Do I even want a Season 5?

And isn’t that the real question.  Here is where I feel I might not make friends.  Let me first say that I really do love the show.  Chuck has given me some of the best entertainment and led me to people such awesome people that no matter what I’ll love the show.  That being said I think I’m about ready to say goodbye.  No, that doesn’t mean I’ll stop watching the show.  If Chuck were to run for another 10 seasons I’d feel compelled to watch them all.  However, the current state of the show makes me feel like the end is near.  It is hard to watch a show that used to be fresh and funny became very cliché and predictable in my eyes.   Chuck used to be a show that had strong episodes with the occasional misfire (Third Dimension anyone?) but now it seems like the situation is reversed where we get a great episode after several mediocre ones at best.  I don’t think I’m being too harsh when I say the show feels tired at times and often clueless on where to proceed.   If Chuck is to get a Season 5 then these are the aspects I’d like to see worked on.

·      Continuity and Flow in both Plot and Characters

·      Learn to Balance the Various Sides of the Show/Don’t Force the Buy More

·      Be Original

I know that the unpredictability of the show’s future comes into play in trying to map out a season but if all cable shows can successfully write a solid 13-episode season, then I think Chuck should be able to as well.  The show has had so much trouble with this one aspect.  Most of the issue is organization.  This episode, as I stated, seemed to belong episodes ago when the Greta plot was first fresh in our minds.  A trending theme with the show seems to be cramming jammed packed plots and twists at the end of the season so that we forget the weak fleeting arcs in the beginning.  Chuck still has great ideas in my opinions but the execution is so lacking that these ideas often don’t measure up on the show or aren’t given the proper attention.  Volkoff was a great villain idea but the fact that in less than a few weeks (if that long) he was brought done despite 20 years of failure didn’t really add up.  Shaw is another example of a character idea that had potential but wasn’t executed properly.

*I personally would rather the show give up the whole “need a villain” aspect.  In fact in the few minutes I got of Director Bentley I would rather have her been the antagonist, not even necessarily evil, over continuing the Volkoff story. 

In truth I just want the show to take a step back and focus.  Don’t juggle too many plots like they’ve done in past seasons but rather take an idea and go with it.  I don’t know if Chuck can ever be what it was (novelty does wear off) but the spark is still there.  All I ask is to be entertained and Chuck has done that more for me than any other show but I miss the days when I was excited for it.  Here’s to hoping that it’s not too late. 

A Ho vs. Castle Inanity

Following the much anticipated midseason finale I caught up with the group Castle Inanity to discuss the episode.  We talk likes, dislikes and what we overall hope to see from the back 11.  I have to say there are some excellent points made in this podcast but these are solely our opinions.  Feel free to agree, disagree and discuss them in the comments.  Enjoy!


LINK

Check out their blog here!

Chuck vs. Phase Three Podcast

For subscribers, our 18th podcast episode on the latest Chuck episode should already be available for subscribers. If you're not a subscriber but still want to listen, it'll take an hour or so. iTunes is lame like that. :(

But listen to it! We talk about the greatness that is the episode and Yvonne's badass-ery.

Here's the link:

THE LINK

Ken-Mar Rescue Wine, Cheese and Chocolate Event

Here it is.

I finally finished processing the pictures from the Ken-Mar Rescue Wine, Cheese, and Chocolate event held last November 13, 2010. The fundraiser event was a blast! We got to drink wine and eat chocolates and cheese as much as we want. On top of that, we got to meet, talk and take pictures with Yvonne Strahovski, Julia Ling, and other celebrities. Silent auctions were held and lots of prizes were given out during the raffle.

Let's not forget the whole purpose of the event -- raise money for rescue dogs. Ken-Mar Rescue helps save stray, abandoned dogs and gives them the needed care. Ken-Mar rescue also finds homes for them. So how can you get involved in this 'caninitarian' mission? You can adopt dogs like what Yvonne did! Yvonne got her dog, Chazzie, from the Ken-Mar Rescue animal shelter. She mentioned in her speech that this coming holiday season, people are going to look at pets to give as presents. Instead of buying dogs, people should consider adopting them. You can also foster a dog like what some awesome Chuck fans I know did. Last but not the least, you can donate to Ken-Mar Rescue by sending money or by participating in Ken-Mar Rescue fundraisers like this WCC event and the tennis tournament held last July (Click here for other ways to help).

Congratulations to Ken-Mar Rescue for this successful event! And major props to Ken and Martie for establishing such a wonderful organization.

Chuckfest 2 Pictures

Here are the pictures I took at Chuckfest 2. Enjoy!

Watch out for the next episode of the Chuck's Stable of Hos podcast. We talk about Chuckfest, WB tour and Ken-Mar Wine, Cheese, Chocolate Event. This episode is loaded!!

Zachary Levi talks about Tangled & why there's no Chuck musical episode

Someone posted on YouTube a video of Zachary Levi (probably from a press conference or something. Please do leave a comment if you know the source of this interview) as he talks about auditioning for Tangled and doing voice overs. He also answers the question of why no Chuck musical episode has been done to date.

As a bonus, Zac shows us his Flynn smolder!

Enjoy the video! :)

Zachary Levi sings I See The Light for Tangled Movie

Zachary Levi has amazed us with his singing voice when he sang Terrified with Katharine McPhee. He proved to the world that he can sing. Well, prepare to be blown away once more. Zac sings I See The Light with Mandy Moore from the upcoming Disney movie, Tangled. The song will be included in the Tangled original soundtrack, which will be released on November 16, 2010.

Acting, directing, singing, dancing. Is there anything else Zac cannot do?

Watch the official Tangled trailer here. In theaters November 24, 2010.

Chuck vs. the Aisle of Terror: Thoughts from a Ho

Without a doubt highlight of this latest episode was definitely the return of Mama B.  Ever since that little preview we got at the start of the season I've been counting down the days until she appeared again.  We know Mama B is a badass but this episode gave us a little more insight to Mary Elizabeth Bartowski is while at the same time raising a lot more questions.

Question 1: How much does Mama B know?

We know Mama B knew about Chuck's search but the question remained how much more did she know?  This episode told us that while she knows all about the Intersect and Agent Carmichael, she doesn't seem to know any personal information about her children.  She didn't know who Sarah was so to me that means we can safely assume she hasn't been visually keeping tabs on her children.  But shouldn't she know who Carmichael's team is?  I suppose the real question I have is where she got her information.  Does she know Chuck is the Intersect through files?  Did Stephen tell her?  Does she even know that he's dead?  I hope the next episode addresses these questions.


Question 2:  Does Mama B care about the fact she left?

Linda Hamilton sold the line when she said she wished could do it over again she would and I believed her.  Sure she shot her son but it was for his own good!  The speech she gave to Chuck combined with the longing looks she had when she was spying on Ellie seemed to contract what she said about not wanting to know about her children's lives.  She wants to know, she just knows she shouldn't.  I think the Bartowski family wants a fresh start and I hope the get it... you know after Chuck breaks her out of the captivity his girlfriend put her in.


Question 3: Is Mama B part of the good guys?

Ahh the age old question.  She did come out of hiding to prevent nerve gas from hitting the market, so yes.  She shot her son.  Hmmm maybe not then.  But then she helped him out again.  So yes?

This episode did a great job of keeping the answer to this question grey.  No, she isn't like Papa B where we knew he was good the whole time.  In fact, it is obvious Mary is no saint but I don't think she has bad intentions either.  She may not be helping the CIA but I don't think she is hurting them either.  All she seems to want is her family to be safe, and in Chuck's world that is really all that matters.


Final Question:  Are you happy with the Mama B storyline?

I think it is safe to say that from the moment it was mentioned Chuck's mom left our minds have been churning and every possible scenario has been thought of.   So the question is, has it lived up to what you wanted?  Are you happy that Mama B is in the picture or would you have rather they left the story alone?

Some Additional Thoughts:

• As strong as the Mama B stuff was in this episode, the rest of it seemed subpar.  Sure there were some moments but as usual the Buy More just wasn't as strong.

• Did anyone know Devon's mom was going to be in the episode!?  I surely had no clue.  I think Morgan Fairchild was sort of under used but I've felt that way about a lot of the guests and stunt casting.  If only Chuck was a longer show....

• Can Jeff get creepier?  I don't think so but I've thought that way too often before. 

• Now that we've seen Chuck's mom, are we ever going to find out the story on Sarah's?  Man I hope so.

Next week it looks like our favorite couple hits a rocky patch seeing as Sarah sort of kidnapped Chuck's mom and accused her of being evil.  Hey, it happens.  I'm sure they'll kiss and make up... okay well that's at least what I want to see.  How about you?

Rules of Commenting.

1. Be nice!
2. No releasing nerve gas on others.

Morgan, Morgan, Morgan...

Unfortunately I've been busy and haven't been able to do full reviews of the past couple of episodes.  It safe to say I enjoyed them especially that big, gorgeous statue of the Captain and the squee moment of Sarah admitting she was ready for the next step.  Oh, and as always Casey being a badass.  However, what really caught my attention last episode was Morgan.  

I've commented on how much Morgan has grown but it seems once again he's reached a new level.  No, he's no mister suave spy but it seems Morgan is part of the spy team and willing to take a risk to help the team out.  I mean the guy got shot and electrocuted!  I'd say the little bearded man is far from his sexting days on missions.  More so, Morgan seems like an adult... well as much as an adult as he can be.  He is taking charge in the Buy More and he's now entered an adult relationship.  

I love Alex and Morgan together for a lot of reasons.  The main one being the comedic potential but also because Morgan is moving away from Chuck as his crutch.  Although the bromance and those Halo marathons will always be there, it seems Morgan is ready for more.

It is sometimes hard to believe that the Morgan I love so much is the same annoying gnome that always got in Chuck's way in the beginning of the show.  Kudos to Josh Gomez for making us love the furry bastard and the writing staff for making Morgan more than just an annoying sidekick.  Now all Agent Grimes has to do is not get killed by Casey.  Shouldn't be too hard, right?

So what do you think?  Are you happy where Morgan is in the show?

Chuck full season 4 - It's official!

Yesterday, Ausiello gave Chuck fans something to get excited about -- NBC's plan to pick up Chuck for a full season.

Today, NBC gives Chuck fans an early Christmas present. The network finally ordered not 6, not 9 but 11 more episodes of the show!! Thank you NBC! Season 4 with 24 episodes means 24 hours of pure awesome, fun, Chucktastic TV time!

Now that the "full season 4" mission is accomplished, Chuck peeps, are you ready to take on your next mission? (Yes, I'm talking about Season 5!)


Don't forget to watch Chuck LIVE on Mondays 8/7c at NBC.

Chuck vs. the Cubic Z: Thoughts from a Ho

This past Chuck episode is once again in the middle of a fan battle with some people loving it and others… well not so much.   This week we got our first taste of new blood with Nicholas Wootton.  To give dear ol’ Nick some props I didn’t think the writing was bad and actually thought he wrote our two leads very well.  In fact I actually really enjoyed a lot of this episode.  However, there was a cancer this week and it can be stated in two words: Buy More.

Let’s get the bad, or rather awfully horrendous, out of the way first.  To say the Buy More plotline was subpar would be kind.  The Buy More is usually a favorite (or least not such a dead weight) among fans so what went so wrong this week?  The first issue for me would be that the plotline was just not fresh.  We may not have seen this plot specifically but we’ve seen variations of it, and better.  The second problem, which was the lack of humor from the Buy More gang, is an extension of that.  It is hard for something to be funny if you’ve heard, or seen, the joke before.   However, here I’ll knock the writer a bit since despite the bad plot, we still could’ve had some good lines.  Jeffster usually has great subtle one-liners but they were nowhere to be found in this episode.  Morgan, who is also usually funny, was too stressed out about the lack of games issue to really be classic Morgan (although I did like the small bromance scene).  And this brings me to my biggest issue with the plotline.   It just didn’t make sense.  Sure I’ll look beyond the fact there are no games available even though the Buy More is run by the CIA and should therefore be able to avoid this potholes.  However, what I can’t get over is the fact that a riot by the angry mob of customers occurred.  It is the freaking CIA! They should be able to handle civilians.  Sure Morgan had the slackers rehired but when a simple button in the Buy More can cause us to go to DEFCON 1, I’d think there’d be a little more control.  For all we know, half of the United States could have been blown up from the loads of craps that was trampled over.   I repeat: it just didn’t make sense.  More so, because the CIA runs the Buy More there was potential for a plot that was new and funny.  Customers, expecting to show the store a piece of their mind, could have been arrested, gassed, put into order, etc. leaving them dumbfounded.  I wanted a “What would Casey do with a fan riot?” not a reprise of the Buy More a la Season 2.

Okay, now that I got that out of the way I can move onto the other aspects of the episode specifically Nicole Richie.  No offense to Steve Austin, but he was mostly there for physical humor and his bulging muscles.  Maybe I’m bias since “Cougars” is one of my favorites episodes of all times, but damn I love Heather Chandler.  I personally thought Nicole Richie was superb and delivered her lines perfectly.  I love the Heather/Sarah banter and the way she can just get under Sarah’s skin.  Additionally, I thought Nicole held her own against Yvonne (who is a giant compared to her) in their scenes.  Nicole is no seasoned actress but on all accounts she delivered for me so kudos.

Some other thoughts:

• Casey vs. the voice recognition software was hysterical to me.   Round 1: Casey

• I actually liked how they handled Sarah’s character and what seems to be the theme of having relationship progression each episode.  Where in past episodes Sarah’s fears and issues seem to be forced, this episode seemed to have the issue of kids/moving too fast in the spotlight without forcing it. 

• I was not a huge fan of the “cliffhanger” if you’d even call it that.  One, I thought the “Ready or Not Ready” conversation was super adorable and didn’t call for more.  Two, it wasn’t much of anything since we know there is no real engagement.  It wasn’t a cliffhanger moment like when we thought Awesome could be dead nor was one of those emotional moments we love.  It seemed awkward (like the ring would really fall there!) and forced, and put in there just to be cutsie.  Take note show runners – I want a legitimate engagement.

• I still don’t get the point of Greta.  I could have sworn I read that whoever was in the role would teach Chuck and Morgan how to be a spy.  Either way,  the Greta seems a waste of a good guest star.  I mean Stacy Keibler look hot in the Nerd Herd Outfit but let the girl do more than get punched in the face.

• I miss Alex.

All in all, I’m still loving the season.  However, there might be only 10 episodes left this season and they seem to have a lot to pack into the storyline.  I hope the writers take a note from last season and learn to get to the Mama B story quickly so they can give it the proper attention it deserves.  I also hope for better Buy More scenes that are fresher and don’t seem as much of a burden.  Please Chuck writers, don’t make me use “time machine” on you.

Rules of Commenting:

1. Be nice!
2. No slam poetry.

Chuck vs. the Suitcase: Thoughts from a Ho

The second episode of Chuck was written by the two new favorites of last year,  Lauren LeFranc & Rafe Judkins aka LeFrankin.  This is their 4^th (or 3^rd if you aren’t counting the Teleplay) episode and once again they didn’t disappoint.  Well, at least not me.  It seems this episode was destined to be another one that some people loved while some others didn’t.  I have to say I truly enjoyed this episode as it had all the components I love: great action, a truly romantic scene, some great back and forth, and to top it all off plenty of guest stars.  However, at the end of the day this episode didn’t make it into my elite and I understand why some people didn’t love it as much.  Here are my thoughts:

Redundancy:  I love Chuck but to be fair we’ve seen this all before, and better.  To me the bickering between Chuck and Sarah was funnier in “Role Models.”  The fight scene in “First Kill” was way more epic than the catwalk fight (although I admit I’m not a guy).  The moment now dubbed as the “Feeling Good” scene was more intimate and squee worthy as well.  I’m not knocking this episode but I’m just pointing out I have other favorites.

No big “Wow!” moment: I find that in many of my elite episodes there is a big “Wow!” moment.  For example, last week’s ending with Mama B was a “Wow, omfg!” moment.  This week, despite the catwalk fight and the touching ending, there was no big revelation or shock.  I will say, however, the “You’re my home” line was a damn good line and almost made the scene tie the end of the “Honeymooners.”

Too many guest stars:  When each of these guest stars was announced I was very excited, especially about Mr. Old Spice himself (I’m a girl after all and he’s my Karolina Kurkova).  However, I didn’t realize until last night that they were all in the same episode.  I was surprised how minor Lou Ferrigno’s role was as he is such a big name.  Each of the guests held their own and but I felt there were so many of them that they overshadowed one another. 

Now I feel like I’ve been a little critical of the episode so let me restate that I did in fact enjoy it a whole lot and thought it was excellent.  The rejected Spiderman kiss to the almost last words had me laughing and I had a huge smile on my face when Sarah explained the picture to Chuck.  This season is shaping up to be a great one and I hope people can sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride for who knows how much longer it will last.

Some final thoughts:

• I’m pretty sad Beckman might not be there face-to-face anymore.  I mean who wouldn’t want a faceoff between her and Jeff? 

• Speaking of Jeff, I did love the scene where he was tranqued what for most people would be a deathly amount.  However, I wasn’t necessarily impressed with the return of Jeffster.  I wanted more I suppose.

• With Morgan as the new manager it seems clear to me how Big Mike will fit into the picture.  I wish we would see Morgan as the manager for some time but I do miss the big guy.

• A pretty much perfect ending* paired with an excellent song choice. I have the song “A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard” on repeat.  Sarah saying “You’re my home Chuck, you always have been,” was probably the most intimate things I’ve heard her say.  It is so much deeper than those three little words and coming from Sarah it is a big deal.  Also the scene with Ellie looking at that photo album was so well directed.  I loved it so kudos.
• *I didn’t like Sarah opening her eyes in the end in fear.  It was way too predictable and I don’t think they show needs to continue to be so overt in showing her aversion to “normal” dreams of wanting kids and such.

• Can Yvonne be sexier?  The answer is no.

• Can Captain Awesome be my husband?  The answer is no.  Unfortunately. 

Next week we have a lot of things to look forward to.  We finally get to see what these new writers can do and we have the return of Nicole Richie and Steve Austin.  I’m pretty excited to see the return of Heather Chandler!

So what did you think of the second installment?  Did you like it better than the premiere?

Rules of Commenting:

1. Be Nice!

2. No fights on the catwalk.

And the winner is...

Ivy aka FiliHOno!!!!!!!!

If you didn't know, the NBC store was having a contest to win the most awesome mega-package ever!  The contest was to take a picture with your Chuck gear and send it to the store.  NBC says it was a tough decision but after seeing this picture I'm thinking it was easy.

Congrats Ivy and enjoy your mega-package (remember to share the love).  And thank you to the NBC Store for once again being awesome!

Chuck vs. the Anniversary: Thoughts from a Ho

Chuck is back and us fans were welcomed with a premiere that brilliantly reminded us of why we always fight for this show.  Major kudos to my man crush Fedak who wrote a phenomenal premiere and set the stage to what promises to be an excellent season.

This premiere did what Chuck does best and gave us a little taste of everything.  There was drama, action, romance (although I’m not sure Sarah would be happy to find out who was on the other end of that phone), and most of all comedy.  I laugh a lot during Chuck, but this episode had me hysterical.  Pick a scene, any scene: Beckman at the Buy More, Creepy guy from Big Love as the Chinese loving Repo man, the Buy More slide, or any of the multiple sexting scenes (and I’m certain all the boys want to the pictures Sarah took on their phone).  All of them were funny and more importantly all of them were clever.   Aces Fedak, aces.

This episode also laid the groundwork for the rest of the season.  I think hands down my favorite change in this season is that Beckman is now in charge of the Buy More.  I mean I crack up every time I see her in those green and yellow colors.  On a serious note, however, I’m more in love with the fact that we will see more face-to-face interaction between Beckman and the team.  Some of the funniest moments have been with the General and I cannot wait to see more of them this season.  Can you say Morgan, anyone?

The key aspect of this season, however, is Mama B.  True we only got a few moments with her but Linda Hamilton rocked those seasons and showed us just how awesome Chuck’s Mom is.  The ending was spectacular and my only thoughts after were “man this family reunion is going to be awesome!”  It also convinced me that M.B. doesn’t stand for Mary Bartowski but rather Major Badass.

Some final thoughts:

• Are all the missions going to be centered around finding Mama B?  Chuck is now going back into the spy game so I’ll be curious what the mission is each week and if they split up the teams, Chuck with Morgan and Sarah with Casey, in the episodes.

• What is going to happen to the old Buy More gang?  I would think that they can’t be hired at the new Buy More unless Beckman wants to ensure the fact that the country goes to Defcon 1 but you never know.  I guess we’ll have to wait until next week.

• I cannot wait until Morgan tells Casey he’s dating Alex!  Prepare to be strangled!

• I admit I had a goofy smile plastered on my face during the cute scene where Chuck and Sarah have no problems saying, “I love you.”

• Props to our favorite girl Yvonne Strahovki for her great emotion acting.  I won’t lie and say I didn’t expect more of a verbal outburst, but then I saw those eyes and didn’t they just say it all. 

• A baby Awesome is on the way and I couldn’t be more thrilled!  I like the idea of this side story for Ellie and the Captain and the possibilities it has for some of the other characters as well.  

• Zachary Levi shirtless… ummm yes please!  Sorry I couldn’t help myself.

• Once again I have to mention the guest stars on Chuck are used perfectly.   Although Olivia Munn had a small role she was good, if anything for the eye candy alone.  However, Dolph takes the cake as he had baddie written all over him and was excellent.  Too bad Mama B wasn’t as impressed.

In short, I am very happy where this season seems to be going.  I think the show has it down and I’m as excited as ever to see what surprises show up.   All I will say is that little preview of what’s to come has my screaming for more.

So what did you all think of the episode? 

 

Rules of commenting:

1. Be Nice! (though I can take the heat)

2. No using your EMP bombs.

P.S.  I recently did a re-watch of Season 1.  It is amazing to see how far all of these characters have come and even more so that I still love the show as much today as I did then.  Most of all it is truly amazing how much this cast and crew gives back to us fans.  Happy Season 4 everyone, let's go for 5 :)

Chuck fans vs the Golden tickets (and Sam vs the Cardboard)

Fave SDCC story/convo from twitter:
Background story - Chuck panel is in Ballroom 20. It was announced that they're giving out SIGNED Chuck posters to 50 lucky people who find tickets under their seats.

Ivy: funny sdcc Chuck panel moment: girl sitting next to me got really excited about 50 "golden tickets" & ripped off cardboard part of bottom of seat. She thought it was ticket but got a good look and realized what she had done. Funniest thing ever.
Sam: Were you talking about me? Because I was sitting next to you and I ripped off the cardboard. Dammit...
Rose: omg seriously sam, was that you? Why didn't I see that moment? I was sitting next to you! Haha
Sam: I don't know if Ivy's talking about me, but I did that I tried for no one to notice...
Ivy: no! But you ripped off the cardboard too? lol. Now that I think of it, a lot of people might have done it. Poor seats.
Sam: Well great. It worked in trying for others not to notice...Until now.

Chuck v Comic-Con

I know many Chuck fans from twitter are heading to SDCC for the first time in order to see the Chuck panel. This is good since we know Chuck loves Comic-Con from all the SDCC goodies hanging in the background in many scenes! And it will be great to meet all you crazed Chuckaholics.

Larry asked on twitter today about what he needs to do to guarantee getting into the panel. Sadly, there isn't an easy answer. Let me explain why.

Panel on Saturday:

I think it is fairly safe to say the Chuck panel will be on Saturday. It's been on Saturday the first two years and Yvonne tweeted something about how she wanted to do the panel and attend her charity event in LA that day.

Time:

The first year Chuck had a late afternoon slot in Ballroom 20. Last year, it had the opening time slot. Since Yvonne has a conflict, it is possible Chuck will get an early slot again (but no guarantee - the studios don't control this).

Opening Slot:

So, you think - easy....opening slot so I'll get in line at 9 and I'm in. Wellllllll, not so fast. If Chuck has the opening slot BUT something huge like True Blood follows it, you need to get in line much earlier because TB was one of, if not the biggest, Ballroom 20 draws last year. There is some speculation that TB will have a Hall H slot (very rare occurrence for tv, usually only for the likes of Lost) but there are other tv shows that draw droves of devoted fans (think a panel with Whedon or Abrams on it).

Prioritize:

If getting into that Chuck panel is your absolute #1 priority, then no problem. Get there at least 2 hours early to queue and you'll get in. This rule should hold unless the panel is mid-afternoon with super popular shows scheduled before and after. Rooms are NOT emptied between panels but usually 50% attrition occurs if genre changes. Much less attrition occurs when panels with huge overlap in fan bases are scheduled back-to-back.

Summary:

I'll do another post once the schedule is released (two weeks before, released one excruciating day at a time). I'll examine the panels before & after as well as what is going on in Hall H to draw crowds away. If Chuck has the opening slot with no mega-panel after it, then it won't be hard to get in, probably get in line an hour early if you aren't worried about getting in too close. There are huge screens so you are guaranteed up close & personal view. I know some of you (yes, I'm looking at the Hos) plan on sleeping on the cold, hard cement. That is one approach that will get you in.

One Last Thought:

The Chuck panel may NOT be the only place to see Chuck people. Last year, Zac & Josh participated in the TV Guide panel (and of course stole the show). Adam Baldwin sold his autograph from a table for those willing to pay $30. The whole crew was in town early to attend the EW party on Friday night and were roaming around.

This year, Zac may well be part of the Disney Hall H movie presentation on Thursday or Friday for Tangled. (Each studio gets a chunk of time and decides what movies it will bring.) Another possibility is that Tangled might have a panel Sunday since Sunday is Kids' Day.

OK, One More Last Thought:

WB gives away its much sought after giant bags each day. One show is represented on each side. The last two years, there was a Chuck bag. Now, since it is its 3rd year, it is possible there will be no Chuck bag but you want to watch out for this. Also, last year there was the cool Chuck CC poster. We knew in advance this existed and had to hang around the WB booth begging to find out when they were released. It was worth it though - such a cool poster.

Just thought of this:

The Chuck group almost certainly will sign autographs at the WB booth before or after its panel. But, if you attend the panel, you have little chance of managing to get into the autograph line because WB mishandles the queuing so badly. Cross your fingers that the WB changes how it handles the autograph lines this year!

Feel free to email questions re: SDCC to csohos@gmail.com

Chuck vs. the Living Dead: Thoughts from a Ho

Entering the final stretch of the season, the stakes have been raised.  I skipped reviewing last week’s episode* and it worked out as the episode served as the stage setter for this episode as well as the season finale.  

So what did I think of LeFrankin’s (Rafe Judkins & Lauren LeFranc’s names combined – don’t worry, you’ll catch on) 3^rd episode “Chuck versus the Living Dead?” Well I thought it was okay, I did not really love it nor did I think it was anywhere near the realm of the  pre-season finale episode that Colonel was (but really what can compare?), but it definitely threw me for a loop and got my blood pumping towards the end. 

* Few sentence review: Hysterical episode that was more of a set-up episode than anything and failed to do Anna justice.  Seriously that girl is kick-ass and should have been portrayed as such.

This episode was both a step forward and a step back,but it was hampered by other aspects that just didn’t work for me.  Let’s take a look at the steps forward first.

Papa B is back!  Scott Bakula returned as Chuck’s father and I don’t think anyone could play the role more perfectly.  Bakula has the neurotic and paranoid nature down so well while at the same time exuding the father’s love for his family.  It warmed by heart when the family was together and talking about old memories.

Also where the previous episodes have focused on how far Chuck and Sarah have come, this one gives a glimpse of how much change has occurred in other relationships.  Casey telling Chuck he’d watch over Ellie shows just how close these two have become and what they mean to each other.  It seems only a short while ago Casey was willing to kill Chuck and then go out for pancakes, or at least throw him in a bunker and then go out for pancakes.  Now it is Semper Fi all the way.  Morgan’s perspective on Ellie also has shifted.  Before he used to be the creeper who was one step away from building a shrine made out of Ellie’s hair.  Now, rather than continuing being delusional, Morgan supports Ellie’s marriage and acts as a person of support.  In general Morgan’s character has made giant strides (and Josh Gomez has been brilliant) and I could not be happier.

Another plus for me was the fact that it once again affirmed why Chuck decided to download the Intersect 2.0 in the first place.  We learned in Three Words why Chuck did it but as the season went on I felt that the initial noble reasons for becoming a spy were lost or forgotten.  Chuck was meant to be a spy because he is the hero, and it was nice to hear that again.

Jeffster, or should I say Jeff and -ster.  When are they not good?  I probably died a little with Jeff and the vocalizer (Is Jeff the next T-Pain?).  The comedic chemistry that Scott Krinsky and Vik Sahay have is just so great and they were cleverly used to not make the whole episode so dramatic.  I think I’d die if Jeffster ever really did break up, maybe even go on hunger strike.  I will say, Jeffster + “Rain” = Jeffster is going places.  JAlso I’d pay good money to see Lester wear that “Rain” outfit with those 6-year-old girl hips.

Also Papa B thinking Sarah has an intersect because she is so badass was awesome.  No Mr. Bartowski, being able to perfectly throw axes is just one of the reasons we love Sarah.

However, one of the problems with the episode was the lack of truth-telling that seemed to be a theme for the episode.  Sure I knew that Ellie still would be being tricked by the Ring* and continue sneaking around so that didn’t bother me. 

Chuck not telling Sarah about Shaw also didn’t bother me as I sort of get why he’d wait to tell her (and it gave me the Sarah/Morgan scene). What irked me was the fact that Chuck continued to lie to Sarah about his condition.  It bothers me because I had hoped by this point Chuck and Sarah would understand the importance of open communication.  They should have learned this from past events such as Mauser, etc. but recently, as in the past episode, they had a big lesson in telling each other things.  Why can they never learn!? 

Truly disappointing was the moment where Sarah gave Chuck her CIA will. Chuck told Sarah that nothing was going to happen to either of them. All I could think in the back on my mind was “Really?” 

I can get past all these aspects but still I’m disappointed as I thought Chuck as a character was better or more mature than this. 

* This has been a boring story line in terms of the characters.  In addition to not enjoying Ellie getting duped, Justin has been a pretty boring villain and Ellie has really done nothing with the storyline.  Yes, it is a means to an end and I am definitely a fan of Ellie finding out the truth.  Hopefully, that will be some good material for Sarah Lancaster. 

The other controversial (and bigger) issue for me was Shaw.  After last week when Shaw being alive became a possibility, I rolled my eyes.  It is hard for me to believe that the CIA would not retrieve Shaw’s body and check it. (Really? Just leaving it in the river for a Frenchman to find?)*.  In the beginning of the episode we see the even the possibility of Shaw being alive cause a stir and results in various situations, the biggest being Casey’s interrogation.  It once again brought to surface the flawed and unsuccessful pairing of Shaw and Sarah.  They were never truly believable as couple to me, they weren’t well portrayed and this scene tried to sell it a little too hard.  Couples massages, really?   The subject of Sarah wearing the earrings is also thorny; I’m in the camp of “Why would she wear the earrings of a guy who tried to kill her and make her relive her worst memory ever?”  And there in lies my biggest issue.  The whole scene carried on as if Shaw had never done these things but instead was just an ex of Sarah’s.  Personally, you replace Shaw with Bryce and the scenario would have worked perfectly, but with Shaw it just didn’t make sense to me.

*My belief is that had Season 3 ended with the “Other Guy” Shaw wouldn’t be back in Season 4 and hence remained dead.  Don’t know if this is true or not.

The end to me was the shocker.  The episode had convinced me that Shaw really wasn’t alive and I could rest easy.  However, the end comes and who do you see uploading an Intersect, Shaw himself. *  I’m torn about this. On one hand, it really doesn’t make sense that he’d be alive and I sort of hate him.  However, I really liked Shaw (and Brandon Routh) as a villain.  I would have been so much happier with him as the villain over the Ring.  Sarah killing Shaw’s wife thus making Shaw seek revenge and go from hero to villain could have been explored more and happened sooner.  This was a missed opportunity; it should have been the focus.  In this scenario you don’t even need Sarah to be dating Shaw, just trust him.  However, that is neither here nor there and I suppose I’ll just have to wait to see how it all goes down.  It’ll be interesting to see how the Intersect affects Shaw, the complete opposite of Chuck

Some final thoughts:

·      Sarah interrogating Morgan was a great scene.  You don’t see these two paired together too often and I love it when they are.  Their dynamic is great, the girlfriend and the best friend and I really wish they “square off” for more comedic scenes in the future.

·      Could Awesome be more awesome?  I’m thinking no as he seems to be the perfect guy.  I’m wondering if he’ll think Ellie is cheating on him in the finale and get depressed.  I say this because of a certain photo that was tweeted so long ago.  I guess we’ll find out.

·      Although he doesn’t have as fancy of tools, Papa B is right up there with Tony Stark with his inventions.  I’m a fan of them teaming up to make an Iron Man Intersect, think about it.

·      Sarah must have special powers, as no one she has been with seems to die the first time around.  Good news for Chuck.

·      What happened to the Orange Orange?  I feel like I never see Sarah in her OO outfit anymore.  Though I have to say Yvonne did look fantastic in that skirt, I’m sure everyone else (especially the boys) agrees.

·      Best Line: “Dad! Knife. Face. What if you were wrong?” “I’m never wrong” – Not only did this scene crack me up but I just love squeamish, freaked out Chuck.  All that was missing was a girlish scream.

So what did you think of the episode?  Were you happy with the setup for the finale or hoping for something else?

Rules of Commenting:

1.  Be Nice.
2. No throwing knives at faces.

Iron Chuck: Hos versus Hearts

In this edition of Iron Chuck we have The Hearts, made up of two members of the We Heart Chuck crew Wendy and Jasmin, battling it off with The Ho (or Super Fantastic Hos), Ivy and Jordan. Enjoy!

Listen/vote for it here or download it on iTunes

If you are interest in participating in Iron Chuck yourself send us a message or email us at CsoHos@gmail.com.

Easy
1.In Chuck v the Santa Claus: Who was the first hostage to leave the Buy More?
Emmett Milbarge
2.What’s the name of Jeff’s van?
Loretta
3.Where did Captain Awesome learn how to Tango?
Buenos Aires
4.What nuclear element was hidden in the frame of the painting in Chuck vs the Tango?
Plutonium
5.What mail carrier does Chuck use to send the diamond to NSA/CIA?
FedEx
6.In Chuck vs the Nacho Sampler, Team Bartowski went to Weap-Con. Where was Weap-Con held?
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
7.What is the name of the assassin Chuck has to pretend to be in “Fake Name”?
Rafe Gruber
8.What is Casey’s real name?
Alex Coburn
9.What was the name of Casey’s one-time fiancé?
Kathleen McHugh
10.What is the name of the episode Lou first appears in?
Chuck versus the Truth

Medium
1.In Chuck v. the Beefcake, where did Butterman go when he left the Buy More?
Zihuatanejo – Mexican for Philadelphia
2.In Chuck vs the Sizzling Shrimp, Buy More employees had a sales competition. What were the 4 prizes according to Big Mike?
1 – iPhone
2 – large pizza, 2 toppings
3 – get to keep job
last prize – fired
3.In Chuck vs the Sandworm, Morgan brought the costume to the dry cleaners because it was stained with something. What was the stain in the sandworm costume?
Ranch dressing
4.In Chuck v the Santa Clause, What’s the full name of the guy who took Buy More hostage?
Nathan Edward Rheryson “Ned”
5.When Chuck is trying to convince Sarah to go a real date with him he mentions that she has nothing to lose as in a week she’ll be in a new place. What place does he mention and what does he say she’ll be doing there?
In Jakarta; knife fight with some evildoer
6.What was Jill’s Fulcrum call sign?
Sandstorm
7.In Chuck vs the Broken Heart, what is the name of Rashad Ahmad personal physician?
Dr. Muhammed Zami
8.In Chuck vs the Broken Heart, what alias is Ahmad admitted into the hospital under?
Harry Lime

Hard
1.What is the name of the reporter in “Santa Claus” that is covering the incident at the Buy More?
Mori Mitsubishi
2.In Chuck v the First Date, what was the verification code for the pick-up of the Cipher?
Morning Glorey
3.Who were the humanitarians that Tyler Martin thanked during this speech at the Buy More?
Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Angelina Jolie
4.In Chuck vs the Intersect, what was the kind of laptop that was connected to the bomb?
Prism Express Laptop
5.What is the name of the electric company the Fulcrum agent comes posing as in “Fat Lady” when going to LaFleur’s apartment?
Tuttle Electric
6.In Chuck vs the Fat Lady, what was the number of Guy LaFleur’s hotel room?
Room 1124

Silly Nielsen, don't underestimate Chuck fans.

Alright Chuck fans, it's down to the wire with the renewal news and I know we're all itching for ways to help and save our favorite show. We know the Subway thing won't work, the only thing that will work this year is ratings right?

What if I told you I knew a way to maybe cheat the system? Would that be something you'd be interested in?

That's a bad way of putting it but here goes. Friday I went with a friend to see Iron Man 2 (which I thought was awesome, by the way - hated Sam Rockwell, though) and as we were coming out of the theater there was a little set up of about three computers, with a big Nielsen sign over them. There were a couple guys there, trying to get people to come over, that had Nielsen badges and later told us that they worked for the company. Basically what it was, was a website that they took you to and you took a little survey on a show that you watched last night and depending on the amount of points you rack up during the survey, you can get entered to win cool prizes. It's questions about the episode and the commercials between it, super easy stuff if you actually watched the episode (unlike me, who did an episode of Bones just to do it). But that's beside the point.

So I was talking to the guy who was telling me how to do it and I asked if I could do a show that aired on Monday. He said no, only shows that aired the night before and they only work on weekends. So I asked if there was a way to do it from home and he said of course, that they'd send me an email with the website to go on at home and you can keep doing it to keep earning points for prizes, which was really cool.

The coolest part? Apparently doing these surveys counts towards the ratings.

I didn't get clarification on how or when these get counted, obviously they're not included in the fast nationals, but that's still a very cool little point for us Chuck fans who are always looking for ways to raise our ratings.

Here's the plan, then. On Tuesday, it doesn't matter where you are or when you do it (so long as it's TUESDAY) go to www.rewardtv.com (I know that website sounds like a scam but it's not) and create a login, enter your information.


There'll be a little table towards the bottom of the page where you can pick the show you watched the night before. Click on Chuck and then click the button that says "Play Selected Games." It'll take you to the survey, which is just like a quiz based on the episode that you watched and the commercials it showed. It only took me a couple minutes and then I was done and they later sent me an email confirming that I'd done it.

See? Easy!

Like I said, I don't know how or when these numbers get counted, but I figured we Chuck fans know how to rally and inundate websites like no other. Every little bit helps and this is an easy way to get yourself counted, even if you don't have a Nielsen box. We'll tweet about it and spread this news around up until Tuesday, too, but please pass this around and get this news out. We could use all the help we could get!

How about it Chuck fans, ready to rally once more?