Chuck - "Chuck Vs. The Zoom"

Season 5, Episode 1

Resetting the formula causes a few bumps

“I’m trying to do my own thing, mix it up a bit.”

-Morgan

“Who am I? What’s my job?”

-Chuck

I always felt bad that I wasn’t able to keep up with my reviews of Chuck for the second half of last season. Part of it was due to the fact that the fourth season, which was plagued by the show attempting to produce a full season’s worth of stories in 13 episodes, which caused the arcs to move far too fast, and then the show getting picked up 11 more episodes, and without any sort of plan the back end felt both directionless and lifeless. (A smaller part was the fact that the show aired Monday nights, when I had class, and it’s was rarely exciting enough that I felt the need to write about an episode the next morning.)

I even failed to write about the season finale, which is usually the kind of episode that usually generate enough interest for me to write about, and that because I couldn’t get over the cliffhanger ending: Morgan gaining the Intersect. On the one hand, there was something cool about Morgan, perhaps the most excitable member of the cast, getting a cool power like the Intersect, and I looked forward to seeing what Morgan brought to the role. On the other hand, it felt as if the show was actively reaching back to its helicon days in order to gain a boost, both in attitude (“Guys, I know kung-fu.”) and in terms of the narrative (i.e. watching Morgan get used to being a (higher level of) spy.)

Surprisingly, tonight’s premiere didn’t fully answer the question of what kind of spy Morgan’s going to be, as it was far more interested in dealing with the other hanging threads. What I perhaps didn’t think about after the finale aired in May were the other game-changing elements – Chuck’s loss of the Intersect and the gang’s decision to launch their own private business – mostly because they got lost in the larger Morgan-related sea change. But it’s for the better, I think, that these were the first questions answered, because they made for a far more interesting episode.

Morgan, of course, is exactly the kind of goofball of a spy you’d expect him to be, and he’s still learning, but it’s clear that he’s closer to being a true spy than not. And while we wait for him to achieve that final metamorphosis, we have the show’s actual lead to carry us through. Watching Chuck feel jealous of Morgan and seemingly lost without the Intersect of course throws back to the many, many times that that the show has played the “how much of Chuck’s worth as a spy is based on the Intersect?” card (specifically the shortened-arc last season where the Intersect literally wasn’t working), but here it means something more. As the last season of the show, we know that Chuck isn’t going to get the intersect back, at least not with enough time to make it count, so instead the show gave us that sweet reassurance that he is valuable as a spy, through letting Chuck create an impromptu plan to save his team and come out the hero. (So hopefully we won’t have to return to that plot ever again.)

But this story also brought about a far more interesting question that I hope will pop up in the future: What‘s Chuck’s role in this new team. Though at one point tonight Sarah tells Chuck that he their “leader”, I’m not sure that I really buy it. Not only does Chuck seem like the kind of guy who would adopt a more democratic approach, and also because Casey doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who will take all of Chuck’s order, either gladly or blindly. This could of course be another plot that we never hear from again, and that would be just fine, but I also think it’s an idea that could lead to interesting results, assuming the show has enough to room explore it.

The best light to explore that angle in would of course be the precarious financial situation that group now finds itself in, as Chuck will now be using the Buy More, which he now owns, to funnel funds into Carmichael Industries, but only if he can get the store to start turning a profit first. It’s a move that not only places more responsibility on Chuck, but also gives the store more possibility to become ingrained with the main plot. Admittedly, there wasn’t much to the Buy More scenes tonight, other than to suggest that yes, Jeff and Lester are still around, but if the show follows through on the fact that the Buy More is now the front for Chuck’s actual business, it could make for some more complex stories, and avoid all those unnecessary B-plots from the last few seasons.

(That this financial crisis was obviously just the writers backing away from the idea of giving the team unlimited financial resources is a bit disappointing, seeing as how I would have liked to see and uninhibited Team Bartowski, but I understand the need to create dramatic tension and/or at least attempt to keep one foot in reality.)

That Chuck’s financial situation also meets up with Chuck’s secret plans to buy a dream home from Sarah was a nice touch, but I’m more impressed generally with how the show is using the Chuck and Sarah relationship for the last season. The show has often tested the limits of their romance as a narrative device (especially in season three, specifically “Chuck vs. The Mask”), so it nice that there giving the couple something low-key, yet still sweet, for their final arc, as we seem them take the last steps towards a more normal life.

But if the larger arcs seem to have a strong forward momentum, I am however still worried about what the show’s going to be like from week-to-week. At times it can be easy to forget that Chuck is essentially a procedural, even if that’s usually well hidden by the ongoing arcs, the more soapy elements, and the humor. But now, with the team running their own crew, there can no longer be scenes where Beckman tells the team that such-and-such person is a key player in The Ring/Fulcrum/Whatever, and now each Mission of the Week feels even less connected to the overall plot. (Also, Bonita Friedericy is no longer part of the main cast.)

Which leaves the last bits of mythology that the show is apparently dead-set on squeaking out. While I have no problem with Decker coming back in theory, as I get that I spy show like this needs a mystery plot in order to feel more substantial, I’m not sure if I’m really interested in learning about yet another layer to the show’s spy world, especially when that last layer comes from the CIA itself. But we only have 12 episodes of the show left, so all we can do now is sit back and watch as the show wraps itself up, both for good and for bad.

Quotes, Etc:

If you saw Mark Hamill’s name in the opening credits, and then worried that you missed him, as I did, it’s because you probably didn’t notice his presence beforehand. He actually played the bad guy in the cold open. It’s clear that he’s put on a good deal of weight since his last on camera appearance, which makes sense given that he mostly just does voice acting now.  

Speaking of guest stars, Craig Kilborn as Roger Bale was so on-the-nose smarmy that I can’t believe that Kilborn didn’t just refuse a role that was essentially mocking his public persona.

Also, why not more love for Ethan Phillips? That dude was on Star Trek: Voyager, and even if that’s the most hated of the franchise, there’s bound to be some nerds who would have enjoyed a nod to the show.

And I know the show couldn’t go it’s final season without at least a few more acknowledgements of Yvonne Strahovski’s attractiveness, but…damn.

Oh so Ellie’s hanging out in Castle, like it’s no big thing.

I like how Casey comes around when he finds out that $2 million was stolen from Rush Limbaugh. Even better, I like the idea of Rush Limbaugh getting swindled out of his money.

Frankly, I’m surprised the show got away with showing the word “T.I.T.S.” (twice!) in the 8 o’clock hour, even in acronym form.

 “Wait, wait, wait. We have another master spy…”

“Go on, say something about you-know-who.” “Do I have to?”

“You know I get antsy taking cases with moral ambiguity.”

“Actually, ‘Toes In The Sand’ makes a better acronym.” T-I-…you know, why don’t we just call it ‘Toes In The Sand’?”

“Just remember, I like it deep and hard.” “Great, that just sound great…”

“As the secret owner of this establishment, I happen to know that we have excellent insurance.”

“This is Chalmers, my mute manservant.”

Morgan's little speech took on a extra, unintentional layer of meaning tonight: “Baseball is just so boring. Just pitch the damn ball already.”