Chuck – You just know there’s no way it will last

There was a lot going on in this week’s episode, but with next week’s season (series?) finale looming that’s to be expected. What I didn’t expect was what exactly did, and didn’t, happen. Scott Bakula was back as Chuck’s father, which I expected. Also returning was Chevy Chase as Ted Roark, the software magnate/fulcrum baddie. His role’s gotten a lot better than his first appearance, and I find myself really enjoying him on this show as well.

I’m sure there’s no way Bakula and Chase will be sticking around beyond next week for long (if there is a beyond next week), but it’s been a lot of fun having them around. The creators promised us some serious game changers in the status quo by the season finale and they’ve already started delivering.

I expected the “on the run” portion of Sarah and Chuck’s adventure to last a lot longer than it did. Don’t get me wrong, I know Casey is good but they didn’t even make it 24 hours. Still, you knew something was going to get in the way of Chuck and Sarah finally consummating their deeply hidden feelings.

It does look like those feelings are going to be a lot less hidden now, though. Her comment after they were captured regarding Chuck suggesting a cell with two beds (“Two beds?”) was pretty evident that she’s finally done denying her feelings.

But the biggest surprise was when his father rigged up a fake Intersect initiation program to remove the Intersect from Chuck’s brain. I’m assuming it removed both; the Fulcrum one and the government one. Did his father know about both Intersects in his brain?

There was a nice synchronicity with Morgan finally taking a stand at the Buy More and deciding to move on with the rest of his life at the same time that Chuck was suddenly freed to move on with his. In fact, it looked like everything was wrapping up nicely with a neat little bow until Roark showed up, having survived the explosion at the Fulcrum Drive-In after the Intersect fake-out.

Things are heating up nicely for a horrible wedding for Ellie and Devon in next week’s finale.  It’s a shame that their ceremony is inevitably going to be destroyed because they’ve been developed as two of the most sincere and decent people in all of television. They don’t deserve anything bad to ever happen to them.

One of my theories as to the big game change was that Chuck’s family would find out about his spy work and/or the Intersect. Then, out of nowhere, Devon was in on the secret and proved himself not nearly as awesome as I expected at keeping his cool around Ellie while maintaining Chuck’s cover. Will the rest of his clan find out?

More importantly, will Chuck really stay rid of the Intersect? I have a hard time imagining him keeping his government affiliation without it. At best he is a terrible agent, and without the Intersect he doesn’t really have an edge information-wise either.

I picture him somehow having to take back on the burden again, voluntarily. Maybe to save his father or as a response to a sacrifice his father makes. Yeah, I think Scott Bartowski (Bakula) may not survive the season. Or maybe he’ll just go back into hiding.

Or maybe they’ll really throw things for a loop and make Morgan the Intersect and Chuck will be one of his handlers. What a disaster that would be!

Clacked by Jason Hughes
on Apr 21, 2009 @ 16:11 EST5EDT