Chuck Sandwich

Chuck is definitely one of the shows I have missed the most as the writers’ strike drags on, so I was pleased with the “Chuck Sandwich” that NBC served up last night. Of the two episodes, I thought the first one was much better, although I liked the second one as well. This was mainly because I have wanted backstory on Agent Casey for awhile and because the dramatic stakes in the second episode were a little contrived.

As soon as I saw the flashback to Casey and his girlfriend I knew that she was going to end up being a spy as well. I also knew she was not going to really be dead (not that I can take too much credit for knowing that – they would not have started the episode with a flashback if the character was not going to be important. I was impressed with the way the show handled the reveal though. Letting her be good, without giving her and Casey a happy ending seemed fitting for the show.

Giving Casey a romantic interest and more of a backstory gave Chuck and Casey more bonding time, which played out very well on screen. So much of the show has been focused on the “will they or won’t they” aspect of Casey and Sarah’s relationship, that Casey’s place in the whole mess has gotten the brush-off. This helped make up for that. Chuck teasing Casey about Ilsa was one of the most humorous moments of last night.

The second episode had its good points as well. The storyline with Captain Awesome proposing to Ellie was sweet and the Buy More employees reacting to the robbery added to the joke quota. And I did have to laugh at the bad guy (so to speak) being revealed to be a pita delivery girl. Apparently in the world of Chuck, all women spies go undercover as food service employees in skimpy customers.

But since the premise of the show revolves around Chuck not being sent into hiding, we knew that episode would end with Sarah and Casey finding the receiver and no one finding out that Chuck is the intersect. This is not the first time the show has used this as the conflict of an episode, and I am sure it won’t be the last. But Chuck works best when the show acknowledges this will never happen and finds another source for their drama.