Chuck Versus the Subway and the Ring

by Courtney Hilden
Spoiler Alert: This review references the end of the episode and the third season of Chuck.
Another day, another season finale. Tonight: Chuck.
Our story picks up with Chuck seeing Shaw, the arch-nemesis for the night, and following him to a CIA-run base. Chuck runs into his sister, being held there by Justin, who discovers that yes, indeed, her brother is a spy. Chuck also walks into a meeting discussing the intersect, where he manages to embarrass the entire team and put the project in jeopardy. Oh, and Shaw is turning the CIA into collaborating unknowingly with the Ring, jailing Beckman and threatening Alex's life. This is a bad day, even for Chuck.
It's nice to see Alex again. I've been hoping for a continuing storyline involving her and her Dad, John Casey. While it was disappointed to not see the Mom make another appearance, I'm still hoping for a reunion of the three of them. One of the better moments was John frequenting the dinner where Alex worked, though it's too bad that this wasn't established for us early on, so that we knew he was seeing her. Though the kidnapping thing was great.
This episode also had a lot of subways, both hiding dastardly Ring bases and delicious breakfast sandwiches for Big Mike to eat. Nice, unsubtle plugs there.
There were also some great lines tonight, including Morgan's "No plan? That's never stopped me before." (Too true.) Chuck's throw away line of "She's going to be so mad at me if I die," was perfectly delivered. One of the greatest was definitely Shaw's sardonic "Muwahaha," which could easily turn into a catchphrase.
Some of these great lines were also awesomely terrible, like Lester's come on to Alex, involving a reference to Empire Records, or like Jeff's line about Ellie being like Chuck, just "with lady parts." Jeff's answer of "Pineapple" to "What are you thinking?" was amazing. Best part of some of these lines? Lester, once again proving that acting is reacting. (Oh, and that Jeffster video? Amazing. They should totally play Comic Con.) As always, there were shinning comedic moments, particularly Morgan licking his phone and breaking his thumbs, and still failing to save the day.
Though, of course, one of the most shocking things about this entire episode was that they shot Chuck's Dad. I figured they were going to keep him on the show for years to come, especially since that actor has so much nerd cred, but it made sense to kill him for the larger storyline. Zachary Levi's slow-mo headshake of denial was perfect. And it was heartbreaking to see Ellie watch her own father's death.
The beginning of the second part of the finale where Ellie's Dad asks her to take care of her brother was great. As the eldest sibling, I can tell you that parents totally put you on the guilt trip when you're young, and it ruins you for life. You spend all your time watching your siblings like a hawk and going to therapy. I like that the flashback also allowed the audience to see the first time that Chuck's Dad realized his son could probably handle being the intersect.
The fight scene near the end was explosive and fun and did a great job of incorporating Jeffster's music video. Levi is much more fit than the show would usually have you believe. I'm still not sure how I feel about the reboot thing. It makes sense, and it works, but I'm afraid that the show will use it as a deus ex machina too often, as it was in this episode, though it might be interesting to see what happens if the team attempts to force a reboot of Chuck's computer-like brain.
I was also really intrigued by the brief discussions of choice in this episode. Choice isn't something that's discussed a lot; in fact, most of the time, they discuss how Chuck didn't have a choice about first becoming a spy. It's nice to see Chuck realizes that he did make choices in the course of the show and do something about it.
One of the disappointing things to see was that, once again, Chuck's heart is what makes him weak. We get it writers! You don't have to distinguish Chuck from his fellow spies; he's already the main character of a show. Though watching Shaw's annoyed look as he discovered that Chuck has accidentally infiltrated his other base was priceless.
Although I like the idea of Morgan chasing after Alex and Casey being none too happy about it, Alex and Morgan would not work as a couple. Morgan is at his best when he's single. And Alex is way too adorable.
You knew the moment Mike, Jeff and Lester were dealing with the possible closedown of the Buy More that it was going to go up in flames. I'm also saddened to see that they put Jeff and Lester on the run. I really hope this doesn't mean that these two aren't coming back to the show, particularly Lester, who is pitch perfect and more consistently brings the funny than Morgan.
I'm also a little annoyed by the whole "burn" thing. The entire series no one's mentioned getting burned, but apparently they are this finale. What, have the writers been watching Burn Notice?
The show could have ended at the break in-between the two episodes, where Chuck, Sarah and Casey in a detention facility for the summer, since it would be a good way to leave the audience wondering what would happen next.
Also on that note, I think it's clear at this point that Chuck's not going to keep his promise. The audience already knows, given Chuck's history and the fact this is a spy comedy that there was no way Chuck was going to stop being a spy. So they shouldn't even ask us to try to believe that was ever going to happen. It was also unrealistic how forgiving Chuck and Ellie have been of their father. Normal abandoned children do not behave like those too, particularly Ellie. She should be incapable of having a relationship with anyone, and shouldn't trust anyone.
The reappearance of Chuck's Mom at the end of the episode was also predictable. If she's a spy, as the end seemed to imply, really, I doubt anyone watching this show will be surprised. (Let me guess a little further: that's how Chuck's parents met: in the spy biz.)
It'll be interesting to see what happens now that both Ellie and Awesome know Chuck's true identity. I was hoping that maybe Awesome's revelations about knowing so much more than Ellie would drive them apart, since this duo needs a change-up.
Daniel Shaw has also managed to become not only the worst, most psychotic ex-boyfriend but the best villain of the show. No one would have never guessed that Superman would be so delightfully evil, but he is. I want them to bring him back as a continuing menace to Chuck and Sarah and Casey. They only thing not believable concerning Shaw is that he apparently has terrible aim, which is hard to believe, considering he's a top CIA agent.
I also like the idea of intersects eventually becoming a more normal thing as the show goes on. Wouldn't it be great if Alex became a regular member of the show and then an intersect herself, which would lead to Chuck trying to train Alex as an intersect, inevitably dealing once again with his own failings as a spy? That could make great tv, though if Alex just getting a job at the Buy More, it would be awkward and fun, since she would be working with her Dad, a known killer.
Speaking of great ideas for this show, Lester would make a wonderful Buy More manager. He's so crazy and evil that working for him might be legitimately scary. His schemes to get more money would be worth putting him the position.
I'd also like to see more of Chuck sans Governator watch. It would be interesting to see Chuck with deteriorating flashes but somehow is a better spy, since he's less predictable. It's too bad his bad flashes were not a little more like the flashes Frank Black used to get on Millennium, though I enjoyed the fetus image that cropped up.
Those phones the Ring operatives use should be in stores, but so far, there's been no marketing pitch. I love that they also apparently text, making them sort of the perfect tie in with the show.
Some final thoughts: This show does a great job at making hot actors (Zachary Levi and Vic Sahay in particular) look way nerdy than they are. Although this is nice and works with the show, it would be nice to take a moment or two to admire how truly adorable they are.
I'm increasingly of the mind that the show's end game is to make Chuck and Sarah run away, since it seems to have become a major theme for the show. I'm not sure how I feel about that as a possible ending. I'm sort of ambivalent about it.
Overall, I would say that it was a solid final for a show, though not as good as the endings for the show in year's past. Guess that's what happens when you guarantee it'll be back next year.