In the first new episode of the year, I'm joined by Wes Ambrecht for an extended conversation about all things Chuck, from the final season and the finale to what went wrong along the way. Don't forget, you can subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, if that's your kind of thing.
Category: CHUCK
TV Surveillance’s Worst of 2011: Most Disappointing Veteran Series
It is that time again folks! The end of the year is upon us and that means it is time to look back on the highs, lows and WTFs in television from the past 12 months. There is a lot to reflect on in regard to television 2011. Charlie Sheen went crazy. Well, crazier. Comedy … Continue reading TV Surveillance’s Worst of 2011: Most Disappointing Veteran Series
Season Premiere review — Chuck, “Chuck Versus the Zoom”
Chuck is one of those series that has trouble with season premieres, or at least it has been recently. Because the seasons two and three finales have suggested big changes for characters and for the narrative as a whole, the subsequent S3 and S4 premiere have been forced to deal with those changes. And because … Continue reading Season Premiere review — Chuck, “Chuck Versus the Zoom”
Chuck Versus the List of Greatness: Chuck’s 15 best episodes
Chuck’s somewhat-anticipated final season begins tonight. And although I already wrote a piece to celebrate the series’ return, I thought it would be best to stray away from the negative and focus a little bit more on the good times. In that vein, I figured the best way for me to do that would be … Continue reading Chuck Versus the List of Greatness: Chuck’s 15 best episodes
Chuck Versus the Final Season: Four things the series needs to do to make the final season great
It is hard for me to say this, but Chuck has been a disappointment. I’m well aware of the high expectations everyone had for the series after fans, critics and randos on Twitter decided that they wanted to spread the word and eat a bunch of Subway sandwiches. When you feel like you personally helped … Continue reading Chuck Versus the Final Season: Four things the series needs to do to make the final season great
#TVFail Entry 8: Chuck, “Chuck Versus the Mask”
The accused: Chuck, “Chuck Versus the Mask” The crime: Delaying the eventual union of the series’ primary romantic couple even further by pairing them off with new characters, subsequently creating a fan panic/outrage Television’s failures are supposed to be obvious. From the overhyped non-starters that flop from the very beginning (hello, FlashForward, Lone Star) to the much-discussed … Continue reading #TVFail Entry 8: Chuck, “Chuck Versus the Mask”
Season Finale — Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Cliffhanger”
I haven't written about Chuck since the murder mystery episode and I'd like to say that's because I have been really busy. But it's not. I no longer have the desire to write about Chuck on a weekly basis, just like I basically don't have the desire to watch Chuck on a weekly basis. The … Continue reading Season Finale — Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Cliffhanger”
The TVS List: Three broadcast series that need to be canceled
Note: I'm hopefully going to have more time to write things here over the next few months, so I'll be trying to bring back the weekly list feature. Trying. Anyway, here's the beginning of that attempt. It's spring, which means it is the time of year that everyone takes to the internet to stump for … Continue reading The TVS List: Three broadcast series that need to be canceled
Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Muuurder”
Sometimes, Twitter is not your friend. Last night during the first 15-20 minutes of my viewing of "Chuck Versus The Muuurder," I tweeted something along the lines of "Chuck is getting kind of good again." And at that point, I really meant it. Despite some of the middling reviews, I actually thought last week's episode … Continue reading Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Muuurder”
Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Cat Squad”
In his guest review of this episode last night for the A.V. Club, Myles McNutt discussed his frustrations with this season's general staleness and lack of real stakes. If you've been reading my reviews of Chuck this season, you know that I've often felt exactly the same but if you take a look at Myles' … Continue reading Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Cat Squad”
Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Seduction Impossible”
I was angry with last week's Chuck. For so many reasons that I don't need to go into again. I say this because I completely adored this week's episode, which probably makes me the worst Chuck fan of the week or something. I think I've decided that if Chuck doesn't want to create sustaining narratives … Continue reading Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Seduction Impossible”
Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Push Mix”
Josh Schwartz has gone on record countless times, both on Twitter and on the Firewall and Iceberg Podcast, that the final 10 minutes of "Chuck Versus The Push Mix" were the greatest in the series' history. Even for a series that's been on varying planes of struggle for a full calendar year, that's a big, … Continue reading Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Push Mix”
Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Balcony”
"Chuck Versus The Balcony" is a weird episode. It's built around the most anticipated moment of the season, but seems interested in sucking most, if not all of the tension out of that moment. This is an episode and moment that the fans have been waiting for and even though the first half of "Balcony" … Continue reading Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Balcony”
Chuck, “Chuck Versus Phase Three”
Last week, I said that the nonsense with Rob Riggle and the sketchiness of how the Intersect wouldn't totally be a loss if the makeshift part two of that story was effective and satisfying. Well, even though "Chuck Versus Phase Three" didn't do a few of the things I hoped it would last night, it … Continue reading Chuck, “Chuck Versus Phase Three”
Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Fear of Death”
After a string of rock-solid episodes, "Chuck Versus the Fear of Death" feels more in-step with the earlier episodes of season four. Despite the episode's attempts to keep the stakes high after the Mama Bartowski stuff from the last few efforts, the value of the plot movement found within "Fear of Death" won't really be … Continue reading Chuck, “Chuck Versus The Fear of Death”
