Monday, October 4, 2010

...Set: Chuck 4x03 "...vs. the Cubic Z"

Tonight's episode of Chuck was, while still solid entertainment, a little bit of a let down for me. Here's something I've noticed. Each season we've basically had a new big bad for the spy guys to fight that we have heretofore never heard of. But as soon as we've heard of them, they're literally everywhere and everyone is somehow connected. Tonight was no exception, with two returning antagonists now suddenly involved with this Volkoff dude who is also involved somehow with Chuck's mom, which has probably been going one for some time. I find it hard to believe that Chuck's dad would not have been able to find any of this out.

Anyway. The two returning antagonists in question are Heather Chandler, Sarah's former high school nemesis played by Nicole Richie, and Hugo Panzer, that dude Chuck beat up on a plane played by Steve Austin. They are both in custody and have to get re-routed to Castle for a temporary lock-up until they can come get them later, or something. Basically it was just all a set up so Heather could needle Sarah about her relationship with Chuck. Sarah's a consummate spy, she can't settle down, yada yada yada. There was a WHOLE lot of that talk a going on. And most of it was done in giant, beyond human-sized air ducts. Really, are air ducts that large?
Recap/review of Chuck 4x03 'Chuck versus the Cubic Z' by freshfromthe.com

But why were they in the air ducts? Because the Panzer dude escaped from his cell with the help of a newspaper (yes, a newspaper) and proceeded to lockdown Castle. Casey managed to magically open a fire escape right into the cell Sarah, Chuck and Heather were locked in, and thus began the great air duct crawl and escape attempt, complete with mid action fighting and eventual re-routing to the roof, where the CIA was supposed to have sent a chopper for the criminalies. Only, they weren't CIA, they were Volkoff's men come to kill Heather, who had apparently wronged him in some way. There is much shooting and action, Casey even gets shot. Panzer escapes down another air duct, and Chuck goes after him. Heather and Sarah must work together to defeat the evil dudes. They do, and Heather is sent back into custody, but not before telling the duo about how Volkoff and Frost (aka Chuck's mom) always seemed to be together, and that they were working on something called Operation Beacon. More on that in the future, to be sure.

Meanwhile, down in the Buy More, Morgan is preparing for a big game premiere. Big Mike returns to the scene, asking for Morgan's permission to ask his mom to marry him. Big Mike gives him the ring to think it over, and also asks for a job at the Buy More, which Morgan gives him. Things go awry with the premiere when the games don't show up, and Big Mike ends up saving the day not only for Morgan, but also for Chuck. Because! Panzer had escaped down into the Buy More proper, but Big Mike had a stun wand thing out and buzzed him with it. Morgan offers Big Mike the assistant manager position, and also tells him he's okay with Mike marrying his mom, though he did sort of lose the ring in all of the rioting masses.

And where did that ring go? Why, it went down an air duct! AIR DUCT! So many air ducts. While it bobbles down the air ducts toward Castle, Chuck and Sarah are having their big relationship moment of the episode, where Sarah says that while she used to be like Heather, a consummate spy not ready to settle down, she isn't totally like that any more. So long as they take things slow. And what should happen then but that ring plops out onto the floor, Chuck picks it up, and it looks like he's proposing. Dun dun DUN!

Maybe I am being too hard on the show, but.... eh.

A few choice quotes:

"You're beyond DeNiro. This is Russell Crowe serious." - Chuck

"I've been locked in enclosed spaces with this guy before. I handled it fine, but he got very agitated." - Chuck

"Shut it, convict!" - Casey

Song choice of the night: Beat the Devil's Tattoo by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

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