Chuck tv show

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

Is anyone still watching Chuck?

In one of the episodes she told someone (I think Shaw) that her real name was Sam. So does anyone know why she's still going by Sarah with Chuck and never told him? I think in the last episode her mom calls her Sarah, I can't remember, so maybe they are changing that.

 

[MovieMaster]

I watch Chuck still. A little sad to see it go. But Sarah has told Chuck her real name is Sam. But you never find out what her real last name is....well I guess its Bartowski now, but her maiden name anyway.

 

[Westies14]

They've been a bit inconsistent on this, as her parents and her high school classmates (all pre-spy life) call her Sarah (though her dad did say "Sarah Walker" like it was a pseudonym). I thought she only told Shaw that her name was Sam, maybe while Chuck was listening in? In that case, it's fair to say that she was lying at the time, didn't fully trust Shaw...

We're still watching! The show's had some low points - mostly the 3rd season. To have Chuck suddenly value being a spy ("you know this is what I've always wanted" - What?? Since when?) over being with Sarah was a total departure from his established character. Still, they made an unlikely bounce back and it looks like the show will resolve the story of the characters they started out with.

It's incredible to me how they balance a completely ludicrous premise and generally silly program with some real heart. When they're on, they really tug at my heart strings. Who would have thought you'd get that out of a show about a big box store computer tech employee who gets all of the government's secrets downloaded into his head? It's just so unlikely and impressive. The second season is pure gold. I love the Christmas episode (glad they called back to it this Christmas, with Sarah's bracelet!) when Sarah killed the unarmed bad guy in the tree lot to protect Chuck.

I can't believe we haven't discussed on the RPF the amazing gift that Casey gave to Morgan this year either. After the intersect wiped geek culture from Morgan's mind, Casey told him to start his re-education with the Star Wars prequels. He was still upset with him and told him that "Phantom Menace is the best." After he'd forgiven him, he gave him the Indiana Jones trilogy. Because of the Star Wars debacle, Morgan asked him "are you sure there's not another one that everyone loves that you're just holding out on me?" and Casey replied "no - there's just the three." What an elegant way of showing that he's over it. They know their audience and they know they don't have to spell things like that out. Great writing on this show at times!

 

[Solochaser]

Yeah I agree with westies 14 on understanding their audience. I love how he gave him the prequel and said this was your favorite! lol

 

[agliarept]

i like Chuck. one of the few shows that make me laugh out loud. from jeffster to the good music choices they make for some scenes. I don't get bored watching it and i like that.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

I can't believe we haven't discussed on the RPF the amazing gift that Casey gave to Morgan this year either. After the intersect wiped geek culture from Morgan's mind, Casey told him to start his re-education with the Star Wars prequels. He was still upset with him and told him that "Phantom Menace is the best." After he'd forgiven him, he gave him the Indiana Jones trilogy. Because of the Star Wars debacle, Morgan asked him "are you sure there's not another one that everyone loves that you're just holding out on me?" and Casey replied "no - there's just the three." What an elegant way of showing that he's over it. They know their audience and they know they don't have to spell things like that out. Great writing on this show at times!

Yeah I thought they did that really well. I also liked the last couple episodes how they show that Chuck has obviously been getting some real training. It was mentioned when he officially joined the CIA, but they never really showed it. Now we see he can fight pretty well without the Intersect. The writers are really good because countless times someone will say something and then in my head, usually movie or game related, I will think how I'd respond and they actually wrote it in.

It just sucks it will end. I'd rather have it go out good though, then hang around with mediocre content.

 

[Noeland]

I'm still watching too. To date I haven't missed an episode. It was once one of my favorite shows. Now days it's not. I still like it a whole lot though. I'm just glad they get an ending. Too many shows these days are cancelled with no benefit of a true ending.

 

[nightwind1]

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Reported as SPAM.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

So what did you think of the finale?

Spoiler

I think it was kind of bittersweet because he has Sarah back, but not the same Sarah we've watched for five years. I don't know what's with TV shows and movies lately that like to end a show with half a victory. I guess we're supposed to assume everything is okay and she may eventually remember everything.

 

[reaper63]

Spoiler

Andf it would seem that he retires with the Intersect still in his head. Or did they remove it again after the bomb was deactivated? Honestly, this is still wide open for a future movie or something else.

 

[Westies14]

Chris Fedak pointed out that they wanted to be clear that these five years aren't wasted/gone. Whether or not the "magic kiss" worked, we know Sarah's memories are in there and are slowly emerging (the Weinerlicious, Irene Demova, the "Sarah & Chuck" inscription at their house) and that's she's falling in love with Chuck again already.

The show was about Chuck and Sarah, and they had a challenge in making the finalé be about Chuck winning Sarah as it should have been. They'd already kissed, already fallen in love, already gotten engaged, already gotten married. The poor writers had to come up with an ending to the show six times before - a lot of big relationship moments were used up! In my opinion, the amnesia thing (a concept just as silly as the base concept of the show) was a great way of encapsulating and repeating Chuck's pursuit of Sarah. He had to win her over again, and it allowed for a lot of memories to be covered. I thought the ending was really special.

Julie and I are really gonna miss these characters. They've become like very welcome friends visiting each week! At least we'll always have the Blu-rays (an extended version of the finalé has been promised for the discs)...

 

[cboath]

I know they wrapped it up a few times in the past with the network constantly jerking them around. I thought the xmas episode was the finale' for a bit until they came back from the final commercial to say 'next on chuck...'

STILL, with all the great wrapped up endings they gave us in the past, this didn't feel like one. I get everyone is moving on with their lives, and that's what was written, why couldn't she have gotten her memory back with 5 minutes to go or something and then fade to them opening the door of their dream house and having a kid run out to the school bus or something. Happy ending...

What we got made me feel like it was a season finale' and series finale' and that there's more to the story.

I mean, Ellie/Awesome are off to chicago to start new lives, Morgan gets to move in with his girlfriend, Casey's off to find his dream girl - and chuck has to start over. That's how they want to go out?

One of the things I liked about the show was that the writers didn't shy away from moving forward with things, he got the girl, didn't lose her, got married, etc. I know that was partially pushed by NBC jerking them around every year, but regardless, it's a change from the status quo of 'guy likes girl but never gets girl til series finale'.

I half wonder if the intial 13 episode order got extended on them - again - and the last 3 episodes with the new bad guy were added to fill the order.

 

[torren_of_amber]

I am really bummed by the last few i.e. series finale. Way to be a let down...sux
T

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

STILL, with all the great wrapped up endings they gave us in the past, this didn't feel like one. I get everyone is moving on with their lives, and that's what was written, why couldn't she have gotten her memory back with 5 minutes to go or something and then fade to them opening the door of their dream house and having a kid run out to the school bus or something. Happy ending...

I kept seeing Chuck going on with a normal life and constantly overreacting to things when the Intersect flashes on things. Like someone jumping in his face to say hi and the Intersect kicks in and he accidentally knocks them out. :lol

 

[Westies14]

Cboath, I think you see it exactly backwards from how the writers did. Firstly, they knew how many episodes they were going to have this season going in. Sarah's amnesia was actually why Morgan's damaged intersect story began the season - it was setting this up. Also, the wrench NBC threw into the gears over and over wasn't a demand for extra episodes, but rather not letting them know in advance whether they'd get the next half-season or not. Every 13 episodes, they were made to write a story that could end things in satisfying enough way, yet leave directions in which they could progress and grow and continue. This one was meant to be an ending not because these characters don't have lives to continue living, but because they've each moved on from the path they were on during the show. Each character graduated to a new place in life, so to speak.

I could have kept hanging out with these characters every week quite happily! Still, the story had run its course in a way, and I'm very happy with how they decided to close it out. Just out of curiosity, were those of you who disagree with how it ended affected by the ending anyway, just wishing it closed out a bit cleaner/happier, ran a few more minutes?

 

[cboath]

For a series finale' i wanted it to end happier. Chuck/Sarah were much happier just 3 episodes ago. I'd have been happy had they ended at christmas. Everything was pretty much resolved at that point. This new bad guy hadn't even surfaced.

There was a year where they were extended 5 weeks. They were picked up for a 13 episode season, but weren't getting to start until january. In march, NBC had numerous other shows tank and Chuck doing strong and they had them add 4-5 episodes at the end, and they'd already written and filmed nearly all current 13 episode arc.

If you wanna set up memory loss, I just cannot understand doing it and leaving the show ending with some substantial memory loss and leaving things in worse shape than they were just a couple weeks ago. I know how NBC jerked them around, they always asked to know if they were going to be renewed so they would know how to end the season and they only got the answer one time, last year.

I pretty much summed up how each branch go to go on with their new life. Chuck and Sarah had plenty of new adventures in front of them out of the spy game living as normal people - that, too, would have been a continuing life. Having them possibly having to to start near the beginning, not nearly so much.

 

[Westies14]

I'd have been very content with a super-happy ending (I actually expected one)! I get where you're coming from. Ultimately, I'm glad they surprised me. If they were gonna end it with pure bliss, I'd have taken last year's halfway mark, where the baby was born and Chuck proposed (another ep written as a potential series finalé).

In trying to figure out why something so bittersweet resonates with me as the right way to end it, I realized that the show was always at its best when it did ache a bit like that. My favorite episode of the series is the Christmas episode from season 2: it's got great family stuff with Ellie and Devon in the Buy More during the hostage crisis, great Chuck & Sarah stuff with the bracelet ("you should give this to a real girlfriend." "..I know.") and the punch in the gut when Chuck sees Sarah kill that Fulcrum agent in cold blood in order to protect Chuck and his family - and then she lies about it when he asks her what happened to him. The situation didn't last long - they talked about it at the beginning of the following episode - but the feeling they established in that moment was so well-crafted and nuanced. Ultimately, this was a happy ending. Sarah loves Chuck again and her memories are in there (if not surfacing completely as the credits roll). They managed to ride that weird feeling they pulled off so well throughout the series though - one of the emotional spaces that made the show so special.

Again, I'd have been thrilled with everyone back to normal and happy and the story tied up in a neat little package, too. The people behind the show and the characters themselves earned a happy ending. I do think they got one.

 

[Angelus Lupus]

I think bittersweet sums up how I feel about this ending. Maybe they could have left us with something along the lines of: she'll eventually get her memories back, and by then she's fallen in love with Chuck again?

I dunno. I just don't feel happy leaving them all apart like that. They all became one big family and the previous few episodes really gave us that. Right now my feelings are kind of a nostalgic sigh...

At least it's not as disappointing as "Sam Becket never went home"

Edit: It was nice to see Chuck's mum again, tho.

 

[Westies14]

Angelus, your suggested ending is exactly what I feel they left us with. She's obviously smitten by him again by the end, and we've seen hints of her memory returning already.