By Buzz Byrne

“My life consists of spies, car chases and computer stealing ninjas.” So says Chuck at the start of the second episode. What is he doing during this voiceover? Making sure his new trainee, undercover NSA agent John Casey, doesn’t obliterate a shoplifter. “Every moment of my life is in danger,” he goes on to tell us, because he has all the secrets of the US intelligence community locked in his brain.

The real question was whether CHUCK could sustain the high action and tight comedy of the premiere. Two car explosions, one car chase, a helicopter stunt and a hand-to-hand dust up between trained assassins covered the action; the jumpy sincerity of Zachary Levi’s Chuck took care of the comedy. Thankfully the writers have given him plenty of physical comedy bits to play with and decently crafted fish-out-of-water jokes to play off the dead pan of the spies. So far, the series is still very promising.


This week the obvious question is addressed: how will the government get back its’ secrets and will Chuck survive the process? The NSA sends their top scientist, Jonas Zarnow. Zarnow has to remotely test Chuck- keep them separated for their own safety- to confirm he has the “Intersect” program in his head. During the test we learned a flash flood of secrets ranging from the serious (“The plot to assassinate Jimmy Carter was foiled…”) to the sublime (“Oceanic Flight 815 was SHOT DOWN…”). It’s a blink of an eye joke but at least they have the sense to pack as much humor into it as possible.

After the test it appears Zarnow is killed in an off-screen explosion reminiscent of an AIRWOLF dogfight. CIA agent/ pretend girlfriend to Chuck, Sarah, is now working next door to Chuck’s work at Wienerlicious. Mmmm. She and Casey suspect each other of the Zarnow murder and try and convince Chuck of the other’s guilt. This culminates in a dinner date thrown by Chuck’s sister so she can meet the new girl in his life. Casey shows up, best friend Morgan is there along with sis’s boyfriend Captain Awesome. Any scene with Captain Awesome, has so far been…awesome.

Are the spies trying to poison these people? Is it the NSA mini-quiches or the CIA chocolate soufflé? Of course neither. Zarnow isn’t dead (thank God, it explains the atrocious death scene), and he is after Chuck. He kidnaps Sarah to find Chuck’s identity and despite being told specifically to “Stay in the car!” Chuck attempts to save her. He also is feeling a bit guilty for doubting her and stinging after their first lovers spat, even if they are pretend lovers for now.


The final sequence involves a plain old helicopter. “Is this the kind of helicopter that turns into a boat?!” Chuck screams as he tries to land the thing. No, Chuck, it isn’t. But that is funny.

For now the government is fine to go along with keeping Chuck alive, but we did get word that the new “Intersect” program will be up and running in six months and that will be the end of the road for Chuck.

Don’t bet on it. If Chuck keeps doing what he’s doing, he’ll be around for longer than that.