Strahovski and Undercover Lovers
After what seems like an eternity, I’m excited to be back reviewing episodes of Chuck!
Tonight we get two episodes, but I’ll take this time to boycott The Apprentice and review Episode 1.12, Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover.
Quite simply, this episode was amazing. It seems like a bucket of money fell into the production phase of this episode. It was so much more high quality (technically speaking) than other episodes.
Explosions were richer, the picture was crisper, and the story was perfectly edited together with the A plot and the B plot.
Though there wasn’t much to see in the way of Yvonne Strahovski, focusing on Casey for an episode was extremely refreshing. He’s too long been a shadowy figure on the outskirts of the world of Chuck.
Perhaps its the long hiatus that made me love this episode so much, but I think it’s also just a little bit of man crush on Adam Baldwin. He’ll always be Jayne Cobb to me, but he owns John Casey just as well.
I was also really happy to see Captain Awesome and Ellie fleshed out a little more. Though Awesome has always been … awesome … both he and Ellie have always been bit characters to the larger plot.
This episode sees them come to the forefront and really take on their own plotline.
If you go back and read my early reviews, I really ragged on Sarah Lancaster for not fitting into the show and being comfortable in her character. That’s all a thing of the past. She fits into Chuck as well as anyone now.
This episode didn’t have much in the way of Sarah Walker, but the promos during the commercials treated us to some Yvonne Strahovski hottie Australian accent. That was a treat all by itself.
Only one hour until Episode 1.13! The review for that will be up later and screen captures of both will follow this weekend.
Welcome back!
January 25th, 2008 at 2:53 am
One of the best episodes of the season. Marlin is by the far best, most emotional.
January 26th, 2008 at 1:26 am
I agree with a lot of your review… Not as much Yvonne as we would have liked, but the episode was great – either from the anticipation from not having any episodes to watch or that it was actually a great episode. I would go with the second one… A very refreshing episode. Loved the natural accent in the promos or commentary, but overall, there wasn’t much going on with the commercials.
The Casey character had a chance to open up a bit. I don’t know a lot of Adam Baldwin’s previous work – other than Independence Day, but I think he plays this character VERY well. I do love the side characters quite a bit. I was suprised not to see any of Anna in these episodes, but I’m sure she will return soon enough.
Anyway, I cannot wait fot the strike to end so we can get some more new episodes! I am hooked on this show. Zach Levi is hilarious and Yvonne is dreamy…
January 26th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
I loved the scene with Sarah and Ellie. That was a great moment between those two characters.