The Chicago Tribune is reporting that Chuck will be back for its 3rd season starting on Sunday, January 10th for a 2 hour premiere of back to back episodes.

The third episode will then play the very next night at Chuck’s old slot on Mondays at 8pm.   Heroes will shift back to its old 9pm time-slot.

Check out the Season 3 Teaser below:

Welcome news indeed!  Not too much longer without our weekly Yvonne fix.  I, for one, can’t wait!

Available for pre-order on Amazon.com:

Special features will include:

• Truth, Spies and Regular Guys: Exploring the Mythology of Chuck
• Dude in Distress: Explore Some of This Season’s Best Action Sequences
• Chuck Versus the Webisodes: Web-Originated Minifeaturettes
• Chuck: A Real-Life Captain Awesome’s Tips for Being Awesome
• John Casey Presents: So You Want to Be a Deadly Spy?
• Declassified Scenes
• Gag Reel

I don’t know about you, but I think A Real-Life Captain Awesome’s Tips for Being Awesome sounds pretty hilarious.

Also, don’t forget that Yvonne will be appearing (albeit in digital form) in Mass Effect 2, which will be hitting PC and Xbox 360 on January 26th. I think that’s her on the cover.

UPDATE: Reader Mike pointed out that if you zoom in on the Mass Effect 2 cover on Amazon’s site, you can clearly see that it is in fact Yvonne on the cover:

Though we don’t receive permission to put all photos in our official gallery, the forums keep’em coming in the New Pictures thread.  Be sure to check that out if you’re not a forum regular.

It may be a cold dark time for those of us jonesing for some Yvonne Strahovski, but with Chuck Season 3 filming underway and a few side projects of Ms. Strahovski on the way there’s sure to be a light at the end of the tunnel.

The most immediate thing to watch out for is Yvonne in a small film called The Canyon.  We’ve mentioned in before on the site, but Amazon has it listed finally with a current release date of November 17.

Some of you may also remember that Yvonne has provided her voice and face to Mass Effect 2, due out on all the major consoles in January.  The resemblance is certainly uncanny.

You can also get some Yvonne when Chuck Season 2 hits DVD and Blu-ray.  The release date hasn’t been finalized yet, but we can probably expect it a couple of weeks before the start of Season 3 in March.

Other than that, we sit and wait.  There’s always stuff to discuss in the forums, whether Yvonne Strahovski related or not.  And, of course, the gallery never gets old — full of beauty with over 2,000 photos.

I miss Yvonne!  How ’bout you guys?

She did, however, get to dance to a hilarious live performance by Jeffster:

In addition to the panels, there are always lots of interviews and press appearances at Comic-Con. Our lovely Yvonne gave a great interview to Kevin Pereira from G4’s Attack of the Show. I can never get enough of the Aussie Accent Awesomeness:

You can find more Comic-Con coverage, including tons of pictures in our forums.

If you were at the Con and have some pictures you’d like us to share, send them our way!

The caveat is that it’s only for 13 episodes (with a potential back-9 pickup) and there’s going to be some budget cutting.

Exactly how the budget is going to be cut isn’t yet released, but expect to see some minor characters reduced in scope and possibly eliminated altogether.  It is also reported that the show is going to lose a couple of staff writers.

I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that Yvonne Strahovski is not in danger of getting the boot.

In addition to at least 13 more episodes of Sarah Walker, there has also been news that Yvonne Strahovski is set to star in at least two more films in addition to “I Love You Too” announced late last month.

The ever-loyal Strahotski forumners have created threads dedicated to each, a heretofore unnamed project and a movie called “Shadows from the Sky.”

Though both are early in development and it is not entirely clear how big of a role Ms. Strahovski will play, I’m sure you’re all with me when I say that any amount of Yvonne is a great thing!

So check out the forum threads, and breathe a collective sigh of relief.  Whether it was the “Save Chuck” campaign, divine intervention, or just good business — Chuck is back!

Edit: The official announcement has been released.  It looks like we won’t be seeing Chuck back until March, though.

The thing about Robbie McNeill’s directing is that he loves to get close-ups of Yvonne’s face.  Honestly, who wouldn’t?  I appreciate his attention to the details of Ms. Strahovski’s amazing facial expressions.

Though I require that Yvonne be part of every picture, I did try to sneak in a few where she wasn’t the main focus of the picture.  Surely everyone wants to see the aftermath of Chuck’s kung fu spree, or the loving gaze of Awesome and Ellie.

And if you need a soundtrack to your screen capture viewing, be sure to check out our music page where Rob has updated the songs for this latest episode.

Enjoy!

That, however, would not be the most responsible or professional thing to do, so I’m going to instead review the penultimate, best, most awesome, unbelievable episode of Chuck ever – Chuck Versus the Ring.

There may be some pretty huge spoilers implied, so read at your own risk.

“Thank you for saving my life at least once a week.”

Maybe Chuck didn’t save our lives every week by invading our living rooms with amazing television, but I feel like this quote pretty much sums it up, doesn’t it?

For the last two seasons now we’ve watched the old Chuck.  We’ve watched a premise not unlike the ‘Get Smart’ universe, with a bumbling spy, a shadowy anti-spy organization, and a hot agent 99.

But now we get the new Chuck.  The improved Chuck.  The OMG I can’t believe I just saw that Chuck.  Wow.  I know it’s just touchy feely descriptions, but this episode of Chuck was spectacular.

I didn’t think they could make better episodes than what we’ve seen, but this episode has taken the show to a whole new level.

“You look like a real bridesmaid.”

The one level of disappointment that this episode brings, of course, is the Charah dynamic once again being interrupted about a billion times.  It seems Sarah is never going to be able to express her feelings to Chuck.

If Chuck could read Sarah’s face like we could, he’d know she’s crazy about him.  He needs to take a little Yvonne Strahovski 101 so he can get the message.

With the stuff at the end now, what kind of Chuck are we going to get?  Will he be as lovable to Sarah in the future?  Will he be as lovable to anyone, for that matter?

I don’t know, but Sarah really has rotten luck when trying to get it all out.  Now if Chuck can just figure out how to shut the hell up maybe he’ll get somewhere.

“Without further ado I present to you — Jeffster!”

What a triumphant return of Jeffster, eh?  Only Chuck could pull off a gun fight in a wedding reception room with a black ops team jumping through the skylight, all set to Mr. Roboto.  Honestly, what other show could pull that off?

The Buy More crew had very little to do this episode, and it’s unclear whether they have a place in next season’s Chuck but if not it was a nice send off to our ragtag bunch of green shirts and herders.

Morgan really would do anything for Chuck.  It’s a good thing Chuck confessed about putting Morgan up to it, because I feel fairly certain that she would have never forgiven Morgan.

I was surprised to see that Chuck convinced Ellie that it was his fault solely on forgetting the rings.  I thought for sure he’d have to spill the beans.

“No, no, no – that clashes with the bunting.”

I like this new Casey.  He’s awesome, manly, and in touch with his feminine side.  “Wedding Planner” Casey was hilarious, and it’s great to see him to take the same level of pride in his work no matter the goal.

He also had his ‘You Rang?’ line which was pretty much requisite after that entrance.  As much as Yvonne Strahovski and Zachary Levi bring to Chuck, Adam Baldwin is every bit as necessary for the show to work.

I love Adam Baldwin.  I will shout it from the rooftops… okay maybe I won’t, but still — the man is awesome.

“Dad – I love her.”

I was really scared that they were going to kill off Papa B in this episode but I was relieved to find out that there is an opening for his return next season.  I really hope we’ll see Scott Bakula back because he really adds a lot to the show.

And how awesome is it that he is also an old fart of an intersect?  With the revelations from the end of the episode, this has the potential to set up a particularly interesting dynamic between the two.

I don’t imagine they can afford Scott Bakula full time but if he can make regular appearances, I’ll be a happy man.

“Guys… I know Kung Fu.”

Wow.  So Chuck is back with style.  He could probably kick Casey’s butt now.  I really really really loved the homage to the Matrix — it was done almost frame for frame.  Amazing.

I had to get up and stand up for the last fight scene because I was just that excited.  And while the fight was going on, I totally told my wife, “He better say ‘I know Kung Fu’”.  I’m glad he didn’t let me down.

They wrapped up both the Jill and Bryce storylines, but it remains to be scene whether Bryce will return from the dead yet again.  It would be interesting to find him resurrected in some form fitting with the show.  They’ve done it before, right?

The writers have also left an opening for a new, darker and ultimately scarier version of Fulcrum.  That’s also where we got our double meaing — I was waiting for it all episode — when we learn that the Fulcrum is just part of the ‘Ring’.

“Our brains only screw things up.”

I wonder if that quote is foreshadowing for how these changes to the intersect and Chuck may screw things up for him in a lot of ways.  How do you not get an ego with that kind of power?  I think we may find that it impedes forward-motion on the Charah front.

There was also brilliant foreshadowing when Ellie told Chuck that sometimes she thinks he has super powers.  The writing in this episode really was quite superb with things tying up very nicely.

And at the end we get a “To Be Continued…”  Is that a guarantee for a 3rd season?  I wouldn’t take it to be a guarantee, but it does mean they have lots in store.  Let’s hope NBC takes the bait and brings back our girl, Yvonne Strahovski, for another go at it.

Yvonne was, by the way, as splendid as ever and we got to see her in a variety of Wedding chic.  I’m sure that will make some great screen capping.  Just goes to show that you don’t have to put the girl in her underwear to get our attention — she is beautiful in all that she does.

But enough about my rambling; I have a feeling there’s going to be some very lengthy discussion on what this all means.  When Chuck comes back for Season 3, can it ever be the same?

Screen caps should be up tomorrow evening.  Until then, let’s talk it out.  Is this everything you hoped a season finale of Chuck would be?

This episode had it all — action, emotion, and the “Chuck smile.”  It was really a breeze to cap because Yvonne was breathtakingly beautiful in every scene (as she always is).

I especially like the “OMG I can totally date Chuck now” face as they drive away from the air strike myself.  What’s your favorite?

As always, you can also check out the music for Versus the Colonel to listen to all your favorites from the episode!

Enjoy!

I can’t really imagine a better setup for a good time, so let’s just get to the review of Episode 2.21 – Chuck Versus the Colonel.

“Your country thanks you, Colonel Casey.”

I don’t usually start with Casey, but tonight he deserves it.  After Chuck betrayed Casey a few too many times, I was really having a hard time imagining Chuck not taking a bullet to the brain.

But Adam Baldwin is a masterful actor and brought Casey’s cold shoulder paired with his deeply buried warm heart in full force.  His quips are always to die for, but tonight we got closer to Casey than we have in 2 seasons of Chuck.

If it were any other script or any other actor, I think I would balk at the speed with which Colonel Casey forgave his charges and joined their cause.  But I bought it, and I loved it.

Three cheers to Adam Baldwin.  In an episode full of Charah, he stole the show.

“Because the floor is gross…”

Now for the Charah.  We knew it was coming from the promos, but it didn’t disappoint.  I felt a little sorry for Chuck at first.

Sarah deciding to sleep in her panties was just downright mean if she wasn’t going to seduce him.  She should have slept in her jeans if that’s what it took.

More than the overt make-out session, though, Yvonne Strahovski did her usual best with emoting even when she wasn’t ‘with’ Chuck.

When she found out what Chuck’s Dad had done, the look on her face made me think she was going to tackle Chuck right there in the backseat with Papa B and Casey watching.  Classic Strahovski expression.

“I don’t even know where to get the knives.”

I’ve always liked how the Buy More plots mirror the spy plots, and this week’s was well done with Morgan’s emancipation.

I could have done without seeing J-Go topless, but I’ll let it slide since Anna is hot and I respect Morgan’s defiance.  I’m always happy with anyone who sticks it to Emmett.

“From one stalker to another; I’m impressed.”

Not being well-versed in the Godfather movies, I’m sure there are a lot of Buy More references I missed at the beginning with Big Mike and Morgan.

The Buy More plot was pretty decent this time around, and I really liked the way the three plotlines tied together.

‘Stalker’ Casey was totally awesome (yes, that was intended) and I liked that Devon’s investigation led him to the Buy More.  Stuff like that just makes the whole universe feel more connected.

It’s fun to entertain the possibilities of how the strange relationship between Casey and Chuck is viewed by outsiders.  They’ve toyed with that on the Sarah & Chuck front often enough, but I’ve always wondered why no one questioned Casey’s sudden appearance on the scene.

“Not bad for a frat boy.”

Captain Awesome was totally radical (don’t wanna overuse the ‘A’ word) in this episode.  I’ve long wished for a plotline involving Devon and Chuck’s secrety spy life.

The way in which is came out was totally perfect.  As a geek, I know that one thing all geeks love to talk about is superhero match-ups — could Wolverine take Spidey?  Would Batman have a chance against Superman?

That same nerve was hit when I got to see Captain Awesome square off against John Casey.  I didn’t really think Awesome stood a chance, but it was still neat to see.

Coincidentally, we got the same treat when we got to see Sarah Walker versus John Casey.  It was a banner geekgasm night, indeed.

I was a little disappointed that Devon lost all his cool when confronted by Ellie the first time, but he came through at the end with a nice little speech.

“I had no idea Tron was so popular.”

With all of the amazing character development, it’s actually surprising that the episode managed to advance the plot at all.  But oh did it advance the plot.

It was good to see both Chevy Chase and Scott Bakula back in their roles.  I do wonder why Roark would give Papa B so much leeway while under lock & key, but I guess it was necessary for the plot development.

For the sake of remaining as spoiler-free as possible, I’ll just say that Papa B’s handiwork was quite the gamechanger.  Some people saw it coming, but it’s hard to imagine where they go from here.  I assume the only way forward in this case will be back.

But in the meantime, at least we’ll get some new stuff and some different character interactions.  This episode really tied up the ‘arc’ of the second season.

I’m definitely hoping for that 3rd season, but this episode would be a fitting series finale if it isn’t in the cards.  So much so, that I really worry that next week’s episode will mess up the fairy-tale ending.

“I’ll go warm up the Vic.”

I get carried away with the episode sometimes and forget to dedicate a section to Yvonne Strahovski.  It is her who this website is dedicated, and it is remiss of me to not spend more time for her.

Her acting is such a staple of the show that it’s easy to overlook the subtlety and perfection with which she plays her role.  She got a fair amount of screen time this episode, and she handled it all well.

Not only that, but she looked stunning in her rehearsal dinner dress at the end.  Chuck Bartowski is having one heck of a night.  Let’s hope he cashed in that IOU from Morgan.

What did you guys think?  Is it everything you could possibly want out of the season and even the series if it came to that?

Screen caps should be up tomorrow.  Until then, let’s talk about the Colonel, the Charah, and the future.

As some of you may already know, a number of fan sites in the Chuck community have called for fans of Chuck to write letters to NBC to ask for renewal of the show.

These letters could be as simple as a plea for renewal, or more complex with some personal feelings about the show and what it means to you.

I’ve already mailed my letter off, and I urge you all to do the same if you feel so inclined.  Sending a letter via snail mail makes a much bigger statement than simply typing a few words on the computer, or signing an online petition.

The address(es) for mailing letters to NBC is:

NBC’s Chuck
3000 W Alameda Ave
Burbank, CA 91523

Ben Silverman
Co-Chairman
3000 W. Alameda
Admin Building
Burbank, CA 91523

Angela Bromstad
President of Primetime Series
100 Universal City Plaza
Bldg 1320, 4th Floor
Universal City, CA 91608

I imagine the first two addresses end up in the same place. I only sent my letter to the first, but it is at the sender’s discretion which address to choose.

We try to keep the main site clutter free, but we all want Chuck Season 3.  More Chuck means more Yvonne Strahovski, and if you’re a fan of Strahotski.com then you’re also a fan of Yvonne!

I’ve also started a thread in our forums where you can post your letter.  I’ve posted mine there and I’m eager to read others!

Be sure to check out the awesome postcards that were posted in the thread for an alternative to a letter.