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« Chuck
Episode Recap: "Chuck vs. the Sizzling Shrimp"
So far Chuck has been pretty good about keeping his secret spy life from interfering too much with his regular life, but tonight the two collided, and his friends and family lost. Ironically it was Chuck's own personal code of trying to help everyone that got him in trouble. Talk about no good deed going unpunished!
So how many different directions was Chuck being pulled in? Ellie wanted him to spend time with her and celebrate their special family "October Mother's Day," and Morgan wanted Chuck to help him with the sales contest. But Casey and Sarah needed him to check out a Chinese spy, who insisted Chuck help her rescue her brother after he botched her attempt (while being helpful to the wrong person, no less!).
Chuck felt so bad about getting the intel wrong that he was compelled to help the spy... which pretty much messed up everything for everyone. He wasn't there for Morgan or Ellie, while Casey and Sarah got captured on the mission he forced them to take. Of course, he came through in the end, overcoming his fear of fireworks to save his team and the Chinese spy, but that meant Ellie and Morgan had to pay the price. Chuck may have a supercomputer in his head and think at the speed of light, but he can't be in two places at once.
This allowed the supporting cast to have more airtime in this episode, especially Ellie, and I liked that her character was allowed to evolve. Ellie bonding with Morgan and coming to his rescue in the (as it turned out) bogus contest was really sweet. It was nice to see her character fleshed out as something more than Chuck's sister or Captain Awesome's girl. (By the way, the lack of Awesome tonight did not go unnoticed. Let's hope he's back next week.)
The other workers at Buy More got more lines, too, and they all seemed aimed at humiliating Morgan. They did a fantastic job of it, especially after Morgan managed to genuinely help a customer and get her number for his efforts. I did feel sorry for him when that happened, even though he was back to being excruciatingly annoying for most of the night. I know that is his role in the show, but really, a little Morgan goes a long way and there has to be something else he can do besides get under Chuck's (and the audience's) skin.
Chuck seems to be adjusting to his spy role, settling in with the idea of going on missions and not being freaked out or whiny about it. But I am still wondering why he hasn't gotten any training yet. By now he should have been given a crash course in self-defense at the very least. Casey and Sarah cannot always be there to protect him.
OK, now on to the highlights. This episode was pretty tightly put together. I liked how it moved along from one point to the next with some great lines or shots along the way, such as:
• Morgan flashing his geek badge with the line "Help me Chuck, you're my only hope." Yeah, we all know that was paraphrased from Star Wars.
• Chuck's increasingly ridiculous excuses to cover up his spy duties.
• Ordering the shrimp and having it delivered to the stake-out car.
• The way Ellie invited Morgan and Sarah to share the special family holiday.
I'll leave the rest for you guys to point out. Let's hear what you liked!
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Oct 22, 2007 11:39 PM
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They teased us with the false hope that Morgan would quit or be fired and then snatched it away. I feel so cheated.
It was great to see more of Ellie, and letting her have some time out of Awesome's shadow
You can see how Chuck doesn't want to say No to anybody, so he just keeps getting himself in deeper. That kind of goes with the whole insecurity package.
Now I'm really hungy for shrmp.
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Oct 23, 2007 12:00 AM
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Why does everyone dislike Morgan? LOL I like everyone in this show which is probably why I like the show so much. With Heroes quickly declining to a 'hmmm maybe I should make a phone call instead of watching' type show, Chuck has become one of my top three shows. I had originally assumed that Chuck's sis wouldn't find out about his predictament until the end of the season but now I'm wondering if it will be revealed sooner and then she'll be in danger and he'll have to save her or something for Feb sweeps.
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Oct 23, 2007 12:48 AM
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Sorry, double post.
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Oct 23, 2007 3:03 AM
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I really like this show too.
Something that I thought was interesting. The Chinese guy "overlord" in the wheelchair was named ...Lo Pan. If my memory serves me correctly he also played an overlord named Lo Pan in that old Kurt Russell movie "Big Trouble In Little China"? Do you think the writers were aware of that? Or could it be that we've finally run out of names for Asian TV characters.
Anyway, count me as one of the people who likes Morgan.
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Oct 23, 2007 3:04 AM
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I don't like Morgan, and I was bored during the subplot ... well, that's a little harsh, but I did think there was too much of that subplot. However, Ellie was Awesome, although I missed the real Awesome.
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Oct 23, 2007 8:38 AM
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I hope they did that on purpose. I love that movie. I even have my kids loving it. Kurt Russell was at his funniest.
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Oct 23, 2007 9:13 AM
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I have to say, I dont dislike Morgan, but sometimes there is too much Morgan. The one thing that really bothered me about Morgan in this episode is his "guit trip" to Chuck about helping him be a better salesman. Why does Chuck have to be responsible for Morgans ability to make a sale. Morgan is an adult & he had plenty of opportunities to make the sale but he would always mess it up.
And Morgan contiually comming to Chucks house & hitting on Ellie is getting a little old. Not saying I dont think this is funny, but do it in moderation. I do like Morgan & he is funny, but again, they just over do him sometimes. Otherwise I just adore this show. It is so very funny & clever.
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Oct 23, 2007 9:18 AM
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of course the name Lo Pan was on purpose. There are many pop culture references throughout the show, like the end when Chuck said to Lo Pan "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown... Did you see that movie".
I love the pop culture references and yes, I loved "Help me Chuck, you're my only hope." Don't we all paraphrase this when the time calls for it?
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Oct 23, 2007 9:34 AM
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I noticed that Casey seemed to be the leader of the team, the one calling the shots. In previous epidodes, I got the impression that Sarah was the leader. I guess this just shows that there isn't just one person calling the shots. Although I do like Casey in the lead...he definitely had a bigger part!
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Oct 23, 2007 9:54 AM
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Actually I believe the line was, "Help me Charles Bartowski, you're my only hope."
I really, really, really enjoy the writing on this show. I was trying to figure out what "October Mother's Day" was all about. I figured it may have been when their mother died or something, so to have it be the day she left and they had to fend for themselves while taking care of each other was a really nifty concept. I'm glad the sister got more involved with the show, but Morgan is just a pain. Unlike Sock from Reaper, Morgan adds nothing positive to the show. I really wish they'd make his character less of a tool and more of a fool, at least then he'd be funny. That said, the characters in this series are all well defined and everyone seems to do a good job with their part, even the lesser used Buy More employees. Question: If they had a sales contest that was so important, where was the angry Asian guy who doesn't like Chuck? Isn't he a green shirt too?
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Oct 23, 2007 9:54 AM
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I liked this episode for showing us the conflicts Chuck will be facing, and for giving us more of his great relationship with his sister, which I love. A healthy familial relationship on TV? More please!!
And I liked the Morgan subplot, I actually felt bad for the guy, even though he is obnoxious. I thought it was great he told the woman to get the item cheaper for her sick nephew; Morgan may be a bit of an idiot, but when the chips are down, he's basically a good guy - you know Chuck wouldn't hang with anybody who isn't a good person.
And I loved that Morgan and Ellie bonded, but that their relationship hasn't entirely changed. (I also like that Awesome doesn't seem the least bit threatened by Morgan in any way. He knows Morgan's got no shot. MORGAN knows he's got no shot.) Funny that Chuck refers to him as Awesome to his own sister! When she uses his real name, I'm like, "Who?"
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Oct 23, 2007 10:25 AM
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I really love this show - but if I am forced to watch another Bee Movie Promo I will be forced to watch this show in something other than real time.
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Oct 23, 2007 10:59 AM
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Of all the episodes so far, this may be my least favorite. I hope the show doesn't continue on this path of distracting subplots.
With the "Mother's Day" subplot, I kept thinking, "WTH?" It was distracting with no explanation until the end. I felt like I had to rewatch the whole thing again on TiVo. Maybe that was the idea?
Morgan was really, REALLY annoying. I echo what others have said about a little Morgan going a LOOOOOOONG way, especially as he is now - whiny and needy. Also as someone else said, he's an adult, so why does he need Chuck to rescue him? I fast-forwarded through all the Morgan parts except for him with Chuck and with Ellie.
Ellie was also kind of annoying, that is, until the end when she helped Morgan and again when the "Mother's Day" was explained. Another reason to rewatch. I didn't fast-forward through her parts again, but I was gritting my teeth.
Chuck with Sarah and Casey was funny. Loved the Chinese food delivery during the stakeout, the references to "Big Trouble in Little China" and "White Nights," Hall and Oates' "Private Eyes" (CLASSIC! LMAO...) and the Loveline-esque show Chuck was listening to.
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Oct 23, 2007 11:47 AM
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My favorite line of the night comes courtesy of Casey: "A Glock and crotch rocket, that's my kind of girl". Too Funny! Great episode and I just loved the scene with Chuck in the stake-out truck. Private Eyes and Chuck talking to the Sizzling Shrimp was just fantastic! I really enjoyed Morgan tonight and felt so sorry for him. I'm the one person that actually likes his character!
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Oct 23, 2007 11:57 AM
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