Fall Television: "Chuck" -- a Working Class Hero

In last night's "Chuck," viewers were treated to more of this lovable goof ball who works for the spin on Best Buy's "Geek Squad" known as the Buy More's Nerd Herd. If you missed the first week's episode, I highly suggest visiting the following site to find out how "Chuck Saves the Day with Porn." The following commentary will contain spoilers, so if you don't want to know everything that happened, stop reading now!

Chuck's slightly pushy sister, Ellie, demands that Chuck invite his new girlfriend over to dinner. He's not sure he's ready for this, but he agrees. What his sister doesn't know is that Sarah is really a CIA agent sent to protect Chuck from the evil-doer's who want the information he has downloaded into his head. He also has a co-worker/NSA agent (Casey) working undercover within the store who is meant to help protect Chuck. The problem is that both Casey and Sarah are telling Chuck that the other is out to get him.

Sarah takes an undercover job at the neighboring "Weinerlicious". There she tells Chuck that she is going to have him meet with a doctor who might be able to help get the images he downloaded out of his head. Sara refuses to let the doctor actually see Chuck. Instead, she has Chuck sit in a blackened room and discuss the images he saw via an intercom. That night, the doctor is killed in a car explosion and the bomb is in a generic cell phone that the NSA use frequently-Casey had ample opportunity to plant the bomb and get the parts at Buy More.

When Casey tracks Chuck down by making a faux Nerd Herd appointment, he provides evidence that Sarah may be a rogue agent. When Casey's car explodes with the same cell phone bomb, Chuck fears that Sarah, who is now at Ellie's house for their dinner, may be a cold-blooded killer. Chuck leaves Casey behind and races to his sister's house with Casey hot on his heels. The pair start their goofy antics trying to prevent everyone from eating the souffle that Sarah brought with her. When Sarah learns the truth behind Chuck's behavior, she walks off.

Outside, Chuck and Casey both go to stop Sarah, but not before she is shot by the same doctor that supposedly blew up in the car. The doctor then turns and shoots Casey with a tranquilizer. Meanwhile, Sarah was smart enough to not give up information regarding Chuck's identity, which saves him from harm. But, the doctor kidnaps Sarah, and Chuck and Casey head off on a high speed chase to get her back.

After a wrong turn to Buy More, the pair track Sarah to an helicopter landing site near the docks. Casey tells Chuck to stay in the car, but as usual Chuck opts to not follow orders. He hears Sarah's screams and races to help her. There she scolds him for coming to her help and asks him to give her something to use as a lock pick. Hanging handcuffed from the ceiling, Sarah can't help him until she's free. When the kidnapper returns, Chuck hides, but reveals himself when Sarah's life is threatened.

Chuck is then tranquilized and placed in the helicopter. Sarah and Casey are helpless to do anything. In the air, Chuck realizes that his pocket protector blocked the tranquilizer dart and he uses it on the pilot. After a battle with the evil doctor, Chuck is behind the helicopter controls, but he has no idea how to fly it. Casey proves to be of little help, so Sarah takes over and asks Chuck if he's played any flight simulators. Using his skill playing those games, Chuck is able to land the 'copter, though not gracefully, and the day is saved. Once again, the bad habits of a geek (first porn and now video games) saved the day.

"Chuck" is an awesome show, and I, for one, can't wait for next week! See you then.