By Jenn Kim
“Charles Carmichael always comes quickly.”
What can I say, I’m a sucker for cheap sex puns, particularly at the expense of our endearingly flawed hero.
“Chuck vs the Suburbs” proves to be a high paced, fun, and sexually charged episode (just the way I like ‘em). When a CIA agent is discovered addle-brained and incoherent, the team must resume his undercover assignment: to infiltrate a terrorist network in the suburbs of Los Angeles. Sarah and Chuck are therefore assigned to play house as husband and wife, while Casey gets cable guy duty.
One sweater vest and an overly literal Talking Heads song later, Chuck and Sarah acclimate themselves nicely to the delights of suburban married life. Not only do they host an outdoor barbecue for their creepy Stepford neighbors, but, in an uncharacteristic show of domesticity, Sarah also cooks Chuck breakfast. As I watched Sarah serve Chuck a fresh omelet, the feminist in me rolled her eyes and muttered, “Oh sure, that’s what ALL independent, highly intelligent, super strong women secretly desire: to cook breakfast for a man while wearing a sexy negligee,” but the Chuck fan in me was immediately gratified by Chuck’s genuine look of awe and appreciation. Damn Zachary Levi’s smile, causing me to furiously practice my omelet-making skills.
After a good old fashioned adultery/seduction attempt (lead by a delightfully evil Jenny McCarthy), we discover that the entire neighborhood is in fact a front for Fulcrum and that the creepy neighbors are Fulcrum agents working to create their own human-intersect. The journey to find the Fulcrum intersect consists of exposing potentials to a highly dangerous brain-imaging machine, often killing them in the process. The Fulcrum agents capture the trio, bring them to the Fulcrum lair, and test Chuck, who, surprise of all surprises, survives and retains the Fulcrum images. When the Fulcrum agents attempt to test Sarah, they are thwarted by Casey and Chuck’s impromptu plan of exposing the Fulcrum agents themselves to the image machine. The Fulcrum agents are captured (or dead), and all is right with our heroes.
Or is it? By the end of the episode, I found that the real danger of the mission for Chuck wasn’t the exposure to the crazy brain-imaging machine, but the sampling of sweet married life with Sarah. Chuck is by no means a flawless show, but its most compelling part (aside from Adam Baldwin, of course) is the developing relationship between Chuck and Sarah. Though often over-drawn out and repetitive (their relationship is just a cover! But their feelings are REAL! But they can never be together because of Sarah’s crazy spy life! But Chuck gave Sarah his mom’s bracelet, and that’s the sweetest thing on earth! Sweet emo emotions!!!!), the actors do an excellent job in conveying sincere affection for one another. Like Chuck, the audience can’t help but hope that with each new discovery we make of Sarah (she likes to cook!), there’s a chance for a real relationship to develop. And like Chuck, we feel an enormous sense of loss when we realize that despite her genuineness, Sarah is, and will always be, a spy first, girl second. Yet while Chuck dejectedly tells Ellie that his relationship with Sarah will never reach the “next step,” I know I’m still holding out hope that the dog, wedding pictures, and grocery lists will all someday turn into a blissful reality.
I’ve been thinking about . . .
- How badass is Jayne- I mean Casey? Breaking his own wrist to escape from handcuffs? I’d gladly celebrate Valentine’s Day with him any day of the year.
- I found it thoughtful of the Fulcrum agents to put protective sunglasses on Sarah.
- When Casey exposed the machine to the Fulcrum spies, couldn’t they just, you know…close their eyes?
- So Chuck is now the intersect for the CIA AND Fulcrum? How utterly convenient. And dangerous.
- I like Andy Richter. Does anyone else remember his “In the Year 2000″ skits on Conan?
- Great Buy More plot line. The pairing of Big Mike and Morgan’s mom will surely bring more laughs.
- I’m convinced Lester is the most underrated TV character currently on television: “Someone who will suck his….will to work out of him.”
- Morgan’s mom is hot. I’m wondering how she created someone so….hairy.
- What was up with Buster’s wig?
- I miss Anna. And Awesome. Hope they’ll be in the next episode.
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When she's not questioning her decision to enter lawyer-hood-dom, Jenn enjoys stalking celebrities and getting over her totally rational fear of zombies. She also idolizes Joss Whedon, and is crossing her fingers that Nathan Fillion and NPH will accept her friend requests. 
great review!! i too need to practice my omelet making skills. damn that charming puppy smile knocking out my feministiness. totally agree about lester's underappreciated genius! him and aziz ansari do asians everywhere proud.
and casey of course is the badassiest.
thanks! i hope you keep reading!
Soooo…. was Andy Richter in the episode? Or are you just saying you’re a fan?
Andy Richter + Jayne in one show?? how could one half-hour even hope to contain all that gloriousness??? Just throw in some Nathan Fillion and a masturbating bear and I swear I will jizz my pants…and then jizz again in the same pair of pants! Yes!!
Great review!
(I dunno if my prior comment went through)
I too had been considering the critical gender-normative subtext in Chuck! Why can't women spies have it all? While most of us aren't spies
, we do have our own professional and career aspirations! Why is it so hard to balance that with the simple desire for a relationship?!
"Why can't women spies have it all?"<?i>
Well, Sarah did "have it all" for a while with Bryce. Or, at least, she thought she did until he went all rogue on us. Given how poorly she actually deals with emotional pain (c.v. her father), it seems to me that she's probably still quite gun shy in the romance department. She also seems hesitant on the Chuck front because she's developed a great deal of respect and affection for the lanky lug, and doesn't want to hurt him.
They're excuses, sure, but the reasoning behind them does have merit.
Gah. Close tag fail.
Really, though, does any spy have it all? Casey has no personal life to speak of, with the exception of his long distance bromance with Ronald Reagan. The other guest spies we've met were also all spy antics all the time.
Otherwise, in reality, I kinda think that the idea of "having it all" is a vast conspiracy to keep us running and down on ourselves for not being good enough, strong enough, organized enough, etc.
"…his long distance bromance with Ronald Reagan."
::snerk:: That would be really long-distance, considering Reagan's dead. Hmm… Bromance From Beyond the Grave. Coming soon to a theater near you?
Even though he'd hate to admit it, I think Casey is profoundly lonely. It's why he stopped whining about being teamed up with Sarah, and has even taken on an obnoxious older brother role with Chuck. He probably wouldn't admit it, but he seems to be happier in their company than not.
Awesome review, Fuzz! Fortunately, I have seenquite a few episodes of Chuck and was able to follow your delicious review. I like Chuck's sister better than Sarah, though.
that was way more eloquently put than i could strive for. i completely agree; i'd totally be smiling if i had someone i cared for (as much as chuck cares for sarah) performing such a sweet act for me.