November 12, 2011 - 4:47pm
Episode Review: 'Chuck Versus the Frosted Tips'
BY KAYLA UPADHYAYA
“Chuck” has been in the danger zone for a while now, and last year it seemed like the show was in constant possibility of cancellation. But NBC managed to keep it afloat and the show has returned for a 13-episode final season. The first two episodes of this season were mediocre, and the writers seem just as confused as they were for the entirety of last season, spinning arcs with potential into a confusing web that has left me asking … so what? Because at the end of the day, “Chuck” isn’t a spy show — it’s a show about people, relationships and the work world. And if the characters are not growing or showing depth, then all the fun spy gadgetry and action sequences feel pointless.
“Chuck Versus The Frosted Tips” finally gives a glimmer of what this show once was: a geeky and fast-paced comedy featuring interesting characters who happen to be CIA agents. This season, it’s Carmichael Industries versus everyone else, including the CIA, which has a nice full-circle feel to it since they were the ones who Intersect’d (Intersectioned? Intersectified?) Chuck in the first place.
Morgan as the Intersect is not working, and a part of me wishes that the show had taken a bolder move by having no Intersect in the final season. In some ways, it is nice to know that Morgan’s recent behavior changes were Intersect-induced, but at the same time, it seemed like a bit of a cop-out on the writers’ part. Morgan’s changes were adding drama, but since they are mechanically and not emotionally caused, they are not very high-stakes.
Sarah is this week’s standout character, acting as the moral compass when Chuck and Casey are both blinded by emotions in dealing with getting back the zip-drive Morgan stole. Likewise, Captain Awesome shows more clarity than the other characters in his talk with Morgan when he wisely stated: “Don’t confuse your job with your life.” This problem plagues the others: they don’t know where to draw the line between work and life. Casey mixes spy missions with dating and Chuck and Sarah don’t seem willing to give up their jobs for the perfect future they envision for themselves. I hope that this is where the final season is headed, an epiphany for all of the show’s characters similar to the one that Awesome had this week. Their work should be fulfilling, but they need to remember to have lives outside of the spy world if they want to end up in healthy relationships.
Side note: For being such a low-budget show, the sets were particularly fancy looking this week. Now if only the fight sequences could show similar improvement.
