ChuckChuck vs. Santa Claus
Original Air Date: Dec 15, 2008
Jeff L - TwoCents Staff Writer
JeffL@thetwocentscorp.com
It's the last Chuck of the year, kids. So enjoy it. There was lots of great stuff to enjoy tonight, including a Reginald VelJohnson cameo and Die Hard tie-in. Last week we had the Nakatomi Plaza, this week we have Reginald VelJohnson as officer Al Powell reprising his role from the Die Hard films. Next year I hope Bruce Willis decides to come out to the coast for a little Chuck get together maybe have a few laughs. Fingers crossed.
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[photo: NBC]
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Chuck
ReplyDeleteChuck vs. Santa Claus
Original Air Date: Dec 15, 2008
Jeff L - TwoCents Staff Writer
JeffL@thetwocentscorp.com
It's the last Chuck of the year, kids. So enjoy it. There was lots of great stuff to enjoy tonight, including a Reginald VelJohnson cameo and Die Hard tie-in. Last week we had the Nakatomi Plaza, this week we have Reginald VelJohnson as officer Al Powell reprising his role from the Die Hard films. Next yeah I hope Bruce Willis decides to come out to the coast for a little Chuck get together maybe have a few laughs. Fingers crossed.
Through the entire first half of the episode, we see the preparations that the Spy More makes in order to take advantage of last minute shoppers. "Buster" Milbarge and Big Mike arrive at the store (each driving the exact same car and carrying the same Spy More travel mug). They clink glasses over the 15% markup that's been put in place to take advantage of those who procrastinated until Christmas eve to start shopping.
Inside the store, the decorations are hung on walls far and near, in hopes that Big Mike would be dressed as Santa this year. There are no visions of sugar-plums dancing in Sarah's head however. Christmas was never a time to celebrate for those on the grift. She recalls no-so-fondly the annual Salvation Army scam from her troubled childhood. Chuck promises joy abound if she'll come to the Bartowski Christmas party.
Well the Nerd Herd (and Awesome and Ellie) are all tucked into the Spy More with care, in hopes that a last minute sale might be there. When out in the parking lot there arose such a clatter, as down-on-his luck Ned crashes into the store Chuck dashes down to see what's the matter.
Ned takes the entire store hostage. Except for Sarah and Casey, who are too good to be caught by a bum like Ned. They escape to the Castle before Chuck has to lockdown the store and the hostage crisis can ensue. When what, to Chuck's wondering eyes should appear, but officer Al Powell, Michael Rooker, his team and all their SWAT gear.
Michael Rooker (the hostage negotiator) gets Ned to release one hostage and it's not even a question about who it's going to be, because Buster is already halfway out the door claiming his mother is sick and in desperate need of his attention. Chicken.
Outside, however, he's eager to use his camera time to promote the "huge sale" inside the store as soon as the hostage crisis is over.
General Grandma doesn't have any intel on Ned so they think he's just a run of the mill criminal but they've got to protect the Intersect so she sends them through the secret tunnel to rescue Chuck and let the police handle the situation once Chuck's been moved to safety. Chuck doesn't want to go, however, he's bought into the whole wrong place, wrong time yarn that Ned's been spinning plus he can't leave Awesome and Ellie behind and Casey and Sarah end up being caught and they can't escape because Ned accidently shoots off one of Casey's toes. He'll be fine, lots of people get by with only nine toes and Jeff has done just fine with only eight! (Maybe we'll get to hear that story someday).
Chuck convinces Ned to let the hostages call their loved ones. There's some funny stuff: Jeff calling his mother -- in prison! Lester calling a phone sex chat line. Chuck on the other hand, calls Sarah and they meet in a quiet corner of the store where Chuck can give Sarah the charm bracelet that belonged to his mother. Sarah says that it's a real present and it should go to a real girlfriend, but Chuck insists that she have it.
Michael Rooker calls inside and gets Ned to agree to release two more hostages in exchange for himself. Of course, Ned sends Casey and Sarah out because he thinks he's doing Chuck a favor by sparing his girlfriend. Chuck doesn't want them to go but he can't really blow his cover. Just as Casey and Sarah exit the building in comes Michael Rooker and Chuck immediately flashes on him and he's a Fulcrum agent.
Well that's not so shocking to anyone who's ever seen the show. Turns out, Ned's not a bumbling criminal after all. He and Michael Rooker's character have been in on this plot all along. Rooker confirms it to Chuck, by telling him that a) Casey and Sarah are CIA and NSA and b) Chuck was roommates with Bryce Larkin who stole the intersect. The idea was to crash the car into the Spy More and see who Casey and Sarah tried to protect and it turns out that person was Chuck. Rooker is about to kill Ellie so Chuck has no choice but to reveal that he, in fact, is the Intersect.
Michael Rooker takes Chuck out of the Spy More in an ambulance and Awesome, Jeff, Lester, Morgan and Big Mike attempt a little hostile takedown of their own. But, like I said, Ned is no bumbling idiot and he roundhouse kicks Lester right in the face. Morgan jumps up from his hiding place in the fake snow and blinds Ned just as Big Mike and Awesome ambush him. Of course Anna, who's been angry with Morgan this whole episode, missed Morgan's brave actions because she was too busy tending to Lester.
Casey and Sarah shoot out the tires of the ambulance carrying Chuck and he manages to escape into the maze of a huge roadside Christmas tree sale. Casey is hobbled by his missing toe, so Sarah gives chase and ends up cornering Rooker who surrenders after a brief battle. He's willing to go to jail because he knows that as soon as word gets out about Chuck being the Intersect then Fulcrums work will be cut out for them and Chuck's life will never be the same.
Chuck stumbles out from behind a tree just in time to see Rooker surrender and Sarah put a bullet in his head. Of course, Chuck didn't see that she did it to save him and protect the Intersect. He only saw her shoot an unarmed man who had obviously just surrendered. Chuck is shocked.
Back at the Spy More police arrest Ned and the hostage crisis is over. Chuck can't seem to grasp what has just happened with Sarah and it doesn't help matters much when Sarah lies about Rooker. She says he's been taken into custody by Casey.
Inside the store, Lester is being wheeled out on a stretcher and he's taking full advantage of it to look down the shirts of both Anna and Ellie. Morgan watches, thinking Anna has a thing for Lester now. Lester kisses her and that's the last straw, Morgan storms off. Of course, the moment his back is turned Anna punches Lester and tries to wipe off the kiss, but Morgan sees none of this.
I thought this was pretty good. Liked your writing tactics (Night before x-mas) I wanted to scream at Sarah for not telling Chuck why she killed him. Now he's gonna be all freaky around her.Loved seeing officer Al, again. Great choice for relative of Big Mike.
ReplyDeleteSarah didn't tell Chuck why she killed Michael Rooker because (just like on Three's Company) she didn't know Chuck SAW her kill Michael Rooker and it's great big, hysterical misunderstanding. It's such a contrivance that only happens on TV and it's the kind of thing they've been using for years to artificially create drama and to be honest I think it just makes people angry. But hey, that's just my opinion. I could be wrong.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you - it made ME mad!
ReplyDelete