CHUCK vs. The Cougars…and Nicole Richie
October 21, 2008 by Kath Skerry
Did you love it or did you love it?
Alright, guys, I am having a god-awful day at work, like … being-forced-to-go-to-your-high-school-reunion-and-then-getting-into-a-fight-with-your-old-nemesis bad day. Except with slightly less bloody and much less sexy. So to that end, it’s going to be a short one but I have a lot of things to cover, so let’s get going, shall we?
First of all, I too loved Nicole Richie in this, and I thought Ben Savage was great too. Billy thought it was cute that Chuck had a friend and I agreed, and kind of wished they could keep him around sometimes to hang out with Chuck. And also, didn’t he make you miss Topanga, and I don’t mean Danielle Fishel, but like, TOPANGA?
I was glad to see another good Casey episode! That little two second shot of him being the DJ was so killer. And speaking of the DJ, I was so entertained by the musical selection. I was the class of ’99 and so it was all really familiar.
They did an incredible job of making Sarah seem believably unattractive, which is insane to me because she’s so gorgeous. I was really looking forward to finding out more about Sarah, and Chuck is such a better man than I am because no way I’d pass up my chance to ask a question! Finding out just a little bit about her raised so many more questions, like what WAS the deal with her dad? What was her actual given name? What happened to her mom? I thought I wanted to know more, but now I know just enough for it to torture me! It was interesting to see her early start as a knife-thrower, though.
And how great was the entire high school reunion? Sarah got to beat up the guy that gave her a hard time about her dad, we had a sexy girl fight in the shower, someone thought Chuck was a “cool guy”, Casey the DJ (because it bears repeating), and Sarah getting crowned reunion queen looking straight up like Carrie. I really thought the place might burst into flames at any second.
I did miss Ellie and Awesome this week, but the Buy More plot was pretty good and Jeff was cracking me up with his line about his best friend, Beer, and seeing if he could make it on short notice. I was a little sad to see Lester depart the assistant manager position right after I’d fully embraced him in it, but it’s not like he’s leaving entirely. And I died at the Bay City Rollers haircut line. Good one, Big Mike!
I’m truly surprised at how much I like Morgan this season. They’ve done such a great job with that character, who I initially thought was an irretrievable mess. But he’s become so funny, and like the Buy More cool guy who’s too cool to be the assistant manager, but who’s really sort of in charge by virtue of having the most self-confidence. And probably also by virtue of Anna pulling his strings. Putting Anna and Morgan together was such a good character choice, because it gives him an ego-boost, and makes him not have to pathetically cling to Chuck while he has a girlfriend. Or a spy pretending to be his girlfriend, as the case may be. I like Morgan having a life.
Alright, y’all, I know this wasn’t as thorough as I sometimes go and there was a lot of stuff to love in this episode, but like I said, rotten day, so I’m counting on you to bring it home in the comments! [GMMR: Let’s cheer SB up people!!]
— posted by SB
SB has many interests, including photography, her pets, entertainment, traveling and writing. She does have a day job, but that mostly amounts to her being a sarcastic young woman with a lot of time on her hands, which is why she appreciates the opportunity to recap.
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Filed under Chuck, Chuck Recaps
Aww, SB, I’m so sad to hear you’re having a god-awful day. Maybe my super long-winded blabbery comment can make that better…
I SERIOUSLY LOVED THIS EPISODE TO PIECES!!! Ok, sorry for the use of caps, but it was SO NECESSARY!!! This episode kicked my ass in so many *great* ways, I don’t even know where to start!! I felt like the whole thing was a shout to me and my BFFs (which, of course, it wasn’t, but I can dream – right?), as I, took was in the class of ’98! I always feel so “connected” to characters that are similar to me, or are around my age. The only other time this happened was in Wonderfalls, which I just go into over the summer, when Jaye had a class of ’98 reunion too!
The music, the people (ok, SB, you and I are seriously one in the same, as when I saw Ben Savage the first words out of my mouth were “where’s Topanga?!?” God, I miss TGIF nights…) … it was all so wonderful. Then throw it Sarah as an “ugly duckling” (I still thought she was hot), and the kick ass girl fight in the shower? Yeah. It was a fabulous episode, and I’m so going to go back to it this weekend and enjoy it once again.
The Buy More plot was fantastic … Jeff and his line about his “best friend Beer” had me in serious stitches, and there were so many other fabulous lines that I can’t remember right now, but that kicked major ass. Lester = fabulous (and was he looking super pretty in that episode? Or was it just me…), Morgan = awesome. What wasn’t awesome was the lack of Ellie and Capt. Awesome, but … I think that would have been too much for me to handle, so maybe it’s a good thing.
Oh, *sigh*. This episode was all kinds of fabulous, and I just can’t stop gushing about it. Even to my non-Chuck-fan friends, who are probably thinking, “geez, shut up about Chuck already!” Casey as the DJ was awesome, the whole backstory on Sarah was delicious, and … OMG Special Agent Charles Carmichael?!? Honestly – did the writers of this episode want me to combust in front of my TV? Because that’s what almost happened.
Ok, I should give room for some other commenters, and not bore you with my own gushy thoughts. I am just so insanely in love with Chuck (the show and man) right now … it’s almost at the point of insanity. 🙂
Casey being the DJ = AWESOME! I rewound that scene about 10 times and laughed out loud everytime. I agree about the music. When a new song came on, I got giddy.
Nicole Richie was really good. The girl can fight. It makes me want to guest star on Chuck so that I can learn how to fight. Oh and hang out with Chuck Bartowski. I loved seeing Ben Savage again. I was waiting for Minkus to come around the corner during the locker scene. Whatever happened to that kid? The little plot of Billy thinking Chuck was this big bad FBI guy was hilarious.
The whole Sarah past story was handled really well. They didn’t give to much away, but now we have a few answers. The makeup and wardrobe department did do a great job making her look homely. I didn’t think it could be done. That girl is beautiful.
Great episode overall. I can’t wait for what’s coming up. The previews got me all excited.
cheer up sb! ignore the bad day and reflect on casey as a dj – priceless. oh, and this is posted twice because the recap is twice on the site too. whoops.
was it just me or did anyone else notice how zach’s facial expressions are starting to mimic another tall, lanky fave john k? there’s nothing wrong with that, nothing at all 🙂
what about the ending scene? pretty much perfect. love that they are starting to show more sides of sarah.
morgan was actually kind of normal, not so annoying this ep.
Mad kudos to the makeup folks for transforming Sarah. The woman is gorgeous and to bring her back to an awkward stage could not have been easy. But unlike many awkward HS flashbacks, I thought Sarah looked really authentic. Not like Josie Grosie or anything.
The music was awesome. Nicole Richie was great. Little Corey Matthew was adorable (even without Topanga). Casey was genius as the DJ. And Chuck was Chuck…which is all kinds of fantastic!
With a number of my returning favorites falling into the “underwhelming” category this season, I have been delighted to fall in love with Chuck. Week by week, it is finding the consistency that was lacking in Season One. In fact, I would argue that there have been ZERO fast-forward worthy scenes this season, and that is the sign of a program that is operating on all cylinders.
Not to mention, Yvonne Strahovski is giving Jenna Fischer a serious run in the competition for my “TV Crush.”
I felt so giddy about this episode – it was Amazing…
I also loved Casey and Chuck doing good cop / bad cop with Casey as the good cop, I nearly wet myself laughing!!
I totally agree on the music too – I’m in the UK, but I was 18 in 97 – so yes the music was spot on – I loved the inclusion of prodigy in the fight scene with Sarah and Heather!!
I must be honest I didn’t watch Boy meets World often – so I didn’t recognise Ben Savage (I feel so bad), and I’m not a huge Nicole Ritchie fan but I think she did an amazing job.
This is hands down my favourite episode of Chuck ever.
Awww, you guys are making me feel so much better! And I did just take a moment right now to reflect on the DJ scene and it brought great joy, as littlebit knew it would!
You know when I thought Chuck was the Jimmiest? When Sarah pulled a knife off of her leg strap thing and he said that was awesome … and a little disturbing. I love how The Office is competing with Chuck now for all of our TV crushes!
(Except for me. Adam Baldwin as Casey is competing with Adam Baldwin as Jayne in my TV crush world. But since they’re basically the same person AND the same character, everyone wins. Especially me.)
Laiq … forgot about the inclusion of Prodigy and “Smack My Bitch Up” in the fight scene! LOVED that song back in the day, and it was perfecto for that scene. And the whole thing with Chuck being “Mad Dog” … awesome, awesome, awesome.
Kimber – it was amazingly well done!!
(and it’s my one real claim to fame that the pub we hung around in at college was next door to the press office used by prodigy in Braintree – we’re were not very fond of Prodigy,and they used to make some very upset faces at the window when we were doing Karaoke to their songs!!)
OK all you kidlets, I see Ben Savage and I think “Oh yeah, Fred has a little brother,” because I am of the Wonder Years generation (shout out to Kevin & Winnie, Yo!) lol
I loved when Charles Carmichael was trying to be all MAD DOG, and he kept looking around with big, scared, puppy dog eyes at the craziness! Too funny! And the Ben Savage character just totally believed it. I loved that…..”the cool guy”…killed me!
Learning Sarah’s real name is Jenny made everyone want to make Chuck probe her for details. THEN learning that Jenny was just a con artist name made us all cheer for Chuck’s constraint (since she’d only lie if she said anything at all). We’re back to not knowing her name or where she came from (but she WAS in San Diego for part of her adolescence, so at least we all have that). And we feel a little bit of satisfaction in that, don’t we?
But seeing Casey as the DJ….priceless.
SB… cheer up. Know that without bad days, how would you come to appreciate really good days?
I liked the episode, even though there was no mention of Bryce.
But, I found myself busting out loud when I saw your man up on the stage as the DJ. That was frickin hilarious!
And Chuck definitely is a better man. When Sarah said “OK, you get one question.” I blurted out “When is your real birthday!?” – just to give him something. It would be between just the two of them.
SB, if I could reach through the computer and give you a hug, you know I would!
OMG, how could I forget to mention Smack My Bitch Up? *hangs head in shame*
Does anyone else love the running joke that Chuck is getting all the credit for Casey’s work lately?
And lastly (for this post, anyway), you guys are all Captain Awesomes.
It has been pointed out that Nicole Richie’s character Heather Chandler is named after the character in Heathers. Let me also point out Ben Savage’s character, Mark Ratner, is a character name in Fast Times at Ridgmont High. I know my high school movies.
Sara Mc for the win! Nice catches! 🙂
When General Beckman said “Good morning, boys and GIRL.” i almost cried. First time I’ve seen Bonita get a comedic line. Semi comedic, but the delivery was good enough to get a laugh, which is awesome.