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How freaking cute is their Mother's Day?! Sad....but ultimately adorable! I just love the dynamic between Ellie and Chuck; finally a brother and sister duo who isn't annoying or have unlying sexual tension (ahem, Heroes)

Awwww, Morgan and Ellie! That was so nice of her, I would have bought something but $700 worth?! She officially IS the most awesome girl ever!

Awwwwwww...

More later.

Actually one more now. Awwwwww...

In a word...Awesome.

What a great episode. Morgan grew on me, Morgan/Ellie moments were incredible, and just...wow. Far and away the best episode yet.

Good ep. Morgan was actually tolerable this time around.

Was that the music of Rogue Wave playing at the end? I'm so psyched to see them next Thursday.

Meh. Not my favorite episode. Not a fan of Morgan's and this episode spent way too much time on that character. Also, I wasn't a huge fan of the spy plot this week.

Also, an episode without the Captain will always be lacking.

Oh, show! You set me up with the cool-ass fight scenes and then sucker-punch me with a couple of the most beautiful emotional scenes I've seen in awhile. I nearly cried during that Ellie/Chuck scene.

The show is definitely not shying away from the personal issues that Chuck's new life is leading to. There was a nice resolution to this week's family/friend conundrum, but I suspect it's going to get harder and harder on Chuck.

I found Morgan more irritating than ever this week. But I liked that Chuck got to save the day for once.

Wow, Chuck's backstory is really tragic. I suspect it ties into the plot - or it will, but being abandoned by one's mom is very sad and they introduced it rather nicely. I was suprised at how I reacted - I don't take this show very seriously, but that touched me.

The ending was perfect. It does take much to press my emotional buttons so me tearing up at the end isn't a big deal, but the way they did it was subtle and just perfect. Elle grasped the fact that she isn't Chuck's only family that he's gone out into the world and found people with out a genetic connection to him that can fill that slot and rather then fighting to hold him in like she could or try to make him feel bad about it. She's realized that she can just bring them into the world that they share and make it bigger, and that in the end letting Morgan and Sarah in will make things better.

Plus it reminds me of how my sister looked out for me so it hit extra good. Good job Chuck writers go get yourself an iphone for turning in a #1 effort.

I think a HUGE divide is going to form over Morgan this week--dwarfing the divide that went before.

Personally I think he was totally proved out as a character this week. Pathetic, and yet endearing is how he came off.

It was also a REALLY nice character note that the main reason for him being such a crappy salesman is not that he sucks, but that he's a soft touch. That one moment really gives Morgan an aspect that saves him.

Also, balanced by the big Hoyay "let's get Chuck to dump Sarah" moment, I thought Morgan's attitude towards Ellie came off a bit more wholesome this week. The creepy factor was a lot less, and the interchange was genuinely touching.

I also find it hilarious that the Nerd Herd--hardly the top of the social food chain--find (and treat) Morgan as if he's infinitely more loser-like than them. It's like a pecking order of dweebs--Morgan is on the bottom, then the nerd herd members, then Chuck, then "normal" people...

I liked the episode and actually found Morgan not as annoying as the other eps. I'm really looking forward to finding out more of Chuck's backstory. The show's writers have done a very good job so far.

I loved finding out the little bit about Chuck and Ellie's backstory-- it goes a long way towards explaining why they're such freakishly close siblings. And Ellie really does mean well, and she seems to get that Chuck's overwhelmed and not handling things very diplomatically, regardless of the reasons (she thinks Sarah-- really it's that he's a human spy computer).

And I really loved the touch that Casey was in 2nd place on the contest chart until Morgan's big Ellie sale. I'd buy electronics from him!

I agree. And I felt really bad for him when Jim and the other Nerd Herd guy totally ruined him getting the girl. Poor, poor Morgan. Also, the fact that he's willing to be Morgan Bartowski is great.

I really enjoyed this episode. Ellie's message was heartbreaking, and I really wish Captain Awesome could have gotten the night off of work so it could have been a true family moment. However, inviting Morgan and Sarah over was very awesome of her. No wonder she got the Captain!

I also liked the fact that Morgan can't get fired, because otherwise the Affirmative Action people will be all over Buy More. And the cuteness of Chuck needing a signature to say that he was off-site fixing a computer and that he had a satisfied customer. Overall, an incredibly funny, heart-warming, and sort of nerve-wracking episode. I was so worried that Ellie would be really pissed off at Chuck, but she instead was just the best big sister a guy with a secret super computer in his head could have. Mad, mad love for Ellie. I think she's officially my girl crush.

Nice to see the classic mystery-story usage of showing something (the fireworks) in a context in which it might seem unimportant, and then making it important later.

Can someone please explain the hierarchy of the store where Chuck and Morgan work? Previously it had seemed that white shirts outrank green shirts, but both colors of shirts were competing against each other in this ep.

I didn't sense that the shirts were competing in the sales contest as much as the white shirts were picking on Morgan.

Also, this show has a surprising amount of heart.

And the freeze-frame action sequences were an interesting touch.

"Private eyes... are watching you" LOL, it's the little things like this that make me love this show!!

I liked that Chuck got something wrong, it shows that while he may have all the govt's secrets, he's still human.

I also like that even though every week he's told to "stay in the car" (his 4 favorite words!), he still risks his life to help Casey and Sarah because he's a great guy.

In the real world, the Geek Squad is an independant contractor working inside Best Buys. So they wouldn't be involved in any store contests. At least, that's how it was, I believe Best Buy recently bought out Geek Squad.

Loved this episode! I half expected to see Alec Baldwin when they did the sales meeting (ABC - Always Be Closing).

I liked how they used Morgan more - he really never got on my nerves but I think he was a bit more endearing in this episode.



I'm glad you mentioned that. My cable sometimes freezes during shows and I wondered if it was the show or my cable!

There were so many nice character moments in this episode. It's like the show is getting better and better. I'm starting to warm up to Morgan. Ellie is just so awesome.

James Hong playing Lo Pan?

Awesome!

(See Big Trouble in Little China...)

I liked how they made the status of the Bartowski parents ambiguous. Their mother "left them" could mean anything. And Dad was there but not there?

I'm betting there's going to be a big reveal at some point that at least one 'rent was some kind of spy.

I hope not. I'd like for Chuck to be the only spy in the family, and not have it be one of those things that he was "born" into. I'd like it if they keep the family backstory pretty mundane, myself.

Wow. We are caught in the post-Chuck dead zone again.

As for the Green shirts/white shirts thing, it seemed clear that only the Green shirts were salesmen. Harry (unseen), Casey and Morgan being among them. The white shirts were Chuck's Stable of Hos, and they were only observing (and mocking) "from the peanut gallery".

And a possible Bartowski spy reveal down the road? Whether or not I mind depends on HOW they do it. I'm not prepared to make a sweeping statement one way or another about the idea. For the most part, I'm convinced that this stable of writers can make even over-the-top ideas work given enough rope.

The freeze-frames during the fights was a bit cutesy, but on this show I think it's cool, where on a lesser show it would probably bug. Anyway, I loved the kitchen fight. Fights with frying pans that go "BONK!" is one of my favorite things.

How could I have forgotten the Big Trouble in Little China shoutout! Between that and "Private Eyes," the pop culture jokes are really funny without being over the top.

Ellie really is a great sister, but where was Captain Awesome? Couldn't they have cut a little Morgan screentime for some CA?

Maybe its because Heroes put everyone to sleep. Boooooring.

Anyway...

Yeah, that was awesome. What movie did Chuck quote during the fight? And was it one that Hong had been in?

In that last scene with the Chinese siblings, did anybody have the feeling that Sarah might be getting a bit of a romantic rival in the defected spy girl? There seemed to be some definite chemistry, and interest, between her and Chuck.

My favorite ep of the season so far as well. My only quibble is those freeze-frame action shots in the restaurant fight scene - that was way too cliche for me. Other than that, it was great, because, as others have said, I actually liked Morgan here (especially when he told that woman to shop at another store to save money), and I loved that Ellie, instead of yelling at Chuck, was just disappointed yet understanding. I wish I had a sister like her.

I really felt for both Chuck and Ellie in this episode; Chuck has to keep this huge secret from Ellie, and she cares about him so much. I thought it was so great how she handled the whole Chuck missing Mother's day situation. So awesome.

I definitely saw some chemistry between the chinese spy and Chuck. I can't wait till they develop Chuck's love life more.

Ok, this is totally weird. I JUST finished saying to my dad today that "Private Eyes" reminds me of Veronica Mars when Vinnie was singing into a pen mic to Veronica. To hear it in the span of a few hours was awesome! Now I guess I will just have to expand that. Now it's Chuck and Veronica Mars. I see so many similarities between the two already (in the writing anyway), that that just blew my mind.

Phil Klemmer.....Awesome. The whole writing staff....Awesome. (Sorry, I feel the need since there was a noticable lack of the Captain tonight.)

The closeness of Ellie and Chuck and Ellie's motherly ways with Chuck was explained tonight. They were basically orphans and they looked out for each other. I have a feeling if anyone messes with either Chuck or Ellie they are in for a fight. Look out Sarah if you break Chuck's heart. Sister Bear will be after you. And Morgan, they had me feeling for that little twit tonight. This show is slowly sucking me into caring about all the characters.

I swear the last two episodes I looked at the clock thinking it must be close to nine and it's only 8:30. This show is packed and I love it.


Yes, and Sarah's. There is a lot to be revealed about their separate pasts.

I also like that Chuck misread some of his intel. I've been expecting something like that to happen. After all he has to take really big leaps with the flashes he gets. He was wrong about the diamond last week and it didn't really matter. This week it almost cost someone their life.


I hated it. I'm sure it was supposed to be a spoof on Kung Fu flicks but I didn't like it.


Nope, not at all.


Me too, you know a VM writer is on the Chuck staff.

I enjoyed this weeks episode too. Of course it's all stuff we've seen before, but it's put together nicely, and acted/directed well.

I enjoyed how Sarah's boob almost popped out of the Wienerlicious costume, when she was back at the cage with the boys and the Chinese spy. Yes, I have the mental age of a 14 year old.

Really like that we're getting some more back story on Chuck and Ellie. What an amazing sister Ellie is! She's definitely looking out for her "baby" brother and only wants the best for him and is secure enough that she knows he still loves her and won't be replaced just put beside someone else for Chuck to love. Notice the look on Chuck's face when she tells him he's in love? Priceless!

I'll have to re-watch the episode to catch all the pop culture references - but love the reference to one of my favourite Russian defectors - especially because I'm old enough to remember when Mischa defected!

Nah.

I mean that's going to be suggested EVERY time another spy girl is on screen. But I think that's just too predictable.

I love how she told Chuck she doesn't always want to be his number one girl. That's a great sister right there!

I didn't dig the freeze frames. At all. The action was plenty enough already without the director trying to show off. Please don't do that again, show.

I was actually actively rooting for Morgan to get fired because he was annoying me so much the entire episode and I was hoping that he might actually just leave the show entirely. And then he told Sarah that Chuck really cares about her and I found myself liking him. Damnit!

It was a bit of a step down from previous episodes for me, but still an enjoyable way to pass the hour.

ETA: By the way, Bee Movie can bite me. Not watching it no matter how many commercials NBC throws at me.

AND he wrote THIS specific episode, if I'm understanding Couch Baron's interview with Phil Klemmer correctly.

I'm trying, but it's hard to think of another network show right now with a lead character more endearing than Chuck. (OK, OK. Besides Betty Suarez.)

Loved the "Private Eyes," singalong, too -- AND the fact that Chuck ate the sizzing shrimp he supposedly ordered for Morgan. (He's a good guy, but thankfully not above chowing on another person's take-out.)

Best chuckle of the night: Chuck making faux karate moves while hiding under the table in the closing fight sequence. Dorkalicious!

Oh.My.God.

This show is beyond words adorable. It kills me every week with the funny, the touching, and the kinda sorta action-y scenes.

Does anyone think they will bring back Chuck's mother into the story? I was waiting for Chuck to tell Sarah that his mother died on that day, so I was somewhat shocked when he said that's the day his mother left him and his sister.

I'm still a happy man - and I actually watched the show live this week! Woo!

I got the sense that the Bartowskis are the children of divorcees and of a now-deceased mom. So not quite orphans, but pretty much they are what family they've got. And Sarah Lancaster rocks her character - for a part that could be such a one-note tossoff, she brings so much to this show.

Not that the rest of the cast is doing a bad job - far from. This is a really strong ensemble, another reason for the love of show.

I couldn't tell whether the interruptions in the kitchen fight were planned or just a glitch in my HD feed. Go figure - but if I can't tell, it's not a good plan.

Always good quotable dialog, but I can't remember any of it right now. Still loving it. :-)

I didn't like the sudden friendship/bond between Ellie and Morgan, because, well, Morgans sucks. I'm glad we got to learn about Ellie and Chuck's family history. No wonder she's so protective of him, with their mom gone when they were young.

I wasn't feeling this week's spy plot as much. It just seemed like an after-thought. I got some good chuckles out of the stake-out.



I didn't hate it, I just thought my TV was messed up.

I was missing Captain Awesome though!

The Geek Squad works with the real Best Buy. Like all departments they have a set sales quota to meet for the day, it's generally lower than other departments. The Geek Squad is a hybrid department at Best Buy because in addition to providing computer assistance to anyone that needs it (for a price, no Macs though, unlike the show), they also are responsible for supporting the extended warranties purchased by customers. So they don't get money for that, but it's certainly as important as the services purchased.

Most times because of that and because primarily we were a service department they wouldn't be competing with normal sales departments folks directly (Home Entertainment, Computers, etc). Although, when I worked there, we were definitely under pressure to meet the sales quota (for services provided) for the day from the store manager.

*snorts*

The freeze frame was done on purpose? I thought my t.v. was messed up. HA! HA!

Just the fact that Charles Carmichael (what, I used an alias?) ordered takeout on the stakeout, was hilarious. And "Private Eyes" was the only time I actually laughed outloud, hmmm. This was an uneven episode, truth told. I know they were doing the Kung Fu, homage-style editing, but it wasn't very well done, if that's what they were after.

I also wonder about "mom left" too, it's very ambiguous, and potentially very wrenching. Their relationship was less cloying this week. Sarah Lancaster is growing on me, she did a great job this show. And where was Awesome?? Hello?

And the Casey line, "Put down the book, Ironsides.." was good too, if they're going for super cheezy. The menacing Casey of the pilot was a turn-on, this character he's become, not so much. At least Casey didn't have the lame driver disguise this week; and the black suit with the shades at the end? ggrrrr....call me shallow, OK. But overall, not enough of the big guy for me. And really, can there ever be?

Morgan at the end imagining the married names, like Ellie MacGuyver was funny too. He was sweet this episode: love for how he tried to memorize the girl's number as he had to hand her back the card.

This show works best when the two worlds really intermingle, like they did on the "Tango" episode, IMO.

Give me more of Chuck and his Ho's. Lester slays me. The Wounded Racoon!

Inter-episode continuity! Yay!


There was great use of the Hos this week. I like that they are being used in a variety of ways (all comedic though).

Love! Love! Loved this episode!
Morgan wasn't nearly as grating and was even a bit endearing. I missed CA. This is one of the few shows in which I actually like the title character.
Did anyone else flash on firefly "serenity" when Casey asked Chuck if Chuck could hear him?
Only me?
okay

The freeze frames were a bit cheesy and I too thought my TV was screwed (well, that's because my TV IS screwed). But for a show like Chuck, it doesn't come off TOO lame, which just goes to show that the writers or whomever can do the most ridiculous things in this show and it'd be perfectly okay.

Favourite moments would include Chuck's kung-fu moves, mother's day, Chuck's expression when Sarah was fixing his hair, Chuck's stable of ho's, Big Mike's reason for not wanting to fire Morgan, and the stake-out!

Man this show is so awesome. Speaking of awesome, where was Captain Awesome? If Ellie and Morgan EVER EVER got together I might just cry, and not of happiness! Though he was quite cute when he said he'd change his last name for her. Ellie MacGyver.

LOVED "Private Eyes". As soon as I saw him fiddling with the CD player I thought, "please God, let it be the 'Stakeout Mix' he had talked to Casey about!" And it was (although I never saw the exact song coming)! Awesomely done. The whole "stakeouts rule" scene with Chuck alone in the van was great.

I thought it was a great episode, but there was something missing that made it not-quite-Awesome (pun intended, and I apologize).

While I really wasn't into the spy plot this week, count me in as one of those who got a bit misty eyed at the end.



I don't think its sudden. Ellie knows Morgan is annoying but also harmless, he is Chuck best friend and has probably been around the family for a while. If she really hated him, he wouldn't been allowed inside the house.

I know its been guesssed at, but is this the first episode that stated Ellie is a doctor?