Chuck vs. The Best Friend

Wait, when did Morgan and Anna break up? Wait, why do I care? Come to think of it, I know the answer to both questions. The answer to the first one is that the writers needed conflict for an episode. The answer to the second one is I actually don’t.

Chuck as a show has run out of ideas so completely that they have now resorted to perhaps the most contrived setup yet: Morgan suspects Anna is seeing someone else. Why their relationship soured we don’t know, probably because the writers don’t either. But Morgan, being the kind of guy that he is, decides to spy on Anna. Accompanied by Lester, Jeff, and a reluctant Chuck, Morgan tracks down his replacement to find he’s a handsome rich guy with a whole bunch of classic cars.

But it’s not enough that he is out of Morgan’s league…he also has to be a criminal! That’s right: Chuck flashes on the new boyfriend immediately and finds out he is a nefarious dude involved with some nefarious people. So apparently, in the world of Chuck, everyone alive is a national security threat. Seriously folks, are we really meant to believe that even minor character Anna’s new boyfriend is somehow Intersect flash-worthy? There is suspension of disbelief and then there is…stuff like this. Yikes yikes yikes.

The General thus orders Chuck to ingratiate himself with Anna’s new boyfriend to gain intelligence about him. Chuck is torn though because naturally, he doesn’t want to betray his friend. But Casey threatens violence like he always does so effectively, and Chuck accepts his mission. Chuck suggests that he and Anna go on a double date with their respective partners.

Anna invites Chuck and Sarah to some shindig her guy is throwing. Chuck accepts. Little did he know…Morgan has spying plans of his own! And Morgan’s spying plans conflict with Chuck’s spying plans when Morgan spots Chuck and makes him out as Judas. Chuck has to save Morgan before the nondescript bad guys break his spine. But in so doing, Chuck has to humiliate Morgan and Morgan threatens the end of their friendship. I sure hope they can patch things up in forty-three minutes!

True to form, Chuck also features a grating, inane B subplot, this time involving Ellie and her nimrod fiancé’s wedding preparations. She charges the nimrod with finding the band to play at their wedding, and Jeff and Lester answer the call…whether they are wanted or not. That’s the basic setup for the whole thing, and it’s all rather flat and pedestrian. I will say that there is a very cool, very inventive fight sequence between Sarah and a Triad assassin that takes place entirely in the back seat of a car. There is also a nice relationship scene between Chuck and Sarah, where Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski get to show that they’re better than the material they are given.

Chuck has truly gone downhill. The show wastes the charm and talent of its cast by sticking them in unbelievable, contrived situations. The strength of Chuck was this charm and the character relationships and encounters. They have gotten away from that, giving Morgan nothing to do, spending too much time at the Buy More, and wasting time on pointless characters like Ellie and have I mentioned her nimrod boyfriend?

Season 2, Episode 14: Chuck vs. The Best Friend (originally aired February 23, 2009)

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