Chuck Review: Chuck Versus the Push Mix

This week’s episode of Chuck crammed so many important little details into it and much of it just in the first quarter of the show, so let’s get to it!

To recap briefly, Casey has been left in a semi-comatose state after plummeting to a near death from a high rise building after some “just play along and go with it” hand-to-hand combat with Agent Walker. All of this took place at the order of Alexei Volkoff who instructed Sarah to kill Casey. Before pulling a Superwoman stunt and throwing Casey through the building window, Sarah puts a piece of a small synthetic eyeball/device from Volkoff’s headquarters into Casey’s pocket with the instruction of giving it to Chuck. This gadget holds information on the Hydra network, something they’ve been hunting for quite some time.

So here we are in Casey’s hospital room with Chuck, Morgan, and Alex. Casey begins to slowly awaken, but not having enough strength to speak, can only do a few characteristic grunts. This eventually prompts the crew to look in Casey’s pants pocket. Here Chuck discovers the Hydra component and flashes momentarily at the sight of it. Chuck asks Casey where he obtained this piece and Casey is able to force out in a whisper the word “Sarah.” Meanwhile, inside Volkoff Industries, Sarah and Frost quickly disable security. A full two minutes is all they have to attempt to figure out where Volkoff has downloaded the Hydra network to. Of course as soon as the two begin, Alexei video-calls Frost for a casual chat and to whine about his hard day. With twenty seconds left on the clock, Mrs. B has to make it fast and dismisses Volkoff quickly. In the meantime, Sarah is able to track the Hydra, not to something, but to someone named “The Contessa.”

Later, under the Buy More, General Beckman informs Chuck and Morgan on Sarah’s findings. At this point, Beckman tells Chuck not to get involved but he’s pretty much had it with not having any control of what’s happening around him. Full of regret and disappointment over what his family and friends have become, he decides that he and Morgan are, well, going to get involved anyway. It’s time for a montage plan! With the help of some paper, markers, and a few more random art supplies, a nice outline is formulated. First thing’s first- find Roni Eimacher, the man who designed the Hydra.

Volkoff is completely unaware of Frost and Sarah’s intentions at this point or that his precious Hydra is in danger of being stolen. As he returns to his office, he’s greeted by a power outage and a suspicious message being displayed on a wall monitor: “Hello Volkoff.” The sender reveals himself as Orion, Chuck’s father, who I should probably mention is currently believed to be six feet under. Well it seems he’s risen from the grave and he wants his wife back. Volkoff wants to take Frost to a secure location in case Orion does in fact show up. He also employs another henchman to do some foot work and find Orion.

On the lighter side of things, Baby Clara is soon due to make her debut into the world.  Chuck lovingly puts together a “Push Mix” CD for Ellie for the day of her baby’s birth. I’ll admit the idea of a push mix turns me off a little bit, but okay, I’ll go with it. He hands it off to Devon at the Buy More, also with a phone number to the CIA for protection in case anything should come up while Chuck is on his super-secret mission.  While leaving the store, Devon is intercepted by Jeff and Lester who have been listening in on the “Push Mix” conversation. The oh-so-clever duo that they are, they’re able to snatch the mix CD from Devon’s bag like a couple of gypsies pick-pocketing an unsuspecting tourist. There’s no way they’re going to let the first thing the baby’s virgin ears hear be a bunch of overblown indie-rock bands via a recorded compact disc. Jeffster has better ideas in store.

Chuck and Morgan go on the hunt for Roni Eimacher. After a small goof up involving kidnapping a Roni Eimacher look alike, they find the real Roni who informs them that The Contessa isn’t a person but a giant ship. Frost and Sarah find this out first since this is where Volkoff brings them with plans to hide out. Fortunately, this is just where the ladies need to be- the Hydra is on board somewhere. Chuck and Morgan soon show up and sneak aboard. The four meet up and continue on to the server room below deck. Chuck begins the system hacking process and opens the first protective door of the entrance. Morgan is the first to step in but the door closes and he’s trapped alone inside. A security feature is activated and deadly lasers from all angles beam out (a situation very reminiscent to a scene in the movie Resident Evil). Chuck finally gets through the system just in time to shut down the lasers and the group continues to the server room. While Frost begins transferring Hydra to another server, Chuck slips off to side and inserts a small storage device into another server on the far wall.

All the while, Ellie and Awesome are going about their daily routines until Ellie’s water breaks unexpectedly. New dad panic mode is instantly engaged in Devon, especially when he finds the push mix is missing from his carefully devised birthing plan. In a hasty move, Devon begins dialing the CIA number that Chuck gave to him and before he was even finished dialing it seems the agents were at the Woodcomb front door to assist them and off to the hospital they go.

Frost is not able to complete the Hydra transfer now because it requires Volkoff’s actual voice to speak the password “death is the solution to all problems” to gain access. Within seconds, Alexei and his cronies descend to the room. This is finally it- the jig is up! How he didn’t catch on sooner, though, I honestly don’t know. Anyway, Mom saves the kids once again and pulls a gun on Volkoff, allowing the others to escape, leaving her behind. The twisted man Volkoff is surprisingly still considers Frost to be his one and only and won’t see harm come to her. More messages from the alleged Orion to Frost were found by Alexei but Frost, in whole-hearted honesty doesn’t know anything about them. Volkoff refuses to believe this. He’s traced Orion’s location and is on his way to finish him once and for all.

Volkoff is lead to a cabin in a remote location in the woods. Busting in and expecting to find Orion, Alexei finds Chuck instead, waiting patiently in the dark for his arrival. Chuck was the one sending the messages all along and has so far lured Volkoff right to where he wants him. This is where I was really impressed with Chuck’s mastery of the plan! He holds Volkoff at gun point, but only for so long before Alexei overpowers him. A lot of rambling begins going on from Volkoff at this point about Chuck’s father and mother and how Volkoff has access to everyone Chuck cares about, but this is a good thing. Chuck is secretly recording Volkoff’s voice and is feeding it back to Morgan who is using it to access the voice recognition password in Hydra, with success! In an instant, the Hydra system is being transferred and backup arrives to take Volkoff into custody. A perfect plan goes down with the best results yet: Volkoff on his way to jail, the Hydra system obtained and his family safe again. And if that’s not enough, it gets even better.

We can’t forget about Lester and Jeff, who show up at the hospital still bent on welcoming Baby Clara into the world with a live show. Cue Jeffster.  A whole bizarre scene of noise and gyration starts in the waiting area as a room full of confused patients is forced to watch the pair perform their own rendition of Salt-n-Pepa’s “Push It”, naturally. So all of the seriousness of the episode is over for now and it switches to the more emotional side. Chuck and his entourage make their way to the hospital where some pretty intense bonding occurs actually. Alex and Casey have a much needed heart to heart and Mrs. B. gets to be present for the birth of her first grandchild. But the most anticipated portion of the episode finally occurs- the proposal. No fancy restaurants, no distracting backgrounds and no balconies- just the perfect moment. Although we never actually hear Sarah say yes, it’s to be assumed by the passionate kiss they share as the camera fades out. I’m relatively new to Chuck but I’ve enjoyed this season so far. Really, this episode would have made the perfect season ender since everything came together so damn perfect in the end! I guess I’ll see if next week’s episode can top it.

Curious to know more? Check out  Chuck and the Cheap-Ass Weave by Mallory Elis and The Perfect Finale That Never Was by Inisia Lewis.

Season 4, Episode 13: Chuck Versus The Push Mix (original air date January 31, 2011)

Catch Chuck on Mondays at 8/7 central on NBC

Images courtesy of Jordin Althaus/NBC