Defying Cancellation: A Breakdown Of "Chuck" Season 4

Now that I’m back celebrating NBC’s order of 11 additional episodes of “Chuck” (wow!), here are some thoughts on Season 4 so far…

It just seems ridiculous for me to keep saying this could be it for NBC’s “Chuck”, because the show about a computer geek becoming the USA’s most important intelligence asset just keeps being picked up! This season's added order now brings the episode count to 78, with just another full season to reach the magic number for syndication: 100! Will “Chuck” get a season five? I say it’s now even odds.

Season Four started off with a bang, as the search for Chuck’s mom has taken the gang all over the world. The old gang is back, some as cool (Casey, Sarah) and others as goofy (Jeff, Lester) as ever! The big changes in characterization seem to be with Chuck (balancing his geekiness and competence) and Morgan (balancing his bravery and stupidity to save the day).

The new characters are just as fun! I have liked the rotating “Greta” operatives so far and wait with giddy anticipation for Summer Glau’s turn as the CIA Buy More contact. Linda Hamilton as Mary Bartowski is scary good, being motherly one second and deadly the next. Yet my favorite new character this season has to be Casey’s daughter, Alex. She’s just the cool girl-next-door type who happens to have an NSA assassin as a dad!

The old characters have grown as well. Having learned their lesson last year, the producer’s have given us plenty of Charah moments. While sometimes it may seem like overkill, I do like how Chuck and Sarah’s relationship has evolved from asset/bodyguard to a more 50/50 partnership. Morgan is no longer the annoying tag-along friend but the new manager of the Buy More. Best of all, my fears for Casey have been alleviated with Chuck Vs. The Couch Lock, easily the preeminent Casey-centric episode of “Chuck”!

The original storyline with Chuck’s mom and Volkov Industries was to be 13 episodes. Who knows what the writers will follow up with the other 11? NBC is betting we will want to find out. They have my money!

I almost forgot to mention Awesome and Ellie’s baby-to-be. I’m glad I remembered. I hope they nickname her Awesomilia!

My Favorite Episode (so far): Chuck Vs. The Couch Lock, because even when he's totally paralyzed, Colonel Casey is still the man!

 My Favorite Line (so far): “Put some clothes on!”

My Coolest Moment (so far): Morgan helping Casey overcome a paralysis drug by informing the good Colonel that he and Alex are dating (with highly effective and completely hysterical results)! Honorable Mention goes to the catfight on the catwalk between Sarah and model-by-day, weapons-dealer-by-night Sofia.

Charah Scene (so far): Chuck pretending to be asleep while Sarah admits to herself she would probably say yes if he proposed. Awww!