Chuck vs. Sleeping Beauty

Haven't done a "Chuck" episode post in a while. But this past Monday's episode, Chuck vs. Phase Three, did so many things to remind me of why I love this frickin' show. It's Gender Role Reversal Time again folks!

Ever since Chuck got an upgrade (Intersect 2.0) and has been able to kick a little ass on his own, well, I like that Chuck can kick a little ass on his own. It's even better when he and Sarah duo tag team in the ass kicking department (Honeymooners, anyone? Which, as side note, I'd like to thank the creative team on the show for the number of sexual positions they put those two in without actually showing them having sex. Nice touch lol).

But the first two season of the show had Chuck as the perpetual damsel in distress and Sarah as the knight in shining armor (or at least with shining scary knives strapped to her thigh). He was Lois to her Superman/Clark Kent. Always finding himself in some kind of trouble. Always in peril. And she always there to save him. So it's nice from time to time when the show returns back to that premise. I wouldn't want it to be a permanent thing or something they use too often since this show has been great about letting it's characters grow, but fun little revisits are always welcome.

This week we get a little revisit. Briefly, Chuck gets kidnapped with the Intersect 2.0 malfunctioning. Sarah goes apeshit looking for him. Fighting her way across Thailand and quickly becoming a legend the locals call the Giant Blonde She-Male.
I don't think I've ever seen a scarier Agent Walker.

“You've got me. I’m just a needy, love-crazed girl on a husband hunt … who’s trained in over 200 ways to kill you.”

"Anyone else want to be my boyfriend?"

But her scary determination serves a purpose. Chuck grounds her. Being with him allows her to cling on to her humanity and innate goodness. Her scariness in this episode was a glimpse of what she would be (and what she once was) without that connection.

Which leads me to the whole point of this post. The Sleeping Beauty and the fun this show has with gender role reversal. My gosh, Chuck is even wearing a dress!

Sarah to the rescue again. And a very nice nod to the fairy tale - awoken with a kiss.



Serious kudos to Yvonne Strahovski in this episode. She's always shown amazing range on this show, but just when you think she couldn't possibly get any better, she outdoes herself.

What in the hell was I thinking?

I was totally freaked out yesterday. A couple weeks ago I decided to go to the Ken-Mar Rescue Wine and Cheese fundraiser in which Yvonne Strahovski of "Chuck" was a special guest. Really, I had no intentions of going to this. Celebrities kind of freak me out in general. Which is weird because of the nature of my job I end up crossing paths with famous people from time to time. Even crazier is the few people I've met ended up being very nice and down to earth.

Downside number 2 was I had a bad experience with an online TV fandom in the past and I really don't want to relive that. But thanks to Twitter, I interact with a lot of "Chuck" fans now. So far, they have been great. In fact it's gotten to the point where I kind of love "Chuck" fans. I think I've managed to spot the creepy assholes in the fandom to keep my distance. But, the women who watch the show (the few of us who do), well half of you are Filipino (what's up with that?) but all of you are kind of awesome.

My plan had been to keep my distance from anything fandom oriented as much as possible. So going to things like this fundraiser are usually on my 'no' list. But things in life change, especially for me this year. One of those changes is I need to get out more to mingle and network with people. Around the time I was coming to that realization I kind of got the message I should attend this event. Plunge. (To be honest, the final straw was there was going to be a live rock band there. Seriously lol)

"Chuck" is pretty much a cult show and Yvonne is far from a household name, but seeing as I have a mad girlcrush on her I knew this wasn't going to be easy. I figured, ok, I'll go, meet with other fans, drinks some wine, eat some cheese, watch the band, and then find a corner to kind of hide in and watch everything else. Of course, when you're hanging with fans (now friends) they encourage you to do other stuff. Like take a picture with your mad girlcrush.

I had repeatedly declined. But it gets to the point where you're asked so much you start to look like a dick for saying no. So I caved. What the hell. I got in line with the others. Plunge, again.

If you think this will be one of those stories where it turns out Yvonne was very nice, and I was overreacting and it really wasn't so bad after all, you're wrong. Yvonne was very nice. I went up and said Hi, nice to meet you. Shook hands. Had a few photos snapped. Bye and thank you. Shook hands and got the hell out of there. I think I looked up at her once (you have to look up, she's frickin' tall) and because there were bright lights shining on us it totally reminded me of this scene from the pilot episode of "Chuck"



That really didn't help my nerves. But once it was done, it was done. And I wouldn't look like a dick in front of the very nice, fun people I got to hang out with for the afternoon. However, then we got the idea to take a group photo with Yvonne. The Sarah Walker fangirls with, well, Sarah Walker. I would have preferred that in the first place, so it seemed like a cool idea. Although looking at those photos later, particularly the Charlie's Angels poses ... yeah, what the hell were we thinking?!?!? rotfl!

Eh, it was mindless. It was for a good cause. And everyone was really cool. Why be a dick about it?

90310 Day!

Since Wednesday was September 2, 2010 or better known as 90210, many people acknowledged memories of the show Beverly Hills 90210. Well, I never watched it. And the 90210 part of L.A.'s zip code I could take or leave. Doesn't hold much appeal for me. Especially since the residents of said zip code managed to drive a good friend of mine back to her home in the Midwest after just one year managing a store there. She loved California and hates cold weather, that's how bad the people were.

The following was 90310 and too my surprise that is a zip code in my beloved hometown of Inglewood, California! Holla! Yeah, I'm pretty sure no one says holla anymore. In honor of 90310 I have to celebrate the 'Wood. Which got me thinking: Do you grow up in Inglewood or do you survive it? A little of both, perhaps.

Inglewood City Hall or as I like to think of it Wonder Woman's headquarters from the 70s TV show
World Famous Randy's Donuts! Use to stop here in the mornings on the way to high school. Right behind it the fast food place formerly known as Quik N Split Burger. Known for its fabulous burgers. Also known for its constant infighting among the staff members working the counter. And who can forget when the "l" fell off of "Split" and was never replaced. Quik N Spit Burgers...may be the reason they're no longer in business there.
IPD! Not fair, my brother is IPD. He's a great cop, great person and has helped so many Inglewood kids avoid a life a crime to make something of themselves. You rarely hear that story though.
Crenshaw Boulevard, aka "The Shaw," and one of its many traffic cams. Why does Inglewood have more of these than any where else in L.A.? Hmmm....
Yet one of many churches that occupy a spot that, well, wasn't a church to begin with. I don't think this place has been a theater since I was a small kid.
Hollywood Park Racetrack & Casino, which isn't much of either these days... now that we've got a Red Lobster.
The long gone Century Drive Inn. Had many dangerous childhood adventures there. Thanks to Mom, we survived them.
The Fabulous Forum, legendary rock concert venue and host to many Lakers Championships. It's now a church as well. See what I mean?
Magic & Bird happened here, folks

How could I forget one of my favorite places in all of Inglewood. Brolly Hut = Love!

Just Because

I've been talked into joining Tumblr which is kind of a cross between Twitter and Blogger. I'll still post stuff here. I like that I can run off at the mouth (keyboard) here. While I suppose I could do that there as well, one of the things I love about Twitter is trying to get something across in the least amount of space. Tumblr will just be a step up from that for me.

My New Favorite Show

I'm in love already! Yes, it's quite a stretch to declare a new favorite show to something that hasn't even aired yet, but I got very excited when I saw this first cast photo for the new JJ Abrams spy drama "Undercovers."

1) They look hot! I love watching ridiculously good looking people on TV. Especially when they're paired up. This time the hotness is in the form of fellow people of color. YAY!!! I was surprised the leads in this show were black (or more accurately bi-racial.) Yes, we have the Obama presidency now, but I still have to pinch myself on that one every few months because it's so unbelievable (political leanings aside.) Hot black leads on a major network action-drama? New territory, people! I'm lovin' it!

2) It's a show about spies. Many may know me as a fan of superhero and sci-fi genres but the spy genre has always been a favorite of mine. Especially if there's comedy going on.

3) It's JJ Abrams. So many people love Josh Whedon, but I really haven't figured out the love (even though I love "Firefly" I attribute that to Tim Minear's involvement.) Thanks to the recent Star Trek movie, and a few 1st Season episodes of "Alias" and "Lost," I'm more team Abrams. Although, I can't quite commit as both "Alias" and "Lost" failed to hook me completely. And he has the distinction of writing the movie that's on my most hated list, "Armageddon."

So, yeah, it is a bit early for me to declare this favorite show when I have yet to watch it. I'm usually not a fan of dramas (with a few exceptions) but if this show manages to have a little comedy bent, it would help. Come fall I'll be checking it out. So, good luck, "Undercovers"!

Chuck Gets A 4th, But Looses A Ton

Somehow "Chuck" managed to get a fourth season for which I'm very happy. I'm also very realistic. This show is a cult show. And will remain a cult show. Any chance of it breaking out and catching on should have happened by now. It has survived a lot: Being cut short in it's first season due to the writers strike. Surviving a rumored vendetta by a tv exec who helped develop the show, then got fired by NBC, hired by FOX and made the decision to move "House" to Mondays to get back at his former network. And now Season 3 in which one bad casting misstep, hiring Brandon Routh for 8 episodes, sucked the air, fun and chemistry out of the show (he was *that* bad, that is, until he turned evil) and put this show on the bubble again.

Fortunately, I suspect its the kind of cult TV show people who work in TV absolutely love. I do believe NBC and WB really do love "Chuck." I know Season 4 is likely cannon fodder for the launch of JJ "Alias" Abrams' "Undercovers" (a show with a spy couple, so why not try to transfer the devoted fan base from another show that also has a spy couple rather than launching from zilch?) I'm also good with knowing this will probably be it's last season. And I love that the network has faith enough to dangle a possible back 9 with it's original S4 order of 13 episodes. They, along with many of us, feel this show should be a bigger hit than it is. (Still, they're responsible for some bad show handling as well.)

BUT, all this happy news has been dampened by word that three of the best writers from the series are leaving. Scott Rosenbaum was plucked away midway through and made showrunner of "V." Matt Miller plucked away last week to be co-showrunner of "Human Target." And now Ali Adler, the amazing Ali Adler, is moving on to "No Ordinary Family," a new show on ABC. See that's how you know a show is well loved by people who work in TV. They steal away the best writers from a show that barely gets renewed every year.

Between what these three have written or co-written, I could easily compile a top 10 list of the series best episodes ever. Including the best ever, the Matt Miller penned "Chuck Vs The Colonel." This show has been gutted! Scary thought. I'm crossing my fingers they can bring on a new set of writers who really have a feel for the show and the characters. I hate when original writers from a series are plucked away from it. You can tell a difference.

I am hopeful though. Two writers they've added this season, Judkins and LeFranc, fit right in and have done some stellar work already. In fact, they've brought a tightness to the spy plots I feel has been missing from the other writers this season (included the aforementioned three.) I've also felt this year the humor hasn't been quite as sharp as in the past. Could easily be writers fatigue and a tendency to coast a little bit once you've been writing a show for three years. Maybe what the show needs is a little fresh blood?

So, I'm here for ya, Season 4 of "Chuck." Please keep making me happy.

EDITED TO ADD: Found out more news that Phil Klemmer is also leaving the show. That makes four writers who have been with the show since the beginning. Sigh...

This is awesome

http://scifiwire.com/2010/05/8-reasons-to-fall-in-love.php

So was this. They may have topped last season's hand porn scene. The song selection couldn't have been more perfect.



Damn, show. Why do your ratings suck so much?

Chuck Season 3: Or Chuck Vs The Ever Expanding Flimsy Reasons to Keep Chuck and Sarah Apart

Chuck and his cheese balls
I haven't blogged much about "Chuck" lately. Honestly, I haven't had the time. It's not for a lack of want but to be truthful Season 3 of my current favorite TV show has also required some time for processing.

After the Season 2 Finale, I knew the show would be changing. I welcomed it. I looked forward to it. I thought it would be awesome. I knew there would be an effort to have the characters change and grow in some way. Coolness. So many shows don't do that and I had faith this was one show that wouldn't change them so much I wouldn't recognize or no longer like the fictional friends I tune into each week.

Accepting that change? Well, there's a little 'easier said than done' going on for me as well. Hence the processing. So far I'm not finding S3 to be as sharp or as fun as S2 was. Mainly I blame budget cuts they had to enact to keep the show on the air. A bit of balance and polish that made S2 a well oiled machine of pure television escapist entertainment is missing.

But the show is far from "jump the shark" territory. It takes me a little longer to process the episodes, and they are not without some occasional clunky moments that S2 didn't have, but I'm enjoying the hell out it. There's lots of great stuff going on. There's character growth going on. And I'm fully committed, engaged and along for the ride.

Psst... Chuck. When the super hot blonde CIA agent asks you to run away with her, don't turn her down.
Oh and my little subheading is more in reference to what other fans may be saying about the show, but not me. I knew they were going to stretch things out for another season and I was cool with that. However, if they don't resolve things between those two by the end of S3, I'll be jumping on that train.

S3Ep01: Chuck Vs The Pink Slip
Chuck flunks spy training, loses the girl and drowns his sorrows in a large tub of cheese balls. I like to call this episode "Chuck: The Movie" as it's tone and pacing are different from a standard episode. It's also easily become one of my favorites because of that. It's a well put together hour of television. Whether it was the best way to start off the season had me worried.

It is a bit Chuck/Sarah relationship centric (as is episode 2 of this season). While I love me some Chuck/Sarah, I was afraid after watching this ep the show might be in danger of focusing too much on them. There are many story lines outside of the "ship" to explore and they've always kept a nice balance of all of them. Wouldn't want them to lose that.

Bonus video: Best prat fall after a slap, ever!

S3Ep02: Chuck Vs The Three Words
Carina returns! And she and Sarah go clubbing! Awesome! Also features one of the hottest scenes ever on television. Normally I'd roll my eyes at something so gratuitous but somehow this show manages pull these scenes off and make 'em work. And, damn, is it sexy! Thanks, show, for making me temporarily gay.

"Damn, girl!"
Later in the episode is one of my all time favorite scenes of the entire series. Chuck, trapped in a vault that's rapidly filling with poisonous gas, decides to spill his heart out to Sarah who he thinks is still on the other side of the door. Meanwhile, she's climbed up into a ceiling vent, dress, heels, make-up and all, to shut the gas off.
Some more of the male-female role reversal this show has so much fun with
When she returns she has to take out two bad guys who are now standing outside the vault door laughing at Chuck spilling his heart out. Poor Chuck.
Thankfully Sarah's there to catch him when he falls, or passes out from the exposure to gas.Reaction to the three words

S3Ep03: Chuck Vs The Angel of Death
Another one of my favorite parts of the whole series is in this ep. Chuck flashes on dancing skills and cha cha's himself and Sarah across a dance floor to stop a would be assassin. It cracks me up because he's really into it and suprisingly kind of good.cha cha flash
This ep sort of sets up more of Casey's back-story. And while there's quite a bit of silliness played here, when the secrets in his past come up again later in the season, you really do wonder what crazy, nefarious things the Colonel has done.

This episode made me breathe a sigh of relief as the relationship stuff took a backseat and balance was returned to the force, er, show. Plus we find out the one thing Capt Awesome can't do awesomely...lie! Es Muy Awesome.

more to come...