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...