Wall Street Journal from last Fri. Oct. 5--CHUCK review by jwhedonaddict

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Wall Street Journal from last Fri. Oct. 5--CHUCK review

POSTED BY: JWHEDONADDICT
UPDATED: Friday, October 12, 2007 02:06
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Tuesday, October 9, 2007 9:20 AM

No, I don't subscribe, happened to see it at work and swiped it this morning to share w/ you guys. It's a longish one so bear with me.

By Dorothy Rabinowitz

It may be that CHUCK, NBC's new comedy-action series owes part of it's appeal to low expectations. To appreciate just how low these might be, it's only necessary to know that the story concerns a computer geek who has trouble finding a girl, thanks to problems in the self-esteem department--and that his character's already beclouded mind is to become the repository for the top-secret files of U.S. intelligence agencies. To appreciate how well this nerd-within-the-CIA-and-NSA nonsense actually works out, it's only necessary to watch the panache with which the cast of CHUCK carouses through the first episodes. Nor does it take much time to nothe the show's refreshingly unserious spirit and lack of pretension, particularly as compared with the unfelenting high solemnity of HEROES, which CHUCK precedes.

The Chuck in question, portrayed by Zachary Levi, holds a grim job at the Buy More computer store. He spends considerable time pondering his failures with women, his weaknesses and general lack of a place in the world--none of this the sort of thing that would make him an appealing figure. It's Mr. Levi who manages that--who imbues this character with a consistent, effortless-seeming charm that somehow never appears at odds with Chuck's hapless condition. It doesn't hurt, either, that for all his character's worries about not getting a second date, Mr. Levi's lanky good looks are always in evidence and effective, despite the short sleeves and untucked shirt the producers have figured appropriate for the nerd look.

Chuck's worries about women soon give way to others far greater, which descend when he opens a subliminally encoded email message that causes CIA and NSA files to imprint themselves in his brain. Forget the billowing shirt. This nerd now has secrets in his head that bring agents of both intelligence agencies to watch over him. The result is often plain hilarious, and when not hilarious there is plenty that is engaging as expert hands carry off wonderful deadpan spoofs of martial arts and James Bond weaponry. One lovely battle between Chuck's CIA protector, Sara Walker (Yvonne Strahovski), and a deadly enemy takes place in a restaurant kitchen, where Sara is undercover as a chef--a struggle that employs a fabulous variety of weapons, among them all the food in the kitchen, including a French fried potato that Ms. Strahovski slings with convincing deadly force.

Chuck's other protector, NSA agent Maj. John Casey, is also undercover. As a worker in the Buy More computer store, he's subjected to all the vicissitudes of employment tht clerks have to endure--including the lectures on the use and nature of the price scanner. Adam Baldwin steals every scene as menacing Casey. The price scanner must be treated carefully--it's an expensive piece of hand-held equipment, his store trainer, Chuck, instructs him. "So is a stealth fighter," the seething Casey can't help snarling. "But I somehow managed to fly that."

In short, the writing is adroit, the performances irresistible, the sheer fun of it all unmistakable. Where this comedy series by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak goes from here is hard to know, but it is surely, now, among the brighter spots on the NBC schedule.

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Joss is like a present, he's like a gift as far as I'm concerned.--Ron Glass

"They talk about me in the chatty rooms?"--Angel

"I'm 1120 years old. Just give me a frigging beer!"--Anya

"All I had to do is want it bad enough...and guess what I want to do now, you prissy son of a bitch?"--Spike

For Joss!

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Wednesday, October 10, 2007 5:06 PM

FLORALBUNNY

Lovely. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

bun
Frisky Browncoat
Don't puke on the C-4.
I don't kid about quiche!

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Friday, October 12, 2007 2:06 AM

JWHEDONADDICT

You're welcome!

***********************************************
Buffy: I'm just worried this whole session's gonna turn into some training montage from an '80's movie.
Giles: (sighs) Well, if we hear any inspirational power chords we'll lie down till they go away.

"They talk about me in the chatty rooms?"--Angel

Joss is like a present, he's like a gift as far as I'm concerned.--Ron Glass

For Joss!

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