Saturday, November 24, 2007





CHUCK
Season 1 Episode 6
“Chuck Versus the Sandworm”
Written by Phil Klemmer
Directed by Robert Duncan McNeill
(WARNING: SPOILERS)

It’s Halloween and Chuck and Morgan are about to observe a long-standing tradition of wearing a sandworm costume (what Ellie refers to as a “two man sea cucumber”), but first Chuck has to deal with rogue prodigy Lazslo Mahnovski (American Dreams’ Jonathan Sadowski), who’s built many a gadget for the intel community, including Chuck’s watch, and Nerd Herd mobile. (Think scruffy post-millennial Q.)
There’s also the small matter of an interview with Buy More HR, for the assistant manager position. Big Mike wants Chuck for the position, as Harry Tiberius Tang has “the charm of a prostate exam,” but Morgan and his screw-ups could be the anchor that’ll weigh Chuck down to a watery fate.

There’s some good stuff in this episode, as issues of trust pop up when Lazslo makes Chuck aware of the fact that in all likelihood, he’s being bugged. This ties in to a framed photo Sarah gives Chuck, of both of them (Sarah in a slave Princess Leia outfit) at the Comic-Con. Of course, they’ve never been and it’s a Photoshopped deal.
There’s a nice poignant moment as Chuck considers this piece of fiction, of a couple that doesn’t exist, a moment that becomes even more poignant when Chuck finds a bug behind the picture.

There’s also Chuck needing to come down hard on Morgan at work, when Big Mike reminds Chuck of his duties. In a personal crisis, Morgan is tutored by Capt. Awesome in a neat montage, as Awesome teaches Morgan to grow up, to be a “tucker” and to “tame the mane.”
Then, when Chuck misses the HR interview since he has to stop the Santa Monica Pier from going boom, Morgan makes a great speech to try and get Chuck the job (stating that Chuck is “brave,” “loyal,” “has a great vinyl collection,” and “can quote The Wrath of Khan”). Despite the Trek knowledge though, Tiberius Tang gets the job.

The episode winds down with a send-up of the romantic comedy climax, as Chuck races to the Halloween party, as Morgan sits there, a morose half-sandworm, till Chuck arrives, Morgan saying “I thought you wouldn’t make it.”
Sarah then shows up in her slave Leia outfit and takes a picture with Chuck, so they can preserve a real moment in their relationship.
The episode closes with Chuck and Morgan continuing an inane, rambling conversation about what kind of sandwich one would take to a deserted island, since Chuck wants to torture Casey, who he knows is listening in on the bugs that are certainly somewhere in his room.

(Images courtesy of nbc.com.)

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