# Chuck (1/18): "Chuck vs Operation Awesome" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477 "2010-01-18T22:44:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2010, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/1 "2010-01-18T22:44:28Z")
I was out of town last week, but thanks to **enalzi** and **Fugazi** for starting the _Chuck_ discussion threads. The first episodes of the season hit the Chuck/Sarah relationship pretty hard. While that forms the emotional core of the show, I think it works best when the writers aren’t so blatant about it, and especially not when it actively interferes with a mission. The third episode last Monday struck just the right balance, I think. This week, Chuck has to save Captain Awesome from the bad guys. According to my guide: Chuck becomes Awesome’s handler and shows him how to be a real spy; Morgan has to deal with Jeff and Lester’s latest hijinks after getting promoted to assistant manager. I’m not sure I quite like that development, but let’s watch and see. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/2 "2010-01-19T02:56:46Z")
Well, the writers were really firing on all cylinders for this one. I think this season has really hit its stride - from Awesome’s increasingly ridiculous story about his whereabouts to the fight club at the Buy More. I’m glad Awesome is off the hook for the spy stuff. I didn’t like Chuck’s civilian world intruding too closely into the spy world. Also, _ **catfight!** _ ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/3 "2010-01-19T05:53:11Z")
Absolutely great episode, especially the first scene with Shaw. I’d bet good money the Chuck will have to shoot someone this season. He’s gonna have to learn that being a spy isn’t as easy as running around tranqing people. And Awesome is a terrible liar. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/4 "2010-01-19T10:13:58Z")
Hmm. I’m not so sure it lived up to the promise of last week. But it had some fun stuff in amongst it. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/5 "2010-01-19T13:20:29Z")
I liked it. This ep had exactly the right tone and rhythm that made me a fan of the show in the first place. The tension between Chuck and Sarah was simmering just below the surface, where it belongs; The Buy More segments were silly comic relief that ended up dovetailing nicely into the A plot (the electrified fence); and Chuck himself was at just the right balance between out of his element and keeping his wits about him. The Awesome story line worked out nicely, I think. Now that Devin’s had a taste of the spy life, he’s been cured of wanting any part of it from now on, which might potentially have grown tiresome. And having one civilian who knows Chuck’s secret could prove to be an interesting dynamic – a Roger Healy to his Tony Nelson, you might say. And **enalzi** , I’m with you – Chuck is going to kill someone this season. Next week: Clark Kent meets Lana Lang! I wonder if they’ll reference it? ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/6 "2010-01-19T13:34:46Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > Absolutely great episode, especially the first scene with Shaw. I’d bet good money the Chuck will have to shoot someone this season. He’s gonna have to learn that being a spy isn’t as easy as running around tranqing people. > > And Awesome is a terrible liar. At least there’s _one_ thing he’s not good at! I’m new to the show. Sure, I’d heard good things about it, but hadn’t seen an episode until the recent marathon. So I started with this season & have also been catching up with earlier shows available at Hulu & elsewhere. My “favorite” shows tend to be stuff like _Dollhouse_ (one last show a week from Friday), _Mad Men_ (on hiatus until summer) & _Lost_ (soon to return). Shows that blow your mind & make you wonder what you just saw. Shows that lead to in-depth analysis all over the 'net. Shows that deal with some deep stuff. Heck, _Doctor Who_ even got heavy; and I remember when _Torchwood_ was endearingly light weight… I’m enjoying the heck out of _Chuck_. Silliness & satire, pretty people, interesting music & just a touch of seriousness… ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/7 "2010-01-19T13:34:54Z")
Was I the only one expecting Shaw to end up being a part of the ring? I suppose there is still time for that. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/8 "2010-01-19T13:46:54Z")
Shaw’s definitely hiding something, and I doubt it’s that he is really Superman. But then, he seems to be very open about being suspiciously secretive. Not sure what that means. ---
**Author:** ![gytalf2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ac91a4/32.png) [@gytalf2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gytalf2000)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/9 "2010-01-19T14:47:33Z")
I thought that the “Fight Club” subplot was a bit over the top, but I guess that is what they were going for. I liked the fact that Captain Awseome is a horrible liar. Funny! Also – Sarah actually lost a fight!?! That hardly ever happens… ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/10 "2010-01-19T15:05:10Z")
> [@gytalf2000](#): > > Also – Sarah actually lost a fight!?! That hardly ever happens… Well, prosecutors are _tough_. (As are public defenders, for that matter). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![FalconFinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@FalconFinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FalconFinder)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/11 "2010-01-19T15:22:20Z")
After seeing the clip several times since before the season premeire, I was tickled to finally see the context to why Chuck clobbers Jeff. It was even funnier than I’d hoped. That was a great instance of Chuck not really paying attention, or really being preoccupied with something, where the Intersect’s abilities got out of control and quickly. Great episode, I thought. And, I, too, thought Shaw was part of the Ring. Interesting that he puts one on at the end of the episode. There’s more to the story there and I’m sure it will be an interesting plot twist down the road. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/12 "2010-01-19T15:27:14Z")
> [@FalconFinder](#): > > After seeing the clip several times since before the season premeire, I was tickled to finally see the context to why Chuck clobbers Jeff. Lester, not Jeff. ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/13 "2010-01-19T15:45:16Z")
Does anyone know what the music in the episode was? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/14 "2010-01-19T15:59:14Z")
I liked it a lot, much more than the other episodes this season. One question, though. I thought that the network was going to cut the budget on the show, in order to avoid canceling it, but the cast doesn’t seem to have been reduced at all. So was the budget cut, and if so, where? ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/15 "2010-01-19T16:14:40Z")
no helecopters or explosions? i bet chuck’s killing arc revolves around someone he tranqed coming back to bite him in the tuccus. ---
**Author:** ![ShadiRoxan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@ShadiRoxan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadiRoxan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/16 "2010-01-19T16:27:56Z")
Maybe it’s Shaw that he shoots. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/17 "2010-01-19T19:34:47Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > One question, though. I thought that the network was going to cut the budget on the show, in order to avoid canceling it, but the cast doesn’t seem to have been reduced at all. So was the budget cut, and if so, where? Anna Wu is gone, as well as Emmett Milbarge. To make up for the budget shortfall, I believe that the producers worked out some product placement deals, like with Subway last year. This is why I don’t mind that Honda commercial so much - it shows some marketing savvy. They got me to actually watch their commercial and not fast-forward over it. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/18 "2010-01-20T01:23:19Z")
> [@Terminus\_Est](#): > > Anna Wu is gone, as well as Emmett Milbarge. To make up for the budget shortfall, I believe that the producers worked out some product placement deals, like with Subway last year. This is why I don’t mind that Honda commercial so much - it shows some marketing savvy. They got me to actually watch their commercial and not fast-forward over it. It also looks like there aren’t any new sets, so that saves money. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2010, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/19 "2010-01-20T01:44:01Z")
I’ll miss Anna Wu, who filled my “yellow fever” quotient, but if they have more Ellie shots, I’ll be OK. Give me a brunette over a blonde any day. ---
**Author:** ![satogata](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@satogata](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/satogata)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2010, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477/20 "2010-01-23T01:34:47Z")
> [@ShadiRoxan](#): > > Does anyone know what the music in the episode was? The (awesome) music from Chuck is usually posted [here](http://nbcchuck.wordpress.com/music-from-chuck/) soon afterwards. It’s another excellent show for those of us that like to pick up new music/band directions through this venue! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chuck-1-18-chuck-vs-operation-awesome/525477.md?page=2)