so while the Pipers were putting up the Christmas tree today, with the tv on in the background, we caught a program that we’d never heard of or seen before: Chuck. As far as we can tell, the premise is that some secret gov’t organization has its headquarters in the back quarters of an electronics store, and two of the ostensible employees of the store, Chuck and his girlfriend are actually secret agents.
Have I got that right? could someone expand on it a bit? how long has it been on?
Thanks.
I think it’s in its second season.
In the first episode, Chuck Bartowski, electronics-store nerd, is exposed to “the intersect”, some kind of supercomputer download whose science makes no sense so it may as well be magic. Now he has momentary (and plot-convenient) “flashes” where he puts disparate information together and comes up with the critical clue. The two agents (blonde hottie and guy from Firefly) are tasked to protect him. Meantime, Chuck tries to keep his spy-life secret from his sister, her fiance, and the other nerds at the store. There’s a backstory about a guy named Bryce that Chuck knew in college, was the blonde’s former squeeze, has been dead once or twice, etc. and was the guy who put chuck in this goofy situation to begin with.
Just pretend Chuck is psychic and turn your brain off. It’s a fun show.
The intersect was originally a computer system that held all the information gathered by the CIA and the NSA, as part of the Homeland Security directive for the agencies to work together. Bryce put all of that information into a series of images that would program the info into the brain of the person viewing them. He then e-mailed it to his college buddy and rival, Chuck.
Sarah is a CIA agent, and Casey is NSA.
One of the things slowly becoming clear is that Chuck is a natural at the job. He’s had no training, but often saves the day without any help from the intersect, when the trained agents are beyond their depth.
Plus, his strong relationships with his family and friends are something he has that the professionals lack. Occasionally, that’s what makes the difference.
A key point, very much the spine of the show, is that Sarah is not Chuck’s real girlfriend, she’s only his cover girlfriend so they don’t get up to any shenanigans. But they’re falling for each other anyway, which gets in the way and drives the relationship plot threads.
Just want to add, good fun show. Worth a watch.
Sarah is hot.
Sarah is played by Yvonne Strahotski. [rimshot]
Tonight’s episode was darker than most. Those moments near the end were pretty powerful (once you know the characters). The show is usually a nice light combo of mystery, romance, sitcom and action.
And Chuck was a bit of a slacker prior to the Intersect being planted in his head. He was framed for cheating at Stanford and got expelled, went to work at Buy More, and never really got his act back together.
p.s. If you are male and have a pulse, you will want to watch the series from the beginning. There are many scenes of Sarah in her underwear, in smoking hot evening wear, and kicking ass, occasionally while so dressed and completely soaked. 
If you are female, some of the same can be said for Adam Baldwin, playing a just as tough but smarter version of Jayne. 