Chuck

Chuck is starting to find its stride.  Tonight's action-packed episode is one of Chuck's best episodes ever.  This is not an exaggeration.  Nicole Richie guest starred as an old high school acquaintance of Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski), and while that casting might have been cringe-inducing a couple months back when it was announced, it turned out better than anyone could have expected.  Despite not being an actress, Richie was pretty solid.  In addition, we get to see what Sarah looked like back in high school.  Yvonne Strahovski has never looked worse, which is a a testament to the work done by the wardrobe and make-up people for Chuck.  Also, the soundtrack was spectacular (it had been a while since I last hear me some Prodigy).

We kick off with Sarah, the brace faced nerd, in high school in 1998.  Yvonne Strahovski has never looked this bad in her life.  She drives home, only to find police outside of her house.  She runs into the forest and digs up a little case full of money – a note inside says In Case of Emergency.  Back to present day and Sarah discusses possibly fake dinner plans with Chuck.  She spies Nicole Richie looking sinister at the Buy More, and alerts Casey, then hides Chuck in the back room at the Yogurt shop.

Nicole Richie arrives at the yogurt shop – Sarah is about to wield her trusty butt-stored knife, when it turns out that Richie went to high school with Sarah.  Sarah's real name is/was Jennie Burton.  Richie's name is Heather Chandler.  She was a cheerleader, Sarah was a nerd.  Ben Savage plays Heather's husband, Mark Ratner.  Chuck comes out, after he thinks the threat is averted, to meet the couple.  He flashes on Mark, though – he's possibly dangerous.  Chuck proposes to have dinner with the couple.  Sarah is pissed, but Chuck torments her.

Big Mike is going on a fishing trip, Lester is in charge.  He calls Lester's hairdo a Bay City Rollers haircut.  This is funny.

Sarah is pissed off about the whole situation.  Beckman briefs the team.  Mark Ratner is an engineer with information about very high-tech new fighter jets.  Their mission is to have dinner, see if Chuck flashes on anything.

Lester institutes a new policy – slash the prices to sell more merchandise.

Chuck shows up at Sarah's apartment.  Chuck asks about Jenny's past – Sarah has none of it, she gets really, really pissed off.  The dinner is awkward.  Heather is a rotten bitch, she's mean to Mark, who acts incredibly nervous.  Mark goes to the bathroom and is immediately accosted by a henchman with a gun.  He demands the plans from Mark.  Chuck walks in, flashes on the henchman – he's Russian. Some more henchmen show up.

Sarah keeps avoiding questions about her past – Casey is the waiter, Sarah tells him to check on Chuck.    Casey beats up the henchman while Mark is in the bathroom.  Mark exits the stall, and sees Chuck with the littered bodies of henchman.  Mark assumes Chuck is a spy and Chuck plays along, happy with himself.

Back under the yogurt shop the next day, Casey interrogates Mark.  He'll only speak with Special Agent Carmichael.  Casey plays along, and Chuck starts acting like a real hard ass, a maniac.  Casey slips into Good Cop mode.  He calls Chuck "Mad Dog."  The Russian Mob wants to meet tonight.  Mark can't do it – he has to go to the high school reunion with his wife.  Chuck assure him it'll be all right – they'll have the meet at the reunion.

At the Buy More, Lester is freaking out.  They are out 3700 dollars because of the new sales strategy.  Chuck throws out the idea of having a kegger and charging by the head.  They're going to go through with it.

Sarah works out on the punching bag.  She flashes back to high school – her dad was in jail and she got teased for it.  Chuck shows up with a new dress for Sarah – they have to go to the reunion tonight.  Sarah admits that high school was tough for her.

They show up at the reunion.  For the first time ever, Sarah seems nervous.  Chuck sees her high school photo – it is high comedy.  "Mmm-Bop" plays in the background.  Ahh, the memories.  Jerkwad McGee, or a guy named Dick Duffy, from high school introduces himself to Jenny and Chuck.  He hits on her (he's the same jerk from the flashbacks).  Chuck flashes on him – he's with the Russian mob, and probably the guy who Mark is supposed to meet up with. Oh, and Casey is the DJ at the reunion.  And he's looking like he's having a great time.  Funny stuff.

The kegger party is going off in the Buy More.  Lester is still freaking out.

Chuck tells Mark that Duffy is the target.  Mark talks to Duffy – he's surprised to see that Mark is his meet-up.  Paula Cole plays in the background.  This is awesome.  I remember watching Dawson's Creek in high school.  Sarah goes to meet up with Duffy instead of Mark, outside in the parking lot.  She does the old fake flirt routine.  Then she kicks him in the head.  They check his car – he's not the guy, he's just trying to sell drugs or booze to Mark.  Actually, Heather is the bad guy.  She orders two Russian henchmen to kill Mark and Chuck.

Everyone is drunk at the Buy More party.  Lester acts like the worried dweller at a high school house party.  Somebody dances with Big Mike's marlin. Lester tries to take it back, but it gets broken in the process.  Pissed off, Lester stops the party, tells everyone to leave.  No one listens, and the party goes on.

Chuck flashes on the Russian henchmen.  He takes the stage and points them out with a spotlight for Casey and Sarah.  Sarah realizes that Heather is a part of it.  She follows her.  They have a good old-fashioned girl fight in the locker room.  Casey finds the henchmen in the hallway with Mark.  Casey takes care of business.  Chuck, acting as the DJ, throws on Prodigy's classic "Smack My Bitch Up," and Heather and Sarah fight in the showers to the song.  This is a great moment in television history.  Heather gets away and Sarah chases her.

More locker room cat and mouse.  Sarah kicks Heather into a trophy case, then makes a trophy fall on her head.  As she leaves the locker room, Jennie is named Queen of the Reunion.  She emerges wet, bloody and barefoot.  Yet, she is still crowned.

The aftermath of the Buy More party is not good.  The employees get to work on cleaning.  Eventually, they get it cleaned and ready.  Big Mike arrives as Lester thanks his co-workers.  When Mike walks in, he remembers the broken marlin.  Morgan took care of it, however.  Mike talks to Lester as he watches the glue on the marlin fail.  Lester asks for his old position back.

Chuck visits Sarah in her apartment as she recovers.  In the final scene, we flash back to the first scene.  As Jennie retrieves the money, she talks to an agent.  It turns out her father was a con artist, and they traveled around the country.  This is her official recruitment.  She is offered training in the CIA.  He asks if the name Sarah Walker sounds good.  Back in the present, Sarah tells Chuck she'll answer one question about her past.  Chuck says no thanks – he doesn't need to know.  She's just a girl Chuck wants to share a cheeseburger with.  Tinkling piano music plays us out.


-Oscar Dahl, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image Courtesy of NBC)