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Chuck is one of those shows that’s dearly loved by everyone who watches it, but that unfortunately doesn’t amount to very many people. The Chuck of the title is Charles Bartowski, an intelligent but seriously underachieving nerd.
He became a CIA supercomputer after all the US government’s secrets were downloaded into his brain – the CIA place him with two super spy handlers who’ve looked after him over the course of the first two seasons, using his ability to “flash” information to help defeat the bad guys. The second season ended with Chuck downloading the latest version of the computer into his brain, allowing the show to continue and take new paths.
Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but it’s written and acted with such care and wit that it’s extremely easy to forgive the premise and just go with it. As the third season begins, the changes with the new version of the Intersect should stop the programme going stale, as Chuck can now “flash” and use skills such as kung-fu. It’s a mark of my respect and affection for this show that I don’t giggle every time the characters talk about Chuck “flashing” things – it’s no mean feat to override my childish sense of humour. Chuck’s development into a real spy is unlikely to be smooth, so it’ll be pretty fun to watch.
With shows like this, it’s often the supporting characters that really bring it to life, but that’s not the case with Chuck. That’s not to say they aren’t good here – it’s just that the Buy More plots sometimes drag and seem a bit silly compared to the main spy plots. It works best when they intertwine, something that happens a fair amount in this episode. I’m actually glad to have Morgan back, while it’s good to see Adam Baldwin being as brilliant as ever as Casey, whose consistent abuse of Chuck and refusal to admit that he’s really quite fond of the nerd are just as funny now as they’ve ever been.
But at the centre of this show is the relationship between Chuck and Sarah, the super sexy spy. Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski have brilliant chemistry, though I hope they don’t drag out the “will-they-won’t-they” thing too much longer. They clearly adore each other, and it would be good to see how the show handled it if it ever actually happened. Levi is such perfect casting in the central role – he’s believable as a nerd, but also handsome and charismatic enough to be believable as a potential spy and love interest. Chuck is a soppy old romantic really, so I hope he gets the girl soon.
This third season opener had just the right balance of continuation and change to make me optimistic for the future, which thankfully includes a fourth season for Chuck. This really is one of the most charming, nerdy and unashamedly romantic TV programmes I’ve seen in a while. And, as we all know, nerdy romances are the best kind.
New episodes of Chuck will be shown Mondays at 9pm on Virgin 1 - but if you missed the season 3 premiere, catch it this Thursday at 9pm!
I hadn't even realised that the new series had started yet in Britain, so thank you - this is great news!
Methinks that this may well warrant getting my Jeffster t-shirt ready 
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