Chuck Rundown: Episode 10, "Chuck vs. The DeLorean"

BuzzSugar — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 12:20:26 -0800

Ever since we got our first glimpse of young Sarah Walker (or, I guess, then young Jenny Burton) earlier in this season of Chuck, I've been curious to know more about what it was like to grow up in the shadow of a con man. Well, this episode takes care of that, as Sarah's dad shows up to run a heist and wreak havoc, just like the old days. Chuck gets thrust into the middle of it, of course, as Jack's visit brings some of his own daddy issues to the surface. Ready to chat about it? Just read more.

First of all, young Sarah/Jenny/whatever is so adorable as a little con-child, throwing herself in front of an armored van so daddy can make away with the money and hightail it to the nearest ice cream parlor. To Chuck, Sarah's childhood is one full of wild and dashing adventures - though all the crimes and charges he saw when he flashed on Jack's scar should probably make him realize it wasn't all fun and games. But hey, at least she had a dad who loved her, right?

So now Jack's turned back up, and his latest heist is a biggie: He's "sold" a building in LA for millions to a sheik whom the government has had its eye on for a while. It's "his Mona Lisa," the perfect crime - except now Sarah, Casey, and Chuck are roped into it, and Sarah has to try to do her job while not revealing to her father that she works for the CIA. (Also: I think the funniest possible rebellion if your dad is a con man would be to go into law enforcement.) This leads to lots of tensely funny moments, like Chuck pretending to be the German-speaking faux businessman ("Lichtenstein!") and Casey working security as "Cop Face." But none of it would have worked had Jack not trusted Chuck with the $10 million - a very expensive bet that Chuck loves Sarah.

Meanwhile, Anna (she lives!) asks Morgan to move in, which Morgan treats like it's the absolute end of his wild bachelorhood (which, so far as we know, involves playing video games with Chuck and pining after Ellie, so . . . yeah). Awesome ponies up the money for the apartment, but Morgan has a pre-midlife crisis and buys a junky DeLorean instead. I love his DeMorgan plates - and the fact that it ends up factoring into the case, providing an escape vehicle, a way for Morgan to repay Awesome, and a stepping stone for Morgan into real adult life.

Some other thoughts:

I love Jack taking off after the heist with his laptop, money, and the cigar he'd just put in Casey's pocket. Between that and ripping off Chuck's ATM card, he's pretty good with the sneaking around.
Captain Morgan! Duh, obviously! Also, it's funny that Awesome's idea of punishment is plucking Morgan from head to toe.
The scenes of Chuck spying on Sarah on his own are hilarious. For all the advances he's made in his government work, he's just awful at being stealth on his own - especially considering that he didn't take off his GPS watch.
Casey: "Aw, that's sad. You've confused me with someone who cares about your life before the Intersect."
Also, Casey has a heart, suggesting that Jack should do less prison time for being helpful with the mission.
So, Chuck's dad was an engineer. Does anyone else think he might turn out to be a spy/con man of some sort himself?

Kind of a downbeat episode overall, but this show has really been rocking the weighty, emotional stories this year. And next week, it's a very Chuck-y Christmas! What did you all make of this visit from Sarah's dad?

Photos courtesy of NBC

TV Casting News: Smits, Hopper, Cole

BuzzSugar — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 12:29:39 -0700

The TV upfronts may be nothing more than a fond memory, but there's still a trickle of casting news coming in about Fall shows - both on networks and on cable. One of these stories involves a recently displaced actor whose show's cancellation bummed some of you out, while another puts a veteran film actor in the lead of a series based on an Oscar-winning movie. Read on:

Smits Joins Dexter
Jimmy Smits, seen most recently in the CBS show Cane, will be staying in Miami for his next role: Smits will play an attorney on Showtime's Dexter. His character is described as ""an ambitious, charismatic assistant district attorney who comes from one of Miami's most politically powerful and beloved families" and forms an unlikely partnership with Dexter. No return date has been set for the show, but it's expected to premiere sometime in the Fall.

Hopper to Crash
Dennis Hopper, best known for his film roles, will lead the cast of the TV adaptation of Crash, the Oscar-winning film that is being made into a series for Starz. It looks like the show is less of a direct adaptation and more of an "inspired by" sort of situation, as none of the characters match directly to the film counterparts; Hopper will play Ben, a veteran music producer searching for one more great hit. The series is expected to premiere in October. It will be Hopper's first TV project since his stint on the short-lived E-Ring several years back.

One more bit of news about an Office Space favorite, so read more.

Cole on Good Behavior
Fresh off his stint on Desperate Housewives as Katharine's squirm-inducing ex, Gary Cole has landed a potential full-time TV role. He's joining the cast of the ABC pilot Good Behavior, playing the father of the criminal clan that decides to get out of the business when he ends up in prison. That means he'll be the TV husband of Catherine O'Hara and father of Mae Whitman (Arrested Develoment's Ann); we're still waiting to see who will play their other daughter. Rob Thomas of Veronica Mars is leading the adaptation for ABC. Also good news: Jeffrey Tambor has signed on to guest-star in the same show!

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