Finishing Up The Season: Chuck

I'm confident in my assertion that "Chuck" was the best comedy on television this year. This show which started off with a strong pilot and wrapped up its first season well with a few back-to-back great episodes got so much better this year. Zachary Levi is a perfect geeky hero as Chuck, and this season the show managed to utilize all its supporting players excellently. I never imagined that the Buy More employees could actually be great dramatic elements of the series. Chuck's excellent use of Morgan to falsify a massive assault team on its way and the incorporation of characters like Jeff and Lester into Chuck's spy plotlines were completely unexpected and terrific. I've never liked Adam Baldwin more, and he was absolutely hilarious as Casey in every episode this year (think him almost shooting Ronald Reagan, and being sad about not being asked to tag along). Yvonne Strahovski, who was one of the best parts of the show last year, was also incredible as the relationship between Chuck and her intensified. The second half of the season which has aired since I've last written was, all in all, superb. The standard of excellence set by the show, however, is best demonstrated by the final two episodes of the season.

"Chuck Versus the Colonel" was probably the best episode of "Chuck" ever. Sarah being faithful to Chuck explicitly against the orders of her superiors is what makes the show intensely interesting. Their relationship has always been the best thing about the series, and seeing her truly fall for Chuck is wonderful. Scott Bakula's initial appearance in the previous episode as Chuck's dad and the revelation that he was Orion seemed a bit strange and random, but this episode set it all right. Everything worked out, and Orion set things up so that Chuck would no longer be the intersect and everyone would be safe. Seeing how these characters have truly developed and become three-dimensional from their already impressive first incarnations is so rewarding. Having Awesome discover Chuck's secret was hilarious and a great fit for his character, one who has been underused and deserves far more screen time. The fear that "Chuck" will be canceled and not renewed for a third season is a legitimate one, since it got so good this year, really coming into its own, and especially after the end of the finale episode, I need more right away.

The finale followed up on that tremendous penultimate episode and managed to still come out strong. Chevy Chase's appearance at the wedding could have been a corny plot device, but it was both dramatic and funny. It's the ultimate example of a setup that brings all the characters together in one big setting - the wedding - and utilizes them to amazing effect. Jeff and Lester, who I had always found extremely annoying, weren't so bad as they took the stage to distract Ellie from all the gunfire. The friendship between Chuck and Morgan is front and center here, and it's clear that both are very dedicated to each other. The second-best scene in the episode is actually, quite surprisingly, one with Morgan. His triumphant, heroic storming out is such an amazing character turn, and the way he does it shirtless just underlines the wacky but oddly cool nature of his character. Bringing Bryce, a character who has never really added too much to the show, back was a proper idea, especially because he went out heroically and his character arc is satisfactorily complete. The last scene of the finale is, of course, the most shocking and, well, awesome part of the episode. Chuck's brave split-second decision to become the Intersect wasn't altogether unpredictable, but the new side effects were. The ridiculously cool abilities that now come with being the Intersect will make Chuck a fascinating and truly awesome character in the third season.

It's hard to put my feelings about "Chuck" into words since I've really enjoyed pretty much the whole season, and I'll simply recommend that you check it out if you have not yet seen it. To the folks over at NBC, I really hope this show comes back. This shouldn't go the route of "Firefly" or "Jericho," going off the air just as ardent, supportive, Subway-eating fans want to gobble up more.

Season finale: A-
Season grade: A-
Season MVP: Adam Baldwin