What I’m Watching: Chuck

Chuck: Season 4, Episode 12 “Chuck Versus the Gobbler” (B+)

It’s certainly different having Sarah as a double agent in Volkoff’s organization, even if she’s remarkably communicative with Chuck and Casey throughout this first episode. Still, her supposed assassination of Casey and refusal to respond to Chuck’s transmissions signals an effort on her part to really appear as if she’s turned so as to better assume her cover, even if it drives the people in her life away, for the moment. Casey, conveniently enough, is the only one who knows that she hasn’t actually turned to the dark side, and he’s heartily unconscious at the moment. Casey’s willingness to pretend to die for Sarah was touching and amusing, and I liked Sarah’s line: “you better be fine or I’ll kill you for real.” Casey had a brilliantly-delivered line (hardly unusual) as well, when Sarah asked him if he was okay at the prison: “it’s just frosting: don’t ask.” Casey’s response of “I love you – stupid thing to say” to Morgan was marvelous as well. Chuck was pretty adorable when he asked Sarah if his finger thing was weird and she said yes, but she loves him. The side plot of Ellie trying to get Awesome to agree to a baby name was entertaining, if only to get a chance to see more of the sporadically-featured couple. Awesome’s plan to get Jeff, Lester, and Big Mike to plug the name Grunka to convince Ellie of their enthusiasm for the name Grunka was hilarious, both in its conception and the ease with which Ellie saw through it.