3.8 Chuck Versus The Fake Name

Coming back after its enforced Winter Olympic break, I was hoping that Chuck would be firing on all cylinders, but to be honest this story didn't exhibit the low rumble of a V8, or even the chirp of a two-stroke.

Having seen where Chuck was heading earlier in the season, I could see a potential sticky patch ahead, and we ran smack into it here. The difficulties it encompasses are that they started with the premise that Chuck and Sarah break up, when Chuck decided - entirely at odds with the first two seasons - that he wants to become a real spy.

Given that their relationship was the dynamic that drove the first two seasons, that was a brave move, and one that they only took on with the assumption that they'd reverse that by the end of season three, presumably.

So they broke them up, and then matched them with new partners. Chuck got the million-dollar-smile of Hannah (Kristin Kreuk) and Sarah toughed it out with the man-with-the-charisma-of-office-furniture Daniel Shaw (Brandon Routh).

I've come to the conclusion, underlined by what happens in Chuck Versus The Fake Name that one of these relationships was broadly believable and the other wasn't remotely. If you didn't guess which, it's the one that, at the end of the story still exists, much to my increasing incredulity. The other unceremoniously ends before it's ever taken a real pay-day, and with a three story bar tab to its credit.

But it's not the only problem I have that's connected to Brandon Routh. The other is that his introduction appears to have had a detrimental impact on the show's budget, or rather they're having to make savings to accommodate him. The two obvious ones this week were the disappearance of both Morgan and General Beckman, with only Mr Grimes getting a rather lame reference to him being at a 'leadership seminar'. This felt generally like a cheap episode, and I can only hope they're collecting war chest funds for a splurge later on.

I could mention how poorly the Buy More was used, and that the scenes with Awesome and Ellie didn't deliver a fraction of their potential, but there were still some elements that worked very well.

Going undercover posing as the world's most lethal assassin, Chuck encounters two of the dumbest wise guys ever, played brilliantly by Tony Sirico (who really served time in prison for armed robbery) and Louis Lombardi (Edgar Stiles in 24). These two are so entertaining that it came as a big disappointment when they both ultimately got whacked.

For me, and others might disagree, this was a seasonal low point for Chuck. But it's only episode 8, so there is plenty of time for them to get back on track. What I'd like to see is a strongly themed episode, like some of the best from seasons one and two, and the Jeffster really need a proper outing soon.

I've got a feeling that once Routh leaves this show (please, let it be soon), then it might turn a corner, but then I am assuming he's at the heart of the show's issues.

Check out our review of episode 7 here.