Chuck Vs The Bullet Train: Review

Jan 21, 2012 by SamMjM    3 Comments    Posted under: Chuck, Review

So, the stage is set. The final chapter of “Chuck” or, perhaps, Chuck & Sarah, is at hand. “Chuck vs the Bullet Train” wasn’t just a location, it represented the speed with which we are careening to a close. With only one week (two episodes) to go, Fedak & Co. have upended the five year journey. Zac Levi has called next week’s series finale “homage-y.” Apparently that means taking the story back to square one.

At the end of the last episode, Quinn kidnapped Chuck, which lead to Sarah downloading the Intersect. The same damaged Intersect that Morgan downloaded, to less than stellar results. Quinn takes Chuck to Japan. He expects Chuck to use his knowledge and experience with the Intersect to help him fix the program in the glasses. He thinks his men are bringing the glasses to Japan, and that Sarah & Casey are dead. Quinn is obsessed with becoming the new Intersect.

But, Sarah and Casey are actually on the train to save Chuck. As we know, trains have been important to this series. “Chuck vs the Honeymooners” used a train to effectively bring Chuck & Sarah together. “Chuck vs the Bullet Train” seemingly uses this fast train to tear them apart.

The one key focus of the episode is the Intersect:

· Sarah having it, and the potential problems she faces;
· Ellie & Devon in Castle researching Morgan’s brain to figure out how the Intersect caused him to “lose memory and deteriorate socially.”
· Chuck and Sarah talking about how cool it is to have the Intersect.
· And, of course, Quinn fixating on how to get an Intersect for himself.

All of this is leading up to next week’s two episode series finale. The Intersect has obviously been a focus of the series from the first episode. Here, however, it is the ribbon that will ultimately bring the series to a close.

Perhaps an even more important focus is how these characters have grown in these five years. Chuck and Sarah have an intimate conversation about their future, with the house, the picket fence, the dog & the baby. Chuck even makes a drawing of the two of them in front of the house, with the dog & baby (Sarah, when Chuck asks if she remembers the picture, says, “I would never forget that.” Any chance this might be significant?!?). The emotional growth and love that these two have created in these five seasons is stellar. Sarah admits that “I don’t want to live my life in danger, anymore” and “I’m ready to retire and start a family. Our future is exciting enough.” Each of them captures the hope of their future in one word: “someday.” But, of course, that is what is put on the line in the name of Fedak’s “epic.”

No one would argue that the greatest emotional growth has come from John Casey. The cold-school killer has evolved into a caring partner and loving father. His fear for Sarah having the Intersect is clearly visible. He worries about the brain deterioration: “What’s your name, rank & serial number?” he asks; and his reaction when Sarah tells them she “can’t remember anybody named Alex” is a strong sign of his concern for these people who have become like family.

Of course, his greatest growth has come from his relationship with his daughter, Alex. When she is kidnapped by Quinn’s man, he is forced to turn on his own team to save her. “Sorry, I have no choice,” he tells Chuck & Sarah. When Sarah seemingly takes out Quinn and person keeping Alex alive, Casey goes full-tilt to save his daughter. He enlists Morgan & Devon to mount an attack to save her, giving them access to his stash of weapons in the Crown Vic. When this fails, he succumbs to using Jeff & Lester as his point of attack. He even reveals that he is NSA, Chuck & Sarah are CIA, and pleads, “I need your help, my daughter needs your help and your country needs your help.” In one of the episode’s lighter moments, Lester replies, “Canada?”

For all the negatives the Intersect brings to Sarah, one element that can only be described as AWESOME is her fighting. At the end of last week, we saw her single-handedly take out Quinn’s men. But she steps it up a notch in this episode. As Chuck comments, “That was some major ass-whooping, honey. What have you been taking, strip kick?” The choreography of these fights is outstanding. And, Yvonne and her stunt double create action sequences that are breathtaking. The cage fight in “vs Phase Three” was amazing. But the fight sequences with Sarah as the Intersect are truly awesome.

The overall mood of this episode is one of foreboding. Obviously, everyone knows the problems the Intersect can create. So there is an overriding concern for Sarah and her mental stability. This is coupled with Quinn as an opposing villain. He lacks Volkoff’s flair…or Shaw’s creepiness. But he exhibits menacing desperation as he will literally do anything to get the Intersect that he feels he deserves. Screwing up Chuck’s life – the man who got the Intersect instead of him – is an added bonus. By destroying Sarah’s memories and taking her back five years to CIA enforcer, he believes he can create the ultimate revenge: that Sarah will kill Chuck.

So here we have it, “Epic.” Some of us could have lived with safe and funny for the series ending. But not Fedak. He has seemingly taken the series back to its core. The opening credits were redone to a “Star Wars”-like look. Even the promo for next week is “epic.” Apparently the way to tie up the series’ loose ends it to cauterize them.

The series we all love is ending. That is sad enough. Dragging us through “epic” just seems cruel.

Maybe taking us back to what brought Sarah and Chuck together in the first place is important. Maybe putting everyone in danger (much like Season 3’s “The Subway”) makes the series more potent. Maybe Fedak just can’t see that happy endings don’t have to come from gut-wrenching melodrama. Of course, none of the information given in any of the interviews actually talks of a happy ending, just a satisfying one.

Next week, we are faced with “Chuck vs Sarah” and “Chuck vs Goodbye.” Both titles give off an ominous tone. Thankfully, the promo presents some bright spots that may prevent the fan-base from any violence, either to themselves or TPTB.

We’ll persevere. We’ll laugh & cry and lovingly remember the great characters & the many wonderful stories.