Hale Storm: Buster Bluth Hired at Buy More

I can't help but get excited when an Arrested Development alum drops by a current television series, so imagine my pleasant surprise when said alum joins the cast of one of my favorite series.

It seems like it's been forever (well, January, in fact) since we've even mentioned NBC's action/comedy series Chuck, which I've missed terribly since the series wrapped its freshman year way ahead of the normal timetable due to the writers strike.

While the series will relaunch on NBC this fall (complete with, one hopes, a massive marketing and promotional campaign that ties into a DVD box set of the first 13 episodes of Chuck), there is one notable cast addition for the sophomore season: Arrested Development's Buster Bluth himself, Tony Hale.

Hale, who has turned up on other series since Arrested Development (most notably as a co-star on the short-lived Andy Barker, P.I.), will recur on Chuck next season as Emmett, the new assistant manager at the Buy More (filling the position vacated by Harry Tang) whose skills as an efficiency expert make him a dangerous workplace adversary for Chuck and Morgan. Hired by corporate to whip the Buy More into shape, he ends up staying on permanently when he sees just how badly the outlet is being run and figures they need a helping, er, hand.

I've missed seeing Chuck squirm at work and I hope that Hale's Emmett can be the one to turn the screws a little on our Mr. Bartowski, who's gotten a little too complacent under Big Mike's thumb.

And if that's not enough Hale for you, he'll also join the cast of another sophomore series: ABC's Samantha Who? There, Hale will play Samantha's new doctor, Andy Adams, in a recurring capacity.

Let's see: Jessica Walter on CW's 90210; Hale on NBC's Chuck; Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, and Henry Winkler on FOX's Sit Down, Shut Up? (Even Portia DeRossi and Alia Shawkat have pilots under consideration for midseason and David Cross just shot one at HBO.) This might just be the best time for Arrested Development vets on television since those rumors of a Bluth movie first surfaced...

What's On Tonight

8 pm: NCIS (CBS; 8); Most Outrageous Moments/Most Outrageous Moments (NBC); Beauty & the Geek (CW); According to Jim/According to Jim (ABC); Moment of Truth (FOX)

9 pm: 48 Hours Mystery (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Reaper (CW); Samantha Who?/Samantha Who? (ABC); Hell's Kitchen (FOX)

10 pm: Without a Trace (CBS); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC); Boston Legal (ABC)

What I'll Be Watching

8-10 pm: Britcoms on BBC America.

I don't know about you but by Tuesday night, I'm usually in need of some comedy in my life. Why not stick around on Tuesday nights for BBC America's new comedy lineup, consisting of classic episodes of Coupling, new comedy Not Going Out, and Absolutely Fabulous? You'll thank me in the morning.