"A New Piece of Asset": Advance Review of the Next Three Episodes of "Chuck"

I've always been enamored of NBC's action/comedy hybrid series Chuck, with its winning blend of espionage, romance, and workplace humor, yet I've always felt that the series stopped just short of reaching its full potential.

No longer. Having seen the next three episodes of Chuck, starting with next week's superlative sweeps-fueled installment (easily the very best of the series to date), I can say that these episodes force both the series Chuck and the character Chuck Bartowski to strive for something more: to be the very best that they can be.

In the more than capable hands of writer Zev Borow, next week's installment ("Chuck Versus the Ex") delivers a dazzling display of just what the series is truly capable of, as it forces Chuck to take a more active role in a mission with a very personal connection (namely, ex-girlfriend Jill), introduces a character referenced many times yet heretofore unseen (again, Jill, played with panache by Jordana Brewster), and sets up a fantastic three-episode story arc that tweaks the overarching mythology of Chuck and makes us question a plot point that we've taken for granted since the pilot episode.

No mean feat, that. Especially as Borow manages to accomplish the above while giving each and every member of Chuck's vast and talented cast (save Anna, who sadly seems to be once again missing from this arc) a chance to not only shine but to shine brightly. "Chuck Versus the Ex" layers on wildly competing subplots--Captain Awesome teaches CPR at the Buy More to the staff, Chuck tries to impress Jill but falls into old patterns, Ellie expresses concerned about Chuck and Jill, new Buy More assistant manager Emmett (Tony Hale) grows suspicious of Chuck's frequent absences, etc.--that not only come together in the end but manage to coalesce into a vividly imagined portrait of disaffected twenty-something youth in America today (the very promise of the original pilot episode) as seen through the prism of the underemployed yet overqualified slacker.

And while Chuck is still nowhere close to being as dashing or roguish as James Bond, he comes as close to Bondian territory in these three episodes as he ever has, stepping up in the face of danger and plunging face-first into a kiss that will have everyone talking come Tuesday morning.

Honestly, I can't say enough positive things about Chuck but I was truly blown away by how perfectly crafted "Chuck Versus the Ex" was, from the chemistry between Chuck and Sarah (and the crafty way Casey twists the knife in Sarah's back) down to the witty banter we've come to expect and love from this smart and funny series. In particular, Yvonne Strahovski shines even brighter in these three episodes as she mines new emotional territory for Sarah, pairing a protective vibe with genuine pining. (Is it just me or does Strahovski just keep getting better and better with each passing week?)

So what else can you expect when Chuck returns next week with three all-new installments? For one, look for the team dynamic between Chuck, Sarah, and Casey to take a different turn as Chuck fully embraces being an intelligence agent for the first time and for Chuck, blinded by love, to make some mistakes along the way, even as he manages to impress his handlers for the first time.

Tony Hale's efficiency expert Emmet Milbarge gets some much-needed character development as we see the tension between him and supposed model employee Chuck ramp up. Suspicious of Chuck's off-site installs (which lack any receipts or backup of any kind), Emmet plans a coup at Buymoria, his fictional kingdom within the Buy More and recruits Morgan, Jeff, and Lester to take down Chuck Bartowski.

While I'm rooting for Chuck and Sarah to eventually get together (hopefully after a few season's worth of sexual tension-laced innuendo and compromising positions), I can't help but fall for Jordana Brewster's Jill; in Brewster's nuanced performance, we can see just why Chuck would be hung up on this girl five years after she broke up with him. Brewster's Jill manages to be smart and sexy at the same time and just as comfortable in the lab as she is in the bedroom.

And yet no romance is smooth-paved, so look for major complications in "Chuck Versus the Fat Lady," when Jill gets jealous of the relationship between Chuck and Sarah... and our favorite handler/asset duo get naked together. Oh, yes, I did just say that.

And keep an eye out for things to get downright deadly in "Chuck Versus the Gravitron," when rogue CIA agency Fulcrum makes their move to acquire the Intersect and take down the Castle. Will Chuck be able to choose duty over personal want? Will Jill break Chuck's heart all over again? And will Morgan make it to Thanksgiving dinner after being locked in the Buy More with Jeff and Lester, tasked with guarding the inventory by Big Mike? You'll just have to wait and see.

All in all, I have to say that I am pretty damn impressed by what the talented writing staff of Chuck has cooked up for November sweeps and can honestly say that next week's "Chuck Versus the Ex" was perhaps one of the single most enjoyable hours of television this year and truly shows us just what heights Chuck is capable of reaching, given the strength of its skillful cast and the imagination of its deft writers. Let's just hope that the series continues to push itself to explore new territory because, if these episodes are any indication, we've got a fantastic sophomore season on our hands and plenty of time before that Fat Lady sings.

Chuck returns to NBC on Monday at 8 pm ET/PT.