Chuck

The show remains lightweight and occasionally just silly, but it’s also a comedy that's truly tense, a drama with a mythology that rarely gets bogged down.

Because the comedy is so strong, the cast is so likable, and everyone involved so obviously has a passion for making the show as entertaining as it can be, there's a sense of joy around "Chuck" that's infectious.

The five episodes NBC sent out don't, to my eye, reach the heights Chuck hit toward the end of its season 2 run. But after a major change in the show's premise--rather than being a sad sack nerd dragged into the spy-life, Chuck is now a certified ass-kicker, thanks to getting some superpowered brainwaves--the show successfully changes gears while keeping everything that's best about it.

Chuck is a terrifically appealing, super-slick mix of comedy, action and (often thwarted) romance.

I watched the five new episodes NBC sent and couldn't wait to see more.

Despite some tweaking in the main storyline, Chuck's tone remains generally affable.

Though each episode is entertaining, it's difficult to care what happens because nothing much seems to be at stake. Still, amid all the shattered and haunted leading men on TV today, Chuck is a refreshingly simple guy.

Plot contrivances aside, the new season of Chuck gets off to a decent start as friendships rekindle (Chuck and best friend Morgan become roommates) and new parties get involved in subterfuge.

Got to kick it up a notch, Chuck. [18 Jan 2010, p.41]

The whole Chuck-Sarah relationship has been played from so many angles as to have grown a bit tedious--how many longing looks can two characters exchange?--and the actual capers are generally pretty slim. Despite a semi-serialized riff involving a shadowy organization, the stakes never feel particularly steep.

I worry about Chuck. I see it moldering before my eyes. And it’s nobody’s fault

There's still a lot to like about Chuck, starting with the characters themselves....The romantic part is not, however, the only excess creeping in. Flashbacks, fantasies and slo-mo scenes seem increasingly prominent and that's not good, because they're much more effective--and funnier--if they're used sparingly.