(S02E17) “Chuck vs. the Broken Heart”

Could Ellie and Awesome’s relationship be turning, well, anything but awesome?

On tonight’s Chuck, the Buy More boys throw Awesome a bachelor party he won’t soon forget (except maybe that part where he was tranq’d by a CIA agent.) That’s right, not even the holy grail of boy bashes is immune to a little government interruption when it comes to Chuck’s life as a walking government database.

In need of a hospital pass only Awesome has, Sara’s observer Agent Forrest takes down Awesome. The action not only puts his relationship with Ellie at risk, but once again puts Chuck’s life at risk. One thing leads to another, and just before being forced to walk out of Chuck’s life forever, Sara manages to save his life. But is it for one final time?

I think not. With both a heartfelt Chuck and protective Casey on your side, not even a General can take this ship down.

As a even bigger perk to the conclusion of this episode, Sara intended to leave Chuck the one of the best good bye presents ever. He’ll finally be able to know the location of his Dad. We’re left with teasers for next episode that promise not only a family reunion but a little family espionage as well. Who doesn’t love it when they keep it in the family when it comes to careers like this? By the way, I’m still rooting on Orion as Chuck’s dad. That’d just be… awesome.

Killing an Ewok

The only thing on TV Thursday night that could soothe my soul after the loss of the Memphis Tigers was a new episode of 30 Rock. Sadly, it wasn’t their best effort. Jack is planning his 50th birthday party, Tracey wants to go to space and Liz’s degenerate ex-boyfriend Dennis rears his head again.

After seeing some of his childhood home movies of his birthday, Jack is inspired to celebrate his success. After an offhand comment by Kenneth, Jack’s happy birthday suddenly becomes dour and reflective.

Dennis, now claiming to be a sex addict, has been calling all his former partners claiming he needs to make amends. Because of this Liz discovers that Jenna and Dennis also had sex. Liz confronts Jenna and the two bond. They decide to give Dennis a piece of their minds, which he turns against them. The next day, Jenna is doing a sketch suspended on a high wire. Liz neglects to tell her about a clip on her wire harness and Jenna is injured. Despite their best intentions, Dennis has driven a wedge between the old friends.

At Jack’s birthday party, its clear that the only people who came are business associates and strangers. Feeling depressed and alone, Jack decides to invigorate his birthday by finding out what was the birthday present that made him so excited in his childhood home video. After getting a deaf person to decode his words, he discovers that the toy that made him so happy is replication of the Apollo moon lander.

Jack decides to placate Tracey’s dreams of space travel. The only way to do so is to fake a spaceship flight using the TV studio. Tracey falls for the elaborate trick hook, line and sinker.

Though it was funny in general, the show felt sloppy this week. 30 Rock usually tries to tie things up at the end, but this one just ended on a gag about Liz’s early acting job as a model for a phone sex commercial. Its hilarious, but it just didn’t wrap the episode up properly. Although 30 Rock is still the king of network comedy, this episode showed some chinks in the armor.

(S02E16) “Chuck vs. the Predator”

Tonight’s Chuck has left me bubbling over with questions. Like, who is the Orion? I’ve heard rumors that he may just be Chuck’s dad. That’s a sad story if Orion actually died tonight, but I highly doubt it. Also, could the General be bad? Sure, she’s all about protecting her country at the risk of sacrificing a few in order to take in the bigger picture, but could she have lost all touches of humanity? Surely she’s destined to split Sarah and Chuck apart for good. Which leads us to my last question, could Yvonne Strahovski’s days be numbered as Sarah?

In the end though we are left with a few good answers. Chuck can indeed get the intersect out of his brain someday – thank God- though that may just mean our show has a foreseeable final act. Also, it’s finally been said out loud that the CIA’s job is strictly to protect Chuck whilst turning him into a spy, they are not there to return his life of “normalcy” back to him. Poor Chuck, sure being a spy’s cool, but it’s no way to live.

Then again… imagine the possibilities.

(Kings “Goliath” Se01,ep01)

I just finished watching “Kings”. It’s rare that I “gush” over a show. There are only a handful of shows that I think are game changers, and many have said that this show might be one of those for television.

After watching, I sat there for a few minutes, and tried to think of how I would describe the 2 hour pilot that I had just seen. The following short quotations are the phrases that came to mind.

“The Definition of Epic”

“The most compelling 2 hours of television I’ve ever seen.”

“The Reason Television was Invented.”

Now hang on…let me qualify that last one.

“Kings” is the type of program you hardly ever see. It is grand, epic, and riveting from beginning to end. It is a world where God is an actual character (although he never actually appears). It remains faithful to its source material (the story of “King David” from the Bible) while completely re-imagining the world in which that story is told.

It is thought provoking, engaging, and an absolutely captivating escape. Even thought it deals with all too common themes — things we see on television every day, it does so in a way that feels like a fable, or some kind of gritty fairytale.

Shows like this – shows that can create an entirely new world for us, and take us into a new reality, are the reason television was invented. At least, I’d like to think so.

The cast of this series is an amazing mix of talent, from David (Christopher Egan), and Ian McShane’s career defining role as King Silas, to Allison Miller and Sebastian Stan’s gripping performances as Silas’ children.

There is not a week link in this chain, and each one of these characters are deep and rich enough to support a series by themselves.

The writing and direction on this pilot rival anything you’ve seen in a theater in the past 10 years. The dialogue has the rhythm and poetry of a classic work, yet still manages to feel fresh and original.

Nothing could make me happier than to know that show is running for 13 episodes this season. There is an arc planned here, and a clear story being told. There is no room for padding in a 13 episode season, and my great hope is that this series helps to redefine the way American Television is produced.

In short…I liked it.

I’m looking forward to the next episode.

The Hot Richard

30 Rock got back to basics last episode by focusing on the core cast rather than the constant parade of guest stars. Though its hard not to like the occasional new face, the show works best when its written in the voice of its principle players. Happily, the trend continues this week.

Despite dressing up like Princess Leah, Liz is forced to sit on a jury for an arson trial. While twiddling her thumbs in court, the show spirals out of control. Tracey has decided that he can essentially say anything he wants since he can pay his own FCC fines, Jenna is involved in an experimental drug trial that leaves her shakier than a country meth addict and Jack has finally achieved his dream of creating a miniature and portable microwave oven.

Jack’s dream of mini-appliance domination is dashed however as the legal department refuses to allow its original name as its offensive in some languages. Jack forces Frank and the other writers to ignore the show to work on new names for his mini-wave. The list of names they come up with reads like a list of dirty jokes from Urban Dictionary.

After Tracey finds out that the FCC fines that are being dropped on him not only affect him but also the sponsors, he decides to buy all the advertising himself. He uses these as opportunities to tell the world his wife is throwing away old towels, deny his own apologies and show his “fun cooker” on television.

Jenna, desperate to keep herself working on the show and her faux Janis Joplin biopic, turns to Dr. Spaceman. I love Chris Parnell as Dr. Spaceman and I wish 30 Rock could find more ways to use him. The Spaceman gives Jenna an experimental upper that he’s been working on, essentially turning her into a lab rat. Jenna wanders around chugging water, licking her lips and acting like a coked up gerbil. Jenna is the weakest element of the show for me, but she does well in this episode.

Back in court, Liz listens to the accused arsonist. A middle aged woman who has managed a Mailboxes Plus for years has a massive breakdown brought on by her insane underlings. Though the woman is convicted, she rejoices in her freedom from her employees. Liz can’t help but see the parallels and when she returns to her jackass staff, she contemplates torching them. Though she thinks better of it, she accidentally throws a match and sets a blaze. No one is hurt, but the writers and cast are immediately put back into line.

A solid episode overall. I loved Tracey as usual and Jenna turned in a better than usual performance. The real star of the show this week though was the random references to made up offensive terms like “the hot richard” and “the fun cooker”. Its a reminder that even benign terms could be offensive in the right context.

(S02E15) “Chuck vs. the Lethal Weapon”

He may be sexy. He may be sweet. He may even have a  butt kickin’ accent. But is it just me, or does that new spy Cole, played by Johnathan Cake, on Chuck look like he has the makings to be one of Chuck’s biggest threats yet?

Having proved his loyalty to the team by suffering extreme torture in order to keep Chuck’s true identity as the intersect a secret, for some reason, I just wasn’t buying it like Sarah, Casey and even the hopeless Chuck were. I mean we didn’t really see him escape from Fulcrum now did we? Perhaps he promised them a little information in exchange for his freedom. Lesser things have happened.

Additionally, now that he knows he’ll never get Sarah the girl he’s been lusting over since her heart still belongs to Chuck, that makes Chuck potential enemy numero uno. As they say, keep your friends close and your enemies closer. With an in that very few have to Chuck’s mind, Cole can’t get much closer than that.

On the less sinister side, Chuck is finally one step closer to living a normal life void of random intelligence flashes. I’m hoping that as a season finally we meet the intersects creator Orion, who surely, holds all of the answers. Additionally, I’m delighted to find Morgan is moving in (literally) to a more mature relationship with Anna. Now if only poor Chuck could settle into that same kind of comfortable loving relationship. Sadly it’s hard-knock hearts in the world of spies.

Lithgow

30 Rock returns for a mostly guest star free episode (I’m not counting John Lithgow.) Going back to the multiple cast member plots format the show is known for is a nice return to form. 30 Rock has some of the best writing on network TV and the writers shine best when given the core cast of players rather than guest stars.

Jack is still carrying his torch for Elisa. To avoid temptation, he goes somewhere he’s sure will be woman-free. He joins the writers for their weekly nerd movie session. Frank and Jack’s late night heart to heart about their families and feelings with the mid eighties Bigfoot flick Harry and the Hendersons as a backdrop makes me chuckle even as I writ. Jack feels inspired by Frank’s admissions of regret about not finishing law school. Pulling some strings, Jack gets Frank a free ride to law school. After having dinner with Franks mom, Jack discovers that Frank comes from a long line of attorneys. Mob attorneys. To be more specific dead Mob attorneys. In order to drive him away from a career in law Jack reenacts a  scene from Harry and the Hedersons. Its drop dead funny.

Liz is still trying to adopt a baby. During a late night donut run, she meets a pregnant teen. Liz sees her opening and befriends the knocked up girl, imaging she may have a candidate for adoption. The girl confides in Liz that if she has a baby she’ll have to give up her dream of being a musician. Liz pounces and encourages her awful voice. Its pretty ugly actually even trying to keep the baby’s father away from the mother. Liz, inspired by the power of John Lithgow, relents in the end and the two lovers are reunited,

Jenna feels slighted by Tracey’s star power and throws a tantrum. Hoping to quell her ego, the crew plans a big birthday party. Kenneth destroys that as well after he discovers Tracey doesn’t have a birthday at all, and suggests the Jenna share her party with him. Tracey steals all Jenna’s thunder, but it backfires. Tracey in his insane rambling finds normal days more depressing now that there’s “no more cake in my mouth”.  Eventually the two egotists Jenna and Tracey rush to each other’s arms. Only these two could find solace in each other. Other than a few gags, it just doesn’t pay off.

Liz’s plot really didn’t work for me. I understand she has baby fever, but the gags just didn’t bear much fruit. Jenna and Tracey’s back and forth was full of their patented dim witted banter, but too didn’t have many good laughs. Jack and Frank, or more accurately Harry and the Hendersons was a knockout.

(S02E14) “Chuck vs. the Beefcake”

While Lester and Jeff try to turn Buy More into a perverts heaven full of bathing suit models and men in robes, Chuck, Sarah and Casey take on yet another bad guy… or is he?

Before the regret of breaking up (yet again) with Sarah can even set in, Chuck is flashing on a intelligence filled belt buckle worn by one very bad boy charming Brit. Taking the sacrifice we girls sometimes are more than willing to take, Sarah goes in for the kill hoping to use her little black dress to snag that little black belt. It doesn’t take long though for chaos to ensue, when Casey goes one against three in a battle of the bulge to take down even more bad guys while Chuck takes on a martini with a bite to drink away his blues.

Upon finally being awoken from his drunken blues, Chuck is able to at the very last minute not only save Sarah, but also her “bad guy” Brit who, as it so happens, is actually working undercover and hoping to snag Fulcrum just as much as the rest of the team. That’s not the only thing he’s hoping to snag, Sarah’s up for grabs and he’s a grabby guy.

After going through torture to keep Chuck’s identity a secret and working his charm thoroughly on Sarah, while the Brit may not have got the girl, he sure did earn his keep. Too bad Fulcrum isn’t willing to let him get away so fast. His capture not only brings Chuck’s life into further danger, it also turns his personal life, once again, on it’s head and he’s forced to not only date Sarah again, but ditch Morgan to “move in” with her.  In next week’s episode we’re sure to see just how far this British spy’s honor towards his fast friends Chuck, Sarah and Casey extends, because as was said numerous times in this episode of Chuck, with the right amount of pressure “everyone talks.”

Selma Hayek as Jack’s love interest Elisa has been a welcome addition to 30 Rock over the last few weeks, but it couldn’t last forever. After Elisa demands to know where the relationship with Jack is going, he abandons his duties at the office to take her on a lover’s vacation.

Liz leaves her cellphone in a cab and after remembering that she had an “adult” picture on it, she’s forced to head to Queens to get it. Scared of a journey out of the confines of Manhattan, Liz convinces Bobby Jindal er, Kenneth to travel with her.

Tracey is on Larry King this week. Larry as a guest star was a surprisingly funny addition. Tracey is supposed to be promoting the show but after a breaking news story about a crashing Asian stock market, his insane speculation on civilization’s demise causes panic in the streets. Tracey cracks out some of his best one liners in his exchanges with King. In has rants he lets slip that he personally hides his money everywhere including his work. The writers watching Larry King ransack Tracey’s office in an attempt to find the cash. Tracey even gives them a cryptic riddle as a clue for the cash’s location.

Tracey’s predictions of doom are so effective that Jack’s underlings interrupt his romantic vacation. Elisa demands that Jack kick them out but he’s persuaded by the sheer amount of money that could be lost. Elisa looks like she sure to leave him permanently.

By the time Kenneth and Liz reach the cab driver, they’ve been spray painted, separated by an argument and Liz has had her purse snatched. The cabbie demands Liz pay two grand or he’ll send her private picture to everyone in her address book. She’s broke but kenneth steps in to save the day. Tracey has been hiding his cash in Kenneth’s page coat fulfilling his inane riddle. Liz escapes with her dignity and her cellphone.

After being stood up by Jack for work, Elisa stomps out. Leaving him alone with his cronies. Moment’s later the missing head of the company, Don Geiss sends Jack a video of his instructions. Geiss, also gripped with panic delivers a message of love and togetherness. Jack leaps to his feet and chases after Elisa. After finding her on the street, Jack admits his love and proposes marriage. She accepts and for a moment there is a happy ending. The next day however, Elisa leaves Jack a tape of her own. She is returning to Puerto Rico until next fall and she will “call him”. Its a sad brush off for Jack, and a sad departure for Hayek. Her onscreen presence will be missed.

I have to say that I haven’t been all that excited about Conan O’Brien taking over the “Tonight Show”. I’m not UN-happy about it. I really dislike Jay Leno.

Today, however, a new announcement came down the pipe that has me much more excited about the next generation of “Tonight”.

Andy Richter, Conan’s former sidekick, has accepted a position as the announcer for Conan’s “Tonight Show”.

Andy will be a part of Conan’s new show, and will appear in comedy sketches as well as his announcing duties.

Hopefully, he’ll eventually make his way back over to the couch, because “The Tonight Show” just doesn’t feel right to me without someone in the McMahon role.

Conan’s “Tonight Show” premieres June 1st.