Chuck Episode Recap: "Chuck Versus The Third Dimension"
So it's been over a month since we've seen any new Chuck episodes. That is a very long time to be without our beloved super computer geek. Many comments on the TV Guide website were wary that Chuck might not even come back. Thankfully, NBC has brought Chuck back - not with a regular episodic story but in no less than 3D!
So it was the holiday episode when we last left Chuck as he witnessed Sarah's cold-blooded killing of an unarmed Fulcrum operative because said agent was planning to leak Chuck's whereabouts, which would endanger him and his family. So we're left wondering when and if Chuck will confront Sarah. Or is there something we didn't see about that situation that would exonerate Sarah for her actions? And how will it all work in 3D? Welcome back as we dive into Chuck versus the Third Dimension!
We first see Chuck in bed having a beautiful dream. Sarah rises from the end of his bed scantily clad in some black lingerie. His dream slowly turns into a nightmare when he confronts Sarah about the holiday murder. She crawls across his bed and pulls out a sheath to stab him.
At Buy More, Emmett Milbarge's best friend Tyler Martin, a famous rock-n-roller, is coming to sign autographs. Tyler may look familiar to those of you who have seen ABC's Lost where Dominic Monaghan plays English rocker Charlie Pace. He plays rather than played Charlie because dead on Lost is never really dead. But that's a whole other discussion. Anyway, it seems that Dominic has somewhat reprised that same role on Chuck.
Back in Burbank, a mysterious man plants a grenade that's thankfully intercepted. The grenade turns out to be military grade so General Beckman decides to bring Tyler into the office for questioning. Sarah uses her feminine guile to get Tyler alone where Casey spits a sleeping dart knocking him out cold.
While Sarah and Casey break into the bomber's apartment, Tyler wakes up in Casey's apartment, wonders outside, and mistakes their courtyard fountain for a urinal. Despite being a little woozy, Tyler convinces Chuck to let loose and have a little fun with a night out. After all, Chuck deserves a break.
Back at Buy More, in a search for the golden ticket to go backstage to Tyler's benefit concert, Morgan has luckily found the ticket. Since the ticket allows a plus one, he decides to have contest to see who is worthy. Round One is the famous Molly Ringwald Underpants Challenge. Butterworth, Big Mike's muscled and ex-con friend, thinking Lester is a soft-featured woman, reaches in and pulls Lester's sparkly underpants right from under him. Winner: Butterworth.
Round Two is the awesome 12-foot long sub sandwich-eating contest. It's a battle between Jeff and Butterman. Winner Jeff. The last, and most hilarious, is the Urinal Cake Challenge. Before Morgan has a chance to announce the rules Jeff grabs it and takes a bite out of it. Winner: Jeff.
Meanwhile hip Tyler and hipless Chuck are partying, doing shots, and dancing with sexy women. Two sexy women wander over to get a little closer. Chuck puts on a great cockneyed British accent but loses it shortly thereafter. As the women bring the duo to their suite for a little hanky panky, Chuck flashes on one woman's necklace. It turns out they're bad girls — and not in the good way. Luckily Sarah and Casey save Chuck and Tyler in time.
Akmed Gambir, the grenade carrying bad guy, continues to pursue Tyler right to the benefit concert. Tyler, unaware of most of the tattoos on his rocker body, has an immense one on his back. Chuck flashes on it and realizes Tyler's manager has been messaging bad guys while Tyler has been traveling the world trading secrets about how to buy uranium to build bombs.
Now that everyone is aware that Tyler is in danger (including Tyler), they are reluctant to complete the concert. General Beckman insists Tyler must perform so Akmed can be apprehended. The only one who can convince Tyler is Chuck because they have bonded over the many shots they partook in at the bar. Chuck is reluctant to convince him until Sarah tells him that they're spies and that's their job. She asks him does he know they must do whatever it takes to complete the assignment and protect people? It's a sobering thought that once again reminds Chuck just what Sarah is capable of.
Chuck convinces Tyler to play the concert. He asks him for one night of bravery for a lifetime of normalcy. Wouldn't anyone want that? Tyler agrees. Action comes to a head when Akmed tries to kill Tyler but luckily Sarah and Casey intercede.
More importantly, Chuck confronts Sarah about the murder he witnessed. He understands why she did it. She tells him she had to do it because she had to protect him no matter what. She tells him that she sometimes forgets that Chuck isn't really a spy and doesn't have the disposition to take on these difficult tasks. She tells him to take as much time off as he needs. After all, he deserves time without missions and being under surveillance. As Sarah and Casey take off for another mission sans-Chuck, Chuck jumps into the back of the car ready for their next mission.
So how does 3D figure into this episode? It was quite a feat to have the entire episode filmed in 3D. It requires a special camera and a lot of care in the special effects department. I'm sure the whole production team put in much overtime to deliver this episode. Add to that the distribution of the glasses and you're talking about a major undertaking for a single one-hour episode.
Having previously watched all the episodes in HD, to watch this episode without the special glasses was a complete disservice to the show's high production value and crisp visuals. If you watched the episode without the glasses, many of the scenes had objects and actors with strange auras around them and some of the picture looked a little blurry at times. The great part about the 3D was the depth of focus — where the actors really stood out from the background. There certainly was a lot of picture depth but there wasn't too much 3D that came out of the TV, which was unfortunate. The best parts were the opening credits and some of the flashing graphics where objects seem to suspend themselves within arms reach. It was also particularly strange to watch the larger crowd scenes at Buy More and the benefit concert. Because of the nature of 3D, everything appeared as if it were in miniature.
Overall, the use of 3D seemed like a ratings stunt that wasn't organic to the episode's storyline. Couldn't the writers have invented a gizmo in which Chuck wore special glasses that allowed him to see things differently in order to solve the case? Then the use of 3D would be better married to the nature of the story.
What did you think of the episode? What about Chuck's confrontation of Sarah? Were you surprised at her response? And what about the 3D? Did you watch it with or without the glasses?
