Chuck Episode Recap: Chuck versus the Santa Claus
When a crazed highway madman drives through the front doors of Buy More and takes everyone hostage, Chuck has to balance saving his friends and family and keeping his identity a secret. Is this going to be the merry Christmas they all hoped for?
It's going to be a very merry Christmas (we hope) as Chuck invites Sarah to the annual Bartowski festivities but Sarah says she doesn't do Christmas. Reminds her too much about the annual Salvation Army scam. Chuck's too charming and Sarah gives in.
The holiday is in full consumer swing as Big Mike and Emmett Milbarge jack prices up 15% to get those last minute shoppers. Inside Morgan's dressed as an Elf in a very skimpy outfit claiming Anna won't talk to him because he canned moving in together. Ellie and Awesome have also arrived to buy some last minute gifts using the friend and family discount. At the same time the regulars are betting on the latest high-speed chase down the freeway (very LA) to see how it ends. Well it does — crashing right through the Buy More front doors. The gun toting fugitive gets out of the car and points his pistol right at Chuck.
The store is in lockdown and the LAPD has gathered outside with Reginald VelJohnson playing the lead Twinkie-eating cop. You may recognize him from the same role in Die Hard. Casey and Sarah quickly meet with General Beckman who determines the fugitive, Ned, is a regular guy without a record. The non-spy assignment today is to save Chuck and let the police handle the rest. The police negotiator, Frank Mauser, calls into the store to bargain with Ned who speaks through Chuck. They release a single hostage as a sign of good faith. Emmett comes running to the front claiming his poor 86-year old mother is dying of a rare disease and desperately needs him. He makes it outside only to profess the great sales Buy More is having — any publicity is good publicity.
Sarah and Casey grab Chuck but he resists not wanting to leave him family and friends behind. Just then Ned enters waving his gun and surprised at finding two more people. Chuck reassures him they are completely harmless. Ned accidentally shoots Casey, loping off one of his toes. Thankfully, Ellie ensures he'll be OK — many people do fine with only 9 toes. Of course, we get our first great line from Jeff who informs us he gets by fine with 8.
Ned and Chuck are forming an interesting relationship. Ned really trusts him. Not being the best criminal he doesn't have any particular demands so Chuck recommends he call his wife. Ned agrees. Chuck even convinces Ned to let all the hostages call their loved ones. Everyone does except Sarah so Chuck calls her and in a private moment gives her a very sweet present — a charm bracelet that belonged to his mother. Sarah at first refuses it as it should go to a real girlfriend but Chuck insists she take it. Frank calls again and this time asks to exchange him for two other hostages. Ned decides to return the favor to Chuck by releasing Casey because he's injured and Sarah because she's Chuck's girlfriend. Chuck tries to protest but can't really because it will blow everyone's cover. Finally Frank enters and Chuck flashes on his watch. It turns out he's a Fulcrum agent!
Chuck, realizing everyone's in big trouble, tells Frank that he'll do a hand-off between Ned and himself. Chuck not only tells Ned that Frank is a bad guy and to let everyone go but he knows people in the government to make this all go away.
It turns out that Ned isn't even married. Sarah and Casey go back to the Castle and discover what's going on. Ned called Frank. At the same time, Frank tells Chuck that he knows Casey and Sarah are CIA and are protecting someone. He just doesn't know whom. So Fulcrum planned a little disturbance by sending in Ned. Chuck, being Chuck, told Ned too much. Now Frank tells Chuck that he'll send Ned to shoot his sister and the rest of his friends unless he cooperates. He has to tell them where Bryce Larkin and the Intersect are or Chuck's sister dies. Chuck has no choice and tells Frank/Fulcrum he's the Intersect.
Frank takes Chuck out of the Buy More in an ambulance and off to a Fulcrum office never to see his family again. Chuck says goodbye to Ellie and tells Awesome to take down Ned. Awesome, Jeff, Larry, Big Mike and Morgan plan their attack. Larry charges first but Ned suddenly isn't as inept as we thought. He brings Larry down with a roundhouse kick. Ellie and Anna come to his rescue. Morgan, hiding in the fake snow bank, jumps out spraying Ned with fake snow while Big Mike and Awesome jump Ned. Too busy with Larry, neither Anna nor Ellie notice Morgan's bravery.
Sarah and Casey see that Chuck's being taken away and give chase, shooting out the tires. Chuck gets away by running into a roadside Christmas tree sale. He runs into Sarah who tells him to get out so he'll be safe. Chuck reluctantly agrees but turns around to find Sarah. Frank and Sarah find each other and Sarah gets the better of Frank after some karate chops and kicks. She tells him that he'll be going to a CIA facility to keep Chuck's identity a secret. Frank tells her that Fulcrum will find out that Chuck is the Intersect and his life will be over. From a distance, Chuck sees this exchange between Sarah and Frank. Unaware that Chuck is watching, Sarah ponders this terrible information and coldly kills Frank as Chuck watches. Chuck is admittedly stunned at the cold-blooded act.
Sarah runs back to Buy More as the police arrest Ned and the crisis is over. Chuck can't seem to shake what he's just seen. Sarah, a professional spy, lies to Chuck and tells him that Frank has been arrested. Larry, being pulled away in a stretcher, steals a kiss from Anna as Morgan watches from a distance. He thinks Anna is cheating on him and has given up on their future. Both Morgan and Chuck are melancholy as the episode comes to an end.
What did you think about this episode? What about Sarah's surprising character reveal?
