Now That You’ve Gotten Used To The Idea
There is now a link to a separate Spoiler Page in the “About Us” Box on the right. It takes you here. That will be the place where we intend to notify you about the spoilers we’ve found and about the latest events that might influence the course of the show.
If you happen to come across a spoiler or a juicy tid-bit that spoiler-friendly fans should know about, please e-mail us at chuckthisblog(at)gmail(dot)com. We’re only doing it that way so that they don’t get replicated or lost in comments.
It’s not possible for me to move comments from here to the new home, but I hope you continue the conversation there. In a few hours, at about 4 PM eastern today (Mar. 6), I will close comments here.
– joe
amyabn
atcDave
Ernie Davis
Faith
joe
thinkling
Chuck This 
episode 3.11
sarah and shaw watches chucks every move to determine if he is ready to be a spy
http://television.aol.com/show/chuck/1329189/episodes
http://tv.msn.com/tv/series-episodes/chuck/
Thanks for the links, but if you could in the future please e-mail us and let us deal with the posting the spoilers. If everyone posts in comments we’ll probably get overwhelmed quickly. We’re trying to figure out how to grow this blog while trying to meet our readers needs and desires, your patience is appreciated.
SORRY, I WILL, POSTED TOO QUICKLY
I lot of guys have that problem
Chuck Versus the Final Exam
Original Airdate: 2010-03-22
Synopsis:
Sarah and Shaw observe Chuck’s every move as he takes a final test to see if he is ready to be a spy.
http://tv.msn.com/tv/series-episodes/chuck/
http://television.aol.com/show/chuck/1329189/episodes
it seems to me out patience has been rewarded, I have heard everyone say that the beard will be one of the best episodes of Chuck…I cant wait!
Me neither. But even so, Who Dat, I’ve heard it said that this is just the start of our reward. I don’t think we see anything but the barest beginnings of what all the ‘shippers are hoping for in 3.09. Supposedly, it continues in 3.10, and that’s all right by me!
The link for the latest EPK for Chuck for 3.09:
– very spoilery, contains quite a few clips
http://tinyurl.com/yleb5ho
Again, I’ll ask that you e-mail spoilers rather than post them in comments. We’ve already linked to them in the main post.
Ooops sorry about that.
‘sok. We’re working the bugs out!
Exercise your first amendment right to moderate them! ha. Kidding.
I just felt like using a Casey line. This is a great idea. And when new ones come about you guys can always just bump it to the top of the threads by changing the time period/date of “when posted.”
When I was 23, I would NEVER have wanted a woman to hear “…exercise her First Amendment Right to DUMP YOU!!”
It’s not fair, I tell you! 😉
Now i can go back and thank all the women for supporting America but dumping me!! It is not you it is me!!
LOL Joe. Casey has such a way with words that you probably would have been ok with it even back then.
Just like when he tells Sarah, “she got dumped” repeatedly in front of Beckman in Salami lol.
Casey has always been an equal opportunity insulter.
“No you can’t. She dumped me and then betrayed me by sleeping with my nemesis, Bryce Larkin.”
“Hummm….Who hasn’t?”
“Hummm, This coming from the agent who can’t keep her chocolate out of Bartowski’s peanut butter.”
“And she also slept with Bryce Larkin.”
“Hummm…Who hasn’t?”
“And this coming from the agent who can’t keep her chocolate out of Bartowski’s peanut butter.”
I watched the clips posted…have to say, something a poster says now potentially rings true…that Shaw will tell Sarah to make Chuck her “mark” because of his emotional state…
Oy…more angst on the way?
Not sure I understand, sd. Can you elaborate on this idea? What in the clips led you to think this?
I think I know what sd is talking about… I’ve seen the spec that a/c Chuck not being able to flash, Shaw/Beckman order Sarah to re-establish a relationship w/ Chuck, to get him back on emotional ground. Of course, the implication of that is Sarah isn’t getting close to Chuck b/c that’s what she wants, but rather b/c it’s her duty. Furthermore, the spec goes, what happens if/when Chuck finds out?
This thing about Sarah make Chuck her mark is speculation?
Not necessarily SD. She may attempt to use Chuck as a mark because she’s ordered to and it may be necessary, but she could very well be sincere when she executes her “strategy.”
In the clip, Chuck confides to the team that he can’t flash b/c of all his bottled up emotions…sarah says you “can talk to us” he looks at S and S and says essentially, “no way”. Shaw, I think, by now has figured out—at the very least–Chuck has an emotional history with Sarah. So, he tells Sarah she needs to make Chuck think she interested in him to get him to flash.
While I saw a later clip where Chuck flashes to get he and Morgan out of trouble…maybe Shaw won’t learn this…
So…I don’t know..what do you think?
I see. You may have it right – it accounts for that funny look on Chuck’s face.
I took that Chuck’s flash to get Morgan out of trouble was his first since The Fake Name. It looks like he got his mojo back (as Casey would say).
Morgan comments “Thank me later buddy, we’re going to die.” That and the apparent happiness Morgan and Chuck display before that comment while being tied up in the Castle makes me think that they’ve reconciled in some manner. If that’s the case, even though Chuck no longer has Sarah, having regained Morgan might be sufficient to break the mental barrier to his flashing.
Ah, precisely, Weaselone.
I am not so sure for a couple of reasons. First, I doubt Sarah would do that to Chuck, knowing what she does in the episode (unless she is telling the truth, when everyone else things she is playing him). Second, as we saw in Fake Name, Shaw can get really jealous. I doubt he would then send in his “new girlfriend” to re-connect with Chuck. Unless he was really, really confident he “won”.
I don’t think that occurs due to the flash with Morgan. Even if Shaw orders Sarah to play Chuck as a mark, it probably wouldn’t reach fruition in this episode. Chuck’s just rejected the idea of talking with Shaw and Sarah about his emotions. Sarah and Shaw would have to give him a little time before attempting to use Sarah as a honey trap, particularly as Chuck knows Shaw and Sarah are involved. Shaw, Sarah, and Casey are off on their mission for at least part this episode and during which the Ring incursion transpires and there is probably an ending clip that deals with some of the fallout from Shaw abandoning the Intersect in a temporarily nonfunctional state without protection, and Chuck’s reveal of his CIA status to Morgan.
That doesn’t really leave time to set up and follow through on a seduction attempt by Sarah and after Chuck flashes the need for this measure will be largely obviated, although perhaps it will be ordered to maintain Chuck’s emotional state and that will be our cliffhanger. Sarah showing up under orders to reestablish their relationship and fans uncertain of her motives.
I should say a later clip from the same episode of Chuck v Beard.
If indeed this scenario is true…perhaps Sarah makes the break with Shaw b/c she refuses to make Chuck her mark
I have to say…while I like to be right…this time–not so much. If,indeed, Sarah gets close to Chuck because of “orders”…that just might send me over the bitter edge 🙂
I guess whether I like it or not, I have become a shipper…one with an expiration date at some point—ha!
welcome to the dark side muhaha. 😀
I hate to say this I am drinking the Kool-Aid again. Those clips look Awesome! Hey mine is bigger than yours. Screw charah!! Long Live Chorgan!!!!
Oh…gosh…it’s all coming together. i read somewhere that the Chuck DYLM question “isn’t what you think”…which may mean he figures out he”s been “played” in order to “flash”
Does anyone have some Pepto? 🙂
I haven’t seen the EPKs, but I really hope that when Sarah, Casey and Ken Doll get back to the Castle, Morgan and Chuck have hooked up an X-Box to the big sreens.
That’s amusing, but I don’t think Chuck has to tell Morgan everything. He just has to be able to not lie to explain things, just as with Devon. In fact, it was only later in an emergency that Devon finds out about the Castle. And Devon still doesn’t know about the Intersect and flashing, does he?
I don’t know what the right initial balance would be for Morgan, but just as for Devon, it seems unlikely that full disclosure would be desirable (as well as not permitted and not required for safety). We wouldn’t Morgan to become a blithering idiot like Captain Awesome, would we? Although I suspect Morgan can handle the truth and secrecy better than Devon.
Right Waverly. He doesn’t have an Ellie, and let’s face it, he never wanted to commit to Anna, just wanted to hook up. He’d rather buy autos from Back to the Future and Dukes of Hazard.
He’s been mostly about the bromance with Chuck. Now trusted with something this huge, Morgan not only could handle it, he would protect the information and Chuck by any means.
From the clips, I don’t think Awesome knows anything that is going on. Chuck calls him to try to vent to him, but Devon essentially shuts him down. He’s on “vacation”. Now, interestingly, I’m wondering if Team B being at the same hotel as Devon and Ellie is a fient that was talked about by some spoliers earlier? Does the Ring pretend to feign renewed interest in “Agent Woodcomb” to clear the way to get to “Agent Carmichal”?
I doubt Chuck would tell anyone about the intersect, I was just being a little silly. I was thinking of how fun it would be to have them rush back to save Chuck, only to find him being his old self playing Call of Duty on the huge TV drinking Grape Sodas.
In seeing those clips again, it seems possible that Morgan doesn’t need to know about Chuck’s involvement with any agency.
It’s Morgan that somehow finds out about the CIA being at the Buy More. Chuck gets him to promise to keep it a secret from everyone else at the Buy More.
And at the scene where Chuck flashes and saves both of their lives, nothing happens that requires the explanation of who Chuck is secretly working for. Chuck just happens to be resourceful and skilled fighter, just like any nerd.
From the Canadian promo, it seems that Morgan learns about Castle BEFORE he finds out Chuck is with the CIA. Chuck is essentially playing dumb up to the point where he flashes and saves them both.
However, afterwards, I believe he gives Morgan full disclosure, and there was a clip of Morgan asking if he was on the team now.
Ofer..
That would be funny. I think–after a very short period as a shipper–I have abandoned the C/S thing for a renewed bromance between Chuck and Morgan. Much less angst….and probably more payoff.
The bromance is Chuck’s most important relationship.
Morgan is more than just my best friend. He’s my family! Before you got here, and long after you’ve gone, Morgan is my family!
Bro’s before…well, you know.
Especially this season.
We could be in store for a bromantic triangle between Chuck, Morgan and Casey.
The bromances have definitely been stronger and better played this season than the relationships between opposite sexes. Even with Chuck’s deception and the whole Hannah incident you still get the feel that Morgan has Chuck’s back. I doubt he would have stood back and let Shaw strangle Chuck.
There’s also a definite bond and respect developing between Chuck and Casey. In the original two seasons, Casey is often the individual that cut’s Chuck down as merely a nerd with a computer in his brain. I get the impression that at the end of season two and this season that Casey respects Chuck himself as opposed to just seeing him as being the vessel of a valuable intelligence tool.
Shaw is a twit. Originally, he was all about Chuck being a spy, yada, yada, yada, but now after Chuck’s proved himself Shaw’s been referring to him largely as “The Intersect” and now he’s cutting him out of the spy world simply because he can’t flash as if Chuck didn’t pull Shaw’s fanny out of the flames multiple times without the aide of the Intersect.
With Chuck being able to talk to Morgan about everything in his life now, it makes Sarah irrelevant.
Ummm. Other than the fact Chuck’s hopelessly in love with her. Plus, as an outsider Morgan can’t really ever understand completely what Chuck is going through in the spy world, nor is he likely to be privy to all the details.
I forgot to add in these next couple of episodes.
I normally don’t like spoiling myself but I just couldn’t help it, broke down, and watched the EPK. It’s no wonder everyone has been saying they love this episode. I can’t wait to see how this all plays out on Monday!
Morgan doing the “Ki-ai!!!” had me laughing for a good long while.
Mischievous, the scene really struck me as another Chuck re-do of an earlier scene, from the Pilot where a ninja (Sarah) fights with Chuck and Morgan in his room.
Works out much better for them this time. Don’t you think?
I can’t see Sarah being told to make Chuck her mark it’s overly complex and given the spoilers Chucks not in the right frame of mind to rekindle that part of their relationship yet. Plus that will just make Sarah happy and right now she is season 1 Chuck so she is having her Jill/Lou/Hannah moment. She didn’t learn any thing from the previous lis because she never let them go anywhere. This time she is going to mess up and I don’t expect things to be clearer until ep11.
The way I see the spec though, is not that it’s necessarily initiated as a romantic play.. Just getting Chuck to be friendly, communicative w/ Sarah again would be enough to “get him right.” Regardless of the romantic angle (whether it exists or not), it’d still be interesting to see how Chuck would respond to finding out Sarah was ordered to “get close” to him (again, not necessarily in a romantic way). And Sarah’s ancillary motivations….I dunno, would they matter to Chuck? I know they wouldn’t to me, but Chuck?
if I applied logic, the problem with that order is sarah would love it, a reason to get away from shaw, who she appear to not like in public at all, just in private???? sort of sick isn’t it? but, I think 3.9 – 3.13 will resolve CS in a far better manner than we could even guess, I think the bad is largely over for them, and the good will be great, with some great already in 3.10, maybe even end of 3.9, although any attempt I’ve made to get a clue of such has come back 3.9 ends with morgan – chuck bromance
Yeah Jason, as I was saying on the other thread; I think even if it is her orders to get closer to Chuck again, we will know quickly she is happy with those orders. It may take longer for Chuck to be convinced (the DYLM scene), but I think we’ll be heading in a good direction.
Would Chuck be willing to get close to Sarah in anyway at the moment? Even with him being emotionally centered after 3.09. I can see him being somewhat standoffish with her.
It might be a little sticky, but I really think things will, somehow, turn around pretty quickly.
That’s what I’m worried about, a lot of things that have happened this season will just be forgotten.
I hope! I’m still waiting to find out its all been a dream!
Seriously, I think everything about this season has been a bad idea (OK, not everything; but I hate the idea of wrenching apart Chuck and Sarah for most of the season); and I’m ready for them to move on. If it leaves some gaping holes in the plot, I’m fine with that.
We’ve discussed before the importance of story vs. characters; I know many fans consider story key to everything. But I’ve come to realize, that to me, characters is everything. I want to see Chuck and Sarah back in a happy place more than I care how they get there. Obviously, a satisfying resolution is better than a sloppy one; but I’ll never re-watch most of this season again anyway, so I’m more concerned with getting to the next leg of the journey, than I am with how this one ends up.
I guess its just my way of saying, “I just don’t care anymore, make it stop.”
Oh no Dave! They’ve beaten you down? I for one will never forget, and I’ll be thrashing any hackery that might arise from the C/S reunion… I’ve forgiven way too many plot-holes/incomplete story-lines already. In a season that should’ve been much more entertaining than it has been, I’m gonna hold their feet to the fire when it comes to the central relationship of the show.
I understand where your coming from Dave. With me the C/S was only a part of why I watched the show. But since its become the main focus of the season I’d like to see a logical resolution to the story. Thats not even counting the Ring, Shaw, etc.
So with five episodes left, I’m wondering how much is going swept under the rug. Plot holes can be forgiven when a show isn’t serious but the tone of the show has changed. So I expect answers. Why did I sit through seven episodes if they don’t matter in the end.
I hope they prove me wrong and make me seem like a fool but I’m not counting on it.
I would like to care about other elements of the story; as I’ve said before, I’m not the sort who looks for “romance” as a theme in most stories I watch. I’m more interested in humor/action/effects/plot/mystery; but after getting to like and respect two characters for two seasons, I simply can’t stomach watching them act like jerks and hurt each other. If I’m not satisfied with how its fixed at the end of the season, I’m done. And I prefer sooner rather than later.
Neither do I, there was an interview with Zach, I think it was IGT, where they said they were on set and they were filming episode 11. The scene was the castle meeting and Chuck was being sarcastic and snippy to Shaw. In the interview Zach said that Chuck was reacting to what it appeared was going on between Sarah and Shaw. That he was unhappy about Sarah and Shaw but that he understood it too as he had sort of fallen for Hannah.
When I first read that I guessed that they were reshooting a scene from an earlier episode. Now I think it was from 3.11 and I take certain things from it.
1. The triangle continues to at least 3.11, at least in Chuck’s mind.
2. Sarah may have already stepped back from Shaw, but not let Chuck know.
3. TPTB love them triangles.
4. Unlike the past when Chuck basically steps away, here he pushes back some.
5. As usual, Sarah doesn’t make it clear to anyone where she stands.
In the interview Zach also compared Shaw to Bryce in the sense that Bryce would show up then be gone but Chuck has to deal with Shaw every day. So I see increased Shaw/Chuck tension too.
Eh, sorry eagle…I read too much into your statement. Nowhere did you say anything about a romantic angle… I do see your point about it being a pretty complex spec.
I don’t know…I still stand by what I surmised in an earlier post…I think she is ordered to–at the very least–get close to Chuck so he becomes a more consistent “flasher” (ha–not that kind). She gets close…Chuck can’t figure it out..finds out her motives aren’t “pure” and asker that angst filled question “DYLM?
It serves a couple purposes…they do get closer…realizing how that feels again…and she ends up hurting him as much as he hurt her in Prague. As high school musical as it sounds…it then “evens” the emotional playing field between the two.
This “mini-arc” can also can be acomplished in a very short amount of ep time…which TBTB seem to love.
How exactly does it even the emotional playing field? This sort of assumes that Chuck wasn’t hurt equally by what he did in Prague and that Sarah had never hurt Chuck previously by say suggesting she was leaving for Switzerland with Bryce in the morning.
Plus if we go this route and this makes Chuck and Sarah even regarding Prague, does that mean that Sarah then has to lie prone on the floor while Chuck smacks her with a bo and follows with a sharp series of kicks to her ovaries?
Don’t forget her non response to his ILY earlier in the season. Or the previous two years worth of shutting him down.
By even the emotional playing field…I mean that we have been led to believe that Sarah was emotionally devastated by Prague as Chuck left to fulfill the higher purpose….he was only hurt when he failed as an agent and realized what he lost in that decision.
I’m not saying this is the best way to go at all…I’m just saying that given the way S3 has played…it may be a “plausable” route the writers will take.
I just think there is a lot more weight to Chuck’s question DYLM than the proverbial “yes or no” answer
This whole idea that Chuck was a hurtful idiot in Prague is (IMO) ridiculous. What she was suggesting was stupid. Chuck, of course, didn’t understand that she loved him (or so we are to believe). She was just looking for a traveling partner to share the cost of gas????
This is the beginning of the stupidty that is season 3.
Yeah, sadly, (and I say this admitting I’m not the most creative of minds) we’re kinda left w/ ridiculous routes regarding C/S. W/ how the season has been handled, a quick flip of the switch back to lovey-dovey C/S is possible, of course.
“I think she is ordered to–at the very least–get close to Chuck so he becomes a more consistent “flasher” (ha–not that kind). She gets close…Chuck can’t figure it out..finds out her motives aren’t “pure” and asker that angst filled question “DYLM?”
Not going to happen.
darth – from a shippers pov – this season has been utter hell, other seasons, I maybe had 15-20 minute stretches of angst, but I have not really connected this season, from Prague on. The last 30 seconds of 3.8 really mad me mad. I know the experts have said the last 5 are great, but that almost implies the experts agree the first 8 have been bad – doesn’t it?
I know you have said this is you favorite season, am I just missing something?
Hi old darth…you replied to my theory with “not going to happen” What do you think will happen? If you’ve already answered in prior postings, my apologies.
@Jason: my guess at the reason why OD likes the season more than you do is that he is looking at it from a different POV. I’m guessing that he likes the depth of the characters and seeing them develop. I do as well and have been enjoying the season immensely. You imply that you are a shipper, and you are looking at the season from a C/S interaction/being together POV. If that is what you are basing “good” or “bad” on, then yes, I can see why you are disappointed. Different metrics.
As for the idea of Sarah being ordered to get close to Chuck, I have 2 thoughts on that:
1) if she did, would Chuck buy it, even if her doing so was real and not just because of a mission? It’s a nice set-up for the DYLM question tho…
2) Would she even agree to it. As has been stated in other boards and other threads, Sarah has changed. She is not going to allow the job to dicatate her life anymore. I could easily see her refuse to do that.
meant to write TPTB
my negativity which has been brewing since 3.1 is over, I am a huge shipper, and I think 3.9 thru 3.13 will be better for shippers than we could even speculate & I think CS will get resolved soon in such a manner that will be logical and well thought out.
This is a guess – NBC wanted 2 heavyweight PLI’s as a condition to renewal, one each for CS – some of the stupidity we have seen is somewhat the writers revolting over being forced into this stiuation – ‘my desert is contained within yours????’ – ali adler is a damned good writer – she did that on purpose – also the reason for her 4th wall stuff with jeff and the two soprano’s
But, when TPTB take their gloves off and let CS happen, it’s going to be very great – knock your socks off stuff – so far sarah has never let loose for chuck (other than maybe in 2.21 hotel and when the bomb was going off, ‘the kiss’, always something has held her back, when chuck gets the full treatment, – whooooooaaaaaa look out chuck
Funny Jason, I always assume JS is the culprit behind the PLI mess. I think NBC is more concerned with having a show the fans will love (and with Office the last couple seasons, they’ve seen clearly that a committed couple does not hurt ratings); but Schwartz is dtermined to tell the story his own way, whether anyone else likes it or not.
Well it was his idea to power up Chuck for this season, and any time I’ve read, or seen him speak, he definately comes across as he knows best.
Dave, I found this quote yesterday. What do you think?
Question: Do you know of any plans to resolve some of the issues/unanswered questions surrounding Tony and Ziva on NCIS this season? —Catherine
Ausiello: If you’re referring to what transpired between them in Paris earlier this season, Michael Weatherly (Tony) thinks he has the answer. “The truth of what happened is probably something that can be discovered inside the episode itself,” he says. “If you really listen to what they say, I think it is pretty clear what happened: Nothing.” Way to kill the mood, buddy. For her part, Cote de Pablo (Ziva) hopes that particular question never gets answered. “If you solve something completely, especially on a TV show like this, it is no longer that fun,” she says. “It is a really complex relationship, and there is so much more to explore.” Adds Weatherly: “I am very happy with where it is now, but you never know what will develop. The writers may think they’ve cracked the chemistry riddle. They may come to think they can make us a full-on couple without killing the chemistry and tension that make people watch. But making the audience get their cake and eat it too is not outside of [exec producer] Shane Brennan’s wheelhouse.”
Seems to say that even for the top-rated scripted show on television, the exec-producer isn’t allowed to determine such things.
A year ago this kind of micro-management would strike me as impossibly stupid. Now it strikes me as merely stupid. Apparently, it’s quite possible.
A big difference with NCIS is it isn’t character driven; the show is not ABOUT the characters, its about the stories/mysteries. The characters are mainly there for a little human interest and comic relief. But we’ve only rarely had enticing glimpses of what their real lives are like. We come closest to a full character with Gibbs. If we learn nothing else about Tony and Ziva for 3 seasons its not that big a deal.
But Chuck is about characters and character. The details of Chucks life and relationships is actually more important than the episodic stories. So similar game on Chuck just wouldn’t work very well. As I’ve said elsewhere, I don’t think we need, or even want the show to focus on every action of Chuck and Sarah; but we must know where they are with each other. The same is really true (to a lesser degree, of course) between Chuck and Ellie, Chuck and Morgan, Chuck and Devon; those relationships define the show to me.
As far as who makes these calls I really don’t know how all that works. I do know the creator of NCIS was booted off the show several seasons ago due to “creative differences” with Mark Harmon. I guess Mark Harmon said “its either him or me.” Interesting how that worked out. I wonder if anyone could show that kind of clout with JS?
Probably the two leads, but I just don’t see that happening.
I don’t either Weaselone. But either the studio or network might if they think he clearly wants to take the show in a direction not in their best interest; but I don’t know what their mood and accountability are like. They may be pleased and think he can do no wrong. Or they may be steaming mad at how he riles fans, I really don’t know.
joe – I read ‘development’ to mean the development of their own shows – she uses it several times with other shows if you read the whole thing
Ah. I read it to mean financial developments, with the sponsors. You could be right.
Could we get a thread for speculating about the upcoming twist and direction for the rest of season 3?
That, my dear Chuckaddict, is almost inevitable! 😉
I bet Chuck would not have a problem flashing on the bow staff again when training with Sarah.
I guess there’ll be some sort of analogy to Chuck ‘having to win her, again, and again, and again.
Plus they’ll have Sarah say ‘it’s complicated’, and ‘we’re better as a team’. Probably in the DYLM scene at that.
Then I hope Chuck says: “Sarah, it’s a yes or no answer.” But of course, he won’t say that…
Ok, I don’t get it.
I’ve gone back to the EPK page (several links posted above). The “massively spoilery” clip seems to be gone.
Anybody see it?
I’m not sure either. I think it’s just rampant speculation.
Interesting that they took down the clips. As for the “massively spoilery” clip, I didn’t think it was much of a spoiler when I saw it.
I don’t get what clip was “massively spoilery”. Other than who finds out Chuck’s secret and that’s pretty obvious from the name of the episode.
It’s a massive spoiler for someone who doesn’t normally follow the boards or fansites. Those of us who do have known much of what is going to happen (if not the exact details) for some time.
you have to put a few shots together, but if you do, ellie in her blue work suit devon in a bathing suit, are talking to a guy in a blue shirt, ellie jumps for joy, says something like that is great news. Shaw is wearing a blue shirt in a diff scene, sarah a black dress, sarah is looking thru binoculars in the scene b4 as if watching this. can only assume shaw is offering ellie her dream fellowship, as part of the cia / ring / maybe his next stalker victim as he is losing sarah scheme. If so sarah’s reaction to ellie and shaw will be a ‘gamechanger’ I would assume, as well as ellie getting pulled into shaws stupidity.
one other guess, I think devon is going to man up somewhat ‘awesomely’ to the spy stuff as soon as ellie gets pulled into this mess. This parallels chucks reluctance in s1/s2, until he realizes that he needs to be a spy to really be a ‘man’ in sarah’s world. Overall, if this were ‘real’, I think chuck has it right, had he not become a spy and left with sarah, he was going to be Mrs Walker to sarah’s mr walker on the run for the rest of his life.
I’d guess if it is Shaw that offers Ellie her dream fellowship that it would be for one of two reasons.
1. He’s working on eliminating Chuck’s support system to isolate him and make him a better spy/more vulnerable depending on whether you consider his motives to be good or ill. He’s succeeded in taking Sarah. Now he’s going to remove the family support by sending Ellie to another continent. The whole thing might actually be legit.
2. He’s working on making Chuck less desirable to Sarah. He saw her staring longingly at the Hannah dinner. Send Ellie to another country and there’s no more Chuck family dinners for Sarah to pine for.
It could also be a combo deal. He accomplishes 1 and gets 2 because as much as he’s playing Sarah, he still wants to get into her pants.
So here’s my speculation
The PLI were used to give C/S a glimpse of the “perfect” person for them would be. And to show them that they were wrong. That C/S are right the right people for each other. Whether it was handled good or not, that’s another story. But I do think thats what the writers intended.
Chuck’s figured this out. Now its Sarah’s turn. How does she figure it out? The next two episode are focused on Morgan and Casey. So we may see her slowly figuring it out. But I’m going with “The Final Exam” episode as her wake up episode.
From that extended promo we saw, it had a clip of a unarmed guy begging for his life. Chuck won’t kill him and he’ll fail at being a spy in Shaw’s eyes. So how does Sarah play into this. She knows what he gave up to be a spy and now he’s giving up that too. So it shows her that even though it cost him everything, in end he won’t let the spy world change him completely.
I’m sure there’s more to it of course but I’m thinking this might be the general direction.
My speculation, delving deep into nerd territory, would be that Chuck does his own Kobayahsi solution. I would assume that the CIA wants him to pull the trigger, but maybe he comes up with a Chuck solution. Shaw wouldn’t be impressed, but Beckman (and of course Sarah) would be and he passes.
Maybe then Shaw will have to go back to spy school…
I still think he’s going to shoot someone this season possibly even kill. But there’s no way it’ll be an unarmed guy begging for his life.
Man, the treker in me really likes that use of a Kobayahsi problem. Tip o’ the hat to you for that one, Ofer. 😉
On the C/S front, I think you are right that Sarah will start to see the old Chuck and begin to re-evaluate her choice to be with Shaw culminating in 3.11 where she decides to break it off with Shaw and re-open her relationship with Chuck.
As far as eps 3.11 is concerned, I spec the final exam going 1 of 2 ways (and I know they’ll likely both be wrong… :oP)
1) Chuck fails. He won’t kill the guy he’s supposed to, no matter how much of baddie he is (IMHO Chuck killing someone will come later). Sarah takes him to dinner to console him and maybe discuss his/their future (again, DR said he gets the impression that if Chuck leaves the spy world now, she’ll happily go with him). Meanwhile Shaw gets the order to either Bunker or Eliminate Chuck, which he is going to do with some back-up (black guy with the gun drawn). He goes to the resataurant and sees Chuck and Sarah and hesitates for a moment, when…Awesome (who was working with Casey to protect Chuck) tackles him through the window. Somehow the Ring also tracks them there and a fight ensues. Chuck gets Devon out but S/S get captured setting up eps 12.
OR
2) Chuck passes with help from Team B’ second string (casey, awesome and morgan). Chuck and Sarah meet for dinner because now Chuck is a full spy, Team B is dissolving and they want to have one last dinner together. Shaw (jealously) follows them but gets caught by Ring agents who have also been following them. The Ring, holding Shaw at gunpoint, are going to make a move on Chuck and Sarah, when Devon (who also was following them around) tackles Shaw. The rest of the scenario follows option 1, setting up eps 12.
both seem plausible, bet the truth is somewhere imbedded in much of what you are guessing – for some reason, I thought the dinner to be prior to the test, since it is a stackout and a date, but if it is more a date than a stackout, I like the after the test thought.
I also thought for some reason shaw was going to shoot chuck’s test and fail him. This would make chuck the great american hero when he rescues shaw in episode 12.
I really like your first scenerio Paul. I do think that Casey starts up a team B to watch over Chuck. If Chuck fails the final exam I can see Casey giving instructions that if anyone sees Shaw approaching Chuck surrepiciously, inform me and stall by any means available.
This would work, especiially if Chuck is back to himself and has re-earned the trust and faith of Awesome and the others.
We also have to wonder where Ellie’s fellowship falls into everything. Obviously that’s what draws Awesome back into the spy world.
3.09 sets up that the Ring believes Chuck to be an agent. Do they also think he’s the Intersect? Are they there to kill or recruit him? Is Ellie bait to draw Chuck out.
I’m closing comments now, folks.
Please carry on here.