NBC Synopsis: MIXED EMOTIONS–former New York Giants star Michael Strahan guest-stars as the intimidating bully Mitt. Chuck (Zachary Levi) is overcome with jealousy when his nemesis Bryce Larkin (Matthew Bomer) — and Sarah’s (Yvonne Strahovski) ex-lover and partner — makes an unexpected return. Chuck and Sarah’s growing feelings for each other are tested when their latest mission requires Sarah and Bryce to pose as an extremely affectionate couple. Meanwhile, Morgan (Joshua Gomez) faces his own challenge at Buy More when he must deal with a gang of bullies, from a neighboring sporting goods store in the strip mall called, the Mighty Jocks led by the fearful Mitt.
Chuck This Ranking: 28
Dave’s Ranking: Better than that.
Full Write Ups: Chuck vs The Break Up (2.03) by Dave and Joe
The Break Up by Joe
Other Write Ups: Reader’s Digest Rewatch: The Make Up then Break Up Arc by Dave
amyabn
atcDave
Ernie Davis
Faith
joe
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Chuck This 
This was such a fun episode. I think it might be one of my very favorites that ended on a bit of a down note for Chuck and Sarah. Its actually sort of funny how the “break-up” truly changes nothing. Real highlights being the funniest one-shot villain of the series (you have no idea how little leg room there is!) and Michael Strahan being beat up by a 90 lb woman.
All that said, I had thought a few months back there might be some interest in revisiting all this. But we’re really getting no traction on any discussion here. As I’ve said many times, I’ve managed to say pretty much everything I have to say about each episode many times over. It is on you guys if these discussions are going to continue. But I think unless things change in the next week, this will be the last of these posts. I have nothing new to add, and apparently most other fans feel the same way. This is not a big deal! We all have fond memories of this excellent show. But without new content there just is not much else to say.
I know what you mean. The episodes have been covered, so sometimes it feels like repeating the same thing.
I’m kind of saying things a different way with my fanfic “Chuck vs the In Between” (https://www.fanfiction.net/s/14044625/). Following a pattern in the Aftershocks series in Stargate SG-1 (which has 157 chapters), each chapter has a recap (without opinion) before a fictional part after the episodes. I call my Chuck versions the “in between.” Most are right after, but unlike SG-1, Chuck usually had “5th acts.” That means some are filling the time gap. Unlike that story, I also name 1-2 songs from the previous episode and have a final A/N which points to my “parallel AUs” and other fanfics for the after the same episode. In my https://mynameisjeffnimlost.tumblr.com/tagged/CvtIB posts and my FB posts for the Chuck Fanfiction group, I link to the videos on YouTube, link to IMDB, link to the Chuck wiki on Fandom, and link to this blog’s statistics ranking, episode-of-the-week, and rewatch pages. The wealth of analysis and comments on this blog are a true blessing to the fandom.
In my story, the recaps are less fun to write because I don’t share my thoughts. I let the canon-compatible “in between” and the blog articles and comments do that.
Ironically, you’re stopping right were I did for a year, and I just started continuing Thursday night with the chapter set in between 2.04 and 2.05.
Yeah a few months back it looked like there was new enthusiasm for discussion! But it’s faded out, maybe not shocking after all this time!
I think you should continue, Dave. Things may get interesting once you get to the Cole episodes and particularly season 3 and then season 5 and the finale. Those are polarizing parts of the show.
In the show, the break-up seemed weird to me. It was stalling something which seemed obvious at the beginning of the show. I’m sure the writers didn’t want Chuck to cheat on Sarah at any level when Jill came back. (That was also an explanation for the break-ups before Cole arrived and some of what happened in season 3.) What was weird is the ends of the next two episodes were two of the shippies pre-Charah moments that did not involve Sarah running away with Chuck or a kiss. (free question/share a cheeseburger in Sarah’s room; Chuck’s “shooting star” wish when looking at Sarah.
For my story, the break-up followed by those two moments made for a specific way for Chuck and Sarah to think about the situation (and of course not talk about it because they were “crap communicators”). Some of that will carry through the Jill arc.
In a way, it would have made sense in the show for Cougars and Tom Sawyer to be before Seduction and Break-up. My guess it the order was dictated by removing Graham, addressing Lester as the AM, and the arrival of Emmett. 2.02 had a previously seen flashback of Lester riding Chuck to do what Lester didn’t do before his promotion, yet it it wasn’t in 2.01. The probably had trouble putting things in the time limits. Changing the order might make more sense for the evolution of the Charah relationship, but all of the other plot lines wouldn’t work.
I agree with Jeff. Every break-up in the show is introduced to open the possibility for new relationships without Charah “cheating” on each other. The break-up at the end of 1.08 Truth is the setup for Lou and Bryce, the break-up at the end of 2.03 is the setup for Jill just as the break-up at the beginning of 2.15 is the setup for Cole. And, of course, the traumatic break-up in Prague (and confirmed at the end of 3.03 Angel de la Muerte) is the setup for Hannah and Shaw.
I think the break-ups serve more than one purpose, of course. That’s the beauty of Chuck; it has layers.
After getting very close in the first three episodes of season 2, here in 2.03, Chuck spells out the core reason he and Sarah cannot be together; Chuck goes well beyond Bryce’s concerns about feelings being a liability for spies by highlighting the ontological difference between him and Sarah: she is a super spy who quells revolutions with a fork while he’s a normal guy who plays video games.
This chasm between them is reduced little by little as Chuck grows as a spy while Sarah grows as a normal woman and will be closed in season 3, as symbolized in 3.12 by Chuck hopping into Bond/Shaw’s car to go save him (“He’s beginning to believe”) and at the end of 3.13 Other Guy by Chuck quelling a (Ring) revolution with a fork in Paris.
As for the shipper moments in 2.04 and 2.05, I see them as part of the process of overcoming the obstacles in Charah’s relationship: Another thing mentioned by Chuck in his 2.03 break-up speech is the fact he doesn’t know anything about Sarah’s past, so in the next episode he finds out about Sarah’s past and learns that it’s not the past that counts but the present. And at the end of 2.05, Chuck and Sarah make a wish for each other, but in order for that to happen, Chuck needs to get over Jill just as Sarah got over Bryce. Hence, the ensuing Jill arc.
Got the wife to join the weekly rewatch this time around. It’s startling how much more funnier season 2 is than season 1. I hadn’t watched these all the way through in a while, we’ve been belly laughing as they really figure out all the buy more stuff.
In so many ways, S2 was the peak for the show.