9/25/07 Chuck Sucks

Tony and I watched Chuck last night, which is the new NBC show about a GeekSquad-like guy who works as a "Nerd Herd" computer tech at "Buy Now". He gets an email from an old college buddy who (unbeknownst to Chuck) has become a rouge spy for the CIA and steals all the NSA/CIA's secrets and for whatever reason, sends them to Chuck. Chuck looks at the files (embedded as images), which allows him to suddenly recall top secret information as different things trigger his memory. The NSA and CIA (who seem to have a love/hate relationship going on with each other) each send an agent to get Chuck (to kill him? to brainwash him? to date him? Not really sure).

I give it an "Eh". It's a little too hokey for me, without an engaging plot. Call me picky, but I've come to expect that shows contain a plot. Plus, the characters seem a bit too fake. The girl CIA agent is a little too amazing, the best friend (the comic relief?) is a little too bizarre, the sister is a little too patronizing. Even the rival co-worker is a little too out there with his overly aggressive stance and testosterone filled finger jabbing. It's almost like the creators went, "Okay, now we need a sexy cool super hero girl who does no wrong and has at least three scenes in skimpy clothing, the goofy best friend, and the school bully". It's a middle school boy's dream.

You can't even count on the government agents to act in the stereotypical government agent manner. They spend 15 minutes chasing him around/dating him (which I still don't get) and then when Chuck figures out that he now "has a computer in his head" and uses the information to defuse a bomb, both agents suddenly decide to...leave Chuck alone.
Now, you and I both know that if the CIA/NSA figured out that you somehow knew all of their secrets, they'd do a little more than let you go on living your life and "promise not to tell anyone". Call me cynical, but I don't think top secret agencies are willing to trust the average citizen with all their top secret information. Your brain matter would be all over the sidewalk before you ever figured out what happened. At the very least, they'd have you squirreled away in the bowels of the Pentagon so that you couldn't let state secrets slip by accident.

Intriguing idea, but the show falls flat. Better luck next time NBC.

Editor's Note: Apparently, every other person in the world loved Chuck. All the critics are raving. Apparently I'm the only one who thought it would flop. I guess there goes my fledgling career as television critic.