CHUCK:S2 W/O SLIPCASE (S/DVD/S)

Season 1 wasn't great though more than good enough for me to want to watch/buy Season 2. Which is just as well because it's bloody brilliant. I just love almost everything about it. This is comedy/thriller/romcom/action/spy stuff at its best. Caution: some minor spoilers ahead. The main cast has grown on me. Zachary Levy as Chuck the underachieving nerd with potential is simply perfect in his part as he manages to be convincingly nerdy while developing into an action lead. Yvonne Strahovski, as Sarah his still-unrequited love interest, is a lot more subtle an actress than I initially gave her credit for. Bonus point for being Australian totally convincing as American, plus another for actually needing a stunt double less than anyone else in the cast. Looking as gorgeous as she does doesn't hurt either. There's a lot more going on than was revealed in the first season where Chuck got the superduperramalamadingdong computer The Intersect downloaded into his brain making him a national resource at risk from enemy action. Now we gradually find out that almost everyone in his past life is involved with it and that by the end it was pretty much only Chuck who could actually contain it in the first place. There really is a whole load, a mountain's worth even, of skulduggery involved as Chuck learns the secrets of his past. I've become rather fond of Captain Awesome (Ryan McPartlin), Chuck's sister's husband to be, nicknamed after his favourite word. My first impression was of a stupid jock but while McPartlin partly plays him like that, the actor does far more with what could have been a nothing of a role. Awesome is a truly good person, genuinely kind and considerate albeit not the most perceptive person in the world. Originally just a throwaway character for the first season, the writers and producers saw what I've just described and he's now an important part of the cast. The list of guest stars is to die for. Well, if you're into cult TV or movies that is. Guesting in four episodes is the lovely Jordana Brewster who lives in my memory as the lesbian criminal mastermind who falls in love with her good spy counterpart in the 12-rated spy/comedy/action/lesbian romcom D.E.B.S. (an Ian 5* recommended movie). Here she is the girl who broke his heart and now re-enters Chuck's life only for him to discover (spoiler warning but I'll be surprised if you're surprised)she works for the bad guys and always has. British actor Jonathan Cake is great as a tough MI6 agent who strikes sparks with Sarah much to Chuck's displeasure. In the buildup to the season's climax, we finally meet Chuck's long missing father and he's played by the always-likeable Scott Bakula! (Quantum Leap!) And when he gets to say his catchphrase "Whoo boy", my face broke into a grin of sheer geek delight. I'm not going to tell you his precise role in Chuck and his sister Dr Ellie's lives but suffice to say, it's a doozy. Other names of note include Chevy Chase as a billionaire computer baddie, Arnold 'The Mummy' Vosloo as a (and how did you guess) baddie, Michael Rooker (who should need no introduction), Bruce Boxleitner (Babylon 5) as Ellie's future father-in-law, Morgan Fairchild as Ellie's future...etc, etc, Dominic Monaghan (LOTR) as a British rock star, Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica -the Cylon in the Red Dress!) as a CIA agent with plans to replace Sarah (booo!), and lots of other people I've vaguely or not heard of, and Nicole Richie (famous for being the adopted daughter of Lionel and ex-BFF of Paris Hilton) as Sarah's high school nemesis. The scripts are sheer delight with wonderfully witty dialogue and some hilarious scenes. Point worth noting, as Levi says in a DVD extra, in his real life Chuck is the straight man and in his spy life he's the comic relief. Even the idiots Chuck works with in Buy More are more amusing than in the first series, though the Chinese girl doesn't get enough to do. (I like quirky women. My favourite character in Holby City is the ascerbic Ukrainian goth Dr Petrenko.) And just in case you think I've forgotten, the show wouldn't be nearly as good without the contributions of the actor playing Agent Casey, the true American patriot with menace and a sense of humour that you can cut your fingers to bleeding ribbons on, the one and only, the amazing Adam Baldwin. Perfect light entertainment.

This is an absolute hidden gem of a programme. As it is only on a minority viewing tv channel (Virgin) in the UK hardly anyone gets to watch it which is a crying shame as it deserves more than a small cult following. I watched the pilot/first episode of this programme on a Virgin Atlantic flight early last year and couldn't wait to see more. I hadn't been so impressed with a pilot since the X-Files all those years ago. I bought the DVD of the first series and have lent it to as many of my friends as I could, everyone is now hooked. Buy the first DVD, watch it and lend it to anyone you can trust to give it back to you, as they will all want to keep it! Your friends deserve to be given the opportunity to watch this too. Great chemistry between the leading characters, a superb secondary plotline with the BuyMore staff. Frustrating, well written, 'Will they? won't they?' love interest in the best traditions of its type. I guess its like Moonlighting for the modern age (oops think I'm showing my age again). Good action sequences, fast paced storyline, slick big budget US TV at its best. This second season is every bit as good as the first, you will laugh out loud at Jeffster, get soppy over the love story and be lucky not to scream out loud in frustration at Morgan's IOU. Buy it now, you'll love it. Give thanks to the many fans in the US and elsewhere who successfully lobbied to get a third season commissioned. Not many shows have that strong a following.

First off, I'd like to preface the review by saying that Chuck is one of my favourite shows that I've ever watched. I enjoyed most episodes, loved the characters and thought the premise was humorous and original enough to sustain a bit of watching. For all those that have seen Season 1 - most of that season is setting up the idea of the characters, introducing the limitations an consequences of Chuck's abilities and hints at some future relationships. In Season 2, we see a lot more exposition and development of the characters and story arcs. Season 2 is probably the best season out of the 5 with Chuck - most of the ideas they were using at this stage felt original and fresh. The dynamic betweens characters was interesting at this point, especially in the Chuck/Sarah romance, and Chuck simply having to deal with having the intersect but still keep his secret from the people he loved. Unfortunately, some of the ideas in the series repeat themselves so frequently that you get a little bit tired of some episodes - this is something the series suffered from as a whole. The whole 'will they/won't they' with Chuck and Sarah, the 'someone finds out about the intersect, how will XYZ deal with that?' seems to be the regular fallback. Don't get me wrong, it's a fun show with a lot of humour. It's great to watch when you are looking for something that isn't too emotionally tolling - but I've always come away from watching the show feeling that I genuinely like the characters but the stories that handled them frequently sold them somewhat short. I would recommend the series though, and have multiple bought copies of the DVD for numerous different friends. So despite my misgivings, try and give it a go - you'll probably thoroughly enjoy it.

Chuck Bartowski continues his double-life, working at an electrical goods store in Burbank whilst also helping the CIA and NSA deal with threats to American national security. Chuck has the Intersect - the USA's combined database on all known terrorist and criminal threats - downloaded into his brain and is now an invaluable resource to the American government. However, Chuck is desperate to return to his old life and sets out on a mission to locate the creator of the Intersect and get him to remove it from his head... The second season of Chuck picks up after the events of the first season (truncated by the 2007-08 Writer's Guild of America strike) and, for a while, it's business as usual. The Chuck formula - Chuck solves a spy problem whilst dealing with a more mundane crisis at home or at the store - is intact and remains entertaining, but also risks becoming stale after a few episodes. Luckily, the writers have taken steps to minimise that problem by bringing in a sequential series of multi-episode storylines. In short order, Chuck has to deal with the reappearance of an old girlfriend, try to track down his missing father so he can give his sister away at her wedding, find the original scientists who created the Intersect, deal with a CIA investigation into Sarah's ability to be his handler (given their growing closeness) and deal with a head-on confrontation with FULCRUM, a shadowy and criminal intelligence organisation. This structure allows the series to sustain 22 episodes without becoming too tedious or repetitive, helped by enjoyable writing and great performances from the regulars and guest stars (Scott Bakula! Tricia Helfer! Chevy Chase!) alike. The writers aren't afraid to give real character development and growth to their recurring actors, particularly Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski as Chuck and Sarah. Their will-they, won't-they relationship may be a long-running series cliche, but is given a few twists here (particularly the fact that Sarah is well aware of Chuck's feeling from the start) that makes it a bit more interesting. Particularly well-done is that it feeds Chuck's character growth, turning him from a listless nerd into a much more capable spy by the end of the season. Adam Baldwin also develops a bit more as action man John Casey over the course of the season, though surprisingly he doesn't have many episodes that focus on his character. Instead he is mainly used for macho comic relief, aside from some nice moments in the final episodes where he grudgingly admits to, if not liking, than at least finding Chuck mildly tolerable and useful. As usual, the dramatic storylines are counterbalanced by a strong humour quotient. This usually manifests in storylines in the Buy More. Over the course of the season there are multiple changes in management, culminating in the power-crazed Emmett rising to dominance late in the season. We also encounter Lester and Jeff's synth-rock cover band (whose covers are...interesting, to say the least) and feel Morgan's pain as his mother embarks on a noisily passionate relationship with Big Mike. As with the first season, though it's not as prevalent this time around, there is the feeling that you could set a whole series in the Buy More with these characters and it would be just as much fun without the spy stuff. Overall, the second season of Chuck (****½) is relentlessly entertaining. There are a couple of episodes that don't work quite as well as the others, but otherwise this is a terrific season of television which rarely flags or lets up the pace. The only problem is that by its end if feels like the series is pretty much over, and the addition of a few moments at the end of the finale establishing the direction of the third season feels a little incongruous: the series was very nearly cancelled after Season 2 and renewed at the last minute, explaining why the end of the season wraps everything up and then rather abruptly opens up again. The series is available now in the UK (DVD) and USA (DVD, Blu-Ray).

For those of you who have not watched Chuck before, I would recommend that you check out Season 1. Although Season 2 is superior in my opinion, Season 1 really lays down all the groundwork for what is to come. For those of you who have see Season 1, you will not be disappointed by what the new season has to offer. In S1, Chuck was mainly the passive observer, the guy who flashed on things, and often made situations worse than before. However, at times he was given opportunity to save the day, in something I like to call a 'Chuck Moment'. Season 1 had a few of them (setting off the fireworks to distract the guards to save Sarah and Casey would be one) but Season 2 is full of them - and better off for it. Now don't get me wrong, Chuck can still be blundering and innapropriate, but in the new season, he always gets the opportunity to be the hero. The first episode has a particularly good example of this. The season starts off very strong, following on with the storyline that involves the governement trying to make a new intersect (and invariably the team have to go on missions to help furthur that cause). In fact, the majority of the season is brilliant television, apart from a few select episodes that are merely good, dotted around the season. The season has a much more coherent storyline, with a smallish story arc near the start, and a solid story arc that takes off around episode 13. The character's pasts are delved into alot more in this season, with a great appearance from Sarah's father, a conman. Chuck's past gets more attention however, as the long talked of ex, Jill gets reinvolved in Chuck's life. Best of all may be the casting of Scott Bacula as Chuck's father, who does a great job of convincing the audience of his connection to both Chuck and Ellie. Unfortunately, Casey's past does not get an episode that shows him in a new light, like the Ilsa episode, rather a fairly disappointing face-off between him and his old mentor. Morgan's back, along with the rest of the buy-more crew, and a new face joins the buy-more - that of Emmet (played by Tony Hale, of Arrested Development fame) to provide more comic relief in that bizzare place. A truly amazing series, with twists and turns abound, and an ending that will only leave you wanting more. BUY.

Season 2 of Chuck combines brilliantly written action and comedy. The best elements of season 1 are expanded upon (including family relationships, the dynamic between Chuck and Sarah, the quirks of the Buy More staff). Zachary Levi's performance in the title role is pitch perfect - his reactions are always believable and he is able to convey genuine emotion alongside the slapstick moments. Chuck's growing resentment at his situation, and his desire to get back to a 'normal' life, drives several of the episodes along but never pulls focus away from each week's self-contained spy plot. Casey (as played by Adam Baldwin)is a great foil for Chuck; season 2 shows his occasional softer side and a begrudging acceptance that sometimes listening to feelings is more important than following rules. What I love about the show is that, at its core, this is truly warm-hearted and optimistic story telling. It doesn't laugh at its characters, as it's apparent 'losers' (particularly at the Buy More) all have their moment to shine. Chuck's friendship with Morgan and his relationships with Ellie and Awesome are hugely supportive and loving. It will be interesting to see how developments in the final episode impact upon season 3. A superbly witty, upbeat adrenalin rush of a show.

Love chuck the series

have just finished watching series 2 of chuck and its funnier than series 1, chuck starts to take a more active roll as the series moves on and the other characters also develop well, relationships change - it's hard to actually say anything as I do not want to ruin the plot for anyone. The last 2 episodes move the series to a conclusion and its very funny with jeffster singing, a great final 15 mins - just as you think its all over its set up for series 3, and then the final 5 mins with chuck are just great (have watched it multiple times), am trying to say how good the final episode is without giving too much away. There are also some great one-liners 'chuck me' and 'unleash the Casey', there is a liner that is just awesome but I am not going too tell you where it is, you can find that out for yourself; look out for the guest stars as they are well know faces. If you are new to Chuck I would start with the 1st series as it gives the series a good grounding and is funny, I have recommended this to all my friends and they are all watching the 1st series, not one of them has a bad word to say about it. Cannot wait for series 3 to see what will happen next.

アクションも凄いし恋愛もコメディもあって、見終わった後なんともホンワカする楽しい作品です。

Cette deuxième saison ne décoit pas. Les amateurs de Chuck qui ont apprécié les débuts de cet agent secret un peu spécial ne devraient pas être déçus. Plus riche, plus d'épisodes et toujours un humour qui fait mouche ! Pas de grotesque ni de personnages trop caricaturaux, on passe vraiment un bon moment. Les musiques sont souvent de qualité et donnent du punch à l'ensemble. C'est vraiment une série trés agréable à regarder. La qualité du dvd par contre n'est pas exceptionnelle ... Cela reste toutefois acceptable et ne vient pas trop nuire au plaisir de visionner les aventures de Chuck. Le bluray de la saison 1 n'était de toute façon pas non plus un modéle du genre. Une série trés addictive, sans prise de tête. J'adore !

Geistreich, aktionreich und doch herzlich und sehr originell ist die Geschichte des Nerds Chuck, einem Elektromarkt Verkäufer und Stanford Abbrecher, der wider Willens alle CIA Regierungsgeheimnisse durch das Email eines Kumpels in seinen Kopf bekommt (nette Fiktion), wodurch er ab da für die CIA arbeiten muss und von ihr beschützt wird. Was da alles passiert in den 5 Staffeln ist oft unerwartet und wirklich sehr einfallsreich, auch mit der Familie von Chuck und warum er aus Stanford rausgeschmissen wurde. Hab alle 5 Staffeln mehrmals gesehen und in ein paar Monaten sicher wieder. Es gibt viele coole Typen und fesche Darsteller, z.B. Sarah Walker (Strahovsky), ist eine Augenweide! Immer wieder kommen bekannte Schauspieler wie z.B. Linda Hamilton vor. Endlich eine coole, intelligente und herzliche amerikanische Serie! Auf Englisch (ggf. mit englischen Untertiteln) noch besser.

La serie es estupenda pero al contrario de lo que pone en la descripción del producto, únicamente tiene audio en ingles. En español solo tiene los subtitulos. Pedí un reembolso y el vendedor me tomo por tonto diciendo que el problema es que no se cambiar el audio. Además la calidad de imagen es igual que la de un dvd, al contrario que con la primera temporada que se veía estupendamente. En resumen, una decepción mayúscula.

The second season of Chuck is where the series really hit its stride. The beginning of the season involves a storyline of a second intersect and the possibility of Chuck getting his normal life back, which is a blessing and a curse for him given his feelings for Sarah, and not wanting her to leave. Of course, plans go awry, and (since the show went on), he does not end up getting out. The season also expands the role of Fulcrum and the evil organization trying to get their hands on the intersect. This season also involves more of the Buy More group of characters, with hilarious results. We also get a ton of pop culture references in the season, the best of which is a "Die Hard" themed Christmas episode, that included Reginald VelJohnson, and an episode with a bunch of Back to the Future references, including a DeLorean. For those who get the Blu-Ray set, there are a handful of short making-of and behind-the-scenes features, an 18-minute featurette on the stunt work, and a gag reel. Some sets have the 3D version of the episode Chuck vs. the Third-dimension and others have just the 2D version. There is also 10 minutes worth of webisodes. So, a nice amount of extras for those who like bonus features. Overall, the season was great. The show continues to be well written and acted. This season also saw a ton of guest stars including, Melinda Clark (from the OC), Michael Clarke Duncan, Nicole Ritchie, Michael Strahan, Jordana Brewster, Morgan Fairchild, Bruce Boxleitner, Scott Bakula, Chevy Chase, Tricia Helfer, Jerome Bettis, and more. Matt Bomer also made an appearance as Bryce Larkin to throw a wrench not only into the intersect storyline but the Chuck-Sarah relationship. If you are one of the few people reading this who knows nothing about the show and are just trying to figure out if you want to watch it, I highly recommend it. It has a great blend of action, comedy, and drama (and having Yvonne Strahovski in lingerie on a regular basis does not hurt either). You definitely need to watch the first season in order for the second season to make sense because the show is much more of a serial storyline than a procedural one. And, if you liked or loved the first season, you will probably feel the same way about this one.