Chuck Versus the First Date
Encyclopedia
"Chuck Versus the First Date" is the second season premiere of the action-comedy series Chuck
. It first aired on September 29, 2008. Chuck's
time as the Intersect
is coming to a close as the CIA and NSA have completed construction of the new Intersect.
and Casey
arrive and force Colt to flee, leaving Chuck behind with the Cipher. Later, Diane Beckman
and Langston Graham
reveal the Cipher is the last part of the new Intersect, which is due to go online, freeing Chuck from his responsibilities as the Human Intersect. Now free to return to his life, Chuck begins making plans for his future, and his first goal is to ask Sarah out on a real date, which she accepts. Unknown to both, Casey's termination orders against Chuck are activated by their supervisors, though he is conflicted about the order.
Chuck and Sarah meet over dinner, while Casey prepares to deliver the Cipher to a government courier and motivate himself to carry out his execution of Chuck. However, when the courier arrives, he turns out to be an enemy agent, stealing the Cipher and blasting Casey with a toxic gas. Casey manages to administer an anti-toxin and sets off in pursuit. Meanwhile, Chuck and Sarah's date is going well, but as they are about to kiss, Chuck flashes on one of the patrons. He soon realizes that everyone at the restaurant is an enemy operative, led by Mr. Colt. Casey arrives and crashes his Crown Vic through the restaurant window and helps Chuck and Sarah escape, but not before Colt punches Casey. In the car, Casey informs Chuck and Sarah that the cipher was stolen again and Chuck had to remain the Intersect.
Later, Chuck flashes on the wound on Casey's face, left by Colt's ring. Chuck informs Casey that he has Colt's address, but Casey stalls, knowing that finding the cipher reactivates Chuck's elimination order. He asks Chuck "don't you want me here to catch you when you fall?" Chuck answers that he'd be happier if Casey was doing his job, and Chuck was out of the spy life, saying that he had a future. Casey warns him that the future doesn't always turn the way you expect it, but follows Chuck's intel and he and Sarah track Colt down to an apartment building, while Chuck returns to work at the Buy More.
Chuck receives a service call at the Nerd Herd desk, but on arrival discovers it is a trap set by Mr. Colt, who has determined that Chuck has to die, since Chuck can identify him. Casey and Sarah arrive at Colt's old hideout, and while Casey believes that Chuck was wrong, Sarah believes he's right but they were too late; this is confirmed when she has a bad feeling and learns that Chuck isn't at the Buy More. Chuck manages to bluff him into thinking they are surrounded using a Call of Duty
battle plan developed by Morgan
earlier in the day, "confirmed" by Morgan himself after Colt allows Chuck to make a call. While the mercenaries are distracted, Chuck steals the Cipher again and flees to the roof, where he is cornered again by Colt.
Sarah arrives and tries to force Colt to surrender, but he casually drops Chuck from the roof, and attacks Sarah, who is stunned when she sees Chuck fall. Unknown to either, Casey manages to catch Chuck as he falls, and arrives on the rooftop, interrupting the fight between Colt and Sarah. Colt's mercenaries then arrive and Casey is forced to surrender, only for Chuck to arrive with Casey and Sarah's fire team and apprehend the mercenaries. As Colt is being cuffed, he smiles and shows admiration for Chuck.
Chuck and Sarah decide to try to have their date again with a quiet evening at home, but while Chuck makes preparations Casey is once again ordered to execute him. He voices his objections and points out that Chuck has served with honor and shows promise as an analyst, but Beckman and Graham fear the Intersect data is too dangerous to be left in Chuck's head and insist Casey carry out his execution orders. Casey complies, and sneaks into Chuck's apartment through Chuck's bedroom window. Meanwhile, Graham leads a team of agents to the Intersect room to upload it into them, but as he activates the computer the message: "FULCRUM
THANKS YOU" appears on the screen, and the entire chamber explodes violently, killing Graham and everyone in the room. Chuck answers the knock at his door and Sarah is there with the news the Intersect has been destroyed. Casey lowers his weapon and sneaks out of the apartment again.
, the first season of Chuck was cut short despite having received a full 22-episode pickup. As a result, the series' freshman season ended in January, 2008. However NBC was quick to renew the series for its second seasons. On August 27, 2008 it was announced that NBC had picked up the "back nine" of Chuck's second season, bringing it to a total of 22 episodes.
Actor Michael Clarke Duncan
was announced as a guest appearance on June 9, 2008.
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
. It first aired on September 29, 2008. Chuck's
Chuck Bartowski
Charles Irving "Chuck" Bartowski is the main and titular character of the American fiction television show Chuck on NBC. He is portrayed by Zachary Levi.-Character profile:...
time as the Intersect
The Intersect
The Intersect is a fictional secret technology appearing in the television series Chuck. Within the series, it is used to house and analyze large quantities of encoded data...
is coming to a close as the CIA and NSA have completed construction of the new Intersect.
Main Plot
The episode begins as Chuck is being dangled out an open window by a formidable mercenary named Mr. Colt after attempting to recover a stolen piece of the Intersect called the Cipher. Before he can be dropped, SarahSarah Walker (Chuck)
Sarah Lisa Bartowski is the alias of one of the main characters of the fictional television show Chuck on NBC. She is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski and is one of two agents assigned by the NSA and CIA to protect Chuck Bartowski after he unwittingly downloads the secret government computer known...
and Casey
John Casey (Chuck)
Colonel John Casey is portrayed by actor Adam Baldwin on the television show Chuck on NBC. Prior to the episode "Chuck Versus the Tic Tac," he was partnered with CIA agent Sarah Walker to protect Chuck Bartowski....
arrive and force Colt to flee, leaving Chuck behind with the Cipher. Later, Diane Beckman
Diane Beckman
Brigadier General M. Diane Beckman, USAF is a fictional character in the NBC television series Chuck. Beckman is a senior official of the National Security Agency, working within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She holds her rank of brigadier general in the United States Air...
and Langston Graham
Langston Graham
Langston Graham is a fictional recurring character in the NBC television series Chuck. Graham was the director of the CIA, and oversaw Operation Bartowski, a fictional top-secret project to guard Chuck Bartowski and the Intersect...
reveal the Cipher is the last part of the new Intersect, which is due to go online, freeing Chuck from his responsibilities as the Human Intersect. Now free to return to his life, Chuck begins making plans for his future, and his first goal is to ask Sarah out on a real date, which she accepts. Unknown to both, Casey's termination orders against Chuck are activated by their supervisors, though he is conflicted about the order.
Chuck and Sarah meet over dinner, while Casey prepares to deliver the Cipher to a government courier and motivate himself to carry out his execution of Chuck. However, when the courier arrives, he turns out to be an enemy agent, stealing the Cipher and blasting Casey with a toxic gas. Casey manages to administer an anti-toxin and sets off in pursuit. Meanwhile, Chuck and Sarah's date is going well, but as they are about to kiss, Chuck flashes on one of the patrons. He soon realizes that everyone at the restaurant is an enemy operative, led by Mr. Colt. Casey arrives and crashes his Crown Vic through the restaurant window and helps Chuck and Sarah escape, but not before Colt punches Casey. In the car, Casey informs Chuck and Sarah that the cipher was stolen again and Chuck had to remain the Intersect.
Later, Chuck flashes on the wound on Casey's face, left by Colt's ring. Chuck informs Casey that he has Colt's address, but Casey stalls, knowing that finding the cipher reactivates Chuck's elimination order. He asks Chuck "don't you want me here to catch you when you fall?" Chuck answers that he'd be happier if Casey was doing his job, and Chuck was out of the spy life, saying that he had a future. Casey warns him that the future doesn't always turn the way you expect it, but follows Chuck's intel and he and Sarah track Colt down to an apartment building, while Chuck returns to work at the Buy More.
Chuck receives a service call at the Nerd Herd desk, but on arrival discovers it is a trap set by Mr. Colt, who has determined that Chuck has to die, since Chuck can identify him. Casey and Sarah arrive at Colt's old hideout, and while Casey believes that Chuck was wrong, Sarah believes he's right but they were too late; this is confirmed when she has a bad feeling and learns that Chuck isn't at the Buy More. Chuck manages to bluff him into thinking they are surrounded using a Call of Duty
Call of Duty
Call of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine...
battle plan developed by Morgan
Morgan Grimes
Morgan Guillermo Grimes is a major character on the television series Chuck. He is portrayed by actor Joshua Gomez, and is the best friend of Chuck Bartowski....
earlier in the day, "confirmed" by Morgan himself after Colt allows Chuck to make a call. While the mercenaries are distracted, Chuck steals the Cipher again and flees to the roof, where he is cornered again by Colt.
Sarah arrives and tries to force Colt to surrender, but he casually drops Chuck from the roof, and attacks Sarah, who is stunned when she sees Chuck fall. Unknown to either, Casey manages to catch Chuck as he falls, and arrives on the rooftop, interrupting the fight between Colt and Sarah. Colt's mercenaries then arrive and Casey is forced to surrender, only for Chuck to arrive with Casey and Sarah's fire team and apprehend the mercenaries. As Colt is being cuffed, he smiles and shows admiration for Chuck.
Chuck and Sarah decide to try to have their date again with a quiet evening at home, but while Chuck makes preparations Casey is once again ordered to execute him. He voices his objections and points out that Chuck has served with honor and shows promise as an analyst, but Beckman and Graham fear the Intersect data is too dangerous to be left in Chuck's head and insist Casey carry out his execution orders. Casey complies, and sneaks into Chuck's apartment through Chuck's bedroom window. Meanwhile, Graham leads a team of agents to the Intersect room to upload it into them, but as he activates the computer the message: "FULCRUM
Fulcrum (Chuck)
Fulcrum is the codename of a fictional hostile espionage organization on the television series Chuck. Fulcrum serves as the series' main antagonists up until the end of season two, though their specific goals beyond acquiring the Intersect have not yet been fully revealed.-History:Very little...
THANKS YOU" appears on the screen, and the entire chamber explodes violently, killing Graham and everyone in the room. Chuck answers the knock at his door and Sarah is there with the news the Intersect has been destroyed. Casey lowers his weapon and sneaks out of the apartment again.
Buy More
Big Mike offers Chuck the assistant manager's position vacated by Harry Tang, but Chuck declines so he assigns Chuck to interview and choose from the candidates. Jeff, Lester and Anna all interview after Morgan also declines the position. When Chuck is called away for a mission, he leaves the task in Morgan's hands who decides the position with a "cage match" between Jeff and Lester in Buy More's storage cage. Lester wins, and becomes the store's new assistant manager.Production
Due to the 2007-2008 WGA strike2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike
The 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike, more commonly referred to as simply the Writers' Strike, was a strike by the Writers Guild of America, East and the Writers Guild of America, West ....
, the first season of Chuck was cut short despite having received a full 22-episode pickup. As a result, the series' freshman season ended in January, 2008. However NBC was quick to renew the series for its second seasons. On August 27, 2008 it was announced that NBC had picked up the "back nine" of Chuck's second season, bringing it to a total of 22 episodes.
Actor Michael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan
Michael Clarke Duncan is an American actor, best known for his breakout role as John Coffey in The Green Mile, for which he was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.- Early life :...
was announced as a guest appearance on June 9, 2008.
Production details
- Mark Christopher LawrenceMark Christopher LawrenceMark Christopher Lawrence is an American character actor, stand-up comedian and voice-over artist. He is perhaps best known for his role as esoteric D.J., Tone Deaf, in the 1994 satirical rap mockumentary, Fear of a Black Hat. He has co-starred in popular films such as Terminator 2: Judgment Day,...
, Vik SahayVik SahayVikram "Vik" Sahay is a Canadian actor best known for playing Lester Patel, a member of the Nerd Herd in the NBC television series Chuck on which he became a series regular from the second season, and Rama in the Roxy Hunter Saga.-Life and career:...
, Scott KrinskyScott KrinskyScott Krinsky is a Los Angeles-based actor and comic best known for his role as Jeff Barnes on the hit TV series Chuck and his role as Darryl on The O.C.....
, Julia LingJulia LingJulia Ling, born Xiao Wei Lin , is an American actress most widely known for her television work, including her recurring roles on NBC series such as ER, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and most recently, as a series regular on Chuck.-Biography:Ling was born in Temple City, California.At age 6,...
and Ryan McPartlinRyan McPartlinRyan McPartlin is an American actor, best known for his role as Devon "Captain Awesome" Woodcomb on NBC's Chuck.-Early life:...
were added to the opening credits. - This episode was the final appearance as a recurring character by actor Tony ToddTony ToddAnthony T. "Tony" Todd is an American actor and movie producer, known for his height of 6'5", and deep voice. He is well known for playing the Candyman in the horror movie franchise of the same name, William Bludworth in Final Destination and for guest starring roles on numerous television...
. Todd would later make a guest appearance in "Chuck Versus the CougarsChuck Versus the Cougars"Chuck Versus the Cougars" is the fourth episode of the second season of Chuck. It originally aired on October 20, 2008. Chuck Bartowski learns more about Sarah Walker's past when they run into her old high school nemesis Heather Chandler . Sarah's teenage insecurities come to surface and she tries...
", reprising Director Graham in a flashback scene. In a later interview Tony Todd explained when he joined the cast of 2424 (TV series)24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
, the demise of his character had to be hastened.
Flashes
- Chuck flashes in the restaurant, revealing all the patrons are part of Mr. Colt's mercenary team.
- Chuck flashes on the impression left by Colt's ring on Casey's cheek, allowing him to identify the team and its Burbank-area hideout.
Cultural References
- Throughout the episode, Morgan constantly refers to Call of DutyCall of DutyCall of Duty is a first-person shooter video game developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision in 2003. It is the first game in a series with the same name. The game simulates the infantry and combined arms warfare of World War II. The game is based on the Quake III: Team Arena engine...
. - When Morgan describes his plan for the Compound level on Call of Duty, he describes have enough ammunition to orbit Arnold Schwarzenegger. This references Die HardDie HardDie Hard is a 1988 American action film and the first in the Die Hard film series. The film was directed by John McTiernan and written by Jeb Stuart and Steven E. de Souza. It is based on a 1979 novel by Roderick Thorp titled Nothing Lasts Forever, itself a sequel to the book The Detective, which...
where McLane uses the same metaphor to describe the ordinance that Hans and his team have. - It is stated that Lester has his own WikipediaWikipediaWikipedia is a free, web-based, collaborative, multilingual encyclopedia project supported by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation. Its 20 million articles have been written collaboratively by volunteers around the world. Almost all of its articles can be edited by anyone with access to the site,...
entry. - The morning after the cipher is stolen, Chuck awakes to 'the power of love'. This is a reference to Back to the Future, when this song plays, Marty's life is back to normal