Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler
Encyclopedia
"Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler" is a third season episode of the television series Chuck
that originally aired February 1, 2010 in the United States. Chuck
is assigned to handle
his first asset
by General Beckman, while at the same time training new Nerd Herd employee Hannah.
to attend a briefing in Castle. Beckman announces to the team that the Ring
has transferred a sizable amount of money to a computer engineer named Manoosh (Fahim Anwar) and orders Chuck to gain his confidence to determine the nature of his work with the Ring. She has made arrangements that will force Manoosh to come to the Burbank Buy More
, where Chuck is to make contact. Sarah
has misgivings over whether Chuck is ready, but Casey is confident. Chuck, however, overplays his effort and botches the contact. The team makes a second attempt later that night at a local Mexican restaurant, where Chuck arranges an "accidental" meeting at the bar. After being coached through how to ingratiate himself with the asset by Sarah and Casey, Chuck manages to get Manoosh to divulge that he is working on a weapon. During the conversation, Manoosh is contacted on a Ring Communicator by his Ring handlers, who are closing in. Sarah takes over to accelerate things and tranquilizes him.
Back at Castle, Chuck, Sarah and Casey examine Manoosh's briefcase, and find a suspicious object within. While Casey examines it, Chuck returns the briefcase to Manoosh—who was earlier carefully released by the team to hide his actual whereabouts and is now waiting at the Buy More—so he can be on his way. Chuck is recalled to Castle in time to see Casey successfully break into the device, only to discover it is a decoy. Meanwhile, several Ring agents corner Manoosh near the Buy More's loading dock. Chuck and the team watch in surprise as he takes out a pair of sunglasses and flashes on advanced kung-fu. He quickly defeats his assailants and flees. Casey, Sarah, and Chuck conclude that the Ring contracted Manoosh to rebuild the Intersect from burned out components that they stole from a CIA facility.
Manoosh is tracked to Weap-Con, the world's largest weapons convention, in Dubai
and the team follows him. They watch from the audience as Manoosh demonstrates his Intersect device for several dignitaries and high-ranking military officers, then corner him backstage before an auction can be held for the technology. Chuck warns him not to proceed, and reveals his identity as a spy. However, before Manoosh can flee or the team can take action, several Ring agents intervene and capture the four. Chuck, Sarah and Casey are imprisoned, and Manoosh is threatened to turn over the device, but destroys his prototype thinking they will have to keep him alive. Before he can be killed, the team breaks out and confront Manoosh and the Ring agents, who are defeated. Chuck initially allows Manoosh to leave, but as his asset is walking out, tranquilizes him instead when he sees Casey about to do so for him. To protect him, Chuck turns Manoosh over to the custody of the government once they are back in Burbank. Casey acknowledges Chuck is becoming a spy but Sarah wonders aloud whether it's truly a good thing, while back at home Chuck turns to alcohol after being forced to "burn" his asset.
, who has his own interest in Hannah, warn them to back off. Morgan later convinces Jeff and Lester into stalking her to learn as much about her as they can so he can make himself look better to her. Morgan is crushed when Hannah mentions Chuck's trip to Paris
, as she believes it was an install and is unaware that no one else knows about it.
Meanwhile, Devon is still recovering from his experience
as a prisoner of the Ring. He is jumpy and hasn't been interested in exercising, and his relationship with Ellie
is suffering due to his difficulties in lying to her, especially when Ellie finds a luggage claim ticket from Chuck's mission in Paris. Devon confronts Chuck about the situation, but hides when Ellie arrives as well to complain that Chuck didn't tell her about his trip. Devon is shocked and outraged at the ease with which Chuck lies to her about his trip being an install for a Buy More customer. Chuck also tells Ellie that he is sending her and Devon to Paris for a proper honeymoon, but Devon doesn't accept Chuck's explanation that he has to lie to keep them from witness protection
. When Chuck later has tickets to Paris delivered to Ellie, Devon gets angry and demands Ellie refuse them as they "come with strings attached" before storming out again. Ellie runs into Morgan on the way out, and both lament about Chuck and Devon's strange behavior. Morgan promises to find out what's going on, and taps Jeff and Lester to spy on Chuck.
". From this point forward, much of the main plot centers around Sarah and Casey training Chuck on how to contact, manipulate, and handle an asset by using his likes and dislikes to ingratiate himself for whatever information they need. Once no longer needed, the asset is subsequently "burned". Dialogue throughout the episode notes the similarity of Manoosh to the place in his life where Chuck was prior to receiving the Intersect. A parallel is developed comparing Chuck's handling of Manoosh as an asset to Sarah's handling of Chuck as an asset at the beginning of the series. The lengths to which an agent goes to use their asset are highlighted by Chuck taking advantage of his knowledge of Manoosh's interests, and Sarah playing to Chuck's loneliness. The episode ends on a second flashback to Chuck and Sarah's first meeting, this time from Sarah's perspective upon first entering the store as she is briefed on Chuck by another agent over the phone, reinforcing the artificial nature of the asset-handler relationship.
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...
that originally aired February 1, 2010 in the United States. Chuck
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:...
is assigned to handle
Agent handling
In intelligence organizations, agent handling is the management of agents, principal agents, and agent networks by intelligence officers typically known as case officers.-Human intelligence:...
his first asset
Asset (intelligence)
In intelligence, assets are persons within organizations or countries that are being spied upon who provide information for an outside spy.There are different categories of assets, including people...
by General Beckman, while at the same time training new Nerd Herd employee Hannah.
Main Plot
While training Hannah on Nerd Herd procedures, Chuck is called away by CaseyJohn 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....
to attend a briefing in Castle. Beckman announces to the team that the Ring
The Ring (Chuck)
The Ring is a major spy organization on the television series Chuck. The main antagonist of the second season , Fulcrum, is revealed in the Season Two finale to be only one part of the Ring, which then serves as the main antagonist of Season Three...
has transferred a sizable amount of money to a computer engineer named Manoosh (Fahim Anwar) and orders Chuck to gain his confidence to determine the nature of his work with the Ring. She has made arrangements that will force Manoosh to come to the Burbank Buy More
Buy More
Buy More is a fictional big box electronics retail chain in NBC's action-comedy series Chuck. The Buy More is a parody of similar chains, particularly Best Buy....
, where Chuck is to make contact. Sarah
Sarah 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...
has misgivings over whether Chuck is ready, but Casey is confident. Chuck, however, overplays his effort and botches the contact. The team makes a second attempt later that night at a local Mexican restaurant, where Chuck arranges an "accidental" meeting at the bar. After being coached through how to ingratiate himself with the asset by Sarah and Casey, Chuck manages to get Manoosh to divulge that he is working on a weapon. During the conversation, Manoosh is contacted on a Ring Communicator by his Ring handlers, who are closing in. Sarah takes over to accelerate things and tranquilizes him.
Back at Castle, Chuck, Sarah and Casey examine Manoosh's briefcase, and find a suspicious object within. While Casey examines it, Chuck returns the briefcase to Manoosh—who was earlier carefully released by the team to hide his actual whereabouts and is now waiting at the Buy More—so he can be on his way. Chuck is recalled to Castle in time to see Casey successfully break into the device, only to discover it is a decoy. Meanwhile, several Ring agents corner Manoosh near the Buy More's loading dock. Chuck and the team watch in surprise as he takes out a pair of sunglasses and flashes on advanced kung-fu. He quickly defeats his assailants and flees. Casey, Sarah, and Chuck conclude that the Ring contracted Manoosh to rebuild the Intersect from burned out components that they stole from a CIA facility.
Manoosh is tracked to Weap-Con, the world's largest weapons convention, in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
and the team follows him. They watch from the audience as Manoosh demonstrates his Intersect device for several dignitaries and high-ranking military officers, then corner him backstage before an auction can be held for the technology. Chuck warns him not to proceed, and reveals his identity as a spy. However, before Manoosh can flee or the team can take action, several Ring agents intervene and capture the four. Chuck, Sarah and Casey are imprisoned, and Manoosh is threatened to turn over the device, but destroys his prototype thinking they will have to keep him alive. Before he can be killed, the team breaks out and confront Manoosh and the Ring agents, who are defeated. Chuck initially allows Manoosh to leave, but as his asset is walking out, tranquilizes him instead when he sees Casey about to do so for him. To protect him, Chuck turns Manoosh over to the custody of the government once they are back in Burbank. Casey acknowledges Chuck is becoming a spy but Sarah wonders aloud whether it's truly a good thing, while back at home Chuck turns to alcohol after being forced to "burn" his asset.
Buy More and Family
Chuck is attempting to train Hannah for her new job with the Nerd Herd. Jeff and Lester immediately take a liking to her and begin making advances, until Chuck and later MorganMorgan 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....
, who has his own interest in Hannah, warn them to back off. Morgan later convinces Jeff and Lester into stalking her to learn as much about her as they can so he can make himself look better to her. Morgan is crushed when Hannah mentions Chuck's trip to Paris
Chuck Versus First Class
"Chuck Versus First Class" was the fifth episode of Chucks third season. It aired on January 25, 2010 in the US . While Chuck embarks on his first solo mission, Morgan faces a continued revolt of his co-workers masterminded by Lester....
, as she believes it was an install and is unaware that no one else knows about it.
Meanwhile, Devon is still recovering from his experience
Chuck Versus Operation Awesome
"Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" is the fourth episode of the third season of Chuck, originally airing January 18, 2010. When Devon becomes an unwilling agent of the Ring, Chuck must take on the role of his handler and help him survive the Ring's dangerous test...
as a prisoner of the Ring. He is jumpy and hasn't been interested in exercising, and his relationship with Ellie
Ellie Bartowski
Eleanor Faye "Ellie" Bartowski Woodcomb, M.D., Ph.D., is the older sister of title character Chuck Bartowski on the television series Chuck. She is portrayed by actress Sarah Lancaster.-Biography:...
is suffering due to his difficulties in lying to her, especially when Ellie finds a luggage claim ticket from Chuck's mission in Paris. Devon confronts Chuck about the situation, but hides when Ellie arrives as well to complain that Chuck didn't tell her about his trip. Devon is shocked and outraged at the ease with which Chuck lies to her about his trip being an install for a Buy More customer. Chuck also tells Ellie that he is sending her and Devon to Paris for a proper honeymoon, but Devon doesn't accept Chuck's explanation that he has to lie to keep them from witness protection
Witness protection
Witness protection is protection of a threatened witness or any person involved in the justice system, including defendants and other clients, before, during and after a trial, usually by police...
. When Chuck later has tickets to Paris delivered to Ellie, Devon gets angry and demands Ellie refuse them as they "come with strings attached" before storming out again. Ellie runs into Morgan on the way out, and both lament about Chuck and Devon's strange behavior. Morgan promises to find out what's going on, and taps Jeff and Lester to spy on Chuck.
Themes and Character Development
The episode begins with a flashback to Chuck and Sarah's first meeting in "Chuck Versus the IntersectChuck Versus the Intersect
"Chuck Versus the Intersect" is the pilot episode of the American action-comedy television series Chuck. The episode was directed by McG and written by series co-creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak...
". From this point forward, much of the main plot centers around Sarah and Casey training Chuck on how to contact, manipulate, and handle an asset by using his likes and dislikes to ingratiate himself for whatever information they need. Once no longer needed, the asset is subsequently "burned". Dialogue throughout the episode notes the similarity of Manoosh to the place in his life where Chuck was prior to receiving the Intersect. A parallel is developed comparing Chuck's handling of Manoosh as an asset to Sarah's handling of Chuck as an asset at the beginning of the series. The lengths to which an agent goes to use their asset are highlighted by Chuck taking advantage of his knowledge of Manoosh's interests, and Sarah playing to Chuck's loneliness. The episode ends on a second flashback to Chuck and Sarah's first meeting, this time from Sarah's perspective upon first entering the store as she is briefed on Chuck by another agent over the phone, reinforcing the artificial nature of the asset-handler relationship.
Flashes
- Manoosh flashes twice on advanced kung-fu using his glasses: Once to defend himself from Ring agents in the Buy More parking lot, and the second during a demonstration of the device.
- Chuck uses a knife-pen as a throwing knife after flashing on a shurikenShurikenA shuriken is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was generally used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing or slashing...
display during the fight at Weap-Con. - After another flash during the fight, Chuck uses a plate of nachos provided for Manoosh as a discusDiscusDiscus, "disk" in Latin, may refer to:* Discus , a progressive rock band from Indonesia* Discus , a fictional character from the Marvel Comics Universe and enemy of Luke Cage* Discus , a freshwater fish popular with aquarium keepers...
to save Sarah from a Ring agent.
Music
- “Amarillion” by Datarock – Hannah walks into the Buy More (also used in the flashback of Sarah walking into the Buy More)
- “Danny Trejo” by Plastillina Mosh – Chuck tries to handle Manoosh at the bar
- “Merrymaking at My Place” by Calvin Harris – Sarah seduces Manoosh
- “Rock the Casbah” by The Clash – Team Bartowski arrives in Dubai
- “40 Day Dream” by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – final scenes while Chuck drank out of frustration