Chuck Versus the Push Mix
Encyclopedia
"Chuck Versus the Push Mix" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season
of Chuck
. It originally aired on January 31, 2011. Much like "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
" in the third season
, this episode was intended to be the fourth season finale before an additional eleven episodes were ordered. As a result, the episode featured the conclusion of several story arcs, and series co-creator Josh Schwartz
boasted that it would end with the "best 10 minutes in the show's history".
, Morgan Grimes
, and Alex McHugh are in a hospital room next to an unconscious John Casey
(from injuries sustained in the previous episode
). Casey suddenly wakes and grunts the word "pants", leading them to find the piece of Yuri the Gobbler's glass eye in his pants pocket, which had been used to store the Hydra database. When Chuck asks where it came from, Casey grunts "Sarah", proving to Chuck that Sarah Walker
has not actually gone rogue, and restoring his trust in her.
In Moscow
, Sarah and Mary Elizabeth Bartowski
(Linda Hamilton
) infiltrate Alexei Volkoff's office while he is away. They try to access the Hydra network, but they learn that Volkoff has hidden it with "The Contessa". Volkoff later returns to his office to find every electronic device malfunctioning. A message appears on his screen, reading, "Hello Volkoff. I want my wife back." The message is then revealed to be from Orion (Stephen J. Bartowski
), confusing Volkoff, as Stephen was killed by The Ring
. Nevertheless, Volkoff decides to move Mary to the Contessa.
Meanwhile, Chuck flashes on the eye fragment, learning that it was designed by Roni Eimacher. Chuck reports this to General Beckman, who advises him to "stay put". However, Chuck and Morgan take on their own private mission and decide to locate Eimacher. When they interrogate him, it turns out he is not working with Volkoff, but was kidnapped to design the eye. When asked about the Contessa, he reveals that it is not a person but in fact a ship, which Volkoff uses as a mobile base. The duo infiltrate The Contessa and rendezvous with Sarah and Mary. Together, they attempt to access the Hydra database, but the system can only be accessed by Volkoff's voice, and they are locked inside. When Volkoff arrives, Mary is forced to stay behind and hold him at gunpoint to allow the others to escape. Volkoff overpowers her, but instead of executing her, he shows her a message sent by her husband, which shows directions to his location.
Volkoff goes to Stephen's cabin, where he finds not Stephen, but Chuck, who knocks him out and ties him up. When Volkoff regains consciousness, Chuck is pointing a gun at his head. Volkoff mocks his attempt at revenge while managing to escape from his bonds, revealing that his men will execute Mary unless he says otherwise and an assassin, Armand (Igor Jijikine
), has been sent to kill both Casey and Ellie. However, Sarah returns to the Contessa and frees Mary while Casey defeats the assassin by playing dead and hitting him with a bonsai
tree. As Volkoff holds Chuck at gunpoint, Chuck tricks him into saying the phrase required to access his network, which Morgan has secretly been recording, allowing them to transfer Hydra to a local computer. Volkoff brags that Chuck will still need an army to overpower his men outside, at which point General Beckman walks in and arrests him, his men already having been subdued. Beckman then allows Chuck and Morgan to take a helicopter to the hospital, where Ellie
is in labor.
Ellie's water soon breaks. However, Devon discovers that the Push Mix CD is missing and panics. He calls the number Chuck gave him, and agents quickly transport them to the hospital. Seeing that he is worried, Ellie tells Devon to wait outside, where he becomes even more uncomfortable after seeing a room full of babies. Casey advises that he not miss his daughter's birth, as Casey missed Alex's. Meanwhile, the Jeffster!
duo arrive at the hospital, but are refused direction to Ellie's room, as they are not family members. Instead, they play "Push It
" over the public address system, only to be hauled out by hospital security.
Chuck, Casey, Morgan, Sarah, and Mary arrive, but only one family member is allowed to enter Ellie's room, so Chuck chooses Mary to be by her daughter's side. Ellie expresses her joy that Mary could witness the birth of her granddaughter, and Mary reveals that everyone is there for her. Mary witnesses Dr. Ayub (Sonita Henry) deliver her granddaughter, Clara Woodcomb. Devon describes the overwhelming experience of holding his daughter for the first time as "Awesome".
Chuck finally proposes to Sarah in the hospital hallway. She accepts, kneeling with him and kissing him as the scene fades.
Eric Goldman of IGN
gave this episode a score of 8.5 out of 10, praising Dalton's performance. Goldman wrote, "Even while I was macabrely vexing the non-death of Casey, I couldn't resist the final moments of this episode, which worked like gangbusters. Seeing Devon holding his baby daughter for the first time and declaring, 'Awesome,' was wonderfully effective, because look, even the Captain has to admit that's truly the most awesome thing he's seen. And I loved how Chuck proposing to Sarah was handled – on the fly, with a guy cleaning the floor behind them. The fact that we didn't hear what Chuck said was perfect too. We knew what he was saying, basically, and knew more than enough about them as a couple to not have to hear the exact words."
HitFix writer Alan Sepinwall questioned Schwartz's statement that the episode ended with the "best 10 minutes in the show's history". Sepinwall also wrote, "Kudos to whichever member of the production team - whether it was writers Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFranc, or director Peter Lauer, or someone else - decided to frame the proposal in the background of the shot, with the dialogue overwhelmed by the sound of the floor waxer. We already heard the big flowery speech and swelling music when Chuck almost proposed in 'Chuck vs. the Balcony,' and we know from Levi and Strahovski's body language what happened here - I say give the kids a little moment to themselves, okay? It probably had more power for being done this way."
Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
gave the episode a B. Heisler stated, "Thankfully, there were literally only two moments in 'Push Mix' that felt remotely gratuitous on the Chuck and Sarah front: One was the major smooch when the two reunite on the Contessa; the other comes at the very end, a marriage proposal overshadowed by the whir of a hospital floor waxer. Both moments, even that final one, were dealt with quickly and showed no signs of labor (to say nothing of what was literally happening in the other room)."
Couch Baron of Television Without Pity gave the episode an A, saying "I think everyone's in agreement that now, finally, Chuck really is a CIA agent."
Chuck (season 4)
The fourth season of Chuck was announced on May 13, 2010. Having initially ordered 13 episodes, NBC ordered an additional 11 on October 19, 2010 for a total of 24 episodes....
of Chuck
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 originally aired on January 31, 2011. Much like "Chuck Versus the Other Guy
Chuck Versus the Other Guy
"Chuck Versus the Other Guy" is the thirteenth episode of Chuck third season, and originally aired on April 5, 2010. Sarah and Shaw are ordered to track down the Director by Beckman, but Chuck has misgivings over whether Shaw can be trusted after the revelation that Sarah killed his wife.-Main...
" in the third season
Chuck (season 3)
The third season of Chuck was announced on May 17, 2009 with 13 episodes, with NBC reserving the option of nine more episodes. Production for the third season began on August 6, 2009. On October 28, 2009, NBC added 6 more episodes to the third season which brings the season total to 19...
, this episode was intended to be the fourth season finale before an additional eleven episodes were ordered. As a result, the episode featured the conclusion of several story arcs, and series co-creator Josh Schwartz
Josh Schwartz
-Film school at USC:In 1995, Schwartz realized his boyhood dream of attending film school to study screen and television writing at the University of Southern California...
boasted that it would end with the "best 10 minutes in the show's history".
Plot summary
The plot of "Chuck Versus the Push Mix" is fairly complicated with several story threads interwoven together, and much of the supporting cast figures into the overall mission in some way.Volkoff Industries
Chuck BartowskiChuck 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:...
, Morgan Grimes
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....
, and Alex McHugh are in a hospital room next to an unconscious John 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....
(from injuries sustained in the previous episode
Chuck Versus the Gobbler
"Chuck Versus the Gobbler" is the twelfth episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired on January 24, 2011. Sarah Walker sets out on a perilous undercover mission by assisting Mary Elizabeth Bartowski in a bid to finally crush criminal mastermind Alexei Volkoff...
). Casey suddenly wakes and grunts the word "pants", leading them to find the piece of Yuri the Gobbler's glass eye in his pants pocket, which had been used to store the Hydra database. When Chuck asks where it came from, Casey grunts "Sarah", proving to Chuck that Sarah Walker
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 not actually gone rogue, and restoring his trust in her.
In Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Sarah and Mary Elizabeth Bartowski
Mary Elizabeth Bartowski
Mary Elizabeth Bartowski is a character on the television series Chuck. Mary is the estranged mother of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski. She is portrayed by Linda Hamilton.-Biography:...
(Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
) infiltrate Alexei Volkoff's office while he is away. They try to access the Hydra network, but they learn that Volkoff has hidden it with "The Contessa". Volkoff later returns to his office to find every electronic device malfunctioning. A message appears on his screen, reading, "Hello Volkoff. I want my wife back." The message is then revealed to be from Orion (Stephen J. Bartowski
Stephen J. Bartowski
Stephen J. Bartowski is a recurring character on the television series Chuck portrayed by actor Scott Bakula. Stephen is the estranged father of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski, and under the government codename "Orion" was the chief designer of the Intersect....
), confusing Volkoff, as Stephen was killed by 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...
. Nevertheless, Volkoff decides to move Mary to the Contessa.
Meanwhile, Chuck flashes on the eye fragment, learning that it was designed by Roni Eimacher. Chuck reports this to General Beckman, who advises him to "stay put". However, Chuck and Morgan take on their own private mission and decide to locate Eimacher. When they interrogate him, it turns out he is not working with Volkoff, but was kidnapped to design the eye. When asked about the Contessa, he reveals that it is not a person but in fact a ship, which Volkoff uses as a mobile base. The duo infiltrate The Contessa and rendezvous with Sarah and Mary. Together, they attempt to access the Hydra database, but the system can only be accessed by Volkoff's voice, and they are locked inside. When Volkoff arrives, Mary is forced to stay behind and hold him at gunpoint to allow the others to escape. Volkoff overpowers her, but instead of executing her, he shows her a message sent by her husband, which shows directions to his location.
Volkoff goes to Stephen's cabin, where he finds not Stephen, but Chuck, who knocks him out and ties him up. When Volkoff regains consciousness, Chuck is pointing a gun at his head. Volkoff mocks his attempt at revenge while managing to escape from his bonds, revealing that his men will execute Mary unless he says otherwise and an assassin, Armand (Igor Jijikine
Igor Jijikine
Igor Jijikine is a Russian actor working in Los Angeles and Moscow.Over the recent years, Igor has worked with such directors as Steven Spielberg, Clint Eastwood and J. J. Abrams and has appeared in numerous commercial spots for major brands.Igor is also an accomplished sportsman and stage performer...
), has been sent to kill both Casey and Ellie. However, Sarah returns to the Contessa and frees Mary while Casey defeats the assassin by playing dead and hitting him with a bonsai
Bonsai
is a Japanese art form using miniature trees grown in containers. Similar practices exist in other cultures, including the Chinese tradition of penjing from which the art originated, and the miniature living landscapes of Vietnamese hòn non bộ...
tree. As Volkoff holds Chuck at gunpoint, Chuck tricks him into saying the phrase required to access his network, which Morgan has secretly been recording, allowing them to transfer Hydra to a local computer. Volkoff brags that Chuck will still need an army to overpower his men outside, at which point General Beckman walks in and arrests him, his men already having been subdued. Beckman then allows Chuck and Morgan to take a helicopter to the hospital, where 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 in labor.
Casey and Alex
As Casey regains the ability to communicate, Alex gives him a bonsai tree (which he is later forced to use to defeat Armand) to make him feel at home. When Ellie is in labor, Casey reveals to Devon that he regrets missing his own daughter's birth, and advises Devon not to make the same mistake. Morgan and Alex later join Casey as he wheels himself out of the hospital.The Birth of Clara
Chuck prepares a "push mix" CD, compiled with music to help Ellie relax when she gives birth to her baby, and gives Devon Woodcomb a number to alert the CIA should any trouble arise. However, Jeff Barnes and Lester Patel steal the CD, planning to give a live performance for the baby instead.Ellie's water soon breaks. However, Devon discovers that the Push Mix CD is missing and panics. He calls the number Chuck gave him, and agents quickly transport them to the hospital. Seeing that he is worried, Ellie tells Devon to wait outside, where he becomes even more uncomfortable after seeing a room full of babies. Casey advises that he not miss his daughter's birth, as Casey missed Alex's. Meanwhile, the Jeffster!
Jeffster!
Jeffster! is a fictional cover band on the television series Chuck. Its principal members are Jeff Barnes and Lester Patel , both of whom work in the Nerd Herd division of the Buy More...
duo arrive at the hospital, but are refused direction to Ellie's room, as they are not family members. Instead, they play "Push It
Push It (Salt-N-Pepa song)
"Push It" is a song by the group Salt-N-Pepa, released as a single in 1986. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987 and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA...
" over the public address system, only to be hauled out by hospital security.
Chuck, Casey, Morgan, Sarah, and Mary arrive, but only one family member is allowed to enter Ellie's room, so Chuck chooses Mary to be by her daughter's side. Ellie expresses her joy that Mary could witness the birth of her granddaughter, and Mary reveals that everyone is there for her. Mary witnesses Dr. Ayub (Sonita Henry) deliver her granddaughter, Clara Woodcomb. Devon describes the overwhelming experience of holding his daughter for the first time as "Awesome".
Chuck and Sarah
When Casey regains consciousness, he proves to Chuck that Sarah has not actually gone rogue, restoring Chuck's trust in her. They reconcile on the Contessa and passionately kiss.Chuck finally proposes to Sarah in the hospital hallway. She accepts, kneeling with him and kissing him as the scene fades.
Continuity
- Stephen's cabin from "Chuck Versus the Living DeadChuck Versus the Living Dead"Chuck Versus the Living Dead" is the 17th episode of the third season of Chuck. It was originally aired May 17, 2010. Chuck has another dream which he interprets as indicating Daniel Shaw may actually be alive. Tension mounts as he, Sarah, and Casey search for the truth surrounding Shaw's supposed...
" is revisited. - After Chuck reveals himself to be in the cabin, he says "Hello Alexei, I believe you were looking for me." Volkoff himself says the same thing to Chuck in "Chuck Versus the First FightChuck Versus the First Fight"Chuck Versus the First Fight" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired November 1, 2010. In the wake of his first fight with Sarah, Chuck Bartowski embarks on a rogue mission to prove his mother's innocence, ultimately colliding with her MI6 handler, Gregory...
" when he reveals his identity.
Cultural references
- Jeff and Lester wear Salt-N-PepaSalt-N-PepaSalt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews....
jackets while singing "Push It". - Stephen's "Twin Pines cabin" references Back to the FutureBack to the FutureBack to the Future is a 1985 American science-fiction adventure film. It was directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Zemeckis and Bob Gale, produced by Steven Spielberg, and starred Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson, Crispin Glover and Thomas F. Wilson. The film tells the story of...
. - Morgan's use of yogaYogaYoga is a physical, mental, and spiritual discipline, originating in ancient India. The goal of yoga, or of the person practicing yoga, is the attainment of a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquility while meditating on Supersoul...
to get through a hallway full of lasers references EntrapmentEntrapment (film)Entrapment is a 1999 American caper film directed by Jon Amiel and starring Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones.-Plot:Virginia "Gin" Baker is an investigator for Waverly Insurance. Robert "Mac" MacDougal is an international art thief. A priceless Rembrandt painting is stolen from an office one...
. - Morgan identifies Ronnie Eicherman through his online Settlers of Catan league.
Music
Songs listed by Alan Sepinwall.- "Rad Anthem" by Rad Omen
- "Got A Nerve" by Grand Vanity
- "Push ItPush It (Salt-N-Pepa song)"Push It" is a song by the group Salt-N-Pepa, released as a single in 1986. It peaked at number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1987 and has been certified Platinum by the RIAA...
" by Salt-N-PepaSalt-N-PepaSalt-N-Pepa is an American hip hop trio from Queens and Brooklyn, New York, that was formed in 1985. The group, consisting of Cheryl "Salt" Renee James, Sandra "Pepa" Denton, and Deidra "DJ Spinderella" Roper, was one of the first all-female rap crews.... - "Young BloodYoung Blood (The Naked and Famous song)"Young Blood" is a single by New Zealand band The Naked and Famous, released onto radio in May 2010. It was used in several indent commercials for C4, and received the 2010 Silver Scroll for Song of the Year....
" by The Naked and FamousThe Naked and Famous-Studio albums:-EPs:-Singles:-B-sides:-Music videos:-In popular culture:"All of This" was featured in the fourth episode of The Secret Circle....
Reception
"Chuck Versus the Push Mix" drew 5.57 million viewers.Eric Goldman of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave this episode a score of 8.5 out of 10, praising Dalton's performance. Goldman wrote, "Even while I was macabrely vexing the non-death of Casey, I couldn't resist the final moments of this episode, which worked like gangbusters. Seeing Devon holding his baby daughter for the first time and declaring, 'Awesome,' was wonderfully effective, because look, even the Captain has to admit that's truly the most awesome thing he's seen. And I loved how Chuck proposing to Sarah was handled – on the fly, with a guy cleaning the floor behind them. The fact that we didn't hear what Chuck said was perfect too. We knew what he was saying, basically, and knew more than enough about them as a couple to not have to hear the exact words."
HitFix writer Alan Sepinwall questioned Schwartz's statement that the episode ended with the "best 10 minutes in the show's history". Sepinwall also wrote, "Kudos to whichever member of the production team - whether it was writers Rafe Judkins and Lauren LeFranc, or director Peter Lauer, or someone else - decided to frame the proposal in the background of the shot, with the dialogue overwhelmed by the sound of the floor waxer. We already heard the big flowery speech and swelling music when Chuck almost proposed in 'Chuck vs. the Balcony,' and we know from Levi and Strahovski's body language what happened here - I say give the kids a little moment to themselves, okay? It probably had more power for being done this way."
Steve Heisler of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
gave the episode a B. Heisler stated, "Thankfully, there were literally only two moments in 'Push Mix' that felt remotely gratuitous on the Chuck and Sarah front: One was the major smooch when the two reunite on the Contessa; the other comes at the very end, a marriage proposal overshadowed by the whir of a hospital floor waxer. Both moments, even that final one, were dealt with quickly and showed no signs of labor (to say nothing of what was literally happening in the other room)."
Couch Baron of Television Without Pity gave the episode an A, saying "I think everyone's in agreement that now, finally, Chuck really is a CIA agent."