If season three of Chuck has lacked in any department, it’s been in having themed stories, something that both the first two seasons did often. Having ended the will-they-won’t-they aspect of the Chuck and Sarah relationship, the writers didn’t take long to come up with a whole new threat to their future happiness, and their weapon of choice is that the intersect is sending Chuck bonkers. He’s sent to see a shrink, Dr. Leo Dreyfus (Christopher Lloyd), who, after a most unfortunate incident with a foreign dignitary, puts him in a CIA asylum with other spies who went cuckoo. This is a very subtle gag, because the first named character that Christopher Lloyd played in a movie was Taber in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975). This was entirely unexpected, because this show has referenced Back To The Future on numerous occasions, yet they entirely passed on those for something more obscure. I’m not sure if Anna will be back again, but it was great to see her again. Perhaps a cameo by Harry Tang, please? I won’t give a synopsis as how things resolve themselves in this story, but from two different directions with Chuck and Ellie, we’re clearly heading to another meeting with Mr. Bartowski senior, which I believe isn’t long coming. But on the upside, the way that Ellie’s character is being manipulated is great, she being the only core character now that doesn’t know that Chuck is a spy. Thanks to The Ring she now knows that Casey is one, so how long before she works out that almost everyone she knows is a secret agent of some flavour or another? What they’ve also thrown into the mix is the possibility that Daniel (Brandon Routh) might not actually be dead, which, given how much I disliked his character, I’m not overly keen on hearing. That said, it’s yet another fine thread for the writers to weave into their season ending of many colours. With just three more regular season shows to go, I’ll stick my neck out and say that this season’s finale could be the best yet. And despite not the strongest viewing figures, I’d also put money on Chuck returning in the fall for a generous fourth helping. Check out our review of episode 15 here.
