Monday night's new episode of "Chuck" -- tragically the last one before the Winter Olympics -- managed to do something most shows won't even try: mirroring a major plot point to an episode's overall theme.
We saw a ton of masks in this episode. The main storyline involved Chuck, Casey, Shaw, and Sarah trying to swipe a mash out a museum before The Ring could do the same; however, this was only the tip of the iceberg. We're starting to see the masks of Chuck's identity break in two. We know that Morgan and Ellie are questioning his every move, and now he has also has Hannah doubting his intentions.
It all started when Hannah decided to jump on board a "Nerd Herd mission" that was actually an operation with Casey and Sarah. The problem? It put our lovable spy in a delicate position. Since he couldn't disclose the truth to Hannah, he instead looked like the official "jerk of the year" who was spending the vast majority of his time with his ex-girlfriend when really he was helping with the heist. This, of course, didn't sit well with Hannah, so she later decided to go back to the museum again on her own at the request of this week's "scary guy with a foreign accent who is actually a Ring operative." As she didn't know any better, and so was captured and put in a room without oxygen. Gotta love the villains for their bizarre ways to torture people.
Then, it was all about Chuck to the rescue. Not only did he have to rush to save Hannah, but Sarah and Shaw were losing oxygen thanks to a canister hidden inside the stolen mask. This gave us a couple of nice moments between Zachery Levi and Adam Baldwin, though I do wish they had a stronger role for Casey in this season so far.
You all know where this is going: through some luck (and a hilarious scene between Chuck and the Ring operative), everyone was saved for one more week. In the process, though, we have some new romantic pairings: Sarah and Shaw don't really seem to have a ton of chemistry yet, but the show is pushing something there only to likely take it away once Shaw's real intentions are actually revealed.
Chuck and Hannah, unfortunately, look like they may be getting the short end of the stick in the end. We all know that he is likely destined to be with Sarah, which is a shame because he actually has someone who really loves him. There's only one problem: as long as Hannah doesn't know about his double life, their relationship can never be genuine.
Chuck and Morgan may even be in trouble as friends: Morgan had feelings for Hannah, though their relationship would have been fake as well thanks to Morgan putting on the mask of "someone who loves classical music."
Overall, "Chuck vs. the Mask" was a fun little play on some of the larger heist shows out there. Considering that some upcoming guest stars include Robert Patrick and Christopher Lloyd, we know we're in for a good time this season.
What did you think of the episode? Let me know your thoughts and stay tuned for more "Chuck" coverage.
--
Want to read more of the latest TV news? Then click the "subscribe" button at the top of the page to receive continuous updates. You can also follow me on Facebook, Myspace, or Twitter.
Recent "Chuck" stories:
"Chuck" recap: another dose of geek power
"Chuck" recap: spies on a plane!
"Chuck" recap: super-spies meet Superman
"The Bachelor" recap: when work and love collide
Exclusive interview: Tila Tequila
"American Idol:" Adam Lambert tells fans to limit requests
Super Bowl XLIV sets a ratings record
"Jon and Kate Plus 8:" Kate Gosselin chops off some hair
Susan Boyle, Miley Cyrus take part in "Everybody Hurts" video
Comments