I head up to slightly less Southern California in a bit (would have left sooner if it wasn't for the Ben Silverman news) and will be largely radio silent until press tour(*) starts tomorrow morning, other than a "So, what did you think of 'Nurse Jackie' tonight?" post at 11. (*) This week's blog logo is a tribute to "EZ Streets," the very first pilot I watched before my very first press tour, and still one of the biggest heart-breakers in my time as a TV critic.
Before I go, two "Chuck" links that you may not have seen in comments to the previous post: a pretty high-quality video of Jeffster! rocking out to "Fat-Bottomed Girls," and then Mo Ryan getting some more concrete answers from Schwartz and company about the nature of the Chuck Fu and how that'll impact Chuck and Sarah. (People who want those two together, like, yesterday may not want to click through, for the sake of their own blood pressure.)
UPDATE: Hulu now has the Comic-Con panel up, minus the Schwartz/Fedak video, and minus Jeffster! I'm assuming they didn't want to pay the rights for the song. Ah, well. You can see the performance elsewhere, and one day I'm going to find a way to show Fedak's dramatic debut.
15 comments:
it's not so much that we want Chuck and Sarah "together, like, yesterday". we (or at least i) understand that their connection needs time to grow. but to create new romantic interests for the two of them when we know that chuck loves her (and can presume she feels the same for him based on her actions), is insulting to the fans, who are rapidly running out of patience with the whole will they/won't they angle. there's a lot more of the story that can be told without the distraction of exaggerated angst.
Alan,
Were you being intentionally ironic about Mo Ryan's article? Because I believe that Chuck and Sarah were together yesterday. They just no longer are, lol.
The Trib wouldn't let me comment on Mo Ryan's post ("Sorry; we cannot accept this data", for whoever thought *that* a usable error message...)
... so I'll do it here.
"Sure; let Chuck and Sarah fall madly in love with each other.
When Chuck wakes up from the month long coma, he can go try and track Sarah down wherever she went after resigning from the Agency.
Don't any of you people *read* fan fiction? :-)
After reading the Mo Ryan blog last night I let out a silent cheer! I am so not a shipper, and sometimes I think I'm watching a completely different Chuck than some folks.
Listen, I'm as die-hard a fan as anyone else who posts here, or on other forums or blogs, I've been on board with this show since before the beginning. I did the Subway thing, I watched the show live every week, and I would never consider abandoning it for the sake of some cryptic spoilers that've come out of Comic Con.
I watch the show for the deft balance of comedy, drama, romance, bromance, funny references, all of the characters and the awesomeness that is the entire Chuck world.
Charah is only one aspect.
I'm readiing some things around the net about folks freaking out, threatening to stop watching, blah, blah. Now, that's fine, if that's what you want, I can respect that. So don't watch. I trust the creators and the actors to continue to evolve Chuck in a way that has us loving it even more.
Remember what Chuck would say:
DON'T FREAK OUT!
I'm still bitter about EZ Streets, too. Watching the Wire (b/c you're doing recaps) reminds me of it, and makes me miss it still.
Alan you did a fantastic job on the panel! Keep things going nicely and graciously allowed as much time as possible for the fans to ask questions.
Congrats!
The problem is that they've made the whole Chuck/Sarah thing so central to the show that its going to be tough sell to change the footing of the relationship in a plausible manner without alienating quite alot of fans. I've read Mo Ryan's column and I get where their coming from. It would be boring if it was all sweetness and light, but neither are love triangles exactly new and interesting. Thats true in drama generally but especially true of Chuck which has already over used that device. Fingers crossed they make it work.
I take most of Fedak and Schwartz's statements with a pinch of salt anyway. Like most prophecies they usually make sense after the event, just not in the manner you first imagined.
I disagree with the 'shippers' (ick) who say they will switch off if Chuck & Sarah don't get together, but the 'will they/won't they' bit was getting old and having a negative impact on my enjoyment of the show.
I was encouraged by the revelations in Mo's interview and am looking forward with even more anticipation (if that's even possible) to Season 3!
AS--
Sorry we never got to connect at the show--and glad I now know the correct pronunciation of your name.
For the record, I'm a huge fan of the site and the column. And even when our tastes don't agree--for example, I have very little patience for science fiction, fantasy or the like--I'll still check most things out on your recommendation.
I did twenty four hours at the convention--more than enough for any civilized human being.
I am totally a shipper, but overall I am excited about the Season 3 plan. Sounds exciting, dramatic and funny, so I'm there. I just want to see them all on screen again. They know the two of them on screen is golden, and if they are acting out dramatic and funny stuff that stays real to the characters, then that's all I want
I wonder if Gomez is growing out a unabomber beard to use on the show in the first episode - kind of like he is going natural as he is on his hibachi chef quest...
Oh, and one more thing, I haven't watched the Fedak video on the chuckmeout site, but the screenshot is giving me a JJ Abrams vibe, a good producer/writer to emulate!
I am a huge shipper, but Im also excited by the things Ive heard about season 3.
Especially the comment about Sarah being Chuck's kryptonite...now THAT is going to be some gooood stuff.
I think that more people would be screaming Chuck jumped the shark if S&F said Charah would be together in season 3 than are upset by all the vague and cryptic spoilers.
And like someone said before, there are so many other aspects of the show that make it awesome, its just some fans choose to focus on the romance and believe thats what drives the entire show, which IMO, it doesnt.
Great job at the panel, Alan. I wish I wouldve thought of this question earlier, but if you get to talk to S&F again, I would love it if you would ask them if they have an end for the show in mind and mapped out. And if they do and the show doesnt make it there, could they please tell us (after the fact, of course). I dont think my heart could take it if Chuck was another one of those shows that we never knew how it was supposed to end.
I'm excited about the possibilities mentioned in the interview as well, but my big problem with the situation is this:
Schwartz and Fedak said Chuck and Sarah would reach "The Point of No Return" in their relationship in Chuck Versus the Colonel. But now something is going to happen to derail that?
I'm confident that Chuck and Sarah will be there in the end, and for that I'm willing to watch the journey--both highs and lows. And I know from experience it's completely plausible to love someone but have no choice but look elsewhere, so in that respect the new love interests don't strain credibility (not nearly as much as the geek managing to get a girl like Sarah, which IMO--also from experience--is the least believable part of the show).
The device has just been RIDICULOUSLY over-used on this show. In only two seasons we've had FIVE love triangles: Chuck/Lou/Sarah, Sarah/Bryce/Chuck,(twice) Chuck/Jill/Sarah, and Sarah/Cole/Chuck. Then consider that most of these spanned multiple episodes (Lou: 2, Bryce #1: 2 including the fallout the next episode, Bryce #2: 1, Jill: 3, Cole: 2) that's 11 out of the 35 episode, almost a THIRD, which had some sort of romantic triangling. It's excessive, and frankly they need to find something a bit more original.
FarScape is still the best Will They/Won't They arc I've ever seen. S&F could learn a few things about that.
Thanks for the EZ Streets homage, Alan. Oh, what could have been.
I have no opinion on the Chuck and Sarah discussion, and I'll follow the show no matter what. But boy do I hate terms like "Charah."
EZ Streets is one of the greatest shows of ALL TIME! I love that you have graced the banner of your blog home page with images of Joey "Jimmy Murtha" Pants, Debra "Theresa Connors" Farentino, Ken "Detective Cameron Quinn" Olin and Jason "Danny Rooney" Gedrick! I was a big fan of that program during both of its runs on CBS in 1996 and 1997. I have never gotten over its cancellation. You've got impeccable taste in television programs! Keep blogging!
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