Of all the networks, NBC seems to be a bit ahead of this technology curve. At least for the upcoming fall season. They’ve made three of the pilots for new shows available in a few different ways. I watched them on my cable system’s On Demand system the other day.
One of those new shows is Chuck. The story of a hapless tech-support geek (er, nerd) who inadvertently becomes the receptacle of a huge database of intelligence agency information. That info is dropped directly into his brain through an unrealistic (though OK in the context of the show) plot device–he gets an e-mail from an old college friend who just happens to be a rouge CIA agent.
That data, now inextricably tied up in socially inept Chuck’s head, makes him a target for recruitment or elimination by every intelligence agency out there.
That makes for a pretty good pilot episode, but I don’t know if the show has a lot of staying power. Without some serious twists and additions to the base premise (perhaps even more of a sci-fi turn), it’s only going to get less believable that the aging information in Chuck’s head is still worth caring about.
It’ll be an enjoyable bunch of episodes, though.
But, for a few episodes, this is going to be one of the fun shows to watch. Even in the pilot the cast seems well-suited for and comfortable in their characters. Newcomer Yvonne Strzechowski is tremendous fun to watch as she plays Chuck’s new handler, an elegant counterpoint to Zachary Levi’s sweet nerd. Adam Baldwin doesn’t have a lot of screen time, but his John Casey is another good solid heavy role for one of my favorite supporting actors.
Knowing that McG has his fingers in this show, I think I can safely say that the attitude and action will carry through for as long as it lasts. How long will that be? I don’t know. But I’m betting less than a full season.
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