Chuck 2.14 “Chuck versus the Best Friend” Recap

Corpvandolay here with a recap of this week’s episode of Chuck. I hope you all enjoyed my first-ever recap last week. If so, wonderful and welcome back. I am still learning, so there are some tweaks to my format. Hopefully, they are for the better. Once I have a set format (I still have a few tricks up my sleeve planned), I will go back to the beginning of the series and recap them all for you. But enough of that, on with the show…

Who Guest Stars?
Jack Yang is the only major one this week, playing Anna’s new boyfriend. Who? Exactly! I wasn’t sure myself. Feel free to look him up here on imdb. He’s been around the TV world quite a bit.

What Does TV Guide Say?
While helping a depressed Morgan spy on Anna, Chuck flashes on her boyfriend; Jeff and Lester beg Ellie to hire them to play at her wedding..

What’s The Episode Really About?
Tarzana, California. 1992 (What is this, Psych?) We are outside at an elementary school. A kid in an ALF shirt is running. He turns the corner and is grabbed and shoved against the wall. Smack! He is hit right in the face and goes down. Who hit him? It’s a girl! It seems, Morgan here was spying on her in gym class. Morgan yells ‘help’and a silhouetted figure comes up to him (the sun inconveniently behind him). It is Chuck! He tells Morgan he has his back and he tells then girl to leave. He then tells Morgan that maybe he should stay away from girls for 15 years or so.

15 years later (give or take a few). Chuck, Jeff, Lester and Morgan are all in the home theatre room in Buy More. Morgan has called them there to talk about Anna. Yes, Morgan needs Chucks help with a spy mission. Not to spy, mind you, but to provide moral support. Jeff and Lester are there to spy. However, Chuck’s not entirely comfortable with stalking someone…

Cut to Ellie in her bedroom, freaking out about the wedding. Captain Awesome is there, decked out only in a towel, being nice a flirty. However, Ellie is too stressed out with the wedding and everything else. So, she gives Awesome half of the to-do list for the wedding. He agrees to help, gives her a nice kiss, and closes the door to help relieve some of her stress…

Outside, it seems that Jeff has a very modern, tricked out spy van. Quite impressive…in a creepy way. The guys pile in and wait for Anna to get off work. She comes out, gets in her car and they follow. Close behind, casey and Sarah follow to keep tabs on Chuck. They go to a restaurant where Anna meets up with a nice looking guy (Wang). ‘Could be her brother.’Then she kisses him. ‘Still could be her brother.’Chuck looks at him, then his car, and he flashes on the license plate. It seems, Anna’s new guy isn’t a good guy. Morgan has seen enough. It’s over for him.

Back at headquarters, Chuck is looking around as they wait for the General. It seems they now have Q working for them, as there are grenade tennis balls and mint knock-out spray. Chuck palms one of the latter. The General comes on and informs them that Anna’s boyfriend is a weapons smuggler and works with the TRIAD. The mission is to find out what they are moving now. Chuck is to get close to him to try and find out. ‘You want me to befriend my best friend’s ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend?’

Cue credits.

After the credits, Chuck’s alarm goes off. It is 7:00 am and time to get up for work. Chuck reaches out and hits the snooze, and settles in. Then we hear ‘sleep well, Chuck?’from Captain Awesome. He is sitting in Chuck’s room, reading a comic book as Chuck sleeps. Creepy! It seems that Captain Awesome needs Chuck’s help. See, he needs to find a band for his and Ellie’s wedding. So, he asks Chuck to cover this task.

Back at headquarters, Casey, Sarah and Chuck are discussing the mission. Chuck can’t go through with it. Morgan is his best friend and he cannot betray that. Remarkably, Casey says that he understands Chuck’s loyalty; Semper Fidelus. Yes! Finally, Chuck has an ally in Casey. But, not so fast. As much as Casey admires this code, orders come before honor. Drat!

We move to the Buy More, where Chuck is calling on wedding bands, without much luck. Jeff and Lester overhear him, and have the perfect solution: their band. Yes, Jeff and Lester have a band: Jeffster! While Chuck is flattered by their offer of help, he turns them down. Meanwhile, Morgan is quizzing Anna about what she was doing last night. That is when Anna tells Morgan she is seeing someone else. Her and Morgan are through and he needs to get over it. Chuck comes up to help save his friend from further embarrassment (and also to try and get his mission on). With Morgan go to help elsewhere in Buy More, Chuck starts to chat up Anna. As Casey eggs him on with his powerful stares, Chuck saves the floundering conversation by asking if Anna would like to double date with he and Sarah. Anna is surprised and flattered by this. She invites them to a party her boyfriend is throwing this evening. The mission is set!

Down in headquarters, Sarah and Casey talk about the need to plant a bug to find out exactly what Anna’s new boyfriend is doing. Chuck takes the opportunity to add a little side-mission: to get Morgan and Anna back together, which is not so well-received…

We cut to the party, which is filled with flashy cars and plenty of well-dressed people. This is a nice gala auction for some choice guests of the city. Anna is there (looking quite nice, I must add). Chuck and Sarah chat up Anna, and start to sing the praises of Morgan. Anna is shocked: she didn’t think that Sarah ever even noticed her. (now, was I the only one getting some strong lesbian undercurrents to Anna’s interest? Anyhow, back to the episode…) While they are inside of the nice, glass-encased showroom, we are with Morgan outside. He is decked out in black with his binoculars (and bicycle!), spying on Anna. He sees Anna, and her new boyfriend, Wang, comes up. They are all talking to someone else. Some other guests move away, and he sees Chuck! ‘Judas’he whispers. Cut to commercial.

We are at the Buy More that same evening. The phone rings at the Nerd Herd desk and Lester answers it. It’s Ellie, Chuck’s sister. It seems that her computer has frozen and she needs help immediately. Lester begins to tell her he’ll pass along the message to Chuck when he returns, but Jeff takes the phone from him and tells Ellie that they’ll be right over. Score one for having a connection at the Nerd Herd! But Jeff has alternative motives: they’ll audition for her. Jeffster lives!

Back at the party, a group of Asian gang members arrive, led by a stern female. Chuck flashes on all of them. They are members of the TRIAD. Sarah and Chuck decide to follow them — this is the perfect opportunity to find out Wang’s connection to them. However, Anna interrupts to chat with Sarah. To keep to the mission, Chuck follows them alone, as Sarah chats with Anna.

Over at casa de Ellie-Awesome-Chuck, Lester has fixed the pc. There should be no problems now. Ellie though is a little confused by Jeff — what is he doing? Well, he is setting up their gear to audition for their wedding! Ellie turns to Captain Awesome: ‘did you outsource your to-do list?’He is caught! Meanwhile, Lester starts to have cold feet. He sees this gig starting them on the road to fame and success, only to lead to a bitter break-up and a lowly end. He bolts out the door, too nervous to actually perform.

At the party, Chuck has followed the TRIAD to a back garage room where they meet with Wang. Chuck plants the bug on a cart — within easy listening for Casey in the van. Unfortunately, Chuck pulls on a cord, which sets in motion a series of items knocking into each other, culminating in a lug nut plinking onto the floor, and across the way to the TRIAD people. Casey, listening in, can’t believe Chuck’s carelessness and gets out of the van to rescue him. Chuck cowers behind a car, hoping he won’t be found when…the TRIAD’s walkie talkies spring to life. It seems that they have found the intruder and have them in custody. Oh no! Sarah listening in thinks it’s Chuck, and she races towards the garage. Chuck in the garage thinks it is Casey. But, no! The TRIAD have caught Morgan!

Chuck and the gang arrive to see the TRIAD holding Morgan outside in the parking lot. The female leader is quizzing him on who he works for and why he is there. Chuck knows they will torture or kill him unless he does something. So, quick thinking, he goes off on Morgan for stalking Anna. He calls him a sick, obsessed freak and tells Morgan to grow up and to quit stalking Anna. The TRIAD buys it, and let Morgan go. Looking crushed and dejected, Morgan grabs his bike and peddles off. Chuck looks after him, hoping he didn’t totally destroy their friendship.

Back inside the garage, a TRIAD thug comes up to the female leader and shows her the bug he just found. Well, it seems that Morgan isn’t just a stalker — he’s a spy. She orders them to find him and kill him!

Inside the Buy More back room, Chuck catches up with Morgan, who is struggling to move a very large home theatre system by himself. Chuck offers help, but Morgan refuses and carries on. Jeff then pops in and asks Chuck what Ellie thought of Jeffster. Chuck, obviously frustrated at the entire situation, goes off on him.

Down at headquarters, Sarah asks Chuck to look through a few photos. Chuck sits down with her and asks how she can just be so cool. Doesn’t she understand what Morgan means to him? Morgan is his family. He was there for him after his mom and dad were gone. And, long after she and Casey are gone, Morgan will still be there for him. Sarah is a bit cool and focused on the mission. Loosing site of the container endangers the lives of many more best friends in the world.

Meanwhile, Jeff has gone over to Ellie’s house to beg for another chance to audition. He knocks on the door, and a shirtless, sweaty Captain Awesome answers. Cue the screams from girls everywhere! Captain Awesome at first refuses, but Jeff pleads to him to allow Lester the opportunity he has always wanted: to sing before an audience. Awesome acquiesces and says that they can audition. He’ll find a way to get Ellie to hear them.

Back at the Buy More, it seems that Morgan is mad — but not at Chuck. Morgan is mad at himself. He is tired of Chuck being right all of the time and having to save him. He needs to stand up for himself now; he needs to fight his own fights. Just then, two TRIAD thugs come into the store. Chuck and Morgan duck down and sneak into the back room. But, Morgan is adamant: he needs to be his own man. He is prepared to go out there and get a beating, not knowing that these TRIAD thugs really just want to kill him. Before he goes out, Chuck tells him that he should be nice and minty fresh. So, he hits him with the mint-flavored knock-out spray. And down he goes. Chuck then puts Morgan into a home theatre box and wheels him out through the store, hoping to get him to safety. The thugs recognize him and ask if he has seen Morgan. Chuck says that he saw him duck out back, and the thugs go off to look.

Chuck breathes a sigh of relief, but a bit too soon. Anna grabs him and tells him he needs to come with her. Despite his protests, she pulls him away, leaving the home theatre box behind. It seems that Anna’s boyfriend is on the television. Chuck flashes on the news story, realizing that they are going to try and kill the Chinese Ambassador. While Chuck is at the televisions, flashing, the TRIAD come in from the back, having not found Morgan. But, to their surprise, here he is, in a box for them. Score! They grab the box and go. Sarah and Casey come in and Chuck informs them of the flash and the assassination plan. They just need to grab a sleeping Morgan and…Morgan is gone! The TRIAD load Morgan into a car and drive off just as Chuck darts out the back door to see them go.

After a well-placed commercial break, Casey, Sarah and Chuck are in the Nerd Herd car, pulling up to the charity auction. Chuck is about to go and help, when Casey tells him to stay in the car. Chuck does stay, and he sees the SUV with Morgan drive around back. He gets out and sneaks around to see that TRIAD has put a bomb in a Rolls Royce. It is a long rod-shaped bomb, attached to the bottom of the hood ornament. The Chinese Ambassador has bought the Rolls Royce and is about to take possession of the car. The TRIAD decide to use one bomb to kill two people: Morgan in the trunk, and the Ambassador. The Rolls is driven around to the Ambassador to pick up. Casey and Sarah are alerted to the plan. Sarah goes to the garage and Casey out to the Nerd Herd car. Sarah arrives too late — the car is gone. But, the female TRIAD is there and an extended, rather rough girlfight ensues. Meow!

Casey arrives as Chuck is pulling away to chase the Rolls. He jumps onto the roof of the car as Chuck speeds off. Casey tells Chuck to let him in, but Chuck refuses because Casey will stop him from rescuing Morgan. Once Casey promises that he’ll help Chuck get Morgan, Chuck rolls down the window and lets him climb inside. Casey then opens the glove box and takes out a remote control for the car. Casey may help Chuck follow them, but he didn’t say he’d let him drive. A chase ensues, before they are able to stop the Rolls. During this chase, Sarah is fighting the female TRIAD member inside of a parked car. She final gets the upper hand and deploys the airbag to knock her opponent out. She then checks the locator to find Chuck. But, how to get there? Then she eyes a very sweet, blue convertible…

At the stopped Rolls Royce, the Ambassador’s guards get out, and aren’t entirely trusting of Casey, even as he shows credentials. While they are distracted with Casey, Chuck sneaks around and unscrews the bomb from the Rolls. Everyone sees the bomb and is understandably nervous. Chuck takes it and puts it in the Nerd Herd car and drives off. As the car pulls away, Sarah pulls up. Where is Chuck? Casey lets her know he took the bomb and went off in the car. They stand there, looking at the car as it drives off into the distance, and…BOOM. The car explodes in flames. Sarah screams and tears come to her eyes. How can Chuck be gone? Well, he isn’t! (not much of a show without him, y’see). He steps into frame behind her, a smile on his face and the remote control in his hand. She turns and he is shocked — what, you thought I was in there? No. He then asks for help getting something out of the trunk. They open the lid, and Morgan is soundly sleeping inside.

Back at the Buy More, Chuck is wheeling Morgan into the back room. As he is doing this, Morgan wakes up. He is bummed — he can’t believe he fainted before the fight and Chuck had to save him again. Chuck just marvels at Morgan. ‘Don’t you know what you mean to me?’he asks. Morgan is Chuck’s family. Inside the Buy More, Awesome and Ellie walk into the store. Awesome is telling Ellie that ‘partnership is trust.’He has made up for outsourcing the music by doing both his half, as well as Ellie’s half, of the to-do list. She then asks why they are there. Why, to see Jeffster of course! The Nerd Herd kiosk is decked out and people are gathered. It is now or never. The music comes up and Jeffster starts to play ‘Africa’by Toto. Lester’s vocals are…aweful! But even so, people are rocking out to the sounds.

Sarah comes up to Chuck and she tells him that it’s hard for her to understand as she doesn’t have someone in her life like Chuck has Morgan. Someone who cares for her like he does him. Chuck simple tells her ‘yes, you do’and smiles. In the break room, Morgan sees Anna. He goes up to her to confess something that he should have long ago. He really, really loo…likes her. She smiles and they make up.

Out on the retail floor, our crew are there watching Jeffster butcher Toto. Morgan stands next to Chuck, holding Anna’s hand. He tells him how they both have girlfriends and that it doesn’t get any better than this. Chuck looks over at Sarah and squeezes her hand.

What are Casey and Sarah’s Covers?
This is business as usual. Sarah is Chucks girlfriend (and new friend to Anna), while Casey is a simple Buy More employee.

Is Awesome in This Episode?
Oh, yes, he is. And, the hospital must not be paying too well, as he is sans shirt for most all of this episode. Yes, ladies, I hear your cheers. I mean, look at that shot. Right? Right?!

Does Casey get shot, poisoned, or otherwise injured?
Casey escapes this episode surprisingly injury free. He does take a brief car ride…outside of the car, but remains unscuffed. It seems like Sarah drew the short straw this week, as she gets put through the wringer.

What’s the state of the Chuck / Sarah romance?
Well, it seems strictly business for most of the episode. Last week’s episode left us thinking it would be Chill City for the rest of the season. However, we do get a few highlights: Chuck opening up about his family to Sarah and her confessing that she has never had any friends like he has with Morgan. It seems, there is some deeper trust being formed. The real changes come towards the end, when Sarah believes Chuck is killed and lets her feeling for him show through. Finding him okay, she recovers her composure, but the display was there (for us to see at least). In the epilogue, as everyone watches Jeffster perform, Chuck and Sarah hold hands, and it seems that they might be warming back up to each other.

Where is FULCRUM?
Obviously, they are recovering from the stinging ass-whooping that Chuck gave them last week. They are nowhere to be found in this episode.

And the status of a new Intersect?
Not mentioned in this outing. Good news for Chuck.

The Good?

• ‘I worry about the other 20 percent.’
• The tricked-out spy van owned by Jeff.
• Captain Awesome is in this episode throughout. Even as a straight man, I enjoy seeing his character on screen.
• Casey: ‘Good job.’Chuck: ‘I hate you.’
• ‘See if the skin-covered robot flashes on anything.’
• ‘Cut the infomercial on the bearded moron.’
• The use of the mint-flavored knockout spray.
• ‘You’re the poster child for friendly fire.’
• Girl on Girl fight! Yes! (Now, where was the broken water main, spraying them down…?)
• Fernando, the curly-haired employee!

The Bad?

• Not much. I think it was a solid episode. Does your opinion differ? Post about it…