Monday, September 24, 2007

NBC's Chuck bucks valuable time - don't waste yours

Since Heroes comes on in about a half hour, I thought I would make a quick entry as to why NBC's Chuck sucks. I will continue to watch it tonight but will not watch another episode come 8:59, and even that is asking a lot. As I have already written about the pilot of Journeyman, I will save further comment on that show until another day, and I will write up my Heroes pilot quick review either later tonight or briefly tomorrow morning. So, without further ado, here are at least five reasons why I won't watch the Chuck show again.

Reason 1: As I had initially suspected, it is very similar in substance to the movie Johnny Mnemonic, but even worse, and I didn't think that was possible. Because I figured that my initial assumption may have been incorrect, I thought Chuck may not be the same. I was mistaken. It is worse. Of course, if you liked that movie, you may like this show. I did not, and thus, I do not.

Reason 2: It's a show about a Stanford grad who works on the "Nerd Herd" in the computer repair shop of a fictional store like Best Buy's Geek Squad. If you saw 40 Year Old Virgin, it's the same workplace but with less funny jokes. I will refrain comment on whether Stanford grads would become computer repairmen at retail stores. I'm sure there are a few.

Reason 3: As far as having a spy type comedy show, this one appears to take what Chevy Chase, Dan Akroyd, and the rest of the original SNL crew perfected in the eighties down two notches. In part, it's sort of like Alias, but not as intricate.

Reason 4: Somehow he downloads an entire computer file to his mind (like Johnny Mnemonic). Then, the CIA and NSA fight over him, which results in the super girl spy stabbing a bunch of people as she dances. Again, I find this very Alias-esque, and again, not done quite as well.

Reason 5: If it's a comedy, make it a comedy. If it's a drama, make it a drama. This combination comedy-drama just doesn't work for this type of show. A movie maybe, but X weeks of this crappy spy v. spy routine? Diffusing a bomb with porn is sort of funny, but not ha ha funny. Nor is it mildly amusing. In short, it's a crappy comedy, and a crappier drama. I have better things to spend with my time, and these are 4 more reasons than I need to not watch this show again. I can only hope this review saves other people with a less comfortable sofa couch the time and trouble.

Although I concede that his hot blond CIA sidekick (Yvonne Strzechowski) certainly looks good in lingerie, it is hardly enough to save this show. At least from my television schedule.

Bottom line: Pass. It's not even worth watching another five episodes.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're an idiot.

ECL said...

I welcome commentary, however lucid or ridiculous. Since this comment has no context, however, I have no reason nor basis to respond, other to disagree.

On the basis that I see the occasional headline that this show is still on the air, I am semi-surprised, but could care less. If it's still around after two or three seasons and a hard sell convinces me that it's worth further time, maybe I'll give it another shot. Until then, however, it can remain in television obscurity.

Anonymous said...

You're my hero. A gentleman and a scholar.

Chuck is terrible.

Anonymous said...

Good writeup. What a goofy annoying "show" produced by rich, out of touch NBC "execs". NBC stands for nothing but cr@%. No wonder the network is in the gutter.

The Blog said...

Yes! Chuck Sucks! I watched a couple of episodes during the first season and squirmed in my seat the entire time; the show was just that irritating. How the NBC brass passed on Southland but kept this turd if beyond me.