Chuck Versus the Critic

Chuck was in top form this week after a fun but predictable season premiere. (Casey killing Chuck? It'll never happen. The show's named after him!) John Larroquette was perfectly cast as a martini-swilling spy called on to give the leading man some seduction tips. It was like revisiting Larroquette's Night Court character Dan Fielding, 15 years older but ever the self-deluded lothario. The episode also dealt with the ongoing attraction between Chuck and Sarah, a story line that's moving along nicely without wearing out its welcome. Professional boundaries prevent the pair from giving in to their omnipresent desires, despite the fact that Sarah was previously involved with her spy cohort Bryce, a figure who inconveniently resurfaced just as Chuck was about to pronounce his feelings for Sarah.

The show is light as air, but is made very enjoyable by the energetic performances, especially Zachary Levi as Chuck. Capable of delivering lines with pitch-perfect comic timing (he gave driving directions to the people holding Sarah and Casey captive) and deftly handling physical comedy, Levi is certainly up to the task of being this show's gooey center. And Yvonne Strahovski (appropriately nicknamed "Strahotski" by her costars and online admirers) and Adam Baldwin do an excellent job of balancing the serious moments with the jokey ones.

If Chuck has a problem it's in the supporting cast. The Buy More where Chuck works is loaded with so many nerds that they have a tendency to melt into one. It's like a Hydra with an endless supply of replacement nerd heads. Also not adding much to the proceedings are Chuck's sister Ellie and her fiance Devon, aka Captain Awesome. It often feels as if the writers have to stretch to include these two in the story. Since they're not in on Chuck's secret life, it makes it all the harder to work them in organically.

Minor quibbles, though, for what is essentially escapist fare. NBC seems to agree. The network granted the series a full season pickup over the summer based solely on its creative strength. Now all they need is for more people to show up in front of their TV sets to fully justify their vote of confidence.