We discuss CHUCK 4.15, the CAT Squad.
This episode has ADULT LANGUAGE. Do not listen if you are sensitive to harsh language.
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The episode was not one of the best but it was neither one of the worst. i am more concerned about the ratings. what are guys doing in the USA? we need a 5th season.
ReplyDeleteNow about the episode. i dont like that Sarah is still trying to keep Chuck away from her past. They are going to get married.The man deserves to help her and be part of her life. I want Chuck to take more actions and save the day like a hero...alone sometime without help.
Happy Birthday...and sorry if there is a misunderstanding between us.
PS: i cant believe Sarah talks more to Ellie than Chuck about her past...
Americans suck!
ReplyDeletehey magnus. are there any possibilities for a 5th season? and something else. do u know anything about the next few episodes? are they good? can u give us some spoilers? pls...
ReplyDeleteThere is always a possibility of a 5th season.
ReplyDeleteThe coming episodes sound good. I am sure I will be sharing spoilers about them. Just keep reading this site.
did the voice in the end of the episode mean that a baby is coming? i mean when he said <>
ReplyDeletePS: what there is the restriction about comments for the 3rd season? what happened?
Love the short and sweet podcast. thanks for sharing your thoughts. the only thing I think you lose in shortening it up is the chance for laughing at random rambles people have and jokes you guys make, but you nailed the analysis and that in itself made an entertaining podcast
ReplyDeleteThanks for doing a podcast on your birthday. :)
ReplyDeleteHungover Sarah was my favorite scene as well. And Chuck I also wondered why Chuck pulled his hand away as if burned only because he felt a dress. At first I thought that it might have been Amy instead of Sarah.
I liked the idea of the CAT squad and I mostly was happy with what actually happen, but something did feel a little off.
And I understand that they needed Sarah to interact with the other two girls more, but I missed her and Carina. Carina really hardly interacted with anyone but Morgan and I didn´t enjoy that all that much.
Anyway, I am excited for next weeks and I am very much looking forward to more Sarah/Ellie scenes.
Happy Birthday Magnus!
ReplyDeleteShort but sweet podcast.
I agree with you on the episode, I think it was good but definitely not the best. However, hungover Sarah was pretty great.
I did find the ep fun, but I do agree it was pretty mediocre. The whole thing was meant to be parodying the "Charlie's Angels" genre, yet they didn't exploit that for humour, so it just felt like a straight copy to me, and all round kinda pointless.
ReplyDeleteThe ep was written by Nicholas Wootton, just like Cubic Z. I don't want to sound harsh, but his writing hasn't impressed me at all to date. All a bit one-dimensional for my liking.
Chuck acted in perfect character while in the Buy More at the end of vs. The Cats. He was so preoccupied with getting forgiveness from Sarah that he didn't think of the danger or solution of how to beat the bad guys - he just acted, much like Sarah and Casey do while they are on a mission.
ReplyDeleteChuck played the same theme when he fell through the skylight. He wasn't thinking about the mission, only about protecting Sarah.
I understand it perfectly. I have my Ph.D. in laser physics and robotics and I am training for my 2nd degree black belt. But like the sage words from Chris Fedak, I feel like a Burn Victim next to my gorgeous wife of 22 years. Fear of disappointing her trumps bad guys and tight situations any day. =]
Observation: I think it's a sign of how poorly the cat fight was staged that you three red-blooded men didn't even mention it in the podcast.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about the Morgan/Alex relationship not really being convincing. I didn't really mind because I don't expect the couple to get a lot of screen time. But, it could be better done. With eleven episodes to play with, they might have slowed it down and taken more time. But, maybe they had a reason for bringing it to the fore so quickly.
I think I'll generally like Role Models better than I liked this one. Chuck and Sarah's realtionship was still fresh and their bickering about things like guns in the house was fun and cute. That's a highlight Role Models for me.
Beyond the hungover Sarah scene, I found myself fast forwarding through most of this when I tried to watch it again last night.
Nice and concise podcast, guys. Loved it.
Dimock- I think if anything the voice was hinting at the idea of Ellie taking part in the spy world, not sarah being pregnant. That I don't believe is a story line we'll ever actually see regardless of a 5th season or not. Can't sideline her character that much for that long of time. Would make a lot more sense for that to be something that happens in a series finale but not as a season arc.
ReplyDelete-Has anyone else found Chuck's collared shirts to be incredibly ugly this entire season? He's worn that straight blood red one several times this season, had one on when coming home from the "gobbler" mission and again at the start of 4.15 he was wearing just an awful, awful looking shirt.
- My biggest issue with this episode was not how obvious it was that the other blonde was the traitor (though that was painful) but how long it took to get to the reveal. The entire first half of the episode moved at a snails pace because i was just waiting for the reveal the entire time. I would have much preferred the reveal happen during the first actual encounter at the night club and then more time dedicated to the CATS coming together and hunting them down.
- I don't necessarily need a makeout scene (plus with what appears to be a limited quantity of "hot kisses" id rather leave those to C/S) but I agree with Magnus that without really showing us Morgan/Alex's relationship its hard to find the emotional investment in them for this episode to really be any sort of payoff with that. I just didn't really care.
-Also, hungover sarah was fantastic. Aside from Chuck pulling his hand away for no apparent reason I found myself very annoyed with how eager he was to jump into intense and LOUD conversation. I wanted her to smack him and say "SHUT UP IM HUNGOVER!"
All my other critiques were well hashed by others so no need to be repetitive. Certainly not my favorite episode but not terrible by any stretch. Next week looks like fun so thats exciting. I did like it better on my 2nd viewing for whatever thats worth.
Happy belated Mangus.
Ideas for sarah's mom:
ReplyDelete1) Brooke Shields
2) Meg Ryan
3) Sharon Stone
My money is on Sharon Stone who plays the role similar to her role in basic instinct, it would be so awesome!
Sarah's Mom?
ReplyDeleteMy money is on Cheryl Ladd. She would be perfect!
I can see why you would say cheryl ladd considering she was an ex angel and looks a little like a young sarah, but for me she is too nice and I think Sharon Stone would be perfect because Sharon can play the sort of evil and self centeredness that is maybe needed for sarah's mom. I mean you look at her basic instict role and she is dark and sexy and selfish and cold and all the things that would make you believe that this kind of women would leave her daughter and man. It would be fascinating to say the least, especially if she is evil and works for an evil organisation. It would be predicable that she works for volkoff or someone team b knows, but I would love for them to have an interrogation like the one sharon had in basic instinct, you know the way she crosses her legs, uncrosses them and re-crosses them....that would be just great tv! it would also be awesome to see casey and chuck and morgan with their mouths open! oh and sarah to say, hey guys that is my mom!
ReplyDeleteMan, I can't believe you did the podcast on your birthday. I use mine to try to get out of everything. Glad you did though, always enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteI understand your point on why they had to do the Sarah/Ellie scenes the way they did. I just think it would have been an easier transition had they shared just a few throwaway scenes together earlier in the season.
Hey Magnus,
ReplyDeleteGreat podcast as always! Before you said about Sarah's emotional epiphany and mentioned about 418 relating to it. My question is will the epiphany be just a single moment realization in 418 or will it be something that Sarah slowly realizes over the next few episodes. Thanks and keep up the good work!
AB
I know its fun to prognosticate and I too have been guilty of it regarding this show, but isn't it putting the cart a bit before the horse to try and cast Sarah's mom when we have no idea who or what she is all about. Not to sinlge anyone out but Amrit talked about Sharon Stone for her ability to play "even and self centered" but what makes us assume she will be that? All we know is that 1) she worked in an Italian restaurant and 2) her and sarah's relationship is "complicated".
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to speculate too much because there are just too many gaps to be filled in but I don't really like the idea that she is a spy and/or works for Volkoff (again not singling you out Amrit). That would just feel kinda lazy/too similar to mama B. Sarah's father already has ties to the spy world (tangentially of course)so I think id personally rather see Sarah's mom as a civilian.
Now that I listened to the podcast I realize what they were doing with the awkwardness between Sarah and Ellie. Ok, I get it.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am happy to see that I am not the only one who thinks that the Alex-Morgan lovey-dovey relationship seems rushed, forced and unnatural.
Oh, and what about the Casey in the van scene? It seemed a bit out of context and out of character.
Well, I am hoping the next episodes improve and that we get some spoilers!
I know it is pure fan speculation, but, let me have fun:
ReplyDeleteFor Sarah's mom:
a) Cheryl Ladd, older than Gary Cole, but it could work;
b) Rene Russo (blond, of course);
c) Tanya Roberts, maybe to tall;
The reason I said her mom could work for volkoff is because that is what this show would do....it is not something I would like to see but it is how they tie the personal life to the spy world. Also the reason I said I think the mom she be evil and self centered is because that would be a fun and interesting route to take, instead of her mom being like mama b who worked for volkoff for 20 years and was always good (not a great storyline to be honest) it makes it more believable for her to be evil, plus we need male fans back, what male fan would not watch sharon stone re-enact her glorious role on basic instinct! come on!
ReplyDelete"c) Tanya Roberts, maybe too tall;" typo, sorry
ReplyDeleteJust wondering if you will give us some infor on episode 18, That would be great, thanks
ReplyDeleteProbably... I didn't put out a spoiler about 17 because I felt enough had leaked about it that I would just be repeating what was available elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteIf you don't hear from me in the next few days, then I died. Otherwise, talk to you all later!
ReplyDeleteif you die, you die.
ReplyDeletethat sounds... ominous
Hopefully you don't die . I need my podcast fix :)
ReplyDeleteDid you find Chuck or Sarah at any point in this episode to be out of character ?
I didn't die, yet.
ReplyDeleteAnd no, I didn't have any problem with Chuck and/or Sarah being "out of character." Only Morgan... or, I should say, I felt Josh was "indicating" during the love confession scene.
The reason I asked about the " out of character " , I was bored yesterday and to my mistake I checked out the N*C boards ( I know , I know ) . I wanted to see what others thought about the episode . However after a few pages of reading peoples thoughts , the discussion turned kind of heated over Chuck and Sarah being OOC . A few posters basically wrote an essay and gave a ton of examples of why they disliked the episode over their interpretation of C/S being out of character and made it out to be FACT that they were . It was nuts !! They were nuts !! If I had your way with words and writing ability I would have ripped them a new one lol
ReplyDeleteThanks for not dying :)
Out of character means you do something you wouldn't do. Neither did anything they wouldn't do or haven't done. If the point is that they wouldn't do it NOW, well, one could argue that but out of character? Nope.
ReplyDeleteOut of character can also mean not doing it anymore. A character is not carved in stone but constantly under development, especially with fictional characters in a TV show. One could very well argue that Chuck and to a lesser extend Sarah were out of character NOW (as you say) by doing/saying things they would have done during S1 or S2 but not anymore in S4.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that bugs me most about the "out of character" debate is that I think those people are using the phrase "out of character" as a simplistic way of expressing the fact that they didn't like the way it played out on screen. Their two main arguments seem to be that: 1- Chuck shouldn't have gone behind Sarah's back and attempted to contact her old team without telling her and that 2- Sarah should not have berated Chuck for that in front of the Cat Squad. I agree with you both that those actions were in character for them. Chuck's good intentions and general desire to do what he thinks is the right thing will always outweigh everything else in his judgment, so its obvious he would overlook Sarah's possible reaction and plow forward anyway, especially because of their relationship. And Sarah was frustrated and upset with him, and the way things were going on the mission, and she reacted how you'd expect in that moment, and sorted things out with him later. What bugs me even more is that I thought most of that was explained in one line of dialogue they probably all ignored, Ellie's comment to Chuck that maybe "Sarah just sees the world differently". Also their solution to all these "out of character" actions: that Chuck and Sarah should have had a conversation beforehand and talked about their issues. Didn't they do that at the end of the episode anyway? Wouldn't them doing that first have been more "out of character"? Also wouldn't it have been less dramatic and maybe not very entertaining on a television show?
ReplyDelete-OPD
I didn't find either Chuck or Sarah to be out of character. Chuck stuck his nose into a situation that was none of his business. Sarah felt threatened so she closed up and acted like a bitch toward toward the threat(Chuck).
ReplyDeleteI was just irriated by many of their actions. Sometimes Chuck and Sarah acting badly can be entertaining. During this episode it was just annoying to me.
Side note. Mini Anden was amazingly, crazy hot. They better bring her back
"Out of character can also mean not doing it anymore."
ReplyDeleteWhat people mean to say is that it is a lack of CONTINUITY.
"I think those people are using the phrase 'out of character' as a simplistic way of expressing the fact that they didn't like the way it played out on screen"
Yep. They have been doing that since I started in this fandom. As I used to say "it is not a plot hole until it is a plot hole, and it is not out of character just because YOU DIDN'T LIKE IT."
I think that the problem of 4.15 was that serious and nervous Sarah and goofy and whining Chuck were too much into character, not out of character. And the problem with the episode was, IMO, that it didn't meet the expectations of many, based on what we could expect (Carina, Sarah's past, LDP): it seemed like they tried to put too many things in it, and it simply didn't work. Not all the time, at least... But it was also difficult to come after a great comedic episode like Seduction Impossible.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the discussion, I wonder what will be the reactions to Masquerade, with the new characters and the new plot lines.
rich says
ReplyDeleteI felt like this cat squad thing could have used a two episode arc, bringing in lou diamond phillips at the end of the first one, and then having a real plot for a real bad guy actor (LDP) in the second one. They could have had a simple plot for the first one (written by ali adler! :) that allows them to really dig into their pasts before they go on the real mission together, taking down lou diamond phillips