Following my posting of an article linking to Sepinwall's interview with the head of NBC, several reliable individuals contacted me about talks between NBC and WB for more episodes in season 5.
I had heard about this around SDCC (Michael Ausiello hinted at it in a cast interview) and checked with my source at NBC and was told not to take it seriously (since Ausiello seemed to be hinting at a sixth season). However, the response yesterday from others in-the-know made me press the NBC source for more information.
I was told today that while NBC hasn't 100% ruled out anything, that the likelihood of a back order, at least right now, is less than 10%. For NBC to order more episodes, the source said, WB would have to keep the licensing fee at the 13 episode order level. WB may be unwilling to do that since they don't need more than 88 episodes to sell the show into syndication.
WB COULD possibly lower the licensing fee again, perhaps if CHUCK Season 4 DVD/BD sales are very good. So, start ordering, people!
Order: CHUCK SEASON 4 DVD
Order: CHUCK SEASON 4 Blu-Ray
(Disclosure: I make like $1.something per your order if you clicky that link)
This individual went onto say that the CHUCK writers are writing the next 13 as the series finale but... and here is the kicker, since NBC hasn't fully committed to ending it at 13, the series finale will end up being open ended, instead of having full closure like many expect.
If NBC decides to pick the show up for more, they would have to do it before November, when production ends. The problem there is that CHUCK doesn't return until 21 October. That doesn't give NBC much time to judge its need for more episodes. The most likely scenario would have any back order occur BEFORE the show returns, or at the latest, within the first week or two of its return.
Do you want the 13 episodes written as a series finale and then have 9 episodes tacked on after they have shot 11 of them? How do you feel about an open ended series finale? Comment below.
No. End it as planned. Same dance we've had the last two seasons. Look where that left the writers, the cast and the crew. Rather have a well written ending in 13 eps than a half-assed back nine.
ReplyDeleteIf for some reason NBC and WB reach an agreement before the season begins in October, then I'm all for a back nine order. Otherwise, I think they should end it at 13 as planned.
ReplyDeletedamn... I hate open ended series finales.. as much as I love Chuck.. I think 13 episodes is enough to tell a good story.. I mean they did it for season 1 didn't they? Why can't that just have full closure!
ReplyDeleteMy honest reaction to this as a viewer is that I'm tired of being jerked around. It's the ending! Never mind. It's the ending! Never mind.
ReplyDeleteI want a really solid, touching ending like Friday Night Lights had.
If the ending of Season 4 is what they mean by open-ended with the Morgansect development, no thank you.
I disagree anon, if you think season1 ending was a satisfying one then you probably have a very evolved imagination.
ReplyDeleteI hope they would get a back 9 order cause i think they still have good stories to tell, that's of course if they don't turn "Chuck" into "Morgansect" if they focus the show on characters like Morgan, Captain Awesome etc. then it means they are out of ideas and they should end it after 13
Also i'm pretty sure even if Fedak knows they have only 13 he would still leave the series finale open ended so i don't see how an extra 9 will hurt the show.
Am with MediaSavant on this one. End it, and end it well. Hope that writer's room is not hanging onto a miniscule thread that won't pan out. Greenblatt says its 13 and done. Even if there is a 10% chance its not, write the ending like it is 0% of coming back in any venue. Think you'd like to be the one show that did it right than be like the hundreds of other shows that didn't end it right by their fans.
ReplyDeleteI would not mind seeing the order extended IF it can be done without hurting the flow of the season. What the heck, forget what I just said! Give me as much Chuck as you please!. Even if the storyline were to suffer it would still be better than a majority of crap on television.
ReplyDeleteHow about NBC orders 11 more Christmas episodes (I'm hoping they have one last one planned to begin with) and has the "12 Days of Chuckmas!" air nightly during the holiday season? ;)
Seriously though, the thought of an open-ended series finale really depresses me. As MediaSavant said above, I hope it gets similar closure to that of Friday Night Lights. While not perfect, it was a solid series finale.
Unless of course it's necessary to set up a spinoff 10 years from now called "Clara", which stars all the original cast members . :P
I'll take MediaSavant's reasoned reaction and put my own spin on it:
ReplyDeleteFOR THE LOVE OF GOD, WHY WON'T IT STOP?!?!
Jim
Let me be yet another person to agree with MediaSavant. I'm beyond sick of the back and forth. It's like the will they or won't they stuff with Chuck and Sarah. Only Chuck is the cast/writers, and NBC is Sarah. Just end it already!
ReplyDeleteI am kind of always open to more Chuck. I might end up hating nearly the whole season, but there is always the possibility of a gem of an episode somewhere in there. And I will definitely watch anything anyway.
ReplyDeleteAnd from the way Fedak has been approaching the possible endings so far, I seriously doubt we would ever get a definitive end anyway. I think he likes to keep his endings somewhat open no matter what.
And as someone did bring up Friday Night Lights, there is talk about continuing that with a movie, and I think storywise this would be possible even though there was a wonderful ending that gave closure.
So I would hope they write a wonderful ending for Chuck and give us as much closure as Fedak would ever be willing to give.
I think as long as they don´t kill of Chuck, it is always possible to tack on more story in a short self containing arc. And I wouldn´t want the show to end with Chuck´s death anyway.
Chuck must die in final episode so fans doesn't hope that show will go on or not!!
ReplyDeleteif chuck won't die, fans hope someday chuck will return as a movie or anything else and this is so bad!!!
I don't want open ending final!!!
Very interesting that Ausiello and I posted similar info almost at the same time (I did beat him). Though, his is to promote the corporate line, while mine is the insider line. :)
ReplyDeleteAs for my opinion about all of this... I agree with what all my sources say about it and what they say everyone who works on the show says about it (away from public opinions, of course).
Please just end the show well! Please just release poor Zac from whatever captivitity he is being held in! (based on your last podcast that says someone stops him from doing certain things with his business). I mean man it is just wrong to keep prolonging a show that's quality at best is slighlty off season to season with last minute renewals and at worst filled with contrived storylines (heres looking at you season 3) that just frustrate the poor viewer. Come on NBC just say 13 and out or if the WB wants 22 then just say right now we will give it to you for free or as near to that as possible NOW! This is so frustrating....
ReplyDeleteI think another thing is that they have to be wary of is that each season they restore Zac Levi's looks and looking over some of season 4 he had actually gone past yvonne in the looks department (sorry Magnus). If this year they make him put on a few pounds of muscle (like captain awesome, cole or even Joel Mchale) then he will just be too good looking for anyone walking on the show, lol. So there has to be an end point where it is actually beleivable that Chuck is a nerd or geek that is lucky to be with Sarah, not the other way round, lol.
ReplyDeleteNO FRAKIN' WAY! Yvonne is gorgeous. Zac is just handsome.
ReplyDeleteHola Amigo: Well, with these inconsistencies ~ NBC is in some way being "consistent". I think the major influence at the moment is the huge wave of emotion that flooded Comic Con. In any case - whether there is a back order or not - I don't think the Chuck characters would all die tragically in their "finale". Given the track record for plots = it would be a "happily-ever-after" ending in some way I'm sure. In that light - a Chuck movie, or reunion episode - or even short mini series, at some point in the future, could be easily assembled - with any of the cast that are available. The show has so many wonderful elements - that they can always rearrange the pieces and have something that works. [ Well, Zac and Yvonne are critical.]
ReplyDeleteAny FINALE would only be closing a chapter for the story at a moment in time - as long as the characters are still alive. ~ cheers, the Gringo Chuck Fan
Hey Magnus, any word yet on what the budget cuts will be like?
ReplyDeleteI think zac has made the top 25 sexiest men alive twice and some other magazines have put him in the top 50. I do not think I have ever seen Yvonne break the top 50 in any magazine or other poll. That could mean that a) these are polls who not only look at attractiveness but popularity b) it is harder for a woman to be more attractive then a man (since there are more of them or c) zac is just better looking (yeah you guessed it as a girl this is my vote, lol)
ReplyDeleteI haven't heard any specifics on budget cuts for this season. An individual I know who works on set hasn't mentioned any major changes to me so... perhaps they ran out of things to cut.
ReplyDeleteGringo Chuck Fan, the studio or network don't give a crap about passion unless it turns into dollars. If you don't spend money, then they don't care how "passionate" or "emotional" you are about a show. They are in it to make money, not to make you happy.
ReplyDeleteJane, so you agree with every single selection on those lists?
ReplyDeleteThey are made by people with agendas. As with award shows, it is a popularity contest. Yvonne isn't as well known.
And obviously it is more difficult for a woman to make those lists. The fact that Yvonne has with much less exposure than Zac shows just how super frakin' attractive she is.
Yeah it is tougher for women to climb those rankings. I read that (and as a girl I read a lot of magazines) there are only a handful of women who have perfect and unblemished skin that requires absolutely no make up at all. The rest are plastered with it just to get to a gorgeous level. It is a very cut throat situation I suppose to be pretty, lol. Abside note, why do men age better then wen? I hate that, lol.
ReplyDeleteI think you're not objective about yvonne Razorback:) and I don't want to be objective about zac. I agree with john. Zac should play in movies and direct his own projects!!
ReplyDeleteChuck has to end and no more episodes!!!
For what my opinion is worth (a bag of peanuts) I say let them finish out strong as much as possible with all resources they have instead of having to stretch things out. This cast and crew has served us well and I see no reason to put them through constant goodbyes.
ReplyDeleteI am being far more objective about Yvonne than you nutty chicks are about Zac.
ReplyDeleteAnd men age "better" because society has decided boyish looks are not as sexy as mature, for men. But the young-girl look is more attractive for women. Why? Because the definition of beauty is still mostly controlled by creepy old men.
Well, I guess your sources and the people working on the show want to end it after 13 eps.
ReplyDeleteI watched all the video interviews of Zac and Josh this morning, because I was looking for one in particular and it felt as if Zac really really wanted a lighter schedule. And they probably want to try something new and have a specific date when they could work on something else.
So that would mean, you want them to end it after 13 as well. And that makes sense considering, you said, what you heard seemed like they might be running out of steam.
And I don´t get any competition about looks between Zac and Yvonne. They are obviously of different gender and thus hardly competing for roles or hotness titles from the same audience. And as any actor they can be made to look as not hot as the story needs them to be, even if it is just "Hollywood not hot".
Yeah I read that too alexis! Women like Halle Berry and Kate Winslet have perfect skin, whereas Cameron Diaz and Lindsay Lohan have the worst. Yeah it is a fine line.
ReplyDeleteAlright, enough talk about who is prettiest. What does it have to do with this posting anyway?
ReplyDeleteDitto @John. Zac has done what ever the fans have wanted to his detriment. Let him go. All these guys have great futures.
ReplyDeleteI think generally chuck has done well with the extra episode orders ( unlike prison break where every season you could tell that they had been extended and badly at that), but last season showed that it was a lot harder then the season before and I worry that extending this season would be suicidal for them. They have had a great run, te to call it a day.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't they end the show at 13 with a real finale (not open ended), and if they do decide to pick up the remaining 9 or whatever, write standalone episodes? I thought some of Chuck's finest episodes came from standalones.
ReplyDeleteI will admit that my first response was an emotional one. I've just become tired of the back and forth and I fear the possibility of weaker plots. What you said about the season so far has influenced my opinion, I guess.
ReplyDeleteHere's a more rational discussion of NBC's business situation. We assume the reason NBC kept Chuck around was a cheap license fee. According to Advertising Age's publishing of the ad agency ratings projections(written up in Geekfurious), they are projecting lower ratings for Chuck on Friday. But, NBC and other networks got hefty CPM increases in the upfronts that defray--to a point--ratings declines.
Most of NBC's Fall shows are "iffy" when it comes to probable success. I wouldn't bet on any of them surviving. The one with the best chance is probably Whitney because it has a coveted timeslot on Thursday. But, I wasn't impressed with the show. NBC's most likely success doesn't come on until February--Smash. The pilot is really good.
I have to believe that the early "not so positive" buzz about their Fall shows may influence NBC's opinion.
So, would NBC have any reason to approve more episodes of Chuck before Season 5 even begins airing? Maybe they feel they have nothing to lose.
But, if they wait until the ratings come in for the initial episodes, it's always possible the ratings will be even worse than expected and there is no chance of a back order.
We then get caught with an ending that possibly lacks closure.
If they are going to do this, please do it before October. They did it in Season 3.
The massive rush on CHUCK season 4 pre-orders (at least through the links in the article) sure are a sign of people not caring.
ReplyDeleteOne order. I am rolling in the dough.
I would MUCH rather have 9 fewer episodes and get some closure with a satisfying "ending" that be left in limbo.
ReplyDeleteWord.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, one of my favorite things to do when I post spoilery kinds of things is to track the link backs and read what people have to say.
And my all-time favorite thing to read is people dismiss my info EVEN AFTER ALL THIS TIME as not being reliable. Yet every time, my information turns out to be accurate.
Hell, SpoilerTV, or whatever that site is called, outright dismissed my October 21st return info because they were waiting for "more legitimate" sources. Like who? LOL. I am always way ahead of everyone else and always the most accurate.
Isn't demonetization funny?
I suppose your info only panning out 100 out of 100 times isn't legitimate enough for some idiots.
ReplyDeleteI dont think those people honestly think your information isnt true they probably dont like you and try to badmouth you in that way so others dont take you seriously. No offense but you do have a confrontational personality.
ReplyDeleteHow dare you?! I AM NOT CONFRONTATIONAL!
ReplyDeleteP.S.
You are banned for life.
P.P.S.
You are probably right.
Still banned for life, though.
I'm thinking it's just because you're not as well known, and that makes people more likely to take anything you say with a grain of salt by default. You're not Entertainment Weekly or anything like that. Just another fan blog among many, with nothing to immediately show that you have legit connections.
ReplyDeleteI never got the "pre-order" thing for DVD's and music. I wait until the release date and I order it. It's not like Comic-con and they are going to sell out or that you get it that much faster.
ReplyDelete"You're not Entertainment Weekly or anything like that. Just another fan blog among many, with nothing to immediately show that you have legit connections."
ReplyDeleteYou mean other than three years of history of being accurate and first, right?
Everone knows who he is.
ReplyDeleteI was going to stay away from Chuck sites as much as possible this year & enjoy the final season of the show without dealing with "fan angst" but when I saw your tweet on this, I had to read it.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post, Magnus, I just shook my head. I was looking forward to a proper ending to the show. Few shows get that opportunity and for many fans, it may be the only reason to stick around. With this news, I can see Fedak writing and open ended finale ... and fans winding up with another not really ending.
After reading some of the comments here, I facepalmed and shook my head. You'd think that after four years, people would get it. You have been the most accurate at reporting all things Chuck. Yes, you throw misdirection into your teaser spoilers, but they wind up 100% accurate if not what we expect them to be. And your news from behind the scenes has panned out as well.
No hype - no bs - you just know what you are talking about.
I would like to know what the opinion of those working on the show is that you agree with.
Thanks Magnus!
PeterO, they will try to give us a conclusion that is satisfying but have to hold back just in case. That means that even though those 13 are almost certainly all we will get, the writers can't close out exactly the way they would have just in case NBC decides they want more episodes.
ReplyDeleteMind you, you won't hear this anywhere else because everyone is too invested in protecting their relationships with the network/studio. They just report what they read or what they are told. I go get the... rest of the story. ;)
Paul Harvey reincarnated! ;)
ReplyDeleteMinus all the success.
ReplyDeleteIf NBC is considering a back order yet once again . Why don't the writers just make this season a 12 episode arc and leave the 13th episode ( if the show is ending ) as a goodbye-esque episode with the characters at the forefront and not doing anything mission/spy wise . If the show continues past 13 then they can make that episode a bridge to the next 9 . What would be so hard doing that ?
ReplyDeleteYou know there are going to be some meaningless episodes in the middle of the season that when it comes to the way they usually do it jam pack the final 2 and have like 4 minutes of actual " closure " .
I wonder why they don't go the "alternate ending" route. Using Friday Night Lights finale as an example, the parts that provided closure really were in the last portion of the episode.
ReplyDeleteIf we look back to the finale of Season 4, the whole sequence with the Morgansect cliffhanger after Chuck gets back from the honeymoon could have been replaced with something else if it were a real series finale.
When Babylon 5 got a surprise renewal for Season 5, the series finale had been filmed. They merely delayed it a year and put a newly filmed episode in its place.
for me I want them to either just have the 13 episode like planned or have 22 and just have the end then and not have an open ended because I think most people will agree that they would like an end that bring things all together.
ReplyDeleteMagnus i have one question, is there a possibility for NBC to cut Chuck of air before they aired all 13 episodes ? (Like they did with The Cape)
ReplyDeleteSince they focus the season on an actor like Josh Gomez i think that is a big possibility, no offense to him but i think it must be a reason he was a supportive character for 4 years and his acting career besides Chuck consists of voice over in video games.
AdriaN, if CHUCK does so poorly that it costs more to air than to not, then NBC could dump it. But I doubt that would happen. NBC would just push the show to Saturday nights or put it online. We will see all episodes via NBC. And your Josh Gomez hate is ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteI have no hate for him i just think he is not a good actor compared to Zac and his spot in the show should be supportive like it was before.
ReplyDeleteI saw interviews with Josh and he said that now he has Zac's scheduele and Morgan will be the one who will go in missions with Sarah & Casey.
I don't understand why they do something like that, replace the most known actor from the show with one who was there for 4 years mostly for comedic purpose
Since you are the one with the inside sources correct me if i am wrong with what i said cause from spoilers and interviews it looks like this season we`ll see a lot of Josh and little of Zac.
Josh is a fantastic actor. Zac hasn't tried to act for two seasons.
ReplyDelete(see, I can say ridiculous crap too)
lol, what's ridiculous in saying Zac is a better actor ? i don't get it
ReplyDeleteI never said Josh is not funny, i just don't think he is leading man material for an action-spy-dramedy.
So please,if u are kind enough, can you please confirm that Josh will have more screen time then Zac ? cause i would really like to know.
I'm just saying Zac is the worst actor in the business. I didn't say anything bad about him.
ReplyDelete(FYI, Zac, I am being antagonistically facetious to demonstrate how saying Josh isn't as good as you is an unnecessary slight on his acting skills, you know I love you and would have your babies and think you are a fantastic actor)
ReplyDeleteOk, i'l contact you when you are passed the ironic hour, i just asked you a simple question : will Josh Gomez have more screen time then Zac Levi ?
ReplyDeleteI think it's a pretty important thing for season5 but i guess your to focused on bashing me in a sarcastic way to answer that.
All this renewal/cancellation back and forth is the main reason I usually only get into shows after they've ended. That said, I'll probably watch this show as long as they keep making new episodes. I'm really worried that season 5 won't be very good, but it could end up being better than I think.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to try to use "antagonistically facetious" in a sentence before the end of the week- Thanks Magnus!
ReplyDeleteIf Zac Levi is reading this, then why in the heck did you leave Sarah high and dry in Prague, you moron?
ReplyDelete(Woohoo, I can conflate the characters and actors with the best of them.)
Jim
I think it's funny how filming ONE episode with a little more Gomez and Yvonne that people think that's going to be the norm this season ! Morgan and Sarah scenes are HILARIOUS !!
ReplyDeleteMaybe fans should take a hint! Magnus has said it in a round about way, some clever posters here have said it already...they could be running out of ideas! Face it all the adrians and anonymouses and all the other people who are morgan/gomez hating right now...Chuck has for better or worse reached a peak, his journey is pretty much done. He has gone through the spy training, saved sarah multiple times via that training, had sarah save him, had casey save both of them. Chuck has got the girl, sorted out the bryce and jill situation, sorted out any issues with ellie and awesome, got his diploma, got the girl, got the girl to marry him, and so on and so forth. The only thing they could really do is try and do an arc that has chuck and sarah and casey find out who is the mysterious person/organisation behind the 'GRAND PLAN' and to be honest as magnus said in his cliffhanger podcast, that is never going to happen! They do not have the budget or really a smart enough way to satisfactorily do an arc that can tie fulcrum, intersect, byrce, ring, shaw, volkoff, etc. So they are doing probably an arc that is just watching chuck learn how to run a buymore/spy agency and how to become a handler like sarah and casey were to chuck. This could mean that sarah and casey are sidelined..but at this point their journey's are pretty much done too. This is as again magnus would say..the bane of being a bubble show, you keep burning off ideas way to quickly and there suddenly becomes nothing left to explore. It does make me smile though that at least we had almost half the series with chuck and sarah together because of that very fact, lol, we would never have gotten that if it was not a bubble show.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to your question should be obvious. The name of the show is CHUCK, not MORGAN.
ReplyDeleteI got to give posters on this site some credit, albeit small credit. I have been reading every review of breaking bad done by Alan Sepinwall and all his posters have said in almost every episode that they want skyler and marie to be killed off, lol. At least Chuck fans are a little more reasonable. Also some posters have been attacking some of the characters wieght and other physical characteristics, not cool. I mean I think the worst has to be last episode, lol. At least we do not have loads of people wishing morgan death, lol.
ReplyDeleteJimmy, I am sure if you go to some other CHUCK sites, you will find that kind of discussion going on.
ReplyDeleteWell...it is so unnecessary. I mean it is not the poor guys/characters fault that the show runners are choosing this route, like it or not, gomez is under contract and he is paid to do a job. So critisizing him is pointless, actually critisizing anyone is pointless..it always has been, it always will be. A show will do what it has to do and there is nothing anyone can do about it, so save your energy and enjoy what you get.
ReplyDeletedon't know why fans freak over Morgan and Sarah spending more time together
ReplyDeleteJoshua and Yvonne are friends in real life too, they follow each other on twitter, they have fun on set so why shouldn't they use that on the actual show ?
it can be more entertaining to see scenes with Morgan and Sarah then another season filled with Chuck and Sarah boring kisses
Last week i saw a bts photo when Yvonne wearing fishnets puts her leg on Joshua's shoulder
that's sexier then all Chuck and Sarah intimate moments from last season
I hope that means Morgan and Sarah are going undercover as a couple in the first episode, that should be awesome.
why you keep saying that morgan is a good actor!! as a chuck fan I want to watch zac, not morgan, That's it!!!
ReplyDeleteMorgan is not a real person. The actor is Josh.
ReplyDeleteI think crazy shippers have shifted to Morgan haters.
I want to see Sarah boss around Jeff and Lester and deal with their shananigans...she is their boss now after all.
ReplyDeleteyou know what I mean!!! (josh) you're not josh btw
ReplyDeleteWait... I am not Josh? Holy poopsicles, Batman! What else?!
ReplyDeleteIn regards to the concerns of AdriaN'S and others, I heard that the new ad slogan for Season 5 will be "No More Mr. Tall Spy".
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'....
LOL!
ReplyDeleteReally MediaSavant ? too bad they don't have more seasons :( they could of used "No More Mr. Sober Spy" in season6 when they focus the show on Jeff
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see how this whole Morgansect will work out.
So Fedak teased about the 5th season “There’s something we’re working on right now that I think is going to make people’s brains explode. I hope they really dig it.” & “It has to do with Sarah and Chuck.” Why am I getting a fanfiction feeling about this? Please tell me it isn't that they knew each other as kids.....
ReplyDeleteI am pretty sure I know what he is talking about...
ReplyDeleteMagnus if he's talking about the split up then you proved once again, you have more insight on the show then any other spoiler site
ReplyDeletefunny you claim not to use spoilers anymore but you still bring more inside info then any other Chuck fan-site :))
... and that would be ... what?
ReplyDeleteHere is a crazy theory (since 80=90% of the fans on the internet are nuts, I thought I would throw my crazy theory in there too) when Fedak and Schwartz were kids they would sit at the geek table at high school reading their comic books and always dreaming what would they want to be if they were comic book characters and what would be their ultimate girl if they were that character. So years later they realise that they want to be a rip off of Neo from the Matrix and their perfect girl is a 5ft 10 blond bombshell. So they hire an actor who looks like an amalgamation of them and they hire the most beautiful and talented blonde they could find (Yvonne) and they set on their way to telling the perfect story. But here is the kicker, they tell the story, they let the boy become a man, become a hero and get the girl!!!!! They get everything they ever wanted and more! They get to live vicariously through Chuck! But here is the nightmare part, somewhere along the line Chuck became too competant, too good looking, too charming, too charismatic, has too much of a sexy aura about him and before they know it he is not like them at all, he does not display enough times the geek qualities that he had at first, the qualities that they love! He does not look at Sarah the same way (i.e. with his head in the clouds smiling that he cannot believe this beautiful angel wants to actually talk and be with someone like me!), he is confident and at times cocky, he has the ability to hurt her! They wake up in a cold sweat that he is lost to them! So what do they do to make themselves feel better, to remember the good old days, to be get back that knowledge and feeling of why this all started. What they do is decide to get all those qualities back with someone who they can relate to, it cannot be awesome because lets face it, awesome would make them feel even more lost since he is further away from them than even chuck (you do know he used to be a soap opera actor right? i.e. making out all day with the hottest chicks in America) so they choose Morgan! Morgan will give them back the geekiness, he will give them back the sweetness, he will give them back their reason for starting this journey! Schwartz does say that they write this for them as much as us. So as crazy as this sounds and I cannot stop laughing that I got this far down the crazy path without falling off my chair in a fit of laughter, but Morgan is an attempt to give them back something they lost, they lost chuck to the cool table, to the cool kids, to the cool life, to the cool girl. It is lonely at the geek table, it always has been...
ReplyDeleteWell... to answer your question, I WOULD have to give a spoiler so... you will just have to wait and see... like in November.
ReplyDeleteDoes this thing with Chuck and Sarah sound good to you? Do you think the (sane) fans will like it?
ReplyDeleteIf it is what I think he is talking about, it redefines "Jump the Shark." It is like jumping a shark who is jumping a shark who is playing a fiddle on top of a shark jumping a microscopic shark.
ReplyDeleteBut he could be talking about something else. I have amazing ninjas inside Fedak's world, but not inside his brain.
ReplyDeleteHaving our brains explode with something we'll hopefully dig.
ReplyDeleteThat's a pretty tall order.
"It is like jumping a shark who is jumping a shark who is playing a fiddle on top of a shark jumping a microscopic shark"
ReplyDeletejust made that my sig on a chuck forum
I hope you cited your source, thief!
ReplyDeleteJump the shark who is jumping ... oh God, never mind.
ReplyDeleteSo I have only a one word comment - but this is a family site - so my comment is more than one word - but it has four letters - and actually, it could be two words - interchanged/back-and-forth - you know word#1/word#2 and so on.
ahahahahaha i love Amrit's crazy theory :))
ReplyDeleteAs for the spoilers part, i hope whatever they have in store to create tension between Chuck & Sarah won't last for more then 2,3 episodes. And i hope it will be something like amnesia.
they already gave them a nice send off with the wedding i wonder if they can top that.
By the way they did the last episode with the whole Charah relationship over the years montage i think it's safe to assume they where not sure they where getting picked up for a 5TH
And if history is any indicator, when they bring Chuck & Sarah to close (like they did at the end of season2) they find a stupid way to set them apart (early season3)
It's going to be interesting to see how they do it this time, now that they are married.
I probably over hyped it...
ReplyDeleteAdriaN'S, if they had been reading this site, they would have known to write the season 4 finale with confidence of more episodes. But yes, they wrote the finale thinking that was it... but leaving it open ended just in case.
ReplyDeleteExpect something similar in 5.13.
Well it is Shark Week! Also, I had the same reaction as PeterOinNJ, something about the wording he used. Also the way he answered the question makes it sound like he's letting the Chuck writer minions run amuck with bizarre ideas while he sits back and watches.
ReplyDeleteMagnus, one question do you think Morgan intersected equals just jumping the shark ? if so i wonder how bad the whole Chuck & Sarah thing can be, since in their case they jump multiple Sharks :))
ReplyDeleteI know you won't give further hints, but I'm now wondering if it is a development that will stick for more than a few episodes or just a "one off" scene or episode.
ReplyDeleteLet me guess. Chuck and Sarah buy a dog which accidentally downloads the new intersect meant to restore Chuck's intersect. So, now they have a dog that knows kung fu and has all the government's secrets in its head. It also gets the ability to speak...in multiple languages.
The dog's name will be Bruce.
...and, with that, my fan fiction phase is over just as it got started.
ReplyDeleteMediaSavant, if you really want to know, I can tell you... in private. :) But you may not want to know.
ReplyDeleteAdrian, I felt Morgan downloading the Intersect COULD be a JTS moment. However, I don't think it is as detrimental to the storyline, or the show, as some other potential plot points. But I can't get into it more until the series is over.
OldPandaDayz, interesting that you say that... we can talk about it more when the series is over. :)
"The dog's name will be Bruce."
ReplyDeleteCause after all, that is better than Chuck.....
Hmm now I'm curious. That being said I wouldn't blame him if that's the case. It doesn't seem like Schwartz helps him out much anymore and I imagine he's as tired as everyone else of the back and forth over renewal each season. I just hope if he's letting the kids play in the sandbox for a while they have some supervision :)
ReplyDeleteFair enough Magnus, i just hope even though you don't do spoilers anymore you will still do the podcast where you comment Chuck episodes after they air.
ReplyDeleteI don't really want to know. Speculating based on very little information is more fun than actually knowing. I'm not really a spoiler junkie but a "tease and speculate" junkie.
ReplyDeleteFedak is still very active. Don't take anything I say to mean he isn't. I think he loves the show more than the fans. I just don't think he can see the show in the way fans do... or understand why some ideas should stay on the board.
ReplyDeleteAdrian, the intention is to continue reviewing episodes every week. However, if our listenership drops below 5,000... then it isn't worth it to me. I am in it for the popularity!
However, I am willing to do the GF podcast for less. I am considering putting CHUCK reviews at the front of the GF podcast every week. I could then cut it out and release it as a CYT episode. Two podcasts for no extra work!
This is torture!!! Why they are doing it to us!! There are so many possibilities...
ReplyDeleteChuck-Sarah split
Chuck with another girl
Sarah with another man
Chcuk gets hurt
Sarah gets hurt
Chuck sings to sarah
Sarah sings to chuck (as good as she can)
??????
Razorback choose one of them and say something pppllleeeaaasssseeeeee!!!!!
Sorry, I retired from the spoiler game.
ReplyDeleteI just... sniffles... wasn't... sigh... appreciated enough!
Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that either or speak ill of Fedak. I do believe he's still very active in the show and I understand you're point. He may be looking at things from a different perspective. Also, just wanted to say that I think you logic for the podcast makes sense. I like both this site and GeekFurious and I thought the structure for the 2nd GF podcast was nice with some Chuck stuff at the beginning along with other fun stuff. Please keep up with both podcasts if you can!
ReplyDeleteThanks. I don't want to do TWO podcasts, unless I somehow figure out a way to make money doing it. So, if I can record one and make two out of it, great. Otherwise, I will just do the GF one and always start it off with CHUCK. Then, if CHUCK fans don't want to hear the rest, they can just tune out once we finish that discussion.
ReplyDeleteBut we shall see. Still more than 2.5 months away. Until then, I figure we will do a couple of CYT episodes and at least one more GF.
" For the record , there was an episode of Happy Days where a guy literally jumped over a shark , and it was the best one !! " - Troy Barnes
ReplyDeletelol
Thank the maker for COMMUNITY.
ReplyDeleteHeh, I stopped watching Community half-way through season 2.
ReplyDelete"If it is what I think he is talking about, it redefines "Jump the Shark." It is like jumping a shark who is jumping a shark who is playing a fiddle on top of a shark jumping a microscopic shark."
LOL, hyperbole at its finest, but it still worries me.
Is there anything you've heard about this season you do like?
I remember watching that 70's show and do you believe that people of that era thought that the Fonz could kick Bruce Lee's butt? lol...Happy Days jumped the shark a long time before Fonzy jumped the shark, lol. So did the fans!
ReplyDeleteMental note: never take advice from Burkey.
ReplyDelete"Is there anything you've heard about this season you do like?"
ReplyDeleteSigh... I mean, there are situations I like but I am not involving myself too much in thinking about it. I want to see it in action. But story wise, there is nothing I am excited about... or, to be more direct, there isn't anything I like... at all.
It sounds like the worst season of television ever. But I could just be saying that since WB stopped sending me screeners. ;)
FOX, on the other hand, is treating me right and so I will be writing glowing reviews of all their shows on GeekFurious.com! ;)
ReplyDeleteFox is good, but if you could get FX then that would be awesome!!!!!! I mean Wilfred, Archer, Justified, etc! Some serious quality on that network!
ReplyDelete"Mental note: never take advice from Burkey."
ReplyDeleteWise decision. I am the worst.
"Sigh... I mean, there are situations I like but I am not involving myself too much in thinking about it. I want to see it in action. But story wise, there is nothing I am excited about... or, to be more direct, there isn't anything I like... at all.
It sounds like the worst season of television ever. But I could just be saying that since WB stopped sending me screeners. ;)"
I see, I see.
LOL, and if I recall correctly you said season 4 was the best season of television ever last year, and that didn't seem to do you any good with the WB. So why do them any more favours, amirite?
I am sure I can get my hands on all of it. But I hate kissing the arses of those who control such things. I do like the WB people I have had dealings with, though. They have been very cool, on a personal level. But they aren't individuals with the POWAH!
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to your Fringe reviews then. :D
ReplyDeleteWith Fedak´s latest and your attitude I am really starting to be a little apprehensive concerning Chuck´s last season, though.
I hope whatever they do, it won´t ruin what came before. I know it´s possible to just stop watching, but it is quite hard to completely ignore something that happened on the show and in my experience it is definitely possible for a last season to leave a bad taste whenever I think about a show.
And Community is amazing. I really only stop watching shows when they bore me and I can´t see Community doing that at all. And you still seem to love it despite it being on the screener hogging NBC, so that sounds bad for Chuck. ;)
"LOL, and if I recall correctly you said season 4 was the best season of television ever last year"
ReplyDeleteI did what?
I think I said ON PAPER it sounds awesome. And it did. But execution wasn't always on par with their ideas. Still, I enjoyed season 4 a lot. I enjoyed it more than season 3, though I think season 3 was better written. But 4 was more fun.
Oh sorry WB is the screener hog. So no nice reviews for Fringe?
ReplyDeleteAnd I guess you never got Community screeners.
I don't like this at all.
ReplyDeleteI was preparing myself to say goodbye and just enjoy the 13 eps and see what they could come up with knowing this was IT. But now...sucks IMO. I would much prefer a tighter, knowing it's the end 13 episodes then an additional 9 that might just end up being the writers scrambling to come up with OTT plots to keep things moving and add drama.
LOL.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, though, I am not going to base my reviews on whether or not I got screeners. In fact, I have declined free stuff from a few individuals simply because I don't want to feel like I owe anyone anything.
The bigger a site gets, the more arse it has to kiss.
I guarantee that if GeekFurious gets very popular, we will continue to mock stupidity and never take SWAG!
One of the main reasons I have never interviewed anyone from the cast is because that requires major arse kissing and fakery. Though, I would love to do one epic interview with some cast victim this season.
I know you were going by what you knew of what was on paper, yes. This was before season 4 started airing.
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with what you said about season 3 (which is actually my favourite season) and 4.
Yeah there is enough fakery around. Looking forward to reviews on GeekFurious once the season starts, as I don´t watch any geeky summer shows. I also loved the GF/Chuck podcast and wouldn´t mind you combining those two all the time. It was fun to hear you mention Downton Abbey, I wouldn´t have expected that there. Love that show.
ReplyDeleteBut I would love to hear you devour a Chuck cast victim as well. ;D Maybe after the show is over less arse kissing would be needed?
"But execution wasn't always on par with their ideas. Still, I enjoyed season 4 a lot. I enjoyed it more than season 3, though I think season 3 was better written. But 4 was more fun."
I feel that way as well. And I really hope season 5 won´t turn out neither well written nor fun.
Morgan can be a lot of fun. For me he is just a lot of more fun with Casey, Sarah, Ellie or Awesome than with Chuck. So I hope it won´t just be about the bromance as far as Morgan is concerned.
And I love Alex, but her relationship with Morgan has been pretty devoid of anything interesting for me so far.
"It was fun to hear you mention Downton Abbey, I wouldn´t have expected that there. Love that show."
ReplyDeleteSiskj and I are HUGE fans of that show. The great thing about doing the GF podcast is that we can talk about whatever we want. Which is why I am leaning more toward doing it over CYT. But I truly haven't made any final decisions on that.
As for the potential of season 5, it could be a lot of fun. It could easily be the worst written season but still be a blast to watch. Provided that you are not so deeply invested in the characters and their arcs that it offends you on a personal level to see them raped by the writers.
"Provided that you are not so deeply invested in the characters and their arcs that it offends you on a personal level to see them raped by the writers."
ReplyDeleteUh Oh, I don´t think I qualify for that. Now I do hope for as little Sarah and Chuck as possible, so that they can´t be destroyed. But I don´t really want the other characters go through that either. :(
Maybe it should be all about Jeffster. I think I might be the least invested there.
Just remember, I know much less about what they are doing this season than previous seasons. So, they could be doing things with the characters that are AWESOME!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI am going to try to experience this season the way I did most of season 2. It will be a nice experiment. Though, I know I will still hear things about what they are doing... but it won't be in as much detail. So, you can still have your silly hope and dreams about this season even if I am not expecting much.
"As for the potential of season 5, it could be a lot of fun. It could easily be the worst written season but still be a blast to watch. Provided that you are not so deeply invested in the characters and their arcs that it offends you on a personal level to see them raped by the writers."
ReplyDeleteIf this means what i think it means i'm starting to regret they got a 5th season.
after all season4 ending was very good for closure and the only thing fans complained about was the Morgansect
Funny how things work out, now Morgansect is the premise for season5... :))
If you mix that with messing up the characters and their relationships you get a poor season
i hope we are all wrong and we are going to see the best season ever unfortunately with what they revealed till now story wise and with the lack of budget i don't see how that could happen.
You are not even going to remember "Morgansect" by the end of the season.
ReplyDelete"You are not even going to remember "Morgansect" by the end of the season."
ReplyDeleteI'm usually a optimist but that seems more like you say there will be worst things then Morgan with the intersect then you saying Morgan with the intersect is not a big part of the season.
how bad can they screw up the characters Magnus ? i know you don't do spoilers anymore but you really make me(and a lot of other people) curious.
So since you've been around for a while and you went through season3 and the fans uproar, how would you rate the fans uproar for season5 on a scale of 1 to 10 ? (please don't say 11:D)
No idea. Though, I know of people who quit after 3.12 because Sarah went to work for Volkoff. What would they do if the writers xxxxxxxx xxxx xxx xx xxxxxxxx?
ReplyDelete4.12... grrrrr. Why do I always type 3 for season 4? WHY?!
ReplyDeleteWow, with the way these spoilers are heading Sarah's going to be pregnant by episode 3, Bakula will return from the dead by episode 6, we find out Beckman = Sarah's Mom in episode 9, in episode 11 Ellie also gets the intersect and her and Chuck become intersect!spy!siblings!, and the series finale will have Sarah giving birth while Morgan/Alex and Casey/His Lady will have a double wedding with Chuck (full circle) officiating.:)
ReplyDeleteYou forgot to add.. the baby is born with a beard... so, obviously it isn't Chuck's.
ReplyDeleteHeh, how could I have forgot that. Although, the could have straight jet-black hair and dead eyes as secretly Sarah has been visiting a certain somebody in prison.:)
ReplyDeleteOh damn... that's good.
ReplyDeleteYou know, from what I have heard, this exchange sounds a lot like the CHUCK writers room this season. ;)
Yeah, I've made my peace with probably not liking this season. I just hope if they go trainwreck, they go full-on trainwreck just @$#% all of it up. Soap Opera Style!
ReplyDeleteHaving low expectations should be a requirement for everything.
ReplyDeleteBeckman = Sarah's mom would be AWESOME. Better yet, Beckman = Sarah's dad, and he's a much better conman than anyone ever suspected.
ReplyDeleteOn a less silly note, given that no one sane could have left after 4.12, I'm not worrying about whatever nonsense they decide to do for a few episodes. If it ends up being a prolonged (most of the season) wall of angst, I might feel differently. However, I can't imagine Fedak and company would be self-indulgent enough to pull that for what is surely the end of the show.
I want a fun season to close things out.
Jim
Jim
AHAHAHAHAHAHA baby with a beard, that will be something fun to watch :))
ReplyDeletethat could be real drama.. Sarah sleeping with Morgan =))
Unfortunately i don't think the writers are brave enough to take that route :))
Also Yvonne like Kristen Kreuk is wayyyyyyyy toooooo attractive for Josh Gomez, lol. Mini Anden is fine though.
ReplyDeleteMike, how can you say that ? didn't you see Yvonne latest photos taking swims with Josh Gomez and fooling around with him on set while wearing skimpy outfits ? probably that means she likes Josh Gomez more then she likes Zachary Levi for example
ReplyDeleteOf course she likes Josh more... Zac and Yvonne haven't talked in over six months.
ReplyDeleteJust kidding.
Oh anonymous, if you only knew...if only...
ReplyDeleteMike, hehehehehehehehehehehehehehe... if only they knew... if only...
ReplyDeleteIt must be refreshing for Yvonne's people to see Josh and Yvonne in twit pics like the recent ones . If those were Zac and Yvonne , the CRAZIES would come out in force and would turn ugly .
ReplyDeleteUgh, why are people being so passive aggressive about the actors and their personal lives? It's gross.
ReplyDelete"It must be refreshing for Yvonne's people to see Josh and Yvonne in twit pics like the recent ones . If those were Zac and Yvonne , the CRAZIES would come out in force and would turn ugly ."
ReplyDeleteYou mean the crazies haven't come out already?
Random topic: I have discovered Archer thanks to this site. This follows on the heels of Parks and Rec. For those things alone, I forgive Magnus all his foibles and worship at his feet.
Jim
LOL Magnus if you really have inside info on the actors you are either very wealthy or you live by strong moral principles regarding private life cause you could sell gossip like that to magazine for good amounts of money ;)
ReplyDeleteLike that story you mentioned in the pod-cast from this week, that is something that a gossip`magazine would buy in no time.
So i really don't get you :)
You know, i'm digging the fact how much fun Yvonne and Josh seems to have while working together more this season.
ReplyDeleteIt creates hope that it'll translate into good onscreen chemistry and good entertainment for us. I'm also happy because i really liked those few scenes Sarah and Morgan shared together last season.
Foibles? I am perfect.
ReplyDeleteAdriaN`S, I am pretty much broke and borderline homeless, but I would never try to make money off someone's private life. I would rather live on the street eating bugs.
But then again, that is why I am still being questioned for my "legitimacy" after three years and scumbags who stab anyone and everyone in the back get a pass for outright lying... because I don't scam people or create a company called "Nice Guys" that is essentially a shill for studios disguised as a "fan" operation. :)
So, yeah... you truly don't get me. I value my personal morals above everything else.
I'm sorry to hear that Magnus, i hope things will turn around for you.
ReplyDeleteGeekFurious looks pretty good maybe you should try some sort of paid premium membership for that site.
While i don't agree with your personal morals (for me it looks like a win win situation, you get money and actors get media exposure,publicity that helps their careers)
I think it's a good thing to have strong moral principles and i respect that.
As for people who questions your "legitimacy" i think it's obvious for everyone who followed you more then a year that you are 100 % accurate with your spoilers and inside info.
So you either have inside sources or you have psychic abilities, either way you know your stuff :))
I am psychic.
ReplyDeleteAnd no one pays for premium content online unless you are some high end news source.
And I hate to run ads... not that they make you much money anyway. That is why I have the donate option. At least a few dozen people have contributed there. Hell, I am even removing ads that were on the podcast. Stuff doesn't pay anymore anyway.
Did I say a few dozen? I think it is a dozen. ;)
ReplyDeletePlease don't tell me that we'll see amnesiac Sarah falling for the new Intersect.
ReplyDeleteZ
Adrain's, Anonymous, etc. I think that photo Josh tweeted just shows that when the actors say they all have fun and are a tight nit group...they mean it, lol. Also...I just saw photos of Zac at the NBC Universal party and baicarumba! what is he eating? who is dressing him up? who is making him look this good? too good, just too darn good! I am off to have a nap and dream a little dream of my....
ReplyDeleteI expect more from Josh and Yvonne this year than from Zach himself.
ReplyDeleteI mean, you're right, S3 was great in theory, with some very good ideas, somehwhat ruined by not so good acting, as if the actors were not completely convinced of what they were doing: then ok, they are good professionals, and they didn't screw it up completely, but still the feeling remains.
This season, being the last one, I have the feeling that they will just "enjoy the ride", as we should do, and this might save also some disappointing script.
But of course, this could only be wishful thinking by my part, and I could be totally wrong...
I thought they said short of a miracle there was no chance of more episodes? So what now the writers are going to write these 13 with more episodes in mind? What if they don't get more?
ReplyDeleteI have to say that there's something comforting about the return of "fan angst". Things were so quiet in Chuck fan forums between May 16th and Comic-con, I was concerned no one cared anymore.
ReplyDeleteApathy is a more dangerous thing to a TV show than controversy.
"I thought they said short of a miracle there was no chance of more episodes?"
ReplyDeleteI can only go by what people tell me. My sources still think it is a long shot in hell, but I am reporting on the fact that NBC IS considering it, despite what they are saying in public.
Julian says ...
ReplyDeleteLike it or nit CHUCK is NBC's " little fat kid " . If they feel they need more eps to fill up their schedule and can get them on the cheap from WB , why not ? It shouldn't surprise anyone . NBC has been doing this for be past 2 seasons . Why would they stop now ? :)
No open ended!!!!
ReplyDeleteI'd love more Chuck after 13, but right it so that it's a satisfying end of 13. That means you don't kill off important people like in the Serenity movie, but have it have a good ending. If another 9 or 11 get ordered, you can pick up from there.
Chuck will never get a closed ending.
ReplyDeleteFavorite tv show right now besides CHUCK ? Go !
ReplyDeleteI say either is fine if you think about it. An open ended finale isnt ideal, but its 9 more episodes and after its said and done everyone here will wish for just one more episode.
ReplyDelete