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4.13 Chuck versus the Push Mix (a.k.a. Chuck versus Josie) Review by Josie Kafka "This needs to end now." Everything came together in "Chuck versus the Push Mix," yet another mid-season finale that was originally designed to act as series finale if needed. The writers resolved every major plot that had been percolating since the season began, or -- in some cases -- since the death of Papa B last season. It was touching and genuine and funny and sweet. And, for that reason, this is my last Chuck episode to watch or review until the series finale. I'm not throwing my hands up in disgust, or storming away, or angry. I'd known for a while that I'd lost my passion for Chuck, and I wasn't enjoying writing the reviews, either. Chuck had become a burden, a thing I dreaded squeezing in around work and other work and laundry and sleep. It stopped being fun, and I started to only see the flaws. Why? At this point, I'm not sure. Chuck has lots its appeal for me, but not for everyone, and that makes me think that my growing discontent with the show is more of a personal reaction than a dispassionate assessment. Sure, I could talk about plot holes and problems-of-the-week, but I would likely forgive all those sins and more if my heart was still in it. Sometimes, people change. I guess I changed, although I'm still not sure how, and I grew disenchanted with this little show that could. That's why I was so happy that this episode was so very good. It's a great last-until-the-finale episode for me, because it had everything that I love about Chuck, everything that I've felt has been missing. I'm glad that my Chuck experience is ending on a high note. There's been some internet chatter about what the focus of this episode was -- Mama B, or Volkoff, or the baby, or the proposal? I'm a fan of the theory that it is about people coming together to protect and promote their family. We saw it with Casey's daughter (and Casey himself), with Ellie and Mama B connecting over the new baby/grandbaby, with Chuck and Morgan risking so much to bring everyone back to Burbank where they belong. It's telling that Volkoff was so enraptured of The Contessa. Not a person, but a ship. (Or a boat. I always get confused about that terminology.) His ability to excel at evil depends on his inability to truly connect with others. Even his lust for Mama B is more about acquiring an object than truly forming a deep and lasting connection with another person. And his favorite "humanitarian" is Stalin. That's a clue that he doesn't understand humans, humanism, or humanitarianism. Our heroes, on the other hand, are all about the connections. It's that theme of Josh Schwartz shows that I particularly like, and it was the guiding principle of The O.C. for most of the series: people coming together and risking a lot in order to protect their loved ones. The Mama B and Ellie reunion was the one that spoke most deeply to me personally, but even Jeff and Lester tried their darndest to support their friends. Chuck even brought back Papa B for a posthumous fake cameo, so it felt like the whole family was involved in taking down Volkoff. And, of course, Chuck finally got to propose in a simple, understated, and absolutely perfect proposal scene. Bytes: Ellie: "Chuck and I do anything for family." Awesome: "Rusted Root is rad, right?" Chuck: "Yeah, yeah." Morgan: "Warrior Two pose... transition into Warrior Three pose." Maybe it's because I don't do yoga, but I thought that was quite funny. Volkoff: "From my favorite poet and humanitarian, Josef Stalin." And Pieces: -- The spider thing reminded me of the spider things in the Doctor Who episode "The End of the World." -- Linda Hamilton as Mama B never forgot that she knew Morgan as a child. She spoke to him like a mom. -- I really did think that Chuck and Morgan were acting alone. Chuck was my first review for billiedoux.com, so it is with mixed emotions that I end my reviews. Dimitri may be catching up with reviews this summer (unless he gets that acrobat job he's always wanted), but in the meantime, I'll end with this: Thank you, Chuck for so many great seasons. Thank you for being such a fun show for so long. I know that you'll continue to amuse many others for -- hopefully -- quite a long time, and I look forward to discovering how it all turns out in the series finale. View all comments or post a comment. |
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