Chuck Season 5 (DVD) Review

It was slightly bittersweet catching up on the final season of Chuck on DVD over the past few weeks. On one hand it was nice to finally see the episodes and see how the show would end and on the other it was like saying goodbye to a fun friend for the last time.

Chuck, created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak, is the story of a smart “nerd” (Chuck, played by Zachary Levi) who has a government database (the Intersect) downloaded into his head and over time becomes a spy. It is also the story of his family, friends, handlers and co-workers who all are part of his normal and spy life over the course of the five seasons of the show. Chuck never takes itself too seriously and while there are poignant moments, for the most part it is a fun comedy with action and unique characters thrown in.

Season 5 finds Chuck and his team no longer working for the CIA and trying to make it on their own as independent contract spies. The season also explores what it is like when Chuck doesn’t have the Intersect…will he be a spy without it? We also get to see Morgan (played by Joshua Gomez) take up the spy and deal with the Intersect.

Some of my favorite parts of Chuck often have to do with the other characters in the show, the people working at the Buy More – Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence), Jeff (Scott Krinsky) and Lester (Vik Sahay), Chuck’s Sister (Sarah Lancaster) and her husband Captain Awesome (Ryan McPartlin). These characters often get involved in Chuck’s spy missions without even knowing what they are caught up in and help save the day (or make it more difficult). Probably the best thing that can be said is that the characters of Chuck are the type of people you would want to hang out with and Chuck makes an electronics store like the Buy More look like a fun place to work.

The only downside for me was that it was the last season and it was over too soon (but doesn’t feel rushed). The show definitely stayed fun the whole way. The final episode was great. Almost like a clip show, but not. On the DVDs, you get an extended cut of the final episode in the Extras, it doesn’t change the story, but adds some length to many of the scenes that just give you more time with the characters before they are gone. You may even get to see Jeffster one last time.

Chuck is a fun show and hopefully will find life with a follow up movie sometime in the future. I didn’t mention them above, but Yvonne Strahovski and Adam Baldwin are great as Sarah Walker and John Casey. If you haven’t seen Chuck, go get the DVDs (Netflix, buy, however you need to). If you have seen Chuck but not Season 5, what are you waiting for? Chuck gets four Mick Happies. Don’t forget to look through the extras on the DVDs – seeing the Buy More set broken down (was a little sad) and the cast discussing where they thought the characters would be in the future  (was interesting) and of course the bloopers (fun). Now, when can I call the Nerd Herd to do some work for me?