Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger
Encyclopedia
"Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" is the fourth
season finale
of the American NBC
action-comedy
television series
Chuck
. Aired on May 16, 2011, it is the season's 24th episode, and the 78th overall episode of the series. The episode was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill
and written by series co-creator Chris Fedak
, along with Nicholas Wootton
. Despite the episode's eponymous cliffhanger
ending, supposedly leading into a fifth season
, it was anticipated that Chuck would be cancelled after the fourth season for declining viewership, making "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" the de facto
series finale
. However, a fifth and final season
was ordered on May 13, 2011.
Chuck revolves around the Intersect
, a government database designed by Stephen J. Bartowski
. In the pilot episode
of the series, Stephen's son Chuck
(Zachary Levi
) receives the database and accidentally uploads it to his brain. Chuck is then forced from his life as an employee at the big-box store
Buy More
to the spy world. By the fourth season, Chuck is a Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) agent and is engaged to one of his handlers, Sarah Walker
(Yvonne Strahovski
).
In the season, Chuck and his team fulfill Stephen Bartowski's last wish to destroy Volkoff Industries
, led by international arms dealer Alexei Volkoff
(Timothy Dalton
). It is then revealed that Volkoff was actually Hartley Winterbottom, an MI6
scientist who worked with Stephen in the 1980s. In preparation for an undercover assignment as an arms dealer named Alexei Volkoff, Winterbottom became the first person to upload the Intersect. However, the upload malfunctioned, overwriting Winterbottom's personality with that of his cover, and Stephen spent the last 20 years of his life trying to fix his mistake. At the end of "Chuck Versus the Last Details
", Volkoff's daughter Vivian (Lauren Cohan
) learns of her father's true identity, and, holding Chuck responsible, poisons Chuck's fiancée Sarah with a Volkoff Industries weapon called "the Norseman". To save Sarah's life and stop Vivian from destroying his and Sarah's wedding, Chuck turns to Alexei for help. To keep secret Volkoff's true identity, the CIA sends its "toughest" agent, Clyde Decker (Richard Burgi
), to stop Chuck.
"Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
system, it drew 4.53 million viewers, with a 1.5/4 rating among those aged 18–49.
heiress Vivian Volkoff (Lauren Cohan
) decides to make Central Intelligence Agency
(CIA) Agent Chuck Bartowski
(Zachary Levi
) suffer, based on the misconception that the CIA forced her father, MI6
scientist Hartley Winterbottom (Timothy Dalton
), to upload a government database called the Intersect
to his brain, accidentally overwriting his personality with that of his cover identity, arms dealer Alexei Volkoff
. Vivian poisons Chuck's fiancée Sarah Walker
(Yvonne Strahovski
) with the Volkoff Industries "Norseman" weapon, and Sarah is rushed into the emergency room. Chuck, his mother Mary
(Linda Hamilton
), and ally John Casey
(Adam Baldwin
) set out to find an antidote to the Norseman's effects, but when Chuck breaks into the prison holding Alexei, he discovers that elite agent Clyde Decker (Richard Burgi
) has anticipated his move and relocated Alexei. To protect Alexei's true identity and conceal the government's botched experiment, Decker revokes Chuck's clearance to CIA facilities.
With General Beckman
's (Bonita Friedericy
) aid, Chuck intercepts the transport carrying Alexei, only to find that Decker has deprogrammed Alexei and restored his previous identity and memories of Hartley Winterbottom. Hartley administers an antidote, but it fails to cure Sarah. Mary then remembers that Alexei had developed a stronger antidote, but it is stored at the Volkoff Industries Headquarters in Moscow
, Russia
. As they leave the hospital, Chuck, Casey, Mary, and Hartley are captured by Decker and taken to Castle, a government base under the big-box store
Buy More
, where Decker suppresses the Intersect in Chuck's mind. Casey helps Chuck and Hartley escape, giving Chuck discs containing clean fabricated identities for him and Sarah.
Chuck and Hartley go to Volkoff Industries, and Hartley reveals to Vivian that he went undercover voluntarily, resulting in his transformation into the villainous Volkoff. Chuck gives up the discs from Casey so Vivian and her father can start a new life. Chuck returns with the antidote to Burbank, California
, where Decker is waiting for him. A standoff occurs, but as Chuck is backed up by a superior force made up of his friends, family, the C.A.T. Squad (Mini Andén
and Mercedes Masöhn), and Volkoff's Spetsnaz
paratroopers, Decker is forced to stand down. Using the information about Alexei as leverage against Decker, Chuck delivers the antidote.
The scene then changes to Chuck and Sarah's wedding, after which they receive a wedding present from Hartley. Two weeks later, Chuck returns from his honeymoon to a deserted Castle, where he learns from Decker that he has been manipulated his entire spy career, leading to him receiving the Intersect and facing Fulcrum
, the Ring
, Daniel Shaw
, and Volkoff. It is then revealed that Hartley's gift was all of Volkoff Industries' assets, giving Chuck and Sarah almost a billion dollars. Chuck purchases the Buy More from the government's front company, and he, Sarah, Casey, and Morgan Grimes
(Joshua Gomez
) set up their own freelance spy operation in Castle to investigate the conspiracy involving Chuck. Morgan then spots a pair of glasses in a box of Chuck's belongings sent from Beckman. Morgan puts them on and accidentally uploads an Intersect.
, and was written by Chris Fedak
, who co-created the series, and Nicholas Wootton
, both of whom serve as executive producer
s. It originally aired in the United States
on May 16, 2011, on NBC
as the 24th episode of Chuck fourth season and the 78th episode overall. The episode was filmed in April 2011 at North Hollywood Medical Center
. Guest stars Linda Hamilton
, Timothy Dalton
, Lauren Cohan
, Mekenna Melvin
, Mini Andén
, and Mercedes Masöhn reprised their recurring roles as Mary Bartowski, Alexei Volkoff, Vivian Volkoff, Alex McHugh, Carina Miller, and Zondra, respectively. The episode also introduced Richard Burgi
as Clyde Decker, the CIA's "toughest" agent.
Michael Ausiello
had revealed in March 2011 that the fourth season finale would be titled "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger". Chris Fedak later confirmed that the episode, as the title suggests, would have a cliffhanger
ending leading into a fifth season
. Fedak stated that cliffhangers tell "more story", citing Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
and Batman Begins
as examples. The season had suffered two major declines in viewership, one before "Chuck Versus the Push Mix
", and another after three weeks of repeated episodes, and it was predicted that NBC would cancel Chuck before the fourth season ended, making "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" the de facto series finale
. However, a fifth and final season was ordered on May 13, 2011, and is set to premiere October 21, 2011.
"Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" is one of the few episodes since season one
's "Chuck Versus the Helicopter
" not to feature the series' full credits sequence with the instrumental version of Cake
's "Short Skirt/Long Jacket
", instead displaying the main cast credits over action in the episode's second act. HitFix
Senior Editor Alan Sepinwall has called the episode a "tying together of everything the character [Chuck] and the show have been about", including the use of a recurring spy strategy, "The Magnet", to fool Decker. As Chuck and Sarah walk to their limousine, clips of their budding romance are shown through archive footage from several earlier episodes, including the pilot episode
, "Chuck Versus the Intersect
". Fedak stated in an interview that the inspiration for Volkoff's true identity being a gun-shy British scientist was Dalton's portrayal of Gregory Tuttle, Volkoff's guise as Mary Bartowski's MI6
handler, in "Chuck Versus the First Fight
", his first appearance on the series. Chuck's quest to save Sarah serves as a reversal of "Chuck Versus Phase Three
".
Yvonne Strahovski is given limited screen time in the episode due to her character, Sarah, being in a coma. However, the episode is augmented with flashbacks taking place five days before the events of the episode, in which Chuck and Sarah deal with pre-wedding jitters by having their own rehearsal in their apartment. Thus, Chuck and Sarah's wedding vows are given added weight due to Sarah's being said early in the episode, and Chuck's being improvised from Sarah's.
Fedak stated in an interview on the day of the episode's airing that "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" marks a major transition in the series. As of the episode's ending, the main characters of the series are no longer government spies and no longer work for General Beckman; Chuck and Sarah have received an immense wealth; and Chuck has become the leader of a team to investigate a conspiracy involving his spy career. According to Fedak, the episode institutes a storyline in which the series returns to its roots. Morgan will be portrayed by Joshua Gomez much like Chuck was by Zachary Levi in the early seasons of the series: as a newcomer to the spy world due to the presence of the Intersect in his brain. Meanwhile, Chuck will be portrayed as Morgan's protector, much like Casey and Sarah were to him in past seasons.
Fedak revealed that the music for the season finale was completed the Wednesday night before the episode aired. The episode's soundtrack includes the songs "Here With Me" by Battleme when Chuck and Sarah are anxious about their wedding, "Conscience Killer" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
while Chuck intercepts Alexei's transport, "Firewood" by Typhoon while Chuck and Sarah practice their vows, "I'm A Pilot" by Fanfarlo
while Chuck rushes to administer the antidote, and "Sinking Friendships" by Jónsi
during the wedding.
Multiple references are made to former United States President
Ronald Reagan
. Upon seeing Casey's framed photograph of Reagan, Hartley asks, "Is he still in charge?", to which Casey replies, "If only!" Casey later comments, "That's smart. Real smart. Reagan smart." Adam Baldwin stated that he established Casey's habit of referencing Reagan on the series. The CIA's Nighthawk motorcycle used in the episode alludes to Street Hawk
. During Chuck and Sarah's wedding, Morgan, acting as the minister, claims to be ordained by the Intergalactic Federation of Planets
, a reference to Star Trek
. When Chuck asks him to close the partition in the limo after the wedding, Morgan responds, "As you wish!", referencing The Princess Bride
. In archive footage from "Chuck Versus the Balcony
", Sarah tells Chuck that she did not fall in love with James Bond
. After Morgan downloads the Intersect, he says "Guys, I know kung fu
", a reference to The Matrix
. The series has featured variations on this line before, when Chuck downloaded versions of the Intersect in "Chuck Versus the Ring
" and "Chuck Versus the Leftovers
".
system, "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" drew 4.53 million viewers, with a 1.5/4 rating among those aged 18–49. The episode had the most viewers since "Chuck Versus the A-Team
", making it the sixth least-watched episode in Chuck history.
The episode received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote that "as Chuck began laying out his plan to be freelance spies, and as Morgan took out the Intersect sunglasses General Beckman had so thoughtfully hidden in Chuck's going-away box, all I could feel was gratitude: I'm so glad NBC ordered one more season, because that is a show I want to see!" Sepinwall praised Timothy Dalton's ability to deliver both a comic and serious performance, writing that, while on other series Volkoff's back-story
"would be an incredibly dark, tragic storyline", Dalton acted well enough that his emotions were not overwhelming. Sepinwall continued that the storyline "would have sucked every last bit of joy out of the episode" if the character had been portrayed by another Chuck actor. In contrast, Sepinwall wrote that he felt no empathy for Volkoff's daughter, as "Lauren Cohan has never managed to make a cohesive and interesting character out of a bunch of jarring personality shifts". Brody Gibson of Boom Tron wrote," The writers of Chuck sure know how to pull together a great finale. I was floored." Gibson agreed with Sepinwall on Timothy Dalton's range of acting skills, praising Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski as well. Gibson wrote that Levi deserved an Emmy
nomination for a scene in which Chuck surrenders himself to Vivian to plead for the antidote to save Sarah's life. Gibson also praised Levi and Strahovski's performance in Chuck and Sarah's "practice wedding": "These two have always had such great chemistry, you could swear they're actually in love and not just actors pretending."
Brittany Frederick of Starpulse.com wrote, "It wasn't the whiz-bang finale I was expecting after all the hype, but it was one that was true to what the show stands for, and that's good enough for me." Like Sepinwall and Gibson, Frederick praised the performance by Levi and Dalton, writing, "Chuck's heartbreak and desperation were incredibly poignant throughout the bulk of the episode." Like Gibson, Frederick also praised the scene depicting Chuck's surrender to Vivian, calling it "sniffle-inducing". Frederick continued that Dalton "plays Hartley Winterbottom with a great sincerity and vulnerability." Frederick also called it "a great reward to the fans that the episode didn't cheat us out of the Chuck/Sarah wedding at all." Frederick wrote, "While I'm not blown away by this finale, I still am satisfied with it, because it represents the values we've come to expect from Chuck: the ideas of hope, family, and sticking together in the face of the most adverse of circumstances." Ryan McGee of The Onion
A.V. Club
rated the episode a B+ on an A+ to F scale, although criticizing its "mechanics". Eric Goldman of IGN
gave the episode a rating of 9.5 out of 10, a series high alongside season two
's "Chuck Versus Santa Claus
" and "Chuck Versus the Colonel
" and season three
's "Chuck Versus the Beard
" and "Chuck Versus the Subway
". Goldman wrote, "Chuck had more ups and downs than usual this season, but it ended on a very strong note. With Sarah's life in danger, Chuck and all his friends and family proved they would risk everything to save her, and it made for a very compelling, involving hour."
Chuck (season 4)
The fourth season of Chuck was announced on May 13, 2010. Having initially ordered 13 episodes, NBC ordered an additional 11 on October 19, 2010 for a total of 24 episodes....
season finale
Season finale
A season finale is the final episode of a season of a television program...
of the American NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
action-comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
television series
Television program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
Chuck
Chuck (TV series)
Chuck is an action-comedy/spy-drama television program from the United States created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak. The series is about an "average computer-whiz-next-door" named Chuck, played by Zachary Levi, who receives an encoded e-mail from an old college friend now working for the Central...
. Aired on May 16, 2011, it is the season's 24th episode, and the 78th overall episode of the series. The episode was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill
Robert Duncan McNeill
Robert Duncan McNeill is an American actor, producer, movie director, and television director who is best known for his role as Lieutenant Tom Paris on the television show Star Trek: Voyager.-Acting:...
and written by series co-creator Chris Fedak
Chris Fedak
Chris Fedak is a co-executive producer of Chuck. He has also co-written several episodes with Josh Schwartz.Chuck is Fedak's first television credit.Schwartz says that the idea for Chuck originally came from Fedak:-External links:*...
, along with Nicholas Wootton
Nicholas Wootton
Nicholas Wootton is an American Emmy Award-winning writer for and producer for television.He has written to various TV shows, including Chuck, Prison Break, Law & Order, NYPD Blue.- External links :...
. Despite the episode's eponymous cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
ending, supposedly leading into a fifth season
Chuck (season 5)
The fifth and final season of the American action-comedy television series Chuck was announced on May 13, 2011. It is reported to include 13 episodes, which airs in fall 2011...
, it was anticipated that Chuck would be cancelled after the fourth season for declining viewership, making "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
series finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
. However, a fifth and final season
Chuck (season 5)
The fifth and final season of the American action-comedy television series Chuck was announced on May 13, 2011. It is reported to include 13 episodes, which airs in fall 2011...
was ordered on May 13, 2011.
Chuck revolves around the Intersect
The Intersect
The Intersect is a fictional secret technology appearing in the television series Chuck. Within the series, it is used to house and analyze large quantities of encoded data...
, a government database designed by Stephen J. Bartowski
Stephen J. Bartowski
Stephen J. Bartowski is a recurring character on the television series Chuck portrayed by actor Scott Bakula. Stephen is the estranged father of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski, and under the government codename "Orion" was the chief designer of the Intersect....
. In the pilot episode
Chuck Versus the Intersect
"Chuck Versus the Intersect" is the pilot episode of the American action-comedy television series Chuck. The episode was directed by McG and written by series co-creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak...
of the series, Stephen's son Chuck
Chuck Bartowski
Charles Irving "Chuck" Bartowski is the main and titular character of the American fiction television show Chuck on NBC. He is portrayed by Zachary Levi.-Character profile:...
(Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi Pugh , better known by his stage name Zachary Levi , is an American television actor, director, and singer known for the roles of Kipp Steadman in Less than Perfect, Chuck Bartowski in Chuck, and Flynn Rider in Tangled.- Early life :Zachary Levi Pugh was born in Lake Charles,...
) receives the database and accidentally uploads it to his brain. Chuck is then forced from his life as an employee at the big-box store
Big-box store
A big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
Buy More
Buy More
Buy More is a fictional big box electronics retail chain in NBC's action-comedy series Chuck. The Buy More is a parody of similar chains, particularly Best Buy....
to the spy world. By the fourth season, Chuck is a Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) agent and is engaged to one of his handlers, Sarah Walker
Sarah Walker (Chuck)
Sarah Lisa Bartowski is the alias of one of the main characters of the fictional television show Chuck on NBC. She is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski and is one of two agents assigned by the NSA and CIA to protect Chuck Bartowski after he unwittingly downloads the secret government computer known...
(Yvonne Strahovski
Yvonne Strahovski
Yvonne Strahovski is an Australian actress. Born in Australia to Polish immigrant parents, Strahovski speaks Polish and English...
).
In the season, Chuck and his team fulfill Stephen Bartowski's last wish to destroy Volkoff Industries
Volkoff Industries
Volkoff Industries is a major organization on the television series Chuck. It is a public business front owned by an international arms dealer named Alexei Volkoff, portrayed by Timothy Dalton. Volkoff Industries is introduced in the third season finale as a threat against which Stephen J...
, led by international arms dealer Alexei Volkoff
Alexei Volkoff
Alexei Volkoff is the alias and alter ego of Hartley Winterbottom , a fictional character on the television series Chuck. Volkoff is the head of Volkoff Industries. For the first six episodes of the fourth season, he was an unseen character, directing his operatives from behind the scenes...
(Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
). It is then revealed that Volkoff was actually Hartley Winterbottom, an MI6
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
scientist who worked with Stephen in the 1980s. In preparation for an undercover assignment as an arms dealer named Alexei Volkoff, Winterbottom became the first person to upload the Intersect. However, the upload malfunctioned, overwriting Winterbottom's personality with that of his cover, and Stephen spent the last 20 years of his life trying to fix his mistake. At the end of "Chuck Versus the Last Details
Chuck Versus the Last Details
"Chuck Versus the Last Details" is the 23rd episode of the fourth season of Chuck, and the 77th overall episode of the series. The episode was written by Henry Alonso Myers and Kristin Newman, and directed by Peter Lauer...
", Volkoff's daughter Vivian (Lauren Cohan
Lauren Cohan
Lauren Cohan is an American actress. Her most recognized role to date is that of the role of Bela Talbot on Supernatural...
) learns of her father's true identity, and, holding Chuck responsible, poisons Chuck's fiancée Sarah with a Volkoff Industries weapon called "the Norseman". To save Sarah's life and stop Vivian from destroying his and Sarah's wedding, Chuck turns to Alexei for help. To keep secret Volkoff's true identity, the CIA sends its "toughest" agent, Clyde Decker (Richard Burgi
Richard Burgi
Richard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. He's best known for the roles of Det. Jim Ellinson on The Sentinel and as Karl Mayer on Desperate Housewives.-Personal life:...
), to stop Chuck.
"Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. According to the Nielsen ratings
Nielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, it drew 4.53 million viewers, with a 1.5/4 rating among those aged 18–49.
Plot
Volkoff IndustriesVolkoff Industries
Volkoff Industries is a major organization on the television series Chuck. It is a public business front owned by an international arms dealer named Alexei Volkoff, portrayed by Timothy Dalton. Volkoff Industries is introduced in the third season finale as a threat against which Stephen J...
heiress Vivian Volkoff (Lauren Cohan
Lauren Cohan
Lauren Cohan is an American actress. Her most recognized role to date is that of the role of Bela Talbot on Supernatural...
) decides to make Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
(CIA) Agent Chuck Bartowski
Chuck Bartowski
Charles Irving "Chuck" Bartowski is the main and titular character of the American fiction television show Chuck on NBC. He is portrayed by Zachary Levi.-Character profile:...
(Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi
Zachary Levi Pugh , better known by his stage name Zachary Levi , is an American television actor, director, and singer known for the roles of Kipp Steadman in Less than Perfect, Chuck Bartowski in Chuck, and Flynn Rider in Tangled.- Early life :Zachary Levi Pugh was born in Lake Charles,...
) suffer, based on the misconception that the CIA forced her father, MI6
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
scientist Hartley Winterbottom (Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
), to upload a government database called the Intersect
The Intersect
The Intersect is a fictional secret technology appearing in the television series Chuck. Within the series, it is used to house and analyze large quantities of encoded data...
to his brain, accidentally overwriting his personality with that of his cover identity, arms dealer Alexei Volkoff
Alexei Volkoff
Alexei Volkoff is the alias and alter ego of Hartley Winterbottom , a fictional character on the television series Chuck. Volkoff is the head of Volkoff Industries. For the first six episodes of the fourth season, he was an unseen character, directing his operatives from behind the scenes...
. Vivian poisons Chuck's fiancée Sarah Walker
Sarah Walker (Chuck)
Sarah Lisa Bartowski is the alias of one of the main characters of the fictional television show Chuck on NBC. She is portrayed by Yvonne Strahovski and is one of two agents assigned by the NSA and CIA to protect Chuck Bartowski after he unwittingly downloads the secret government computer known...
(Yvonne Strahovski
Yvonne Strahovski
Yvonne Strahovski is an Australian actress. Born in Australia to Polish immigrant parents, Strahovski speaks Polish and English...
) with the Volkoff Industries "Norseman" weapon, and Sarah is rushed into the emergency room. Chuck, his mother Mary
Mary Elizabeth Bartowski
Mary Elizabeth Bartowski is a character on the television series Chuck. Mary is the estranged mother of Chuck and Ellie Bartowski. She is portrayed by Linda Hamilton.-Biography:...
(Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
), and ally John Casey
John Casey (Chuck)
Colonel John Casey is portrayed by actor Adam Baldwin on the television show Chuck on NBC. Prior to the episode "Chuck Versus the Tic Tac," he was partnered with CIA agent Sarah Walker to protect Chuck Bartowski....
(Adam Baldwin
Adam Baldwin
Adam Baldwin is an American actor, known for his roles as Animal Mother in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket, Ricky Linderman in My Bodyguard, Knowle Rohrer in The X-Files, and Marcus Hamilton in Joss Whedon's Angel...
) set out to find an antidote to the Norseman's effects, but when Chuck breaks into the prison holding Alexei, he discovers that elite agent Clyde Decker (Richard Burgi
Richard Burgi
Richard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. He's best known for the roles of Det. Jim Ellinson on The Sentinel and as Karl Mayer on Desperate Housewives.-Personal life:...
) has anticipated his move and relocated Alexei. To protect Alexei's true identity and conceal the government's botched experiment, Decker revokes Chuck's clearance to CIA facilities.
With General Beckman
Diane Beckman
Brigadier General M. Diane Beckman, USAF is a fictional character in the NBC television series Chuck. Beckman is a senior official of the National Security Agency, working within the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. She holds her rank of brigadier general in the United States Air...
's (Bonita Friedericy
Bonita Friedericy
Bonita Friedericy is an American actress. She currently can be seen in the television series Chuck as NSA Director Diane Beckman. She has also appeared on Malcolm in the Middle, Veronica Mars, Star Trek: Enterprise, Bones, The Nine, The West Wing, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and in the film...
) aid, Chuck intercepts the transport carrying Alexei, only to find that Decker has deprogrammed Alexei and restored his previous identity and memories of Hartley Winterbottom. Hartley administers an antidote, but it fails to cure Sarah. Mary then remembers that Alexei had developed a stronger antidote, but it is stored at the Volkoff Industries Headquarters in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
. As they leave the hospital, Chuck, Casey, Mary, and Hartley are captured by Decker and taken to Castle, a government base under the big-box store
Big-box store
A big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
Buy More
Buy More
Buy More is a fictional big box electronics retail chain in NBC's action-comedy series Chuck. The Buy More is a parody of similar chains, particularly Best Buy....
, where Decker suppresses the Intersect in Chuck's mind. Casey helps Chuck and Hartley escape, giving Chuck discs containing clean fabricated identities for him and Sarah.
Chuck and Hartley go to Volkoff Industries, and Hartley reveals to Vivian that he went undercover voluntarily, resulting in his transformation into the villainous Volkoff. Chuck gives up the discs from Casey so Vivian and her father can start a new life. Chuck returns with the antidote to Burbank, California
Burbank, California
Burbank is a city in Los Angeles County in Southern California, United States, north of downtown Los Angeles. The estimated population in 2010 was 103,340....
, where Decker is waiting for him. A standoff occurs, but as Chuck is backed up by a superior force made up of his friends, family, the C.A.T. Squad (Mini Andén
Mini Anden
Susanna "Mini" Andén is a Swedish model, actress, occasional host, and producer.She was born in Stockholm and began modeling at the age of ten, joining Elite Model Management when she was fifteen. She has been on the cover of many fashion magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and...
and Mercedes Masöhn), and Volkoff's Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz
Spetsnaz, Specnaz tr: Voyska specialnogo naznacheniya; ) is an umbrella term for any special forces in Russian, literally "force of special purpose"...
paratroopers, Decker is forced to stand down. Using the information about Alexei as leverage against Decker, Chuck delivers the antidote.
The scene then changes to Chuck and Sarah's wedding, after which they receive a wedding present from Hartley. Two weeks later, Chuck returns from his honeymoon to a deserted Castle, where he learns from Decker that he has been manipulated his entire spy career, leading to him receiving the Intersect and facing Fulcrum
Fulcrum (Chuck)
Fulcrum is the codename of a fictional hostile espionage organization on the television series Chuck. Fulcrum serves as the series' main antagonists up until the end of season two, though their specific goals beyond acquiring the Intersect have not yet been fully revealed.-History:Very little...
, the Ring
The Ring (Chuck)
The Ring is a major spy organization on the television series Chuck. The main antagonist of the second season , Fulcrum, is revealed in the Season Two finale to be only one part of the Ring, which then serves as the main antagonist of Season Three...
, Daniel Shaw
Daniel Shaw
Daniel Shaw is a fictional government agent on the television series Chuck. Shaw is introduced in the third season episode "Chuck Versus Operation Awesome" as a government agent specializing in the terrorist organization known as the Ring, and who becomes a mentor to Chuck Bartowski and ultimately...
, and Volkoff. It is then revealed that Hartley's gift was all of Volkoff Industries' assets, giving Chuck and Sarah almost a billion dollars. Chuck purchases the Buy More from the government's front company, and he, Sarah, Casey, and Morgan Grimes
Morgan Grimes
Morgan Guillermo Grimes is a major character on the television series Chuck. He is portrayed by actor Joshua Gomez, and is the best friend of Chuck Bartowski....
(Joshua Gomez
Joshua Gomez
Joshua Eli Gomez is an American actor best known for his role as Morgan Grimes on Chuck. He is the younger brother of actor Rick Gomez....
) set up their own freelance spy operation in Castle to investigate the conspiracy involving Chuck. Morgan then spots a pair of glasses in a box of Chuck's belongings sent from Beckman. Morgan puts them on and accidentally uploads an Intersect.
Production
"Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" was one of many episodes to be directed by producer Robert Duncan McNeillRobert Duncan McNeill
Robert Duncan McNeill is an American actor, producer, movie director, and television director who is best known for his role as Lieutenant Tom Paris on the television show Star Trek: Voyager.-Acting:...
, and was written by Chris Fedak
Chris Fedak
Chris Fedak is a co-executive producer of Chuck. He has also co-written several episodes with Josh Schwartz.Chuck is Fedak's first television credit.Schwartz says that the idea for Chuck originally came from Fedak:-External links:*...
, who co-created the series, and Nicholas Wootton
Nicholas Wootton
Nicholas Wootton is an American Emmy Award-winning writer for and producer for television.He has written to various TV shows, including Chuck, Prison Break, Law & Order, NYPD Blue.- External links :...
, both of whom serve as executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
s. It originally aired in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
on May 16, 2011, on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
as the 24th episode of Chuck fourth season and the 78th episode overall. The episode was filmed in April 2011 at North Hollywood Medical Center
North Hollywood Medical Center
North Hollywood Medical Center was a hospital in the community of North Hollywood, California, demolished in mid 2011. It was located at 12629 Riverside Drive in North Hollywood in the San Fernando Valley, north of Los Angeles...
. Guest stars Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton
Linda Carroll Hamilton is an American actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Connor in The Terminator and its sequel Terminator 2: Judgment Day and Catherine Chandler in the television series Beauty and the Beast, for which she was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy...
, Timothy Dalton
Timothy Dalton
Timothy Peter Dalton ) is a Welsh actor of film and television. He is known for portraying James Bond in The Living Daylights and Licence to Kill , as well as Rhett Butler in the television miniseries Scarlett , an original sequel to Gone with the Wind...
, Lauren Cohan
Lauren Cohan
Lauren Cohan is an American actress. Her most recognized role to date is that of the role of Bela Talbot on Supernatural...
, Mekenna Melvin
Mekenna Melvin
Mekenna Melvin is an American actress known for playing the role of Alex McHugh in Chuck, Angela in Three Rivers, and Stefanie Fife in Lie to Me. She also co-created and will be starring as Amber Hannold in Amber Lake, an independent film due for release in 2010.- Personal life :Melvin was born...
, Mini Andén
Mini Anden
Susanna "Mini" Andén is a Swedish model, actress, occasional host, and producer.She was born in Stockholm and began modeling at the age of ten, joining Elite Model Management when she was fifteen. She has been on the cover of many fashion magazines including Vogue, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan and...
, and Mercedes Masöhn reprised their recurring roles as Mary Bartowski, Alexei Volkoff, Vivian Volkoff, Alex McHugh, Carina Miller, and Zondra, respectively. The episode also introduced Richard Burgi
Richard Burgi
Richard William Burgi is an American film and television actor. He's best known for the roles of Det. Jim Ellinson on The Sentinel and as Karl Mayer on Desperate Housewives.-Personal life:...
as Clyde Decker, the CIA's "toughest" agent.
Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello
Michael Ausiello is an American television industry journalist and actor. He was a Senior Writer at TV Guide and its companion website, TVGuide.com. On May 28, 2008, Ausiello left TV Guide for Entertainment Weekly and posted his first blog for Entertainment Weekly on July 2, 2008...
had revealed in March 2011 that the fourth season finale would be titled "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger". Chris Fedak later confirmed that the episode, as the title suggests, would have a cliffhanger
Cliffhanger
A cliffhanger or cliffhanger ending is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult dilemma, or confronted with a shocking revelation at the end of an episode of serialized fiction...
ending leading into a fifth season
Chuck (season 5)
The fifth and final season of the American action-comedy television series Chuck was announced on May 13, 2011. It is reported to include 13 episodes, which airs in fall 2011...
. Fedak stated that cliffhangers tell "more story", citing Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner. The screenplay, based on a story by George Lucas, was written by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan...
and Batman Begins
Batman Begins
Batman Begins is a 2005 American superhero action film based on the fictional DC Comics character Batman, directed by Christopher Nolan. It stars Christian Bale as Batman, along with Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson,...
as examples. The season had suffered two major declines in viewership, one before "Chuck Versus the Push Mix
Chuck Versus the Push Mix
"Chuck Versus the Push Mix" is the thirteenth episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired on January 31, 2011. Much like "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" in the third season, this episode was intended to be the fourth season finale before an additional eleven episodes were ordered...
", and another after three weeks of repeated episodes, and it was predicted that NBC would cancel Chuck before the fourth season ended, making "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" the de facto series finale
Series finale
A series finale refers to the last installment of a series with a narrative presented through mediums such as television, film and literature. In many Commonwealth countries, the term final episode is commonly used in regards to a television series...
. However, a fifth and final season was ordered on May 13, 2011, and is set to premiere October 21, 2011.
"Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" is one of the few episodes since season one
Chuck (season 1)
- Episodes :- Reception :The first season averaged on, only including the first 11 episodes, 8.68 million viewers per episode.- UK BARB ratings :...
's "Chuck Versus the Helicopter
Chuck Versus the Helicopter
"Chuck Versus the Helicopter" is the second episode of the television series Chuck. It aired on October 1, 2007. Chuck is meeting with a government specialist connected with developing the Intersect to determine if the secrets can be removed from Chuck's head, but suddenly finds himself unsure...
" not to feature the series' full credits sequence with the instrumental version of Cake
Cake (band)
Cake is an American alternative rock band from Sacramento, California. Consisting of singer John McCrea, trumpeter Vince DiFiore, guitarist Xan McCurdy, bassist Gabe Nelson and drummer Paulo Baldi, the band has been noted for McCrea's sarcastic lyrics and deadpan voice, DiFiore's trumpet parts, and...
's "Short Skirt/Long Jacket
Short Skirt/Long Jacket
"Short Skirt/Long Jacket" is the first single by American alternative rock band Cake from their 2001 album Comfort Eagle.-Music video:The associated music vox pop video is composed entirely of people listening to the song on headphones and their reactions...
", instead displaying the main cast credits over action in the episode's second act. HitFix
HitFix
HitFix, or the HitFix.com is an entertainment news website that launched in December 2008 specializing in breaking entertainment news, insider information and providing reviews and critiques of film, music and television...
Senior Editor Alan Sepinwall has called the episode a "tying together of everything the character [Chuck] and the show have been about", including the use of a recurring spy strategy, "The Magnet", to fool Decker. As Chuck and Sarah walk to their limousine, clips of their budding romance are shown through archive footage from several earlier episodes, including the pilot episode
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
, "Chuck Versus the Intersect
Chuck Versus the Intersect
"Chuck Versus the Intersect" is the pilot episode of the American action-comedy television series Chuck. The episode was directed by McG and written by series co-creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak...
". Fedak stated in an interview that the inspiration for Volkoff's true identity being a gun-shy British scientist was Dalton's portrayal of Gregory Tuttle, Volkoff's guise as Mary Bartowski's MI6
Secret Intelligence Service
The Secret Intelligence Service is responsible for supplying the British Government with foreign intelligence. Alongside the internal Security Service , the Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence Intelligence , it operates under the formal direction of the Joint Intelligence...
handler, in "Chuck Versus the First Fight
Chuck Versus the First Fight
"Chuck Versus the First Fight" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired November 1, 2010. In the wake of his first fight with Sarah, Chuck Bartowski embarks on a rogue mission to prove his mother's innocence, ultimately colliding with her MI6 handler, Gregory...
", his first appearance on the series. Chuck's quest to save Sarah serves as a reversal of "Chuck Versus Phase Three
Chuck Versus Phase Three
"Chuck Versus Phase Three" is the ninth episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired November 22, 2010. In order to escape the Belgian , whose mission is to discover more about the Intersect, Sarah Walker, Chuck Bartowski, Morgan Grimes, and John Casey immerse themselves in the...
".
Yvonne Strahovski is given limited screen time in the episode due to her character, Sarah, being in a coma. However, the episode is augmented with flashbacks taking place five days before the events of the episode, in which Chuck and Sarah deal with pre-wedding jitters by having their own rehearsal in their apartment. Thus, Chuck and Sarah's wedding vows are given added weight due to Sarah's being said early in the episode, and Chuck's being improvised from Sarah's.
Fedak stated in an interview on the day of the episode's airing that "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" marks a major transition in the series. As of the episode's ending, the main characters of the series are no longer government spies and no longer work for General Beckman; Chuck and Sarah have received an immense wealth; and Chuck has become the leader of a team to investigate a conspiracy involving his spy career. According to Fedak, the episode institutes a storyline in which the series returns to its roots. Morgan will be portrayed by Joshua Gomez much like Chuck was by Zachary Levi in the early seasons of the series: as a newcomer to the spy world due to the presence of the Intersect in his brain. Meanwhile, Chuck will be portrayed as Morgan's protector, much like Casey and Sarah were to him in past seasons.
Music and cultural references
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club is an American rock band from San Francisco, California, now based in Los Angeles. BRMC is known for their garage rock, blues, folk revival, neo-psychedelia sound. They are influenced by bands such as: The Brian Jonestown Massacre, The Verve, The Rolling Stones, Oasis, T...
while Chuck intercepts Alexei's transport, "Firewood" by Typhoon while Chuck and Sarah practice their vows, "I'm A Pilot" by Fanfarlo
Fanfarlo
Fanfarlo are a London-based indie pop band formed in 2006 by Swedish musician Simon Balthazar, and Giles J Davis...
while Chuck rushes to administer the antidote, and "Sinking Friendships" by Jónsi
Jón Þór Birgisson
Jón “Jónsi” Þór Birgisson is the guitarist and vocalist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He is known for his use of a cello bow on guitar and his falsetto voice. He is also blind in his right eye and is openly gay. His boyfriend Alex Somers has done much of the graphic design for...
during the wedding.
Multiple references are made to former United States President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
. Upon seeing Casey's framed photograph of Reagan, Hartley asks, "Is he still in charge?", to which Casey replies, "If only!" Casey later comments, "That's smart. Real smart. Reagan smart." Adam Baldwin stated that he established Casey's habit of referencing Reagan on the series. The CIA's Nighthawk motorcycle used in the episode alludes to Street Hawk
Street Hawk
Street Hawk is an American television series that aired for 13 episodes on ABC in 1985. The series was a Limekiln and Templar Production in association with Universal Television. Its central characters were created by Paul M. Belous and Robert "Bob" Wolterstorff, and its core format was developed...
. During Chuck and Sarah's wedding, Morgan, acting as the minister, claims to be ordained by the Intergalactic Federation of Planets
United Federation of Planets
The United Federation of Planets, also known as "The Federation" is a fictional interplanetary federal republic depicted in the Star Trek television series and motion pictures...
, a reference to Star Trek
Star Trek
Star Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
. When Chuck asks him to close the partition in the limo after the wedding, Morgan responds, "As you wish!", referencing The Princess Bride
The Princess Bride (film)
The Princess Bride is a 1987 American film based on the 1973 novel of the same name by William Goldman, combining comedy, adventure, romance, and fantasy. The film was directed by Rob Reiner from a screenplay by Goldman...
. In archive footage from "Chuck Versus the Balcony
Chuck Versus the Balcony
"Chuck Versus the Balcony" is the eleventh episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired January 17, 2011. Chuck Bartowski embarks on two secret quests. As he tries to locate a nano-chip in the vineyards of France, he also attempts to stealthily concoct a romantic getaway for Sarah...
", Sarah tells Chuck that she did not fall in love with James Bond
James Bond (character)
Royal Navy Commander James Bond, CMG, RNVR is a fictional character created by journalist and novelist Ian Fleming in 1953. He is the main protagonist of the James Bond series of novels, films, comics and video games...
. After Morgan downloads the Intersect, he says "Guys, I know kung fu
Kung fu (term)
Kung fu or gongfu or gung fu is a Chinese term often used in the West to refer to Chinese martial arts.Its original meaning is somewhat different, referring to one's expertise in any skill achieved through hard work and practice, not necessarily martial...
", a reference to The Matrix
The Matrix
The Matrix is a 1999 science fiction-action film written and directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski, starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano, and Hugo Weaving...
. The series has featured variations on this line before, when Chuck downloaded versions of the Intersect in "Chuck Versus the Ring
Chuck Versus the Ring
"Chuck Versus the Ring" is the second season finale of Chuck, which aired on April 27, 2009. The day of Ellie and Devon's wedding arrives, but Chuck finds himself forced to protect both his sister and the event from a vengeful Ted Roark....
" and "Chuck Versus the Leftovers
Chuck Versus the Leftovers
"Chuck Versus the Leftovers" is the tenth episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It originally aired November 29, 2010. Chuck Bartowski's mother comes over for "Thanksgiving leftovers" dinner the day after the holiday...
".
Reception
According to the Nielsen ratingsNielsen Ratings
Nielsen ratings are the audience measurement systems developed by Nielsen Media Research, in an effort to determine the audience size and composition of television programming in the United States...
system, "Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger" drew 4.53 million viewers, with a 1.5/4 rating among those aged 18–49. The episode had the most viewers since "Chuck Versus the A-Team
Chuck Versus the A-Team
"Chuck Versus the A-Team" is the eighteenth episode of the fourth season of Chuck. It aired on March 14, 2011. Chuck Bartowski and Sarah Walker suspect John Casey is carrying out private missions. Chuck fears the CIA's new operatives , who have downloaded the Intersect, will render him obsolete....
", making it the sixth least-watched episode in Chuck history.
The episode received overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics. Alan Sepinwall of HitFix wrote that "as Chuck began laying out his plan to be freelance spies, and as Morgan took out the Intersect sunglasses General Beckman had so thoughtfully hidden in Chuck's going-away box, all I could feel was gratitude: I'm so glad NBC ordered one more season, because that is a show I want to see!" Sepinwall praised Timothy Dalton's ability to deliver both a comic and serious performance, writing that, while on other series Volkoff's back-story
Back-story
A back-story, background story, or backstory is the literary device of a narrative chronologically earlier than, and related to, a narrative of primary interest. Generally, it is the history of characters or other elements that underlie the situation existing at the main narrative's start...
"would be an incredibly dark, tragic storyline", Dalton acted well enough that his emotions were not overwhelming. Sepinwall continued that the storyline "would have sucked every last bit of joy out of the episode" if the character had been portrayed by another Chuck actor. In contrast, Sepinwall wrote that he felt no empathy for Volkoff's daughter, as "Lauren Cohan has never managed to make a cohesive and interesting character out of a bunch of jarring personality shifts". Brody Gibson of Boom Tron wrote," The writers of Chuck sure know how to pull together a great finale. I was floored." Gibson agreed with Sepinwall on Timothy Dalton's range of acting skills, praising Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski as well. Gibson wrote that Levi deserved an Emmy
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
nomination for a scene in which Chuck surrenders himself to Vivian to plead for the antidote to save Sarah's life. Gibson also praised Levi and Strahovski's performance in Chuck and Sarah's "practice wedding": "These two have always had such great chemistry, you could swear they're actually in love and not just actors pretending."
Brittany Frederick of Starpulse.com wrote, "It wasn't the whiz-bang finale I was expecting after all the hype, but it was one that was true to what the show stands for, and that's good enough for me." Like Sepinwall and Gibson, Frederick praised the performance by Levi and Dalton, writing, "Chuck's heartbreak and desperation were incredibly poignant throughout the bulk of the episode." Like Gibson, Frederick also praised the scene depicting Chuck's surrender to Vivian, calling it "sniffle-inducing". Frederick continued that Dalton "plays Hartley Winterbottom with a great sincerity and vulnerability." Frederick also called it "a great reward to the fans that the episode didn't cheat us out of the Chuck/Sarah wedding at all." Frederick wrote, "While I'm not blown away by this finale, I still am satisfied with it, because it represents the values we've come to expect from Chuck: the ideas of hope, family, and sticking together in the face of the most adverse of circumstances." Ryan McGee of The Onion
The Onion
The Onion is an American news satire organization. It is an entertainment newspaper and a website featuring satirical articles reporting on international, national, and local news, in addition to a non-satirical entertainment section known as The A.V. Club...
A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
rated the episode a B+ on an A+ to F scale, although criticizing its "mechanics". Eric Goldman of IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave the episode a rating of 9.5 out of 10, a series high alongside season two
Chuck (season 2)
The second season of Chuck contains 22 episodes and was originally aired from September 29, 2008 to April 27, 2009. The season continues to focus on Chuck's constant struggle to keep his spy life and real life apart as he becomes more accustomed to being a spy. More background on the Intersect...
's "Chuck Versus Santa Claus
Chuck Versus Santa Claus
"Chuck Versus Santa Claus" is the eleventh episode of the second season of Chuck, and the 24th overall episode of the series. The episode was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill and written by Scott Rosenbaum. It originally aired December 15, 2008....
" and "Chuck Versus the Colonel
Chuck Versus the Colonel
"Chuck Versus the Colonel" is the 21st episode of Chuck's second season, and the 34th episode overall. It aired on April 20, 2009. Chuck and Sarah go on the run in an effort to locate Chuck's father. At the Buy More, Morgan becomes a pariah among his coworkers after Big Mike's demotion.-Main...
" and season three
Chuck (season 3)
The third season of Chuck was announced on May 17, 2009 with 13 episodes, with NBC reserving the option of nine more episodes. Production for the third season began on August 6, 2009. On October 28, 2009, NBC added 6 more episodes to the third season which brings the season total to 19...
's "Chuck Versus the Beard
Chuck Versus the Beard
"Chuck Versus the Beard" is a third season episode of the television series Chuck. It originally aired March 8, 2010, and was the television directorial debut of series star Zachary Levi...
" and "Chuck Versus the Subway
Chuck Versus the Subway
"Chuck Versus the Subway" is the 18th episode of the third season of Chuck. It originally aired on May 24, 2010 in a special two-hour block with "Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II." As the Intersect continues to malfunction Stephen hurries to complete the Governor for his son...
". Goldman wrote, "Chuck had more ups and downs than usual this season, but it ended on a very strong note. With Sarah's life in danger, Chuck and all his friends and family proved they would risk everything to save her, and it made for a very compelling, involving hour."