Replies

I was blown away by the premiere episode of Chuck. I didn't know what to expect from Chuck because my days of reading TV Guide cover to cover as it reached my mailbox have long gone. I tuned in accidently, as I was looking for Deal or No Deal (perhaps the best game show of all time), but it had been moved from the Monday @ 8 slot on NBC. That episode had everything -- belly laughs, heart-pounding action (including a totally surprising and original car crash stunt), and, of course, gorgeous women.

It reminded me of another of my fave all-time shows, She Spies, which had a limited run on NBC in 2000 before going to syndication. That isn't surprising since She Spies was obviously inspired by the success of the film version of Charlie's Angels, which starred Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu. The director of Charlie's Angels -- which, by the way, I flipped off after ten minutes -- was directed by Joseph McGinty Nichol, bka "McG." McG is the creator and director of Chuck.

She Spies' first two seasons are as great as any show I have ever seen. While it was inspired by McG's Angels flick, it was funnier and wittier. It was more like a hybrid of the original Charlie's Angels TV show and, believe it or not, The Monkees, sharing that classic comedy's penchant for "breaking the fourth wall" (IOW, the actors break character to address the viewer).

Unfortunately, the lighthearted action in She Spies ended in the third season, and the producers tried to make it more like Mission Impossible meets Baywatch. Ugh. I saw the third season's premiere and never watched it again. Apparently, I wasn't alone, as it was the final season.

I specifically tuned into Chuck because I've liked Adam Baldwin (who is NOT a member of the Butt Head Baldwin clan) since I first saw him in My Bodyguard and on through Full Metal Jacket and Firefly. I agree with you totally that it is a good show because of the group effort. All the actors are very good in their roles, the shows seem pretty well written, and it's just nice to see something different for a change. Not another cop show or lawyer show or doctor show. I hope it has a good, long run.