"Chuck Versus The Masquerade" fell flat for me like many episodes this season. These days, I go into an episode of Chuck expecting to be entertained, but "Chuck Versus The Masquerade" didn't do it. Until the end, the plot was predictable, the action was isolated, and I didn't think anything was funny in particular.
What worked, though, was the idea that there is a right time to leave. In Morgan's case, that means moving out since Chuck and Sarah are getting married. They'll still see each other, but Morgan finally realizes he doesn't belong in their immediate space. Casey faces a larger problem, that he isn't crucial to the team anymore. He has been relegated to lesser roles these days, but without him, the henchman probably would have reached Sarah and killed her. Still, the NSC agent gives him an offer he can't resist--or he can't resist not knowing what's behind the door. But whatever, the magical door draws Casey in.
I really hated the opening scene. Last week's episode begun with the introduction to the Cat Squad, which was kind of believable, and a fun reference to Charlie's Angels. This week's episode begun awkward and just plain weird. The characters can be silly in their own way, but their behavior in the opening scene, notably Morgan and Alex's, seemed out of character.
The final scene is all sorts of awesome, with Vivian Volkoff accessing her father's vault which leads into the next arc. The arc for the first half of the season was a disappointment, but with 8 episodes to work with, hopefully the writers can deliver.
Score: 8.4/10
Monday, February 21, 2011
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