Chuck Versus First Class

Chuck Versus First Class
Season 03, Episode 05

Air Date	January 25, 2010
Writer	Chris Fedak
Director	Frederick Toye
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"Listen, I am an integral member of this team, okay? My voice should be heard."

― Chuck after realizing Shaw is taking over his team

"Oh, your prepubescent little girl scream are gonna be duly noted."

― Casey's response

Chuck Versus First Class is the fifth episode of season three, which aired on January 25, 2010. It is the fortieth episode overall.

Synopsis

In order to prove himself to Daniel Shaw, Chuck goes on his first solo mission undercover to Paris, but complications arise when he runs into a Ring operative on the plane.

Meanwhile at the Buy More, Morgan has problems with the staff picking on him.

Full Plot

Main Story

As the episode begins, Chuck is alarmed by the presence of Shaw, having been appointed by Beckman to lead the team and living down in Castle, particularly after learning from Casey that Chuck's performance is the subject of interviews the agent is holding with Sarah. At the moment, Shaw is questioning Sarah about whether Chuck is a real spy. Though Sarah answers yes, Shaw says that the mission reports say differently, seeming like a Bond or comedy film. Back at the Buy More, Chuck tells Casey that he can't escape his ridiculous covers if Shaw thinks that he's an idiot who got a computer dumped in his head. Shaw then summons Chuck to Castle, where he tells Chuck that it is not his own approach to spy work that holds him back, but rather Casey and Sarah. Shaw assigns Chuck his first solo mission in Paris, which Chuck enthusiastically accepts over the misgivings of Sarah and Casey.

After being briefed and equipped by Shaw, Chuck boards the flight, where he introduces himself to a fellow passenger, Hannah (guest star Kristin Kreuk), with whom he begins to connect over drinks. When pointed out a particularly massive man by Hannah, Chuck flashes and identifies him as Ring close-combat expert Hugo Panzer. When he checks in with Shaw and Sarah, Shaw reveals he knew Panzer would be on the flight all along and orders him to recover a code key, being escorted to France by Panzer which opens the Ring Intelligence Safe. Chuck manages to drug Panzer, with a KGB Knockout Pen, and takes his baggage claim ticket. Chuck sneaks into the cargo hold and recovers the key, but is confronted again by Panzer, who has recovered thanks to his watch, which shocked him awake. Chuck hides in the casket where he retrieved the key on a corpse, he calls Casey to tell him his trapped and not sure what to do next. Casey advice him to scream and act like his not a threat when the operative finds him so he gets his guard down, then quickly find something to flash on to counter the operative. Chuck does that anyway no matter instinctive or intentionally, then finds a fencing saber in the baggage, flashes, and uses it to subdue Panzer before rejoining Hannah on the passenger deck.

As he shares another drink with Hannah, he realizes he never ordered one, and that he has been poisoned. He glances across the aisle, and Panzer, who has escaped, raises a glass to him. Chuck is captured by a second Ring operative masquerading as a flight attendant (Josie Davis) while reporting in. She forces him back to the cargo deck where she and Panzer demand he return the key. He manages to escape and grab the antidote when Sarah and Shaw take control of the aircraft remotely and the two enemy agents are knocked unconscious by falling baggage, much to Chuck's disappointment, as he did not get to use his nunchucks. Chuck plans to spend a few days in Paris, but instead is ordered back to Burbank immediately with the key. He says goodbye to Hannah, and suggests she look him up for a job at the Buy More, as she recently lost hers.

Back at Castle, Shaw uses the key to unlock a safe previously recovered by the team and Carina. He reveals the safe contained vital intelligence on the Ring which may be their best chance of destroying them. Up at the Buy More, Chuck is lamenting his aborted visit to Paris when Hannah walks in.

Sarah & Shaw

Shaw grills Sarah over Chuck's qualifications as a spy. Sarah defends him, but also objects when Shaw orders Chuck onto his first solo mission. Shaw not fully briefing Chuck on Panzer's presence on the flight puts them both at odds with each other, and Shaw confronts her about the truth of her feelings for Chuck. He reveals he knew she went "off grid" in Lisbon, which Sarah explains as being to bury Bryce's ashes there as it was where their first mission occurred. Shaw notes that Sarah protects Chuck rather than pushing him to be the best spy he can be and he speculates aloud whether she's actually part of the Ring. Later, Shaw directs Sarah to take control of Chuck's flight to help him escape Panzer and his accomplice, whom he stalls by revealing he knows her identity. After Chuck returns, Shaw takes a small envelope from the safe after debriefing the team on the Ring data. When Sarah confronts him, he shows that it contained a diamond engagement ring - the agent who obtained the data on the Ring was his wife, Evelyn, who was killed in the process.

Buy More

Now that Morgan has been promoted to assistant manager, a small rebellion forms led by Lester. Initially their pranks fail because Morgan was already well-versed in their tactics, but eventually Lester begins to gain the upper hand. Morgan turns to Casey for help regaining control, because his of the fact that his coworkers are afraid of him. Casey agrees to help after comparing the prankers as insurgents. Morgan then names him his "Lieutenant Assistant Manager". Casey's presence alone causes most of Lester's support to give up, and active intimidation (extinguishing a cigar in his own palm) causes all but Jeff to desert. Later, Casey abducts Lester and brainwashes him into supporting Morgan as assistant manager. When Jeff triggers Lester's hypnotism by using Morgan's name, Lester goes into a trance-like state and says, "Morgan Grimes is the kindest, warmest, most understanding human being I've ever known in my life." When Morgan asks Casey how he managed to turn Lester, Casey advises he maintains plausible denial.

Guest Stars

Brandon Routh as Daniel Shaw
Kristin Kreuk as Hannah
Steve Austin as Hugo Panzer
Josie Davis as Serena, the flight attendant

Trivia

The Yale fencing team saber Chuck uses to initially incapacitate Hugo Panzer cannot possibly exist since no modern fencing blade is sharp or that robust.
Kristin Kreuk joins several other cast members with connections to the Superman franchise. Actors Matthew Bomer (as Bryce Larkin) and Ryan McPartlin (as Devon Woodcomb) both auditioned for the role for the film Superman Returns, and were beaten out by Brandon Routh (as Daniel Shaw). Kristin Kreuk played the role of Clark Kent's high school sweetheart Lana Lang on the television series Smallville. Adam Baldwin voiced Clark Kent/Superman in Superman: Doomsday. Matthew Bomer later went on to voice Clark Kent/Superman in Superman: Brainiac Attacks.
This is only the second episode in which General Beckman does not appear, the first being Template:101 in which Casey's boss is the National Intelligence Director portrayed by Wendy Makkena. This is also the first episode in which neither of the team's Washington supervisors appear.
When Sarah takes control and pilots the plane, the screen that comes up is actually from Microsoft Flight Simulator X and she uses the Saitek X52 PRO Flight Stick to control the plane.
When Hannah first points out Hugo on the plane, she suggests he might be a "professional wrestler," a reference to the fact that the actor, Steve Austin, is indeed a real-life (and one of the most famous) WWE star.
The dialogue and scene in the lavatory, with Chuck held at gunpoint being worked over for the key, is a reference to the scene in The Princess Bride when Westley, Inigo, and Fezzik attack the castle during the wedding and force the captain of the guard to hand over the gate key.
Hugo's surname, Panzer, is also a german word meaning armour, although it is commonly used as a loanword to refer to german tanks.

Quotes

Shaw: Do what I say. Give my agent the antidote and I'll let you and your gorilla slide on this one.

Serena: Who are you?

Shaw: Serena, you can do this. Let him go.

Serena: I can't you know my employer. Your agent is alone. And he's going to die.

Shaw: No. My people are never alone. Now.

Music

Carla Bruni – “L’Amoureuse”
Otis redding – “Respect”
Daniel May – “Open Late Weekends”
Daniel May – “Womens Wear”
Mackintosh Braun – “Wake Up”
Alan Ett – “Dream Come True”