Chuck Versus the First Date

Chuck Versus the First Date
Season 02, Episode 01

Air Date	September 29, 2008
Writer	Josh Schwartz & Chris Fedak
Director	Jason Ensler
Previous	Chuck Versus the Marlin
Next	Chuck Versus the Seduction

"You can do anything, I've seen you in action, and I'm not just talking about the bomb diffusing or the diamond stealing, I mean, anything you wanted you could have."

―Sarah

Chuck Versus the First Date is the premiere episode of Season Two for Chuck. It first aired on September 29, 2008.

Synopsis[]

The new Intersect is almost ready, and the government won't allow a human Intersect to co-exist with it, ordering Casey to eliminate Chuck once the new Intersect is up and running. Hostile organization, Fulcrum, however, currently has the brain of the Intersect in their hands a device known as the Cipher.

Meanwhile, Morgan and the rest of the Buy More staff are looking for a new assistant manager Thunderdome style.

Full Story[]

The episode opens with Chuck hanging from the roof of a building with a strange device in his hand. A mysterious man is holding him there. The man asks him who he is. Chuck hesitates for a moment, so the man pulls him up; and holds him by his tie over the side. Chuck says despite how he looks, he is probably one of the most important intelligence asset in the world. This appears to amuse the man, who doesn't believe him.

Agent Sarah Walker and Major John Casey burst through the door behind, guns drawn. The man pulls Chuck back up. Sarah asks Chuck why he didn't just stay in the car. Chuck replies that it's never safe in the car, as the mysterious man rappels out the window. Sarah asks if he got The Cipher; Chuck shows her the device in his hand.

Later, Chuck, Sarah, and Casey are talking with General Beckman and Graham, who congratulate them on retrieving The Cipher. Chuck asks what the Cipher is; Beckman replies that it is the "artificial brain" for a new intersect; which is almost complete: now that the cipher is in their hands, it will be picked up next day, the new intersect will be ready, and Chuck can have his old life back.

Chuck appears stunned by the news, he returns home in a daze, accompanied by Sarah. He tells Sarah of his relief; citing his earlier experiences as proof that he is not cut out for that kind of work. Sarah tells him that he has the potential to do anything he wants to. Chuck seems encouraged by her words.

Meanwhile, Casey is contacted by General Beckman, who reveals that completion of a new intersect will mean that Chuck is too great of a security risk. She tells Casey to eliminate him once the new intersect is complete. Casey, although unhappy with the orders, loads his pistol.

The next morning, Chuck's alarm clock goes off, playing a bouncy Huey Lewis number. He opens his eyes, and cheerfully gets ready for work, dancing as he does so. He goes to the bathroom, and wiping the steam off the mirror, he notices Captain Awesome and his sister in the shower behind him. Horrified, he turns around, sees more than he wants to, screams "my eyes", and rushes out of the bathroom.

While eating a slightly uncomfortable breakfast, he stares forward. After a few moments he compliments Devon, points out the door wasn't locked, and this is why he needs his own place. Ellie tells him that they love having him there. However, he tells them that he's had a revelation that he should not be at the Buy More. Ellie is shocked and very excited and gives Chuck a hug before he hurries to work.

As he enters the Buy More, he is called aside by Morgan, who wants to discuss his plans for a battle against the Large Mart team in a Call of Duty game. Before they can get too far, Chuck notices Casey walking in and excuses himself. When he is out of earshot, he thanks Casey for keeping him safe during his time as the intersect. Big Mike calls Chuck into his office and offers Chuck the assistant manager's position at the Buy More. Chuck hesitates in his answer, and when Chuck exits the office a few minutes later, Morgan, Jeff, Lester and Anna, are waiting outside to congratulate him on the assistant manager's position. Chuck says that he didn't take the job, he explains to Morgan that he doesn't want to work at the Buy More forever. Morgan is quite disappointed, asking "but where will we work then?" To change the subject, Chuck explains that his "punishment" is to choose someone to be the next assistant manager and enlists Morgan's help.

Later, Chuck goes to see Sarah at her new cover employer, the Orange Orange. He says he misses the Wienerlicious, but Sarah tells him she always smelled of sausage. Chuck asks Sarah on a real date, with "no guns". Sarah points out she is still a CIA agent, but he says she'd regret it if she didn't accept, and apparently, she agrees and accepts.

As Chuck and Sarah get ready for their date, Casey readies himself to assassinate Chuck. To psyche himself up, he puts pictures of well-known villains on a rotating device and proceeds to shoot the pictures in the forehead. When Chuck's picture appears, however, he misses. Casey appears surprised and disturbed by this.

At the Bartowski residence, Ellie asks Chuck what he would like to do instead of working at the Buy More. Chuck says that he is not sure, but he would like to finish college, travel, maybe "learn a language that only cool people know." Morgan arrives, and the two retire to talk about Morgan's new Call of Duty strategy.

Meanwhile, Casey's doorbell rings. He uses a hidden camera and weapons scanner to view a delivery man from World Send outside. The scanner reveals no weapons, so Casey opens the door. The delivery man says that he is supposed to pick up the cipher from Casey. Casey asks for a confirmation code. The man's answer seems to satisfy Casey, who places it in the delivery man's waiting box. The delivery man sprays Casey in the face with a powdered substance. Casey falls to the ground, bleeding from the mouth.

The mysterious man from the opening sequence is seen in a car speaking with the delivery man through a headset. He flips through a picture of Casey and moves on to two pictures of Chuck and Sarah. He tells his men to eliminate the other targets.

Chuck and Sarah in a Chinese restaurant, she comments on how good the food is, and asks Chuck how he found the place. Chuck admits that Morgan recommended it to him, and he has a 'black belt' in food recommendations under ten dollars. As they eat, Chuck compliments Sarah extravagantly and sincerely. The feelings appear to be mutual, as Sarah tells him that he is sweet, and pretty fantastic himself.

In Casey's Apartment, Casey pulls himself across the floor. He retrieves an antidote in a syringe, which he stabs himself in the chest with. He hits a hidden button, activating a chemical shower hidden in the overhead light. He breathes a sigh of relief as the water washes off the chemical he was sprayed with.

Back at the restaurant, Chuck asks Sarah what will happen to her after she is done her duty watching out for him. She tells him that she will probably be assigned to a new case in a remote location. The conversation makes it apparent that Chuck wants to stay near her. Moments later, as Chuck and Sarah lean forward to share a kiss, Chuck flashes on three separate people at the restaurant, much to his dismay. Sarah notices and asks what is wrong. Chuck tells her that they are surrounded, as the patrons of the restaurant get up and descend upon them, pulling out concealed firearms. He assumes she has her gun but shew tells him that you don't bring a gun on a real date.

The mysterious man from the beginning of the episode appears and introduces himself as Mr. Colt. He demands that they come with him. They resist, but Colt tells them that as his employers give him the "heebie-jeebies" he would do as they demanded. Sarah notices the tracking device in Chuck's watch activated. Seeing an opportunity, Sarah tries to surprise Colt by using a pair of chopsticks as a weapon, but her attempt fails.

Just then, Casey drives through the front windows of the restaurant, dispatching bad guys in the process. Colt and his men are quickly recovering and as Casey directs Chuck and Sarah into the car, Colt punches him in the face. Casey drives off amid a hail of gunfire. Casey reveals that the Cipher has been lost; and Sarah expresses her disappointment that she did not have the time to find out who Colt was working for. Chuck's disappointment as he realizes that his days as the intersect are not yet over is profound.

The next morning, Chuck's alarm clock goes off, playing another Huey Lewis and the News number. He opens his eyes, and dejectedly gets ready for work in a repetitive sequence that is an homage to the movie, Groundhog Day.

At the Buy More, Morgan hands the list of resumes he has compiled. He promises to help Chuck choose the next assistant manager. They go to the back of the store, where the candidates, Anna, Jeff and Lester are waiting. With Morgan at his side, Chuck begins to interview the first candidate, Anna. Anna requests that Morgan leave, explaining later that she just wants to make him nervous; Jeff's resumé is scrawled in red marker on the back of a hygienically suspect napkin. Morgan refuses to touch the napkin, preferring to handle it with tongs. Lester's only notable project is a page about himself on Wikipedia.

Eventually, Casey bursts into the room. Chuck flashes on the shape of the bruise that Mr. Colt gave him the night before. The emblem, which Mr. Colt had on his ring, was from a secret organization that has a hideout in town. Casey decides to call in a special NSA task force; telling Chuck to stay at the Buy More.

Chuck wants to accompany Casey and Sarah on their raid; but Morgan wants to finish the task of choosing the new assistant manager. Chuck, distracted, tells Morgan that it's up to him to choose. Without waiting for a response, Chuck leaves the store, while Morgan asks him if that's really a good idea. Chuck walks in to Orange Orange just as Casey and Sarah are leaving. They again refuse Chuck's help, ordering him to go back to the Buy More while they take care of the task.

Meanwhile, Morgan has decided to set up a cage-wrestling match between the potential candidates for the assistant manager's position; and they are warming up. Reluctantly, Chuck returns to the Buy More; but, to his surprise, there are no employees to be seen. As Chuck surveys the empty store, Big Mike appears, telling him that he got a call for Nerd Herd help, but he cannot find any employees. Chuck is told to take the call, because the caller requested Chuck.

Meanwhile, Casey, Sarah and the task force storm the hideout, but it is deserted. The agents and the task force are confused, thinking either Chuck was wrong or that he was right, and they are too late. At this point, Chuck has reached his destination. He knocks on a door to find Mr. Colt waiting for him. Chuck, visibly nervous, asks what the problem is. Mr. Colt explains that Chuck has seen his face, and heard his voice, and is therefore a risk to him. Chuck offers to forget Mr. Colt, citing that he once forgot his sister's birthday. As Chuck is speaking, he notices the cipher in a briefcase open on the table.

Chuck then tells Mr. Colt that he is really Charles Carmichael, a CIA agent, and the trap that Mr. Colt has lured him into is really a trap for him. Chuck rattles off a list of troops he claims have surrounded the building. Chuck's sudden change in demeanor and confidence in his story unnerve Colt's men, who begin to look through the windows for the task force. Colt is not convinced, so Chuck pulls out a phone, and calls Morgan. Chuck asks Morgan to give him the battle plan specifications to take the compound, which Morgan rattles off, exactly as Chuck had moments before. Morgan also adds that he "took out one guy already", and "his head exploded like a watermelon."

Upon hearing this, Colt's men are rattled, as one of their own had left moments earlier to "go to the can". Seizing the opportunity, Chuck takes The Cipher, and escapes. He runs in to Mr. Colt, who throws him through a window. Moments later, Chuck is again being held, upside-down from the roof of the building by Mr. Colt. Again, Sarah appears from behind. This time, however, Colt has had enough, and lets go of Chuck. Sarah screams, visibly upset, and apparently believing Chuck is dead, Sarah attacks Mr. Colt. Chuck is grabbed mid-fall by Casey, and he manages to drop Chuck on the fire escape below him.

Meanwhile, Mr. Colt and Sarah are fighting. When Casey arrives, Colt's team emerges and surrounded them. Then the doors open and Casey's NSA task force, led by Chuck, who said he was "going for imposing," subdue and arrest Mr. Colt and his men. Chuck, acting as Charles Carmichael, retrieves the cypher and Colt tells Casey that his boss, Carmichael, is very good, much to Casey's irritation.

Later, Chuck prepares for his second date with Sarah. He tells Ellie that he's decided to cook for Sarah a dish their father taught him. Ellie mentions that their father couldn't cook either.

Meanwhile, at Casey's apartment, General Beckman reminds Casey that her order to eliminate Chuck still stands. Although Casey attempts to plead an alternate exit strategy, CIA Director Langston Graham steps in and asks Casey if he thinks that he can extract the Intersect information from Chuck or keep him safe from all threats of kidnap and torture to which Casey answers no. Graham assures him that Chuck will die with honor, protecting his country's secrets.

CIA director Graham and a group of six agents then ready the new intersect. The director installs the Cipher and initializes the system. The Intersect begins its start-up. Casey, meanwhile, enters Chuck's apartment through the bedroom window, gun at the ready. As the Intersect finishes booting, the screen blanks and displays a message: "Fulcrum thanks you"; before the Cipher destroys the intersect, and everyone in it, in a fiery explosion. Casey is seconds from completing his mission when Chuck's doorbell rings. Sarah tells him the date is off: he's still the only Intersect; the new one has been destroyed by the Cipher, which was a Trojan horse. Casey stands down.

The next day, Chuck is back at the Nerd Herd, looking dejected. Lester appears, dressed as the new assistant manager. He attempts to reprimand Chuck, because he has not had any compliments about Chuck's work. Chuck blows him off. Morgan appears and tells Chuck not to feel so bad; in his opinion, Chuck is destined for great things. Morgan then tells Chuck of a bet he has made with Jeff: whether Jeff can eat ninety twinkies in under three minutes. Chuck, interested, follows Morgan to the back of the store. As they go past Casey, Chuck tells him "Ninety Twinkies in under three minutes!" Morgan adds "Jeff might die!" prompting him to follow them to the back room.

Guest Stars[]

Continuity[]

The Wienerlicious franchise that served as Sarah's cover was replaced by a frozen yogurt franchise called Orange Orange.
When Chuck tells Ellie his future plans might include being a 'secret agent,' it is the first time he might seem to regard what is happening to him as an possible opportunity and not strictly a nightmare as previously described.
Casey has difficulty following his orders to eliminate Chuck. Once again showing that he’s beginning to see Chuck as more than an asset.
Chuck and Sarah go on their second first date. It goes equally as well as the first one.
Much like their previous first date Casey crashes his car. Unlike the previous first date Sarah brings no weapons.
Jeff’s “résumé“ includes:
- I’ve worked here Forever... 18 years and I know where the bodies are buried. HA HA HA
- My coworkers have nice feet. I like pictures of them. And then smell them. Chuck (obscured), Anna= $(illegible), Morgan= $(illegible)
Chuck shows acting prowess and keeping cool under pressure, in dealing with Colt, foreshadowing his future as a spy.
Sarah is visibly upset when she believes Chuck to be dead, indicating her feelings are much deeper than previously admitted.
This is the last appearance of Director Graham in chronology. He will make his final appearance in a flashback in Chuck Versus the Baby.
Lester becomes the Assistant Manager at the Buy More
After Chuck sees Awesome and Ellie in the shower, he is then seen in the breakfast table eating a cereal called "Nuts & More".

Trivia[]

When Casey suffers the chemical attack, he injects himself straight into the heart with a syringe that is presumably filled with adrenaline, in an homage to Pulp Fiction.
During Lester's job interview, he slips into impersonation of Marlon Brando in the Godfather.
Chuck repeatedly wakes up to his alarm clock playing the same band, is a nod to the movie Groundhog Day, a movie Zachary Levi has claimed as a favorite film. A song used, Power of Love by Huey Lewis and the News, is yet another series reference to Back to the Future.
When Morgan is put in charge of choosing the assistant manager of the Buy More, he has the staff participate in a cage match reminiscent of the Thunderdome in Mad Max: Thunderdome.
Morgan refers to Chuck as Emperor of the Known Universe a reference to the character Shaddam IV, in Dune, and when Morgan says "the once and future assistant manager:Chuck Bartowski! The sleeper has awoken!" This is a reference both to King Arthur of legend, the once and future king, and to Paul Atraides, from the novel Dune by Frank Herbert.

Goofs[]

In the scene where Chuck and Ellie discuss his future, a crewmember can be seen chatting with someone in the kitchen.

Quotes[]

Ellie: Any revelations? Any idea what you're going to do next?
Chuck: Um, yeah, a few.
Ellie: If you say pilot the Millennium Falcon I will hit you.
Chuck: Why would I say that? That's absurd. I'm gonna be a ninja assassin.
Ellie: No. Try again.
Chuck: Ummm, Olympic....
Ellie: Uh-uh.
Chuck [pause]: Secret agent.
Ellie: This is what happens when you sit in front of the television set too long.

~

Chuck: You can stop me anytime with the compliments if they're becoming, you know....
Sarah: No. No, that was very sweet.
Chuck: Sweet? Golly gee, thanks for making me feel like I'm eight.
Sarah: Well, you're not so bad yourself.
Chuck: Please. I'm fantastic.
Sarah:Yeah. You are.

~

Chuck: I kinda, sorta work for the CIA and the NSA in my off hours when I'm not working at the store. This is kind of like a second job for me, and though I don't look it, being lanky of build, you should know that I am probably the most important intelligence asset in the world.
Colt: That is the single dumbest story I've ever heard.

Music[]

Huey Lewis – “Hip To Be Square”
The Thermals – “Returning To The Fold”
Flight Of The Concords – “Foux Du Fafa”
Phantom Planet – “Dropped”
Huey Lewis – “Power Of Love”
Frightened Rabbit – “The Twist”