Thank You for 91 Hours of CHUCK – Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, et al

An open love letter dedicated to the NBC series Chuck on the eve of its’ finale. We had a feeling you could relate.

Goodbye, Chuck Bartowski

I love television. (Obviously.) And while there are shows that I love for their brilliant writing, or their creative storytelling, or perhaps just the way they continually keep me on my toes, sometimes I love a show just for being, and stick with me here, fun to watch. Chuck has been one of those shows. Not that it hasn’t been brilliant and creative and all of that. But here’s the thing – I didn’t really care if it was. All I cared about was the show.

Chuck started several months after I had just said goodbye to another Josh Schwartz creation, The OC. The shows are obviously not anywhere close to the same type of series – for instance my husband loves Chuck, but runs out of the room whenever he hears the song California start, indicating I’m about to embark on a trip down memory lane with the Newpsies. Of course, there is one common denominator – that Josh Schwartz-esque lead character. If Seth Cohen (Adam Brody) had been a little more tech oriented he could be Chuck Bartowski. So it is no surprise that not even 5 minutes into the pilot I was in love with Chuck. And, of course, Zachary Levi. I won’t get into my reaction upon finding out that Zac is also a talented singer and dancer. Let’s just say there was a fairly decent amount of swooning.

And with that character, a love for a show was born. And it wasn’t just Chuck/Zac. Yvonne Strahovski made Sarah Walker more than just a pretty girl who can fight. She could be as delicate as she was badass. Watching her fall in love with the goofball Chuck was both engaging and frustrating every time they took one step forward and two steps back. But the writers didn’t let us down and not only did they get Chuck and Sarah together, but they let them get married and become one of the more solid married couples on television (minus that one little problem of Sarah losing all her memories last week…. but let’s not think of that.)

Adam Baldwin as John Casey and Joshua Gomez and Morgan Grimes are also perfection as two completely different characters who somehow fit together so well, the writers are probably sad they didn’t have them move in together the first season. For every long winded comment Morgan makes, Casey answers with a completely understandable grunt or on occasion a short, but somehow perfect, response. These two work not just as back-up to Chuck and Sarah but as solid characters on their own that provide insight into each episode and manage to bring more heart than any two, for all intents and purposes, sidekicks, have any right to do.

These characters are what made the show. Beyond these four are a myriad of people that have come and gone. And even the most infuriating have been worth it. I would totally watch a spin-off show called The Awesomes about Devon and Ellie (Ryan McPartlin and Sarah Lancaster). How easy would it have been for Devon to have been a worthless one-dimensional character? Or Ellie to be a whining sister? But they weren’t. They were a couple for Chuck and Sarah to aspire to, and rocks for Chuck to lean on in the worst of times.

I’m going to miss every single one of them more than I can say. I’ll miss their ridiculous missions. The Big Bads they worked together to take down. Everyone’s flash faces. The way Chuck always looks at Sarah like it is the first time he’s seen someone so pretty. The way Ellie and Chuck are more solid as a family unit than anyone with their familial history should be. I’ll even miss Jeffster. Yep…. I’m obviously very emotional.

I expect so much from these final two hours and I don’t think I’ll be disappointed. I expect something bittersweet, because that is what this show is. So much love with always just a twinge of sadness. And when it is done… well, I’ll just have to live it all over again on DVD. I can’t wait to see Sarah walk into the Buy More the first time. For Chuck to look up at Sarah and Casey and say “Guys, I know Kung Fu.” For Casey to say something completely brilliant for the first time, and everyone’s reactions to that. To watch Chuck propose to Sarah as we watch on, not hearing it, behind the guy cleaning the hospital floors. To see Papa and Mama Bartowski the first time. And, of course, whatever moment(s) inevitably bring me to tears during the finale.

Thank you to Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak for giving us such a wonderful show. Thank you to Subway for selling so many $5 footlongs NBC kept this show on the air seasons after it would have been cancelled. Thank you to the fans for loving it as much as I do. And thank you to Zachary Levi (and the rest of the cast) for giving your all for 91 hours of amazing show. I can’t wait to see what you all do next. But whatever it is, I will always miss these characters. I had more fun with them than almost any show out there.

As Chuck would say…. I’ll miss you, buddy.

Written by Melissa Miller. Find her on Twitter @serrae

Stay tuned to SmallScreenScoop.com for a piece on the Best Chuck Songs of the Series, and our Chuck Review of the 2 hour series finale.