Loved It? Hated It? What did you think of the Chuck Series Finale?

[Melekith]

http://youtu.be/yIhrAafSmYg

Here's an interview that Yvonne did on G4's Attack of the Show. I actually saw this on TV when it originally aired, around the beginning of January I think. But she makes a mention about the Chuck series finale and says that "it takes a turn in a different direction, and I was a little shocked when I read the script."

I wasn't sure how to decipher Yvonne's tone when I first saw this interview, but re-watching it now after the Chuck finale...I can certainly tell that Yvonne herself realizes that this was a big turn. This is proof to me that even Yvonne cannot make the assumption that the character she has played for 5 years turned out how she expected.

I am actually eagerly anticipating the DvD release so I can watch the final moments with the enclosed commentary track. It will be nice to hear from the writers and other staff about how they chose to end it.

[Supsfan]

I am actually eagerly anticipating the DvD release so I can watch the final moments with the enclosed commentary track. It will be nice to hear from the writers and other staff about how they chose to end it.

I'll tell you right now, they will point how they wanted to tie it to the last scene of the first episode. Given how much negative response the scene has gotten I am guessing they will try reason how she is getting her memories back.

[Welling_is_pretty]

To me this finale was a mixed bag. But first to backtrack and talk about part 1 "Chuck vs. Sarah".

So obvious that Sarah was scamming them and pretending to be back. Got another Bryce mention--yay (though I knew Matt wouldn't be returning for the finale--big bummer--I had hoped we'd get a mention or something). Casey scrubbing floors in an apron that reads World's Greatest Dad? I laughed.

Ellie and Awesome being woo'd by the Midwest?

Chuck wanting to destroy the Intersect? Wouldn't the CIA not want that? After all, it's their property, isn't it?

An invisibility cloak and a Potter quote.

Sarah using all of Bryce's moves (which Fedak said was deliberate) in busting in. She copied everything Bryce did in the pilot while escaping from the Intersect, which was very cool (well, except getting shot by Casey, of course).

Sarah taking Ellie hostage, the return of Beckman (yay!), crashing the car on purpose, Sarah chooses the glasses and Chuck takes a bullet for her.

Sarah telling Chuck she believes him but can't feel it.

And now into "Chuck vs. the Goodbye".

The return of Mark Pelligrino, a mention of Ted Roarke and Fulcrum and the Ring.

The many other shout outs (the Mariachi band, dancing again, the Weinerlicious, etc.) were nice to see. The return of Mama B. (I'd rather have Orion but he'd dead) and the plan to reboot Sarah, all good stuff.

Finding out Beckman has the key? And Casey telling Beckman off?

The best part of this episode (of both, I think) was going from the classical music to Jeffster--though as I said on the other thread I though they were going to launch into "Rock Me, Amadeus" and that would have been more fitting, plus that song goes on forever!.

And finally at long, long last Chuck is the Intersect again. I literally cheered when he did Flash face again. It would have been so wrong for the series to end and him not to flash at least once more. The porn bomb saving the day again, Casey hugging Beckman, and Jeffster gets their kudos.

Subway owns the Buy More now? So what, Chuck sold it? (He and Sarah own it together, after all.) *is confused* Also that's it for the good-bye to the Buy More? That store is the heart of the show and we get a passing farewell (IMO)? Not cool.

The Jeffster thing kind of came out of nowhere but seems fitting.

Casey going after Gert, the Woodcombs moving (and a Dad quote thrown in), the team breaking up. This was when it started to go sour for me. We spent five years getting them together and making them not just a team, but a family. They chose to be together and now? And then as we moved toward the end and then we don't even find out if the kiss worked? I found that extremely disappointing. (And they are still married! He was going to let her leave even though they are technically husband and wife? WTH?)

Schwartz and Fedak did a little "post-mortem" for TV Line in which they basically said that they wanted people to be able to make up their own ending for Chuck and Sarah. Now sometimes I like that, I admit it. But that's not what i wanted here.

And they didn't even deal with the fact that Chuck has the Intersect again. I just felt that around the last 15 minutes the finale really fell apart. It was pretty good up til then though.

[Melekith]

We spent five years getting them together and making them not just a team, but a family. They chose to be together and now? And then as we moved toward the end and then we don't even find out if the kiss worked? I found that extremely disappointing. (And they are still married! He was going to let her leave even though they are technically husband and wife? WTH?)

Schwartz and Fedak did a little "post-mortem" for TV Line in which they basically said that they wanted people to be able to make up their own ending for Chuck and Sarah. Now sometimes I like that, I admit it. But that's not what i wanted here.

And they didn't even deal with the fact that Chuck has the Intersect again. I just felt that around the last 15 minutes the finale really fell apart. It was pretty good up til then though.

I agree with you completely. Anyone who enjoyed the last few scenes because they were some type of throwback is being duped.

EDIT: And just for the record...the finale was some of Zachary Levi's finest acting on the entire show. Josh Gomez was at his funniest when he found the cloak. Casey was as cool as ever. All of these things felt like Chuck. But then we arrived to the final moments...

Seriously this is a major failure. But I think I've made my opinion clear.

[KMRR16]

The highlight for me was the Jefster, singing the A-HA song.

[Vergon6]

I agree as well. The finale was pretty good but things during the last 15 minutes kind of fell apart. I kind of understand that logic behind moving Awesome and Ellie away. But they really should have not left it up to interpretation that Sarah was getting her memories back and it would have been nice to see the Intersect addressed again at the end. Yeah Zachary Levi and everyone else did a really great job. It's one thing to hint at new beginnings, it's another thing to leave pretty major things hanging.

[Welling_is_pretty]

Oh yes, Zach and the cast did a great job. It was wonderful to see Yvonne go back to "Spy!Sarah" mode as well. Very good job on all their parts. Just...the ending. It's funny. From their interview you get the feeling that Schwartz and Fedak thought that fans would be happy with the ending (they called the finale "a love letter to our fans", which it was until--again--the last 15 minutes or so).

Honestly? When I watched that ending? I thought "are they leaving it open in case there's a movie?" Cause I've heard rumors that there might be a movie (or a TV movie even). I figured that might be a reason to leave it ambigious.

Season 5 was the best in a while but that ending leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I wish there was more to wash it away...(I'm still in denial, I think, about Chuck being over. I keep looking in my tivo list to see when the next episode is on!)

[Vergon6]

Oh yes, Zach and the cast did a great job. It was wonderful to see Yvonne go back to "Spy!Sarah" mode as well. Very good job on all their parts. Just...the ending. It's funny. From their interview you get the feeling that Schwartz and Fedak thought that fans would be happy with the ending (they called the finale "a love letter to our fans", which it was until--again--the last 15 minutes or so).

Honestly? When I watched that ending? I thought "are they leaving it open in case there's a movie?" Cause I've heard rumors that there might be a movie (or a TV movie even). I figured that might be a reason to leave it ambigious.

Season 5 was the best in a while but that ending leaves a sour taste in my mouth. I wish there was more to wash it away...(I'm still in denial, I think, about Chuck being over. I keep looking in my tivo list to see when the next episode is on!)

Yeah, there often seems to be a disconnect between the producers and what they feel the fans would like to see. The whole 'love letter' to the fans reminds me of what the producers of Star Trek Enterprise said about the series finale, "These Are the Voyages". They said it was a 'valentine to the fans' of Star Trek. In the end, that episode was mediocre aside from the final moments. If you have seen it, you will know what I'm talking about. I thought the final episode was way better than that Star Trek one, but still, the same sort of disconnect between fans and producers.

Obviously you don't want to be too predictable or cliche. But if something works, it works. There is a certain degree of payoff that needs to be in a finale.

[Welling_is_pretty]

If you have seen it, you will know what I'm talking about. I thought the final episode was way better than that Star Trek one, but still, the same sort of disconnect between fans and producers.

Obviously you don't want to be too predictable or cliche. But if something works, it works. There is a certain degree of payoff that needs to be in a finale.

Fraid I haven't. I tried to get into Enterprise (mostly for Bakula, whom I love) but just couldn't. Dropped it at the end of season 1, I think? But I do agree with you on the disconnect. And this episode was very much a love letter to fans until, again, those last 15 minutes. I think back to other 'endings' we've had (every season it seemed Chuck was unsure if it would return so TPTB had to write an ender that could be a season or series finale) and those seemed more satisfying (I'm specifically thinking of the episode where Chuck and Sarah end up in Paris together).

I do agree you don't want to be predictable and cliche (which I'm sure some fans might have accused them of if they'd done the 'happily ever after' thing with Chuck and Sarah but surely such good writers (and they've shown they can be brilliant!) could find a way around that.

[Supsfan]

I do agree you don't want to be predictable and cliche (which I'm sure some fans might have accused them of if they'd done the 'happily ever after' thing with Chuck and Sarah but surely such good writers (and they've shown they can be brilliant!) could find a way around that.

To be honest I have no problems with the show going out predictable and cliche. This isn't Lost where people waited 6 seasons to find out the secret of the Island(and man did that episode fail never the less) and they have to come up with this big ending. Simple and Cliche would have perfectly worked for this show. The only other type of ending I could have lived with if they went the comedy route of it being a dream of one of the cast members(although I am guessing the joke ending would piss off fans who took the show more seriously)

[Welling_is_pretty]

The only other type of ending I could have lived with if they went the comedy route of it being a dream of one of the cast members(although I am guessing the joke ending would piss off fans who took the show more seriously)

Oh I think fandom would have exploded with rage if that had been the ending they had gone with. The "what do you think this is, Dallas?" jokes would have been fast and furious. I did read someone's thoughts that it could have turned out that the whole thing was a product of Chuck's brain/the intersect though. So the idea is out there, I guess.

[j-peezy]

I cried! Great ending. Close to what I wanted. Every character story ended on a high note. Love that Chuck has the intersect again. Sad that Sarah forgot all the good stuff, but had a feeling of hope at the end that things'd come back in time. All the flash back stuff was the best, that's what made me cry. I love that they went out on Chuck and Sarah kissing. More than perfect last scene!!! Thanks for that awesome show. And Zachary Levi...I LOVE YOU! You are the coolest nerd ever!

[Welling_is_pretty]

I know we're in the morgue now and this might not get seen but I had to share it:
Ausiello talks to Chuck about the end of the series
Please be advised that there are spoilers for Zach Levi's new show here and maybe for the other guy's show (I tuned him out so not sure?).

There is also talk of a Chuck movie....