My thanks to Gray, Mel, and Liz for their efforts with “Chuck vs. the Podcast” and ChuckTV.Net

Back in February 2010, when I first became a fan of Chuck, I really wasn’t sure where to turn for information about the show beyond NBC’s and Warner Bros.’ websites. Luckily, a Google search turned up a treasure trove of info: ChuckTV.Net, the outstanding Chuck fan website run by Mel Lowery (@chucktvdotnet) & Liz Henderson (@PrlsOfLizdom). In addition to providing a wealth of news & information about Chuck, Mel & Liz’ outstanding site introduced me to “Chuck vs. the Podcast,” the fun & informative Chuck podcast created & hosted by Graham “Gray” Jones (@GrayJones) and co-hosted by Mel & Liz.

With ChuckTV.Net and “Chuck vs. the Podcast,” Gray, Mel, and Liz have done an outstanding job keeping Chuck fans in the loop these last few years with news, spoilers, and tons of awesome behind-the-scenes interviews with Chuck‘s creators, writers, crew, and cast. As just one example, the podcast’s 1st episode featured a phone interview with none other than Sarah Walker herself, Yvonne Strahovski! Gray, Mel, and Liz’ efforts have played an important role in not only informing fans about Chuck, but in helping me personally feel like a member of a larger community. It was an article on ChuckTV.Net that first prompted me to join Twitter, which connected me with the wider network of Chuck fans around the world and also helped me connect with new friends & acquaintances who may not watch Chuck, but who I share other interests with.

I recently finished watching the final three episodes of “Chuck vs. the Podcast.” I think I delayed watching these final podcast episodes because of how integral to my fan experience ChuckTV.Net and “Chuck vs. the Podcast” have been; prolonging the end of the podcast for me was, in a way, like prolonging the “end” of my experience with Chuck itself. The more I think about it, though, the more I am reminded that while Chuck‘s run of new episodes may be over, the experience of Chuck fans is not. We still have DVDs to watch, new fans to bring into the fold, and if we’re very lucky, a movie to help spread the word about if the opportunity presents itself down the road. Whatever happens, I’m sure that Gray, Mel, & Liz will be there to serve as a voice of the Chuck fan community, as they always have.

Gray, Mel, and Liz, I know I speak for Chuck fans the world over when I say, from the bottom of my heart, Thank You & God Bless for all you’ve done for us and for Chuck itself. If I’m ever lucky enough to thank you all in person at some point, first round of drinks is on me!

My experience with Bioware’s “Mass Effect 3,” and my thoughts about the game’s ending (Spoiler Warning!!!)

SPOILER WARNING: This blog post covers my experience with and thoughts about Mass Effect 3. As such, I will be discussing important points about the game’s story and details about its hotly debated ending. If you have not yet played Mass Effect 3, or if you’ve started the game but haven’t finished it, I urge you to stop reading now and come back once you’ve finished the game and had a chance to form your own opinions.

I’ve been a huge fan of the Mass Effect franchise since I got the first game on a whim when it came out in November 2007. I figured it’d be good, since it came from the same developer that had made Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, but nothing prepared me for the richness & depth of story and fun gameplay that Bioware had crafted for the first Mass Effect. It was a given, then, that I would purchase Mass Effect 2 when it came out, and I was even more blown away by the improved combat and increasingly engaging story. This was made all the more meaningful by the ability to import my saves from one game into the next, thus maintaining continuity of my own custom version of the narrative.

All of this contributed to extremely high expectations heading into Mass Effect 3‘s release two weeks ago, and I’m very proud and pleased to say that the overwhelming majority of the game didn’t simply meet my expectations–it exceeded them more than I could have imagined!

I was thrilled by combat that was even more refined & tighter than in Mass Effect 2, which itself was a huge improvement over the combat in Mass Effect (apart from the cumbersome inventory system, combat was the only part of ME1 that needed improvement). Apart from generally feeling faster-paced & more visceral, the combat in Mass Effect 3 was improved over the previous two games by smarter & more aggressive enemy AI, as well as smarter AI for squadmates (I didn’t have to specifically direct squadmates on where to take cover as often as in ME1 or ME2). The incredibly wide variety of weapons available was a plus, and actually prompted me to give a second look at some weapons I had neglected in previous games (for example, the Vindicator battle rifle, which I didn’t care for in ME2, became my assault rifle of choice in ME3).

The War Assets game mechanic was another aspect of ME3 that I really enjoyed. It was a fun, clever way to keep track of the job I was doing in building up the armada to take Earth back from the Reapers, and the process of scanning for assets in the various systems was much simpler to deal with than the tedious mineral scanning of ME2. With regards to the new-to-the-franchise cooperative multiplayer, I really enjoy how straightforward & fun to play it is, thanks to the game’s excellent combat system. Many people have complained about the fact that the multiplayer has an impact on how prepared your singleplayer armada is, but I appreciated that aspect of it; it has made me want to participate in multiplayer in a way that other games haven’t up to this point. As far as the equipment packs for multiplayer are concerned, I enjoy being able to earn money to buy better weapons & supplies, but I’m not sure how I feel about the micro-transaction option. I’m concerned that people who can’t shell out the money to quickly buy the best stuff might find themselves booted out of games on a regular basis, but hopefully they’ll be able to avoid that by saving up in-game credits playing with groups of friends.

The lionshare of Mass Effect 3‘s story has been everything I expected and far, far more. Along with minor story atmosphere details such as being debriefed by Hackett after every N7 mission and side mission (which made those missions feel much more relevant than their ME1 and ME2 counterparts), I loved how subplots both large and small were resolved in ME3. Some of my favorite story moments included:

• Coming to terms with Khalisah al-Jilani–Yeah, I know she’s the reporter everyone has loved to hate, but as a Paragon player who has always shown restraint with Khalisah, I really appreciated how using the Paragon interrupts allowed me to give her a chance to use her bully pulpit to do some real good, and that it made her a War Asset (interestingly, she provides more individual benefit than Diana Allers–who I think should have been given more to do in the game–does).
• Conrad Verner–Ah, Conrad, ya goofy knucklehead. I loved that despite his continually inept nature, Conrad was given a chance to contribute (however insignificantly) to the war effort, and even sacrifice himself to save Shepard’s life (“Did I help, Shepard?” “Yeah, Conrad…You helped.”) I did the side mission to help Jenna in ME1, however, so Conrad didn’t die in my playthrough.
• Discovering EDI’s origin–I had a feeling that the side mission to stop the rogue VI on the Moon in ME1 would have a payoff farther down the road, but I wasn’t expecting anything quite as cool as finding out that that VI eventually became the indispensable EDI, whose character development in ME3 was very enjoyable to watch unfold.
• Encountering David Archer and Jack at Grissom Academy–The ending to the Mass Effect 2 add-on Overlord was one of the most emotionally gut-wrenching moments I’ve ever seen in a story, especially since I have a relative who is autistic. For that reason, encountering David Archer at Grissom Academy–and having him vouch for you to the other tech students–was incredibly satisfying. I also had EDI with me as a squadmate on that mission, which results in a brief but very touching exchange between the two of them. I loved the story development that has none other than Jack working as an instructor–and fiercely protective den-mother–for the biotic students at Grissom Academy. The part where Jack hauls off & punches Shepard while lecturing him/her about trusting Cerberus made me laugh out loud, as did her line to one of the students about taking…something…out of her purse.
• Curing the genophage–This was one of the two biggest & most important subplot moments for me in Mass Effect 3, and it didn’t disappoint in the least. Mordin’s self-sacrifice to cure the disease which he helped perpetuate was a remarkably powerful moment, and I couldn’t help but finish singing the line “…scientist Salarian” after the explosion that killed him. The subsequent scene showing the Krogan female & Wrex express gratitude & promise that they will guide their race toward a better future was incredibly gratifying, and I hope we all get a chance to see how that future plays out in any subsequent Mass Effect games that come along.
• Ending the conflict between the Geth and the Quarians–Apart from the obvious benefit of getting “two fleets for the price of one” in the war effort against the Reapers, being able to broker peace between the Geth & Quarians was supremely satisfying, and I’ve been waiting for it ever since the revelation in ME2 that not all Geth wanted to go to war with organics. The final moment when Tali removes her helmet & freely breathes the air of her homeworld for the first time was the perfect way to cap off that sequence.

Now that I’ve covered what I loved about Mass Effect 3, it’s time for me to address the elephant in the room: the ending choices of the game, and the ways in which they are lacking. First and foremost, there is a lot that’s good about the established endings in a general sense. Shepard’s willingness to sacrifice himself/herself for the good of the galaxy, the choice of whether to destroy the Reapers, control them, or create peace & understanding with them, and losing the use of the mass relays are all good ideas, and have the potential for creating fantastic endings for the game and the trilogy. Unfortunately, there are a number of problems with the way the endings were executed:

1. The destruction of the mass relay network–I don’t have a problem with the idea of humanity and the other races losing the use of the mass relay network, at least for the short term; it creates a great opportunity for showing how galactic civilization could cope with this loss going forward. However, violently destroying the relays outright has a glaring problem which numerous fans have already pointed out. As was established in the Mass Effect 2 add-on Arrival, if a mass relay is completely destroyed, the resulting energy release is enough to completely destroy all life in the system where it is located. Logically then, if the entire relay network blows up simultaneously, it would eradicate life in every populated system containing a relay, thus rendering the struggle to save civilization from the Reapers completely pointless. Furthermore, even if a ship tried to outrun the destruction of a relay as Joker does with the Normandy in each of the three main endings, it would be for nothing since the ship would be destroyed at their destination when that system’s relay blows up.
2. Joker & the Normandy crew fleeing Earth’s solar system–There are three major problems with this aspect of the endings. First, Joker and the Normandy crew have no apparent way of knowing what’s about to happen with the Citadel/Crucible or the mass relays, so there’s no clear reason why they would attempt to flee. Second, even if Joker & the crew did somehow know what was happening, their extreme loyalty to Shepard would demand that they make some attempt to rescue him/her from the Citadel before fleeing the system. Third, since every member of Shepard’s squad was down on Earth’s surface, it makes no sense that they would suddenly be on board the Normandy, which was still fighting in the battle overhead.
3. Destruction option also killing the Geth, EDI, and other synthetics–This aspect of the “destruction” ending really bothers me, especially since I placed so much importance on showing mercy to the Geth and brokering peace between them and the Quarians. Forcing Shepard to betray an entire race that agreed to help fight the Reapers renders the earlier choice to ally with them completely moot. It also makes no sense from the perspective that the Crucible was supposed to be a weapon specifically designed & built to destroy the Reapers; how would it be able to destroy or damage synthetics that didn’t even exist during the previous extinction cycle?
4. Control option showing no consequences–The lack of any depiction of consequences is a huge problem with all three of the endings, but it is particularly notable in this one. If humanity suddenly had complete control over the machine race that had been attacking galactic society, the other races would certainly have something to say about it, especially if Shepard and/or humanity chose to use the Reapers in a less-than-benevolent way.
5. Synthesis option focusing on DNA rather than mind–It has already been established that the Reapers harvest the DNA of organics in order to create the organic/synthetic hybrid basis of their own “bodies.” However, it seems to me that if the Catalyst wanted to present Shepard with an option of creating lasting peace between synthetics & organics, it would focus on Shepard’s mind, personality, and resolve. Those were the aspects of Shepard that allowed him/her to stand up to the Reapers, and accomplish the feat of uniting the galaxy’s races (including the synthetic Geth, depending on player choices).
6. Mechanisms for selecting the three choices–This was one of the strangest aspects of Mass Effect 3‘s ending. It makes no sense how grabbing hold of what appear to be live electrical terminals, jumping into a massive energy stream, or shooting a power conduit with a pistol has anything to do with triggering a specifically-designed mechanism for destroying or altering the Reapers. This also eliminates any potential for a realistic means of Shepard surviving any of the three courses of action, including blowing up the power conduit in the destruction option. Again, the concept of Shepard sacrificing himself/herself for the good of the galaxy makes sense from a storytelling perspective, and I kind of expected that with this game. However, if Bioware had any plans for creating DLC that carries the story past the established ending, it would have been smart to incorporate some chance of survival for Shepard into every ending (perhaps dependent on player choices or some other set of circumstances). An alternative way of depicting this choice could have been Shepard standing before some kind of control console, making a choice through the dialogue wheel, and then showing depictions of each choice’s consequences through unique cinematics.
7. Lack of “no Crucible” option–Bioware missed a huge opportunity to cater to player choice by not including an option to avoid using the Crucible entirely once learning of the potential damage it could do to the mass relay network and/or friendly synthetics like the Geth and EDI. An option like this would have been dependent on having the strongest possible armada with no War Assets left uncollected, and it would have logically resulted in the heaviest losses to the fleet (if anyone survived at all), but it would have been very satisfying to any player inclined to go that route.

All of the points mentioned above depend on the idea of taking the existing ending at face value. However, some people have put forth a theory that the endings in their present form are explained by the idea that all of the events after Shepard is knocked unconscious are a depiction of Shepard fighting off an indoctrination attempt by the Reapers. In this scenario, Shepard’s choice atop the Citadel would represent whether that indoctrination attempt succeeds (choosing the control or synthesis options) or fails (choosing the destruction option, which is the only choice that results in Shepard waking up alive in a pile of rubble). For a much more detailed discussion of this theory, please consult this document (Note–I did not write this linked document): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QT4IUepvrU1pfv_B95oQj0H84DlCTUmzQ_uQh1voTUs/mobilebasic?pli=1. In addition, YouTube user ACAYVOS has created a video that presents a very compelling argument as to why this whole sequence must be in Shepard’s mind, showing resistance to Reaper indoctrination (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ythY_GkEBck).

If the indoctrination theory is accurate, it would be a very clever storytelling idea, but that leaves the question of why Bioware ends the game at this point. Why not continue after Shepard resists Reaper indoctrination with the destruction option? Some have argued that Bioware did this deliberately, so as to make any forthcoming DLC with an altered/expanded ending more “indispensable.” Whether that’s true, or if Bioware meant for players to take the endings at face value and intended no other ending for the story, they now face a dilemma worthy of the Mass Effect games themselves.

If Bioware does nothing to change this ending, many players will be upset that they were not able to experience a clearer ending that provides closure and that better reflects player choices. If they provide a new ending with DLC that must be paid for, many players will be extremely angry that they have to pay extra to get the “true” ending for Mass Effect 3. If they provide a new/altered/expanded ending for free, either through a DLC pack or a title update patch, many have argued that it will set a dangerous precedent for fans being able to change any game ending they don’t like simply by raising a large enough stink.

Whatever Bioware’s intent was with the existing ending, and whatever they decide to do to address the matter, I hope that they and other developers take this opportunity to learn how to avoid this kind of situation in the future without compromising their artistic integrity. I also hope that fans of Mass Effect and of other game franchises realize that, while they do have every right to be displeased with a game and to express their displeasure, they should respect developers’ right to artistic expression, and express their views with respect and courtesy.

My experience with the “Mass Effect 3″ Demo (Minor Spoiler Warning!)

For the last week, I’ve taken a break from my last playthrough of Mass Effect 2 to put the singleplayer & multiplayer Mass Effect 3 Demo through its paces & get a feel for how the gameplay will be different before the full game is released on March 6th. I actually got to start a few days early thanks to a code giveaway on AchievementHunter.com, so that was a cool treat!

After re-creating my MaleShep* character from ME1 & ME2 (thanks to a helpful suggestion on Twitter from Bioware’s Casey Hudson), I dove into the singleplayer portion of the demo on my chosen class of Soldier (I tried the Infiltrator & Adept classes for a bit as well, but the Soldier just feels best to me). The 1st part of the singleplayer demo puts Commander Shepard on Earth, having been relieved of duty following the events of Mass Effect 2. The Systems Alliance brass calls Shepard to meet with them and offer advice on how to deal with the imminent arrival of the Reapers, but before Shepard can finish giving a warning, the Reapers arrive, laying waste to Earth.

You then follow Anderson through the wreckage of Alliance HQ to rendezvous with the Normandy, fighting Husks & Cannibals (“huskified” Batarians with a nasty ranged attack) along the way. This portion of the demo is meant to get you acquainted with the basic movement & combat mechanics of the game, and it does an excellent job of that. There’s also a very poignant bit of storytelling, as Shepard briefly interacts with a young boy who sadly does not escape the Reaper attack alive (his escape shuttle is blown out of the sky by a Reaper just as the Normandy is about to fly away).

The second part of the singleplayer demo takes you to the Salarian homeworld of Sur’Kesh, where you and two of your teammates will escort a fertile Krogan female to safety as part of a plan to broker peace between the Krogan and Turians. No sooner do you arrive, however, than Cerberus shock troops arrive to prevent the rescue operation for reasons unknown. This portion of the demo allows you to get a greater feel for commanding teammates in combat & utilizing their powers, and also for using a wider range of weapons (you have access to a shotgun and sub-machine gun, as well as a pistol and assault rifle). The demo concludes with a tough but satisfying fight against a very heavily armed Cerberus Atlas mech.

In terms of movement, I wasn’t quite ready for how much more agile Shepard has become in Mass Effect 3, but I adjusted quickly. Combat is definitely fresher & more challenging than in either of the previous games in the series, not only in terms of battlefield environments (which feel much more natural than in Mass Effect or Mass Effect 2), but also in terms of enemy AI (which seems smarter and much more aggressive). I played through the singleplayer demo on Hardcore difficulty, and it honestly felt more challenging than what I’ve seen so far of Insanity difficulty in Mass Effect 2!

As for the Kinect voice command support for the game, I have mixed feelings. It’s very cool to be able to issue voice commands to squadmates & speak dialogue wheel choices out loud, I didn’t have to speak very loudly, and the game made no mistakes in terms of interpreting what I said. However, there is a very slight delay between voicing a command and the game’s response to it, which made the timing a bit tricky for me. As such, while the Kinect functionality is definitely impressive (kudos to both Microsoft and Bioware), I prefer the traditional power wheel controls, and that’s what I’ll be using when I play the full game.

I haven’t done much with the multiplayer part of the Mass Effect 3 demo, but I played it enough to get a feel for how it would work, and I enjoyed it a lot! The combat is very fast-paced & satisfying, and I really like how you unlock new classes, weapons, and equipment as you progress through multiplayer matches. I’m sure it’d be more fun when playing with people you know as opposed to being thrown into a match with three strangers, but that’s true of any multiplayer game. I look forward to trying it more when the full game is released!

All in all, this brief taste of Mass Effect 3 has been a lot of fun, and it has certainly whetted my appetite for the main course heading our way on March 6th!

Take Earth Back!!!

*Yes, I also went through a few times as FemShep.

Why I don’t want to push for a “Chuck” movie…Yet.

Over the last few days, I’ve seen a lot of talk among some Chuck fans about pushing for a movie to continue the show’s story, and perhaps bring about a more traditional “storybook” ending for Chuck and Sarah. As anyone who knows me online or in person can attest, I’m a huge fan of Chuck, and I’d love to see the story continue in some fashion further down the road. However, I think it’s premature to push for a Chuck movie at this point, for a number of reasons.

First and foremost, the cast, crew, show runners, and writers of Chuck have worked extremely hard these past few years to bring us an entertaining story, and they’ve been more approachable and accommodating to fans than virtually any other TV or movie cast/crew/production team I know of. If any group of people have earned the right to move on to new projects and/or rest on their laurels as they see fit, it’s them.

Second, many of us within the fan community could stand to have a bit more time to come to grips with the ending of the show, and gain the perspective that time and distance provides. Plus, the Chuck cast have plenty of new projects coming down the pike, and we should all be eager to see what they’ll be up to next!

Third, we should look at this from the business and financial perspective. Any movie project, whether it’s an online-only movie like Zac Levi has suggested, a straight-to-DVD release, or a full-fledged major motion picture release in traditional theaters, will need financial backers. The fact of the matter is, no investor will want to spend money on a film project unless they can be reasonably sure that they will at least recoup their investment, and ideally turn a healthy profit.

So, how could investors be persuaded that a Chuck movie project would be a sound investment? Well, the best way to approach that problem is to demonstrate as large a potential audience for said movie project as possible. To that end, there are a few things we as Chuck fans can do.

We as fans can carry out our own personal efforts to attract new fans. Yep, we can go right back to the tried & true grassroots approach of having friends and family over for Chuck viewing parties, sharing DVDs with others, donating DVD copies to our local public libraries, and giving people DVD copies and/or iTunes downloads as gifts. This is slow going, but it’s as good a place to start as any. And as @GrayJones has mentioned on Twitter, DVD/Blu-Ray sales will be a key influence for the next part of drawing in new fans: Syndication. In addition to drawing in new fans and thus bolstering the ranks of a potential movie audience, syndication benefits the cast and production team by allowing them to earn money in the form of residuals. Syndication could be a very good thing for Chuck in a number of ways, but I can’t stress this enough: syndication chances are improved the more that DVD & Blu-Ray sales are increased, and that’s where our initial focus should be. Encouraging new fans to download Chuck on iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and Zune.net/XBox Live Zune Marketplace could help syndication efforts as well.

One thing I’ve given a lot of thought to–and I’d like to hear input from other Chuck fans on this–is what network would be in the best position to attract the largest number of new fans. I initially considered networks like SyFy and G4, which are part of the NBC Universal family and which hit Chuck‘s target audience dead-on, but then I figured that they wouldn’t have as large a potential overall audience as other networks might (especially since not everyone gets SyFy and G4, depending on their level of cable/satellite service).

This lead me to consider USA Network and (as was suggested by @EmilyDembosky), TNT. Neither network has a very strong focus on Chuck‘s target audience, but I think either network would have the potential to draw in a very large amount of new viewers for the show. USA Network certainly runs a lot of NCIS and Law & Order: SVU marathons, so it seems to me like they could easily free up a few time slots here and there to run Chuck five days a week! (It doesn’t hurt that USA Network is also part of the NBC/Universal family, either.)

Well, those are my thoughts on the matter of syndication for Chuck, and a Chuck movie. If anyone has any ideas to add, please feel free to do so in the comments section!

My trip to the NYC “Chuck” Finale Party, and my thoughts on the ending of “Chuck”

“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”
–2 Timothy 4:7 (New American Bible)

“Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”
–Source uncertain; attributed to Dr. Seuss

The weather during my drive home yesterday from New Jersey provided a perfect reflection of my emotions now that Chuck‘s television run is over. The day was largely dominated by gloomy clouds and rain, but at the end, the sun pierced through to light my way home.

I know we’re all very sad that our favorite show’s run is over, but before we allow ourselves to become mired in that sadness, we should all remember something. Chuck has lasted longer than many people believed it would, and it now has the opportunity to live on in syndication and gain new waves of fans for years to come. We should also remember the reason why this is possible: Us. We the fans have fought hard for Chuck, and we should all be proud of everything we’ve accomplished in our efforts to support this show.

For a long time, I wondered if I’d ever have an opportunity to meet some of the fans I’ve spoken to on Twitter face to face, and I was very grateful to have that chance with the NYC Chuck Finale Party at the NBC Store, organized by Wendy Farrington (@SerendipityWAF on Twitter). I can’t thank Wendy enough for organizing this party, and for being so patient with me as I nailed down my arrangements for where I’d be staying in the city.

At first, I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to go, since I didn’t know how I’d be able to afford a place to stay. Thankfully, one of my newest friends through Twitter and Chuck, Emily Dembosky (@EmilyDembosky on Twitter), contacted me and told me about the Times Square Dream Hostel, which was only a few blocks away from Times Square, and which cost a mere $45 per night! As the time for the trip came closer, Emily offered to meet me in Jersey City to help me get my car parked and to help guide me into the city. When the day finally came, I got a bit lost on the way to Jersey City and Emily and her friend Sean, who also came to the Finale Party, gave me guidance over the phone so that I could find my way into the PATH parking garage at Journal Square. Long story short, this trip wouldn’t have been possible for me without Emily and Sean’s help.

Once Emily, Sean and I made it to the NBC Store for the viewing party, we picked up some Chuck merchandise which the NBC Store generously gave everyone at the party a 30% discount on (I got a Nerd Herd hat, a Nerd Herd lanyard for ID badges, and a JEFFSTER shot glass). Oddly enough, seeing all the Chuck merchandise on display was the first thing that really made it hit home that the show was ending…not sure why.

After the phenomenal Chuck Series Finale was over, we all got another treat: Wendy had set up her laptop so that Zac Levi could contact us live via Skype to thank us all for supporting the show!

After Zac’s Skype chat, Wendy led a group of fans who were over 21 years old to a nearby karaoke club to cheer ourselves up with some singing (as you might expect, two of our first selections were “Short Skirt/Long Jacket” and “Fat Bottomed Girls”):

All in all, this was a truly awesome trip, and an experience I’ll never forget. I will always be very grateful that I got to meet so many fellow Chuck fans in person and give our favorite show the sendoff that it richly deserves. God willing, I’ll see all of you again (and meet more of you) at NERD HQ and Comic-Con later this year!

Now, I’d like to share my thoughts on the Finale’s ending. I’ve seen a wide range of opinions over the last two days about the fact that we didn’t actually get to see Sarah regain all of her memories of her relationship with Chuck. Many people strongly dislike it, some are undecided, and many are generally quite satisfied with the ending and feel that it has a hopeful quality to it. For my part, I fall into the third category.

Yes, it is true that we didn’t get to actually witness Sarah regain all of her memories of her time with Chuck and all they mean to each other. However, the fact that she was beginning to regain small fragments of memories (making the carving in the dream house, the Wienerlicious, the Irene Demova virus, going to the beach where they first met), coupled with the fact that she asked Chuck to tell her stories of their life together, and that she asked Chuck to kiss her, all make it quite clear to me that she wants to remember everything. And that makes all the difference in the world. Furthermore, this provides Chuck and Sarah with an opportunity to rebuild their relationship and fall in love all over again, but this time without having to deal with any of the previous challenges and obstacles to their relationship (ex: disapproval from Casey and General Beckman, the breakup period after the train platform in Prague, rival love interests, Sarah’s fears of Ryker discovering the whereabouts of her mother and adopted sister, etc).

So, while it is true that there will be no new episodes of Chuck, we should all be comforted by the knowledge that the fun will never truly be over. We can continually re-watch the DVDs and introduce the show to new fans, and we can enjoy seeing Chuck enter syndication, providing a means for new fans to discover the show and providing the cast with a well-deserved source of income in the form of residuals.

There’s no doubt that things could have (and should have) gone better for Chuck. However, I can honestly say that I have no regrets as the show ends. I am, and will always be, happy with the way the story has been told. This has been an awesome ride as a fan, and will continue to be for many years to come.

I know that there’s no chance that Josh Schwartz, Chris Fedak, Robert Duncan McNeill, any of the crew or writers, or anyone in the Chuck cast will ever read this, but if they could, I’d want to address the following message to them:

From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all so very much for everything you’ve done, and all the hard work you’ve put in these last five seasons. The story you have told with Chuck–the timeless story of the “chosen hero” who comes from a humble background–has touched me and other fans more than you’ll ever know. For my part, you have renewed my faith in how much power there is in storytelling, and how meaningful it can be. You’ve made us laugh and cry, yes, but you’ve also made us think. And the idea that anyone–no matter how seemingly humble their beginnings–can become greater than the sum of their parts when the need and opportunity arises is a powerful idea indeed.

I know I speak for all Chuck fans when I say that we will be happy and proud to continue following your careers, and to support any and all new projects that are sure to come your way in the future. And looking ahead at whatever possibility may conceivably exist to continue Chuck‘s story in some form or another months or years from now, I also know that I speak for Chuck fans everywhere when I paraphrase one of Bonita’s lines from the finale:

“If you ever want to ‘save the world’ again…you know where [we are].”

Long Live “Team Bartowski!” Long Live Chuck!

Why I am a “Chuck” fan: My thoughts as we head towards the Series Finale (Spoiler Alert!)

“Wherever [the tyrant] sets his hand there is a cry…for the redeeming hero, the carrier of the shining blade, whose blow, whose touch, whose existence, will liberate the land.”
–Joseph Campbell, The Hero With A Thousand Faces

“It was one of those great stories that you can’t put down at night:
The Hero knew what he had to do, and he wasn’t afraid to fight.
The Villain goes to jail, while the Hero goes free…
I wish it were that simple for me.

“And the reason that she loved him
Was the reason I loved him too:
He never wondered what was right or wrong,
He just knew…He just knew.”
–David Crosby, “Hero”

About a month ago, in a blog post commenting on Daniel Shaw’s return to Chuck, I gave a description of how I first discovered the show and became a Chuck fan. As we move toward January 27th and the bittersweet occasion of the Chuck Series Finale, I’d like to talk about why I became hooked on the show as soon as I started watching it.

First, I have a confession to make. When I heard about Chuck at the time of the Series Premiere in 2007, I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t think much of the premise. At the time, the idea of a computer nerd becoming a spy & falling in with a gorgeous CIA “cover girlfriend” sounded a little too outlandish to me, and while I thought it could work as a one-shot romantic-action-comedy movie, I doubted that Chuck would last very long as a TV series. I had also long since fallen out of the habit of watching any TV shows on a regular basis apart from the evening news. (I also just remembered that I couldn’t have watched the Chuck Pilot when it first aired, anyway; I was working until 11PM that night, and I remember it because I then waited in line for the midnight launch of Halo 3 on September 25th).

So, what made me rapidly change my tune once I gave Chuck a chance in February 2010? As I progressed through Season 1, I realized that Chuck‘s story was much richer and deeper than I had imagined; in particular, Chuck flashing on his own Stanford ID badge in “vs. the Alma Mater” drove home the point that something very big was at work. Furthermore, it wasn’t long before I realized that Chuck was a clever re-telling of a very, very old story…in fact, one of the oldest stories there is. I became a loyal Chuck fan because I believe that, whether Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak meant it to be or not, Chuck is an excellent example of a story that follows Joseph Campbell’s “hero’s journey” or “monomyth” framework, as outlined in his classic book The Hero With A Thousand Faces.

Chuck may not perfectly adhere to every single step of the “hero’s journey” cycle, but it is easy to see how the various archetypes Campbell discussed are embodied in the show. We can see the “call to adventure” throughout Season 1, as Chuck takes his first reluctant steps into his role as an intelligence asset, with his “supernatural aid” coming in the form of the Intersect and the information it provided. Chuck’s “refusal of the [hero's] call” is demonstrated throughout Season 2, as he begins to actively resist becoming a full-fledged spy, and does anything and everything he can to free himself from the path his life has taken.

We see the “goddess” archetype represented on Chuck in both positive and negative ways. Ellie serves as a nurturing “mother” figure to Chuck, though she also takes on the role of a “mother who would hold to herself the growing child trying to push away” (Hero With A Thousand Faces, pg. 92) as she resists Chuck’s role as a spy at the end of Season 3 and through much of Season 4. Chuck & Ellie’s mother Mary embodies the “absent…mother, against whom aggressive fantasies are directed, and from whom a counter-aggression is feared” (Hero With A Thousand Faces, pg. 92), though in the end Mary proves that everything she has done has been for the sake of her family’s safety. And of course, the most prominent representation of the “goddess” archetype lies in the character of none other than Sarah Walker herself, who initially serves as Chuck’s protector and mentor, and who eventually becomes his lover and his wife. The archetype of “woman as the temptress” is notably embodied by Jill Roberts, but it could also be argued that at one point, Sarah herself fulfills the same archetype when she tries to persuade Chuck to run away with her, thus abandoning his “hero’s path” of becoming a spy.

Another key point in the “hero’s journey” cycle is “atonement with the father,” or the hero’s coming to terms with his father figure, male mentor, or god. In Chuck, the most obvious examples of this are near the ends of Seasons 2 and 3, when Chuck makes amends with his estranged father and fellow spy Stephen. However, we can also see an example in Chuck’s reconciliation with Bryce Larkin at the end of Season 2, when Bryce reveals that he sent Chuck the Intersect on Stephen’s orders, in order to protect both it and Chuck. Even Chuck’s professional relationship and friendship with Casey reflects this aspect of the “hero’s journey,” with Casey slowly developing a great deal of respect for Chuck and his abilities.

One of the greatest examples of Chuck‘s adherence to the “hero’s journey” framework lies in the final scene of the Season 2 finale. After resisting his life’s new path for two years, and doing everything he could to rid himself of the Intersect so he could have a normal life again, Chuck realizes that all of his efforts and adventures have proven that he is indeed a hero, and that it is his destiny to become a spy. Chuck then embraces this destiny, and willingly uploads the Intersect 2.0, which allows him to easily defeat several Ring agents in hand-to-hand combat several moments later. This moment of the “hero’s journey” is known as the hero’s “apotheosis,” or his elevation from the status of a man to that of a god. In Chuck’s case, this “godhood” is of course not literal, nor is it a veiled reference to the awesome combat skills granted by the Intersect 2.0. Rather, it represents the fact that where Chuck was once helpless against danger and against outside influences on his life, he is now in command of his own destiny, thanks to his new-found confidence and realization that he has the potential to be greater than what he was before. This confidence and faith in one’s own potential is “the ultimate boon” in the “hero’s journey” story of Chuck, and is ultimately at the core of what the show is all about.

Simply gaining this “boon” for oneself is not enough, however. The hero must then return to the place he came from and share his gift for the betterment and enlightenment of everyone (Hero With A Thousand Faces, pg. 167). On Chuck, this kind of change can be seen throughout the course of the series, as positive changes take effect on many of the people around Chuck. It allows Morgan to change from an immature “man-child” to a more confident and enthusiastic (if not always competent) member of the spy team. Ellie and Devon are inspired to step outside their comfort zones and help more directly with Team Bartowski’s operations over time, particularly in this last season. Even Jeff and Lester unknowingly helped Chuck track Daniel Shaw in “Chuck vs. the American Hero,” and they eventually step up to the plate to knowingly and willingly help Casey defeat two of Nicholas Quinn’s agents in “Chuck vs. the Bullet Train!” Of course, the greatest examples of positive change on Chuck can be seen in Casey and Sarah. In the Pilot, Casey was a remorseless killer who would have left Chuck and Sarah’s bodies on a skyscraper while he went out for pancakes. Now, he’s a caring man who cultivates a loving relationship with his long-lost daughter, and who will go out of his way to help his friends. Sarah began this journey as an emotionally detached “lone wolf” who refused to let anyone get too close to her, for fear of compromising her mission or getting herself hurt emotionally. Now, she is a warm, happy, loving woman who is excited at the prospect of retiring from being a spy and of starting a family with Chuck…or at least, she was until the events at the end of “Chuck vs. the Bullet Train,” when Nicholas Quinn took advantage of the flawed Intersect program Sarah had uploaded so he could erase her memory, thus tricking her into stealing a fully functional Intersect and killing Chuck in the process.

This is what it now comes down to. Before Chuck and Sarah can finally enjoy the happy life together that they both deserve, Chuck must find a way to defeat Nicholas Quinn, and restore Sarah’s memories of who she is and what they’ve had together. In “Chuck vs. the Cliffhanger,” Chuck had to struggle to save Sarah’s life. Now, Chuck struggles to save things that are just as precious: Sarah’s mind, and their future together. One way or another, I have faith that this will turn out as it should.

Two more episodes to go, Chuck fans. We’ve come this far; let’s see this thing through to the end! To quote Shakespeare’s Henry V, “Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!”

LONG LIVE TEAM BARTOWSKI! LONG LIVE CHUCK!

An E-mail I sent to the Entertainment Software Association regarding their support of the Stop Online Piracy Act

Like many people, I was disgusted to find out that the Entertainment Software Association supports the current form of the Stop Online Piracy Act, which was protested yesterday in an unprecedented way with the Internet blackout protests and by the efforts of people calling their Congressional Representatives and Senators. I decided to express my displeasure in an E-mail to the ESA; I present it now without further comment.

“To Whom It May Concern,

I wanted to write an E-mail to express my anger and disgust over your support of the Stop Online Piracy Act in its current form–a form which would have little effect on piracy and leave legitimate website operators liable for piracy links posted by individual users–especially in light of the extent to which gamers around the world responded to your requests for help in the Schwartzenegger/Brown vs. EMA/ESA Supreme Court case.

However, this YouTube video posted by Andrew Eisen expresses my feelings far better than any words I type could: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7aJ59U0Dmg

You are stabbing law-abiding gamers and Internet users in the back after we helped you, and you should be ashamed of yourselves.

Sincerely,
Matthew Gill”