“Chuck vs. The Bearded Bandit” is the second episode of the final season of Chuck. The episode begins with Carmichael Industries needing more business, so what better way to get them than to make an impressive presentation in front of potential clients. Sadly for Chuck (Zachary Levi), Sarah (Yvonne Strahovsky) and Casey (Adam Baldwin) Verbanski Corp. knows more about making a splash.

Beware of spoilers!!!!

 

After a less than successful presentation, Chuck takes a walk in the empty aisle of the Buy More. Morgan (Joshua Gomez) approaches Chuck about wanting more involvement in the spy business, and then it hits Chuck: the store is completely empty of customers. His backup plan to help his spy business looks like a ghost town and they need help. Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence) has the idea to make a new ad campaign for the store. As Chuck and Morgan finish watching the old ad campaign and decide to revamp it, Morgan “zooms” and attacks the impending threat as Chuck receives a phone call that a potential client is arriving. The unconscious client, played by Jeff Fahey (Lost), is a man named Karl Sneijder. Sneijder claims his brother Wesley, played by Justin Harthley (Smallville), has been kidnapped and will pay them $400, 000.00, of course half now, half later. Chuck and the gang take the mission and start the recon on the location where the brother is being held.

Meanwhile, Sarah gets an offer by Gertrude Verbanski (Carrie-Anne Moss) the owner and ex-KGB operative, to join her operation. Sarah notices that she and Casey might have a history and plans to find out. Sarah asks Chuck to be Morgan’s handler, so he can help him with the Intersect and his new abilities, also to keep the secret weapon exactly that: a secret. Casey reveals to Sarah that in fact he and Gertrude have a past, a very steamy past. Meanwhile back in Burbank, things get interesting for Captain Awesome as he is asked to be the new Spoke person for the Buy More! Chuck and Morgan go to the store on an errand and end up in the middle of a hold up, where Morgan decides to play the hero and become the bearded bandit. Morgan ends up in the morning paper and Chuck notices that Morgan has become more and more violent as well as pop culture forgetful.
Chuck must now deal with the competition, the new mission (which turns out not to be what it seems) and with a Morgan that seems to be changing, and not in a good way.

“Chuck versus The Bearded Bandit” was a great setup episode for the rest of the season. Chuck now has the role of a well rounded spy and mentor, and the roles that he always had, a good friend, a good husband and a good support. The welcoming back into the picture of Big Mike and Captain Awesome to the series was a delightful treat because we missed them. The episode had a fantastic balance of humor and action, as well as a great guest cast. Sadly Hartley’s part was very small, but it was very good to see him. Fahey’s character was very well developed even with the surprise at the end. The guest star who took the gold was Carrie-Anne Moss, as her character is the perfect balance for Casey, and the perfect eye candy for the guys. Josh Gomez keeps the spotlight again, especially in this episode that revolves about the changing character that the Intersect has on Morgan.

 

ComicsOnline gives Chuck vs. The Bearded Bandit a 4 out of 5 zooms.