Alec Baldwin

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Chuck vs. The Third Season
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kimsama
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
I don't know that the guest stars actually made that much of a difference. The last four episodes (in which Bakula and Chase appeared) averaged about 6.1 million viewers per episode, which is below the season average of 6.5 million per episode. The episode with the most viewers was, by far, the post-Superbowl episode -- which, yes, guest starred Monaghan and Bettis -- but I'd argue that the real ratings boost was not due to the guest stars, but due to the intense promotion NBC lavished on the show during the game.

I will continue to believe the more likely reason that Chuck is struggling is because of NBC's ridiculous placement of it on Mondays at 8pm. I'm one of the (probably few) people without cable (gasp, I know), but Monday at 8pm placed it (if I recall correctly), opposite Big Bang and How I Met Your Mother, House, and Dancing with the Stars (which, *vomits in mouth a little* always seemed to win its timeslot).

Why NBC can't move Chuck to the wasteland that is Tuesday night (seriously, they have two hours of Biggest Loser on there now), is beyond me. Clearly Chuck can do well, clearly it is beloved, clearly NBC has a better track record of sticking with shows than other networks (I'm looking at you, FOX). So it's crazy that they are allowing it to die a slow death in a timeslot that just doesn't make sense for it.

As for more guest stars, as others noted, please no. Bakula and Chase were great (and NPH sounds like a good plan), but relying on a new "guest of the week" takes away from the characters we're invested in.
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Edited by kimsama at 07/11/09 9:46 PM kimsama was starred kimsama was unstarred

franklinshepard
07/11/09

@kimsama: NBC isn't going to move Chuck without a companion show next to it, and clearly they think Chuck and Heroes work well together (and I'm sure that to network execs, it makes sense to place them together.)
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kimsama
07/12/09

@franklinshepard: Haha, that's why they make the big bucks. sobs quietly
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Edited by kimsama at 07/12/09 7:27 AM kimsama was starred kimsama was unstarred

naugahydeinplainsight
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
Sure, bring Alec Baldwin in -- just so long as his character's last name is also Casey, meaning they must constantly add "No relation" whenever they meet someone.
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Edited by naugahydeinplainsight at 07/11/09 3:53 PM

Kurt Roithinger
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
i think you guys kinda forget what happens when creators give in to the whole 'will they or won't they' motif and let the two leads get together -- the show kinda races right off of a cliff.

look at moonlighting and even cheers. ideally, the leads shouldn't get together until the very last episode, but then you make that last episode something epic. imo, anyway.

some comments on the bulk of the article: i don't mind the product placements much. i know some people get utterly huffy about them, but imo you either ground a series firmly in a fictional reality via using almost no brands (maybe not as extreme as 'repo man', though) or you just run with something grounded firmly in 'our' reality and if so, make some money while doing it. nothing terribly wrong with subtle PP ('24' comes to mind -- all their SUV have had ridiculously oversized ford badges for how long now?), but something a little less on the nose a la degree+eureka might be in order.

as for the casting choice -- i think kirsten bell is a bit overplayed, but wouldn't mind her either. but johnathan pryce? that's just plain serendipity. he would be fantastic.

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Magicant
07/11/09

@Kurt Roithinger: Unrequited sexual tension is a potential lose/lose. The "unrequiting" going on too long stretches to the point of ridiculous (and honestly, Chuck & Sarah are already there).

I've never believed in the Moonlighting example of what happens when they finally hook up. I think the writing team was just getting stale and that was an easy thing to point to for the show's decline - lots of shows lose creative direction after two or three seasons. Just having them hook up certainly didn't make the stories become more boring and sexual tension alone couldn't carry the show on its own in any event.

Look at Jim & Pam on the Office for a hook-up that followed through on its promise without losing its fun.
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makingvisible
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
I don't know. I think more guest stars/stunt casting is NOT what Chuck needs. Let's return to great story telling with the core crew we know and love and want to see more of. The endless stream of well-known extras was starting to get annoying - way more so than any Subway reference.
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mordennight
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
I never even heard about Chuck until I saw the articles about fans trying to save the series here on io9, but I just finished watching the second season and this is easily one of my new favourite shows, if not my absolute favourite.

not to mention season 2 ended exactly as I wanted it to end. I can not WAIT for season 2. They should really work on finding ways to get their ratings from people who download the show, cause what I find is most people these days are so sick of commercials that they just don't bother with TV, myself included.

hopefully this new pirate bay helps with that. Cause I think that's just about the only way truly good TV shows are going to be able to stay alive.
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Cash907Censored
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
I don't recall any fans crying "sellout" over the whole Subway thing. I do, however, remember going to Subway the night the season finale ended, buying ten footlongs for my friends and roomates, and being "one of several" people to fill out a comment card thanking the company for supporting Chuck, according to the girl working the register.

Product placement is an annoying thing, but Subway sandwiches in Chuck was the polar opposite of Degree Anti-perspirant in Eureka.
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Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
no cliché is more ANNOYING than a third party coming between our ambivalent lovers

FTFY.

The other casting sounds great, though. Esp. NPH and Pryce.
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bookling
07/11/09

In reply to Chuck vs. The Third Season
Tina Majorino is awesome on HBO's Big Love. I'd love to see her on Chuck!
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Magicant
07/11/09

@bookling: Does she still have the map to Dry Land tattooed on her back?
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bookling
07/11/09

@Magicant: I had to look that up to figure out what you meant! I didn't realize that was her until now, lol.
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franklinshepard
07/11/09

@bookling: And on Vmars, as long as we're talking about Kristen Bell. Actually, is there anything that Tina is not great in?
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