Chuck Gets Ready for Season 2
We talk to the actors behind Chuck, Sarah, Morgan, Casey and Captain Awesome. US, March 25, 2008 - After only thirteen episodes, Chuck has not only developed a following, but was chosen as one of the select series to be part of the Paley Fest this year. Last week, before the creators of Chuck went on stage for the night honoring the show at the Paley Fest, I was able to speak to several key members of the cast to get their reactions to how the show has been received so far and what's to come.
Asked what it was like to have the show receiving such accolades so quickly, Adam Baldwin ("John Casey") told me, "I don't even know what to make of it, really. I'm sort of enthralled by this spectacle here." Pointing to the producers of the show, Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak, Baldwin said, "I'm just being drawn along by these guys."
As for the appeal of the show, Baldwin put it like this: "Zach Levi's really funny. Yvonne Strahovski's very hot. The rest of us are funny and in green."
Baldwin said he loved exploring the softer side of Casey on a recent episode, saying "That was great! They introduced a beautiful love interest for me and the bosses are going to give me a couple of different ones, so we'll see how that susses out." Baldwin also revealed a big wish he has for a future storyline, saying "I want to meet Casey's mom. I really do!"
Yvonne Strahovski ("Sarah Walker") told me that the whole experience with Chuck, including being part of the Paley Fest, is "Pretty incredible. We have quite a following." Chuck's first season was cut short by the writers' strike, and Strahovski said "It's kind of weird seeing everyone [tonight] actually, because we haven't been in production for so long. It's like a big reunion all over again. We're all excited to go back into production."
Strahovski told me she enjoys her character's frequent altercations, saying, "The more adventurous, the better. I really love the different fight scenes." When I asked if we would be seeing more of her in the infamous "Weinerlicious" uniform she wears on the show, Strahovski laughed and replied, "Actually, no, I think it's in enough already! Maybe they'll change it up. I'm hoping maybe Sarah will start to work at a different place, maybe with just as interesting an outfit."
lockwise from top left: Mark Christopher Lawrence ("Big Mike"), McG (Executive Producer), Zachary Levi ("Chuck Bartowski"), Chris Fedak (Co-Creator/Executive Producer), Joshua Gomez (“Morgan Grimes”), Ryan McPartlin ("Captain Awesome"), Adam Baldwin ("John Casey"), Yvonne Strahovski ("Sarah Walker"), Scott Krinsky (Jeff), Josh Schwartz (Co-Creator/Executive Producer), Vik Sahay ("Lester") and Julia Ling ("Anna Wu").Strahovski's costars, Zachary Levi ("Chuck") and Joshua Gomez ("Morgan") are dedicated gamers, and I asked her if they ever try to get her to join in when they're playing videogames. "No, no, no. No, they don't even try," said Strahovski. " I feel like a bit of an outsider sometimes when Josh Gomez and Zach Levi sit there in front of the television and play their videogames. You can't interrupt them. They don't welcome me into it. It's like their zone and you can't get into it."
I told her I was pretty certain if she wanted to, they'd let her join in. "Maybe," Strahovski replied. "I've actually stood in front of the television screen a couple of times to try and distract them and get them out of their zombie state, and it hasn't really worked."
As for which of her fight scenes so far is her favorite, Strahovski said, "I really liked the rooftop fight scene in the tango episode. There's been a couple [of favorites]. The one with Bryce, in the Buy More where we do kind of like a duet, I really liked that one. It was fun."
Ryan McPartlin ("Captain Awesome") echoed Strahovski's statement that being at the Paley Fest felt like a reunion, adding, "It's exciting just to be able to get back together and go 'Okay, it's for real. We're really coming back!' It feels so long since the strike has happened, and we're glad to be back and just excited to meet the fans up close. We have fans now! It's fantastic!"
I had to ask McPartlin if he's sick of the word awesome yet, and he laughed, saying "Not yet! Maybe by Season 8 or 9, hopefully! It's one of those words I've used my entire life, so it's kind of like second nature to me. I think they cast me because of that. It's fine."
McPartlin said he was grateful that his character has begun to show more dimensions, and that the producers have "Been careful not to overdo just the awesomeness. I got to show a little bit of my vulnerability in the last episode with the proposal.. It's good to show that this guy isn't all about climbing Mt. Everest. He's about heart."
Captain Awesome remains a (buff) part of Chuck's domestic life, not his spy life, but McPartlin said he had no spy envy, explaining, "I really like being part of the other side of it. I like being part of the spy world when I don't know it. I think that'll be the fun of it. For example, I think it would be really funny if I do something where I get to take all the credit, where of course Chuck [really] did it, but I'm in the scenario and haphazardly save the day. That would be great. His sister's loving me for it, everybody's loving me for it and he can't take any credit. That's how I see Captain Awesome going down in the spy world."
Lastly I spoke to Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez, receiving a surprise at how different they looked from their TV selves thanks to the beard Levi was sporting and the mostly clean shaven new look for Gomez. The two friends -- and IGN readers -- chatted about Chuck so far and what's on the horizon when the show returns for a second season in the fall - producution on Chuck: Season 2 begins in May.
IGN TV: You've only done thirteen episodes so far, so what's it like getting a night like this where the Paley Center is already paying tribute to the show?
Zachary Levi: People are fools, what can I say?
Joshua Gomez: Easily deceived.
Levy: Easily deceived! No, it's a kick in the pants to know that we've been a part of a show, even for thirteen episodes, that has this kind of impact and that fans really, really care about, enough to pay for a ticket and come to a Q&A. That's incredible.
Gomez: It's ridiculously flattering.
Levi: [to Gomez] Well, they're really coming for you.
Gomez: Well, I didn't want to say anything, but yes, they are!
IGN TV: I know that's why I'm here.
Levi: See, I told you! Whatever, this is over!
(L-R) Zachary Levi, Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez, Ryan McPartlin, Scott Krinsky, Vik Sahay and Mark Christopher LawrenceIGN TV: Your show obviously has a lot of different elements to it. When fans approach you, what is it they seem to be responding to the most?
Levi: For me, I think I've heard an equal amount of responses for any particular reason, whether it's the guys who are really into the action and the hot chicks…
Gomez: Can you say "hot chicks" on IGN?
IGN TV: Yeah, you can say that.
Levi: The "smoking dames." Guys are always like, "Hey man, that blond… she's hot! Hey man, you and that blond dating in real life?! I've never watched the show, but that blond, man!" And the action and all that stuff; the comedy. The girls love the relationship stuff. They're like "I cannot wait for you and Sarah to really connect."
Gomez: [To Levy] Do you guys know that you're called Charah? Chuck and Sarah is "Charah."
IGN TV: Oh, is that the name given by the Chuck/Sarah shippers? They always have to come up with a name for the couple.
Levi: "Oh, we're so rooting for Charah!"
IGN TV: So are Morgan and Anna called Mana or Annorgan?
Gomez: [Laughs]
Levi: [Laughs] Mana! Where is she? [Levy looks for costar Julia Ling ("Anna")]
IGN TV: She just walked inside.
Gomez: Annorgan. I like it!
IGN TV: While you're not coming back this season, NBC gave you an early renewal for Season 2. It must be nice to have that vote of confidence.
Gomez: We were all very disappointed, obviously, to not be able to do more. But to have the second season is fantastic, man. I'm so excited.
IGN TV: Have they given you any hints of what's to come?
Gomez: We tried to get a little bit out of them.
Levi: Yeah, we tried. We did the DVD commentary for Season 1 and tried to get them [to tell us some info]. Chris Fedak, who created the show with Josh Schwartz, we were milking him – or trying to milk. It's tough to find the tit. But yeah, no answers there. But I can only imagine it's going to be twice the Chuck, you know!
Gomez: Chuck squared, if you will.
Levi: I think we actually got really lucky, in that we had a first season that got a lot of fans already. We weren't a huge, breakout success, but we got a lot of fans and clearly they care about the show. And we get a second season where NBC and Warner Bros is giving us the same, if not more, of a push [as the first season]. So it's almost like the first thirteen episodes only counted for whatever they were worth. It was good and they were positive and people liked it, but it's almost like a clean slate and we can just build on whatever we learned in those first thirteen episodes.
Gomez:That's what's kind of fun. I was telling Zach that if you look at any show that's had any kind of success and you look at that first season... I think we've been very fortunate in that it's a good, solid first season, but I think there's so much better to come. Like any good show – you go back and watch the first season of any really classic show, the first season is a little [off]. You're always working out some kinks. Then you see a second and third year, and it's really starting to hit its stride. I hope we can get that far and I hope we get to do that. This is the first step towards that and so it's cool. I'm excited as well to see what we have in store for the show next year.
I also want to make sure it's clear, because IGN readers obviously can't see that we've actually swapped facial hair. Make sure you please point that out!