Chuck, despite having some strong resemblances to procedural dramas - the type of show which has best retained the old model, faces the challenge of the new way television must progress. And that is: it must progress. The storyline must develop, things must change, and no matter how well the original pattern of the show worked, that must be left behind if it does not realistically make sense anymore.
Once, Chuck (Zachary Levi), with his intersect upgrade, Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), and Casey (Adam Baldwin) would have spent 8 seasons stopping some evil villain in Burbank, while Chuck tried to retain his cover at the Buy More. He would never have been on the path to become a real spy, one who would be independent. It does not serve the nature of the show, so why bother with it? And the reason it must be bothered with in 2010 is that we know he could not have stayed in that role, all boring and stagnant. Change must happen as it would if there was in fact some superspy type with a computer in his head.
But where will Chuck go now that our hero has become a spy? How will the residents of Burbank - his family and friends, who are such a key part of the show - remain relevant to the life he now must live? Will they be left behind, and how will fans react? Will there be happiness because logic is followed? So far, we've ignored the problems that would arise in reality when Devon (Ryan McPartlin) and Morgan (Joshua Gomez) discovered Chuck's secret identity. We've also skimmed over the number of ring operatives who think that Burbank is a great place to wreak havoc.
When watching television, what is the new right balance between the logical and factual possibilities of the real world and the creative and interesting angles of the television realm?
It seems to me that Chuck is about to face that question
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