By now you've already hear that NBC has renewed Chuck for a shorter episode count (13), with a smaller budget, and it will have to wait until midseason.  Do we care?  As long as we get our Chuck, nope!

Now Ausiello has discussed the changes we can expect from series creator, Josh Schwartz.  Here's an excerpt from the Q&A:

Ausiello: NBC said the show's budget will remain unchanged from last season. I'm hearing different. What's the deal?
JOSH SCHWARTZ: I can tell you that [Warner Bros.] asked us to make budget cuts to meet a decrease in the NBC license fee. That's how it was presented to me. That's as far as I know. My job is to then be able to produce the show at the number the studio is able to deficit it for.

Ausiello: How will the cuts affect what we see?
SCHWARTZ: Hopefully, you won't be able to tell. I don't think the look of the show is going to change. We might have certain episodes where Chuck's mission is such that we don't get the opportunity to go to the Buy More [as much]. We love our cast and, obviously, we want to use them as much as possible in as many episodes as possible.

Ausiello: I heard Julia Ling [Anna] might not return. True?
SCHWARTZ: No. We have plans for Anna to return.

Ausiello: Will the show's central trio be in every episodes?
SCHWARTZ: Yes. Chuck, Sarah, and Casey are in all episodes.

Ausiello: How about a season 3 spoiler in honor of the show's renewal?
SCHWARTZ: The biggest thing, obviously, will be dealing with the ramifications of how we ended the season. What does it mean for Chuck [and] how will it manifest itself? And I think for anyone who is concerned that he's no longer going to be the Everyman, or an accidental hero, fear not.

You can read the rest of the interview at Ausiello Files.

Eric Hochberger is the programmer of TV Fanatic, so please forgive his mediocre writing. His programming is far better. Follow him on Twitter and/or email him. Just don't request threaded comments. They're coming.