This week's episode of Chuck, "Chuck Versus the Other Guy, " was originally slated to be the season three finale before NBC was kind enough to order an additional six episodes.  If this was going to be the last episode of the season, or potentially the series at the time, we would have gladly taken it.

The episode, which was written by series creator Chris Fedak, featured the perfect balance of drama, comedy, action and romance that make up Chuck.  While managing to stay entertaining the entire hour, the episode also brought huge game-changing events to the show.

For some reason, we used to find Morgan Grimes irritating when we first started watching the show.  Now, as proven by this episode, he's ready to take on the reigns of the comedy sidekick to the now much more serious Chuck.  We're surprisingly excited to see this guy in the field, especially working with his polar opposite, Casey.

Speaking of Casey, we've never seen an actor able to play an entire scene so believable with mere stares, grunts and no dialogue like Adam Baldwin.  In the entire sequence of Chuck and Morgan trying to convince him to join Chuck in Paris, I believe Casey's only line was at the end.  What a phenomenal actor slash character.  So glad the Colonel is back!

We only have one, slight, minor complaint about an otherwise perfect episode.  From what we've learned from Chuck's previous two seasons and possibly just Brandon Routh's boring acting, we've been waiting for Shaw to be a bad guy since the get go. 

When the CIA continued to keep him in the field with Sarah after discovering he knows Sarah killed his wife was down right moronic.  The whole Chuck was the boy who cried wolf as he tried to alert Beckman was equally annoying.  At least it led to Chuck going on his own and grabbing Casey, therefore getting the guy reinstated.

We even feel silly complaining about minor plot advancements because the rest of the episode was just that good to us.  Chuck finally getting together with Sarah, Chuck getting his first legitimate kill defending her, Casey getting reinstated, Morgan joining the team, and Shaw dying.  Those are pretty heavy, game-changing events.  We can't wait to see how the final six episodes, or part two if you will, of season three play out.

Now just some random observations from the hour:

• Do you think the Ring called a local sign company and asked for a blue ominous electric ring for their hallway?  Do they have business cards?
• Come on, what nerd hasn't mixed gaming and whiskey?
• How impressed were you with Chuck being able to sober up and go on a mission after said whiskey and gaming.
• Big Mike asking Morgan to call him daddy wasn't just funny, but also great continuity.  We almost forgot he was banging Mrs. Grimes.
• Anyone else notice just how fake the fight looked the first time we were shown the surveillance footage?  How did Shaw think that was going to sell anyone?
• How fitting was it that everything ended in Paris?  We sure hope Chuck gets to see the Eiffle Tower from more than just his hotel room.  Oh who are we kidding, with Sarah in there, who'd want to leave?

Now for our favorite Chuck quotes from the episode:

Casey: Call this number, request tactical support. You'll be forwarded to a Colonel Sanders, don't make fun of his name | permalink

Sarah: Thank you for saving me. I appreciated the tank. | permalink

Lester: Morgan is dying. I got dibs on his locker. Its location is far more prestigious than my own. | permalink

Sarah: Chuck, I fell in love with you after you fixed my phone and before you started defusing bombs with computer viruses. | permalink

Morgan: The guy's a stud. 99 times out of 10, those guys gets the girl. | permalink

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.