Now a full spy, Chuck returns to Burbank to win Sarah back and ends up saving the day

This review may contain spoilers.

The titles of "Chuck" episodes always have a double meaning. But if you look closely, this time there could be more than one hero.

Having completed every test, including the dreaded red test, General Beckman (Bonita Friedericy) assigned Chuck (Zachary Levi) his first assignment. Although it was everything he thought he wanted, Chucks nerves got the better of him. Recognizing his anxiety, Beckman gave Chuck a week off before choosing his team and going to Rome. With the hopes of getting Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) back both emotionally and maybe professionally, Chuck headed back to Burbank. However, he was not prepared to be the romantic rival of Shaw (Brandon Routh).

Chuck revealed his feelings to Sarah, but she told him that when she saw him kill his target for his red test she knew he had changed too much. Through loyalty to Casey (Adam Baldwin), he didnt reveal to Sarah that Casey made the kill because he didnt have the guts to do it. In order to win Sarah back, Casey, Morgan (Joshua Gomez), and Awesome (Ryan McPartlin) formed an unlikely effectively funny team to help spy on Sarahs date with Shaw. Each in his own way helped, although Morgans ineffective cat and mouse game and Awesomes tackle were the best part. Unfortunately, the Ring continued to target Shaw and came after him at the date as well. Through the Three Stooges-like actions of Team Bartowski, the Ring agentsplans were thwarted for the time being.
Figuring that it was time to take action against the Ring, Shaw volunteered to be used as the target to take them out. Like a perfect spy, he took off in his perfect sports car, but the Ring agents who found the tracker he swallowed thwarted him. Unable to let Shaw go, Chuck decided to help him because he saw that Sarah cared for him. Through the unlikely help of stalking by Lester (Vik Sahay) and Jeff (Scott Krinsky), Chuck found the warehouse where Shaw met with a hologram version of the Ring Director (Mark Sheppard) and viewed the truth about his wifes killer. Unbeknownst to anyone else, Sarahs own red test resulted in the death of Shaws wife. Before the warehouse blew up, Chuck flashed and was able to fight the agents before finding and saving a tasered Shaw.

By the end, the show paralleled the season two finale where Sarah asked Chuck to meet her at the train station. This time, Chuck asked her to meet him. Before Sarah made her final decision, Casey showed up and told her the truth about the kill and Chuck. While Chuck waited at the station, a convinced Sarah packed to go meet him, but Shaw got to her first. He intended to take revenge on his wifes killer before, and now that passion drives all of his action and could possibly harm Sarah.

So Chuck did manage to be a hero by saving Shaw and trying to win Sarah back. But he wasnt the only one. Morgan, Casey, and Awesome were heroes in their own befuddled way in trying to help Chuck. Lester and Jeff saved the day in their own creepy way. Casey showed the biggest heart by telling the truth and giving Sarah and Chuck his blessing in his own way. Now well have to wait to see how far Shaw will fall from perfection in order to exact his revenge.

What Worked

Team Bartowski was the best part of the entire episode. The differences between Casey, Awesome, and Morgan are so great, yet put together they made a great backup for Chuck. Their zeal to help in Chucks spy work balances with Chucks reluctance to be a spy. In other scenes, Casey and Morgan made for a great odd couple and many laughs.

It was almost a Firefly reunion with Mark Sheppard portraying the Ring Director, although he didnt actually have any scenes with Adam Baldwin. Maybe we could hope for one in the future. Either way, it was nice to see sci-fi veteran Sheppard show up on the screen.

What Didnt Work

Chucks sister Ellie (Sarah Lancaster) had a great moment telling Chuck that he was a Bartowski and to try harder to win back Sarah. But its getting harder to see how her character will fit in as Chuck moves on as a spy. The same goes for Lester and Jeff. Is it possible that Chucks storyline is moving past these satellite characters? How long can they keep up Chucks indecisions and anxieties about being a spy to keep the loveable side characters along? We hope that Chuck never truly leaves Buy More and subsequently some of the funniest characters. We also hope that they keep Ellie around if not for anything else than having Awesome available to help out from time to time.

Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Chuck stars Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Joshua Gomez, Ryan McPartlin, Vik Sahay, Scott Krinsky, Sarah Lancaster, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Bonita Friedericy and Adam Baldwin. Chuck Versus the American Hero was directed by Jeremiah Chechik and written by Max Denby with teleplay by Matt Miller and Phil Klemmer.

Chuck airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.