‘Chuck’: Where have all the missions gone?

It’s never fun having to wait for a new episode of “Chuck.”

The show didn’t air last week because of the 2-hour return of “The Event," and apparently, the show’s producers weren't fond of the wait either.

Luckily, they have a creative outlet for that annoyance.

Chuck and Sarah are going a little stir crazy because they haven’t had a mission in two whole weeks! (Isn’t that timeframe convenient?) Meta-commentary on the scheduling aside, while our favorite couple chills out in Castle, Casey sure seems to be running around doing stuff.

He has officially taken the job Robin Givens' character Jane offered and ditched his old team for a new one: returning “Gretas” Stacy Keibler (former WWE star) and Isaiah Mustafa (the Old Spice Guy).

I can understand why Casey would want to take on the new assignment. He realized that he had become a background player on most missions, and it’s not in Casey’s personality to wait to be called in. He wants to be running his own show.

But his decision sparks some serious soul searching for his old teammates. Chuck mostly seems concerned about figuring out who’s the A-team and who’s the B-team. But Sarah, who has significantly more time invested in her life as a spy, feels betrayed by what she sees as abandonment from her former partner.

That feeling of being replaced gets a lot worse when Chuck and Sarah discover that the “Gretas” both have intersects uploaded in their brains. Not only are they just as capable as Chuck, adaptations to the programming have removed the wishy-washy sentimentality that always gets in the way of Chuck being a ruthless spy (which is also one of my ongoing complaints about his development).

Of course, all of this has been orchestrated by Jane, who is pretty blunt and callous in her dismissal of Chuck and Sarah. But don’t direct all your hatred at her just for that. You’ll want to save some for later.

Casey, to his credit (and his own development as a character), is conflicted about the situation. He sees the pain the new set-up is causing Chuck and Sarah, and when a new mission pops up, he insists that all five people should be involved.

Long story short, the “Gretas” prove that a lack of emotions can be dangerous, and Chuck proves that it takes more than having a computer in your brain to show off your spy skills. Oh, and it’s always handy to keep a juice box around in case you need to defuse a bomb.

The intersects are removed from the “Gretas,” Chuck and Sarah are the A-team once more, and Casey is back on board with them… kind of. He still seems to be taking orders from Jane, and I’m more than a little dubious about that whole situation.

This episode wasn't bad, but it did fall flat, mostly because everything was so predictable. The minute it was said how great the new intersects were because they ignored emotions and worked like machines, it was glaringly obvious that would cause a serious problem and prove why Chuck's uniquely suited to being a spy and the only one worthy of being an intersect.

After nearly four full seasons, if you’re still determined to prove why Chuck is special, all I’m asking is that you find more creative ways to do it.

But the worst moment of predictability came when Jane decides that in order to make her intersect project work, she needs someone who thinks like a Bartowski.

Hi, Ellie. How would you like to be unknowingly sucked into this spy game of which you have never wanted to be a part of? ARGH! Jane, this is why I hate you the most.

I am on record as being adamantly opposed to how this show has jerked Ellie around with regards to both her family and her knowledge of/involvement in the spy stuff. To go down this road again, especially with someone who’s a brand new mother? You and I are going to have words, show.

I’ll save that rant for when it’s needed. In the meantime, sound off about last night’s episode below.