Chuck Episode 2.01 Chuck vs the First Date

A big, bad mercenary dangles Chuck high from a building. To save his skin, Chuck says he has the cipher, the artificial brain to the new intersect computer. The man says to hand it over. Chuck, though hardly in a position to ask, wants to negotiate. The man yanks him up and asks who he is. Chuck says he works for the CIA, NSA and is the world's most important intelligence asset. Of course the guy doesn't believe him. CIA Agent Sarah Walker and NSA Major Casey burst on the scene and, at gunpoint, tell the thug to let the geek go. He does, but escapes.

CIA Director Graham praises Casey and Sarah, but not Chuck, for retrieving the cipher. Graham declares Operation Bartowski closed and tells Chuck to enjoy the rest of his life. Chuck's glad he's getting his old life back - one free of spies, guns and being dangled from buildings - but doesn't have plans for his future. Sarah says he can have anything he wants. Chuck smiles, wondering if that means her.

When Casey is alone, General Beckman tells him that they can't have another intersect wandering around Los Angeles. Casey understands what this means and asks if they can find another exit strategy. However, the General is firm - his orders are to eliminate Chuck Bartowski tomorrow night.

The next morning, still living with his sister Ellie and her fiance Devon, Chuck cheerfully gets ready for work but accidentally startles the Ellie and Devon in the shower. At breakfast, he tells them this is another reminder that he needs his own place. Ellie says they're in no hurry, but Chuck says he needs a real job - and life. Ellie asks if this is a good or bad thing. Chuck says it's good, which makes her extremely proud and excited of her geeky brother.

At Buy More, Morgan shows Chuck his attack plan for an upcoming Call of Duty videogame battle with their rivals at Large Mart. Chuck tells a conflicted Casey that he'll miss him and thanks him for "being there to catch me when I fall." Big Mike offers Chuck the assistant manager job but he doesn't take it. As punishment, Big Mike makes Chuck interview his coworkers for the job.

At Orange Orange, where Sarah works undercover, Chuck asks Sarah for a normal date without aliases and spy gear and missions. She resists at first but eventually agrees, since they won't see each other again after she's reassigned.

Casey prepares to kill Chuck. During target practice in his apartment, he misses when Chuck's picture comes up. At Ellie's, Chuck tries on several shirts for his big date. Ellie asks if he's decided what he wants to do with his life, but he hasn't. The doorbell rings, and instead of Sarah, it's Morgan, wanting to show him his new video game attack plan.

A messenger comes to Casey's house to pick up the cipher. He gives Casey the secret password and gets the cipher, then sprays Casey with deadly toxic white powder. The messenger calls the big operative to say he has the cipher. The man tells him where to go to kill Sarah and Chuck. Just in time, a struggling Casey activates a ceiling shower to wash off the powder and, a la Pulp Fiction, injects his heart with the antidote.

On their date, Sarah and Chuck eat at a Chinese restaurant. Chuck says that Morgan thought it was unbelievable for him to date a girl like her. Sarah makes him explain what "a girl like her" is. Chuck, put on the spot, says, "Smart, beautiful and can kick butt." Sarah enjoys his compliments. Chuck wonders what Casey would think if he could see them. Sarah says it would probably kill him.

Just as they are about to kiss, Chuck realizes they're surrounded by hostile operatives. Sarah doesn't have her gun. A big man approaches and says his name is Mr. Colt. He wants Chuck to come with him and thwarts Sarah's attempt to fight him off. The homing device beeps, and then Casey crashes the Crown Victoria through the restaurant. Colt punches Casey, his ring leaving a distinct mark on Casey's face. Under gunfire, they escape in the car. Casey says he lost the intercept and along with it, Chuck's freedom.

The next day, a morose Chuck is at work where he offers Morgan the assistant manager job. Morgan says he doesn't want it because it would disrupt his perfected slacking routine. Chuck interviews more coworkers. Anna makes a pass at him in order to make her boyfriend jealous. Jeff gives him his resume on toilet paper, then tries to play footsie with him. Lester channels the Godfather. The scar on Casey's face triggers a flash, revealing where Colt is. He tells Casey, and then says he wants out so he can live his life. Casey implies the future doesn't always hold good things.

Chuck tells Morgan to do the interviews any way he pleases, so Morgan hosts an all-employee Thunderdome-style cage fight; the winner gets the job. Chuck fails to convince Sarah and Casey to include him in the "takedown" of Colt. Big Mike, not caring why there are no employees in the store, tells Chuck that he's gotten a personal request for an onsite computer emergency. Sarah, Casey and crew raid an empty warehouse while Chuck walks right into to Colt's trap in another one.

Colt tells Chuck he has to kill him since he saw his face. Chuck adopts the persona of secret agent Charles Carmichael and says it's Colt's crew that wandered into a trap. He recites, word for word, Morgan's video game attack plan for defeating the Large Mart rivals at Call of Duty. Colt calls his bluff, so Chuck calls Morgan, who recites on speaker phone exactly what Chuck just said. Thinking Chuck might not be bluffing, the bad guys look out the window. While they're distracted, Chuck steals the intersect and runs.

Colt catches Chuck and it's to the rooftop where once again, Colt dangles him over the side. Chuck still won't give him the intersect. Sarah surprises Colt from behind, and he drops Chuck off the building, head first. Thinking Chuck's dead, Sarah attacks Colt and the two fight. Waiting on the fire escape, Casey catches Chuck's wrist and swings him safely to the level below. He gets to the roof and holds Colt at gunpoint. When Colt's men surround them, things look dire until Chuck arrives with the rest of their tactical team.

While being cuffed, Colt tells Casey that his boss Carmichael is good at his job. Later, General Beckman tells Casey that he still has to kill Chuck. Casey disagrees with the plan, saying Chuck served his country with honor. They acknowledge that, but say he still has to die since the information can't be removed from his head. Casey is left with no choice.

At Ellie's house, Chuck prepares a nice dinner for Sarah. Ellie and Devon go out so he'll have the house to himself. Upstairs, Casey sneaks in to kill Chuck. At the same time, off site at a facility, the government tests the intercept. Chuck cooks and pours wine as Casey edges closer, down the hall, and into the kitchen. At the facility, the intercept explodes. Sarah arrives and tells Chuck about the explosion - and that he's back to being the intercept. Casey hears this and retreats.

At Buy More, Lester is the new assistant manager and is relishing in flexing his managerial power over his coworkers. Chuck has a life-assessing moment in front of Morgan, who says he always thought Chuck was meant for greatness. He then announces that Jeff said he'd eat 45 packs of Twinkies in three minutes. All the employees, even Casey, run off to watch.