Chuck 5.04 ‘Chuck vs the Business Trip’ review: For business or for pleasure?

A quick review of “Chuck vs the Business Trip…

It pains me that I didn’t write a review for “Chuck vs the Frosted Tips” last week, as I found that episode to be the best and most fun of this fifth — and last, collective tears everyone — season. I feared that “Frosted Tips” could almost be the epitome of funness for the season: I mean, Casey and Gertrude erotic dancing, actual frosted tips, comedy, explosions, it was pretty good. But then “Chuck vs the Business Trip” comes along and I’m thankfully surprised.

Really quickly, I’ll just mention that I’m not exactly a fan of Ellie’s wanting to be the stay at home mom. And then, let me just say again really quickly: there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that. I think living in a society, or at least hoping we live in a society, that values female empowerment, we confuse “empowerment” with “9 to 5 jobs” and are blinded that motherhood (nay, parenthood) is perhaps one of the most empowering aspects of life. And not only that, but it keeps Chuck quite grounded. And with that said, I quickly realized how ill it was of me for not exactly “getting” or understanding it.

That quip, now nonissue, aside, I can’t really say I found anything incredibly wrong with this episode. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Chris Fedak previously said that this episode felt like an entirely different show… but I don’t exactly agree with that. It felt entirely like Chuck, more so than episodes have felt like the show in some time. I’m also loving Non-Brain Damaged Jeff more than I thought I would, and while arresting Lester may be bringing down the comedy of him actually attempting homicide, I can’t say that bothers me too much.

And that ending, with Casey just wanting to spend time with his family before he gets arrested, it was so Chuck-like. So, no, this didn’t feel like an entirely different show: it was all Chuck. And I loved it. It may be the best episode of the season thus far. Plus, there were also explosions in this one, too.