Chuck Versus the Seduction

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"Chuck Versus the Seduction" is the second episode of Season 2 of the U.S. television series Chuck, first airing October 6, 2008. Chuck must go undercover to retrieve the Cipher from Sasha Banachek (Melinda Clarke), known as the Black Widow. But in order to get close to his target, Chuck must learn the art of seduction from the legendary debonair spy Roan Montgomery (John Larroquette).

Plot summary[]

Main plot[]

The episode begins with Chuck and Casey talking in the Buy More parking lot about the destruction of the new intersect in the previous episode. Chuck has a conversation with his best friend Morgan Grimes and believes his life isn't going anywhere, when Sarah walks in the Store and kisses him as part of the cover. Sarah leads Chuck down a massive underground bunker (Castle) the CIA built for operations at the Orange Orange. Diane Beckman tells them that the real Cipher might be in the hands of the former KGB operative Sasha Banachek (also known as the Black Widow) and that she is in town to sell it. The team is told to find legendary spy Roan Montgomery, as he is the reason Banachek was sent to a Bulgarian prison for seven years and knows more about her than anyone. During the briefing, Chuck walks out saying he won't help, but Sarah manages to convince him otherwise. Chuck flashes on a picture of Roan, and finds his location. At Roan’s home, the team find the door open. Believing someone has forced their way in, they draw their weapons and enter. The team finds the house ransacked, and they find Roan, seemingly dead, under the bed. But they soon discover he is just in a drunken haze, as he had been drinking and partying the night before.

Later during a conference with Beckman, Roan tells Casey and Sarah that the only way to get information out of Banachek, is to seduce her. At Casey's apartment, Chuck is told he must seduce Banachek, so he can get into her room and see if he flashes on anything. Roan begins teaching Chuck on the art of seduction. Chuck wants to be himself, but Roan doubts a woman like Sasha would ever fall for a guy like Chuck. Roan wants Chuck to kiss Sarah. Embarrassed, Chuck places a peck on her lips. When Roan suggests getting Casey to kiss her, it's too much for Chuck and he kisses her passionately. While Chuck gets prepared for his date, Roan tells Chuck he needs a weapon, because Banachek kills all her mates. While Chuck is at the bar in Banachek's Hotel, Sarah and Roan monitor him in a van parked across the street. Roan tells Chuck what to do and what to say to her through Chuck's earpiece, but Chuck soon gets distracted when Sarah and Roan begin to argue over Sarah's feelings for Chuck. Banachek soon loses interest with Chuck, and leaves but Chuck soon manages to regain control of the situation and Banachek invites him up to her room.

While Banachek gets changed, Chuck begins looking through her things and flashes on a large knife in her handbag but is unable to leave because of the bodyguards outside the door. When the Black Widow returns, Chuck flashes on the Cipher around her neck and it is shown that she knows Roan is feeding Chuck information. Chuck manages to lock himself out on the balcony, after obtaining the Cipher from around Banachek's neck. Chuck tries to climb to the balcony above him but falls and land between a couple on a bed by the pool. Unfortunately Banachek's men have captured Casey and Sarah. Banachek tells Chuck to meet her and bring the Cipher in exchange for their lives. Back at his apartment, Chuck asks for Roan's help to save Casey and Sarah. When he refuses Chuck tells him how he is no longer a legend. The next morning Roan shows up at Buy More and tells Chuck he will help save Casey and Sarah. That night at the meeting place, instead of Chuck, a courier shows up and gives Banachek a package containing a cell phone. Chuck calls the phone and tells her the drop will go down at Buy More. When she arrives Chuck tells her over TV screens that when she leaves and he knows Casey and Sarah are safe he will tell her where the Cipher is. One of Banachek's men soon finds Chuck and chases him onto the roof. The man comes back and tells Banachek where he is. As she is about to kill Casey and Sarah, Roan appears with a gun and a fight ensues. The Black Widow gets the upper hand and takes Sarah hostage. When Chuck finds out Sarah is in trouble, he ties one end of a banner around his waist, swings down, knocks Banachek out and saves Sarah.

Back in his apartment's courtyard, Roan tells Chuck to rent a white dinner jacket and show up at Sarah's door with a bottle of wine and a single red rose. Roan then leaves to meet Beckman. Chuck does as Roan suggested, but when Sarah answers the door she is not alone. She is with Bryce Larkin, Chuck's old nemesis and her ex-boyfriend.

Buy More[]

The Buy More staff are in the break room and Lester (now the assistant manager) is trying to set new rules, but no one is listening. Realizing no one listens to him, he goes to Big Mike for help, who tells him to pick the weakest link and come down hard on him. Lester holds a meeting with the staff where he presents "The Wheel of Misfortune", a game of chance he's designed to make his staff fear him. Morgan spins it first and it lands on "You're Fired". In protest, the rest of staff quit. The next morning, Lester tells Chuck that he fired most of the staff, and is in a panic to get them back. Lester gets the staff back, but have to give in to their demands, as well as spinning the wheel himself.

Ellie and Awesome[]

Chuck is having breakfast with his sister Ellie and his soon to be brother in law Devon. Ellie is upset that Devon has not taken her on one romantic date since they got engaged. Devon goes to Buy More looking for Chuck, but instead finds Morgan, who gives him advice. Back at Ellie's house, Devon starts his own seduction which doesn't go according to plan as Ellie finds out that all of the favourites that Devon was suggesting are all Morgan's favourites. The next morning Devon tells Chuck what happened, who then asks the CIA for help. When Devon and Ellie get home, to their surprise, the place is covered in roses with a candlelit dinner on the table.

Production[]

"Chuck Versus the Seduction" marks the first appearance of Castle, the underground base facility underneath the Orange Orange.

Flashes[]

• Chuck flashes on the picture of Roan Montgomery to find his location.
• Chuck flashes on the knife in Sasha Banachek's handbag.
• Chuck flashes on the Cipher tied around Sasha Banachek's Neck.

Cultural references[]

• Sarah compares Roan Montgomery to James Bond.
• Ellie's favourite film is Casablanca.
• Roan cites the Hamlet line "The lady doth protest too much".
• Jeff says Live by the sword, die by the sword.
• ”Sasha Banicek” is the name of Linda Fiorentino’s character in the 1985 spy comedy Gotcha.

Reception[]

"Chuck Versus the Seduction" drew 5.3 million viewers.

External links[]

• Chuck Versus the Seduction at IMDb