Thursday night, I went to Grauman's Chinese Theatre to watch the two-part, series finale of Chuck. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was surprisingly emotional. Zach and Yvonne delivered beautiful work, and I think the creators gave them a beautiful show. The place was packed, tears were shed, and we spilled out into the night and onto mayhem as only the Chuck cast can do. Then we went our separate ways, for the last time. I'm musing on the whole Chuck chapter today, watching the Australian Open with a gloriously massive headache.
Watching the finale I felt a theme of coming full circle. It reminded me of the pilot, of the sweet excitement that I felt viewing McG, Josh Schwartz, and Chris Fedak's pop action confection. At its best, I think Chuck had a magic that just felt good to watch. You knew you were not in for a dose of reality, but for a warm, wacky, oddly hip ride. I will miss peacock-ing on behalf of the lone wolf, Lester.
What began with me visiting Los Angeles to deliver a line here and there, finding an attitude and a walk for this guy, led to my taking up a permanent residence, and even getting my U.S. citizenship. I'll never forget the day I came to set after being sworn in to find a congratulations cake from the cast and crew. And as Lester's story was filled in more and more – his hybrid parentage, his hyper-charged ambitions for his garage band, his abuse and love of Jeff – I found some deep chords within the comedy of the thing called JEFFSTER. I relished my tutelage in the recording studio with Tim Jones, where I got over my fear of singing to lay down all of those songs, each more epic than the last.
And then there was ComicCon. Performing “Fat Bottomed Girls” to thousands of Chuck fans was like being blasted through the sound barrier. My nervous system will never be the same. It was an all-time high. Now I know why rock stars can be the wackiest of the wackos. Living on that kind of adrenaline must alter you. I know I am altered.
Stepping out from behind Lester, I've also come full circle. I’m "between engagements,” returning to the hunger and the tension of being an artist on the prowl for the next great thing, back to my own company, for better or worse.
I spend a lot of time alone when I'm not working, studying sports and great acting work. Five years ago, when I was in this solitary place of digging and exploring, I got the call to come out and read for this pilot called Chuck. Freshly back out the other side of it, I'm roaming free and wondering about the next call, casting my first looks back at what was Chuck with supreme thanks.
Catch Vik Sahay next in the Canadian indie comedy, My Awkward Sexual Adventure and the new American Pie sequel, American Reunion. Check out Vik on Facebook.
What are some of your favourite Chuck memories? Who or what will you miss most? Did you feel the finale did the series justice? Sound off below.
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