Chuck star Zachary Levi reveals a few season-three hints
Posted by Michelle in CHUCK, MEDIA
Zachary Levi, star of NBC’s spy action comedy Chuck, told SCI FI Wire that he hopes to literally get in on the action when the show returns for a third season next year. “I just want to do more action, man,” Levi said in an exclusive interview Thursday in Santa Monica, Calif.
“I want Chuck to kick some more ass, shoot some more guns,” he said. “I’ve been sitting on the sidelines for two years watching Adam and Yvonne have all of the fun. Literally all I ever wanted to do since I was a kid was be in war movies. … You run around in the backyard and go, ‘Bang, you’re dead!’ And throwing dirt clods as hand grenades. So to really get to participate in the action more, as opposed to just running away or falling off a building or whatever, would be really awesome.”
Levi spoke exclusively to SCI FI Wire at a Subway restaurant in Santa Monica, which was outfitted as a promotional event for Universal’s Land of the Lost. The following is an edited version of that interview. Land of the Lost is being released in theaters June 5. Chuck returns to television in March.
Before it was renewed, was there a sense of anxiety, or were you zenlike about the future of Chuck?
Levi: I was pretty zenlike. This business is far too crazy to try and make sense of it, not that you can’t on some level, but so much of it is just outside of your control. I mean, clearly I would have mourned a lot about not coming back, mostly just not being able to work with my crew, because they’re so wonderful. So that’s the biggest plus about coming back, is getting to work with those guys some more.
But it’s a little frustrating, [because] when we got renewed our budget got slashed pretty significantly, so I’m just hoping that doesn’t cripple us. I want to be able to continue to make the product that we’re making, if not better; you’re hoping that you can always make a better product, but the way television is working it’s like in reverse now. It’s like more and more they’re cutting budgets, and not that I don’t understand why—TiVo does not help us, even though I love TiVo—but hopefully a salve is going to come soon, because I don’t know what’s going to happen. That being said, I was at a place where if we’re going to come back, then rock and roll, and if we’re not going to come back, then rock and roll. But you have to; otherwise,you’ll drive yourself crazy.
Had they talked to you about what might happen to your character in season three before the budget cuts, or talked to you about what changes might have to be made?
Levi: A little bit, and they are the same. They don’t let me know too much, because I have a big mouth and I’ll blow it, but I’m excited for it. The finale left us in a place where Chuck knows kung fu—or does he know kung fu? Or did he just know kung fu for a little while? And will he learn other things? What we’re setting up with this new Intersect 2.0 is that it not only gives him informational flashes but physical flashes as well. But there’s catches to it, and we’ll find out about those in the third season. But it’s going to lead to so many fun things, I think, in the missions and how we accomplish them.
And there will continue to be a lot of tension between Chuck and Sarah, which people love to hate to love, but that’s TV, and it’s good TV. There will be more love interests that kind of pop in and maybe even at the Buy More, stuff like that. But the great thing about Chuck is it’s so multi-genred there are so many places to go with it. The thing that is hindering that is obviously the budgetary concerns. But [executive producer] Josh Schwartz tells me that they’re on it, and they’re going to do everything they can to make sure we’re not sacrificing whatever quality we’re at right now.
How much of season three have they mapped out, or how much do they typically map out ahead of time?
Levi: Right now we’ve only got a 13-episode pickup, so they’re going to have that pretty much arced, I think, with ideas if we do get a back nine, where they would go with that. Because it’s very frustrating from a writing standpoint, obviously, when you think you have a finale, and they go, “Oh, no, you’ve got a back nine.” So you kind of have to pop up and go around again, but I know that by the time we start shooting they will have half of that order written already, or nearly done.
When do you start shooting?
Levi: The end of July, beginning of August. It affords time to hit the gym. But I know that they have a good idea where they want to go; it’s just a matter of getting there.
Big Thanks to Tatiana for the link!
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Hit the gym…
That means new Chuck will be more body structured. More sexy… Good for him (and for us too)!
Yeah, that comment confused me at first… it’s a leaner faster Chuck FU! (had to add the M to my name since there as another Jessica… haha I was like hey wait I didn’t post that!) lol I refrained from any further facial hair comments on the other link! lol
“Pop up and go around again”. Is Zac a pilot?
Hmm…more Lou’s and Jill-ish girls…..hence the comment about “love interest” I do believe. Way, waaaay back a comment was made right before Lou was introduced and Jill was introduced….ugh, but it all makes for better TV!
Continue the relationship between Chuck and Sarah as a form of “torture” (not MY words but Sarah/Yvonne’s words to Chuck/Zach in the Beefcake or Lethal Weapon episode) and you are going to “torture” die-hard, Subway eating, DVD buying, petition-signing, letter-writing, Tee shirt wearing fans away from the show.
Why do people (writers) think that you somehow “CAN’T POSSIBLY” have these two characters in some kind of “real” relationship is beyond me. If the writers continue to play “Mickey Mouse Club” type stuff with it, they’re going to lose all credibility – and fans along with it – fans of a show that isn’t highly rated to begin with – so fans you can’t afford to lose. Introduce more romance with the other characters – that’s GREAT – but keep screwing with the Chuck/Sarah relationship after they’ve done a somewhat decent job over two seasons of bringing them together, and you’re taking one GIANT step backward! Did I say ONE giant step backward? Make that 10 giant steps backward!
Zacfan Reply:
June 2nd, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I totally agree with you Rick.
I will try and trust the writers, but it is worrying the things that are being said about the Charah relationship for season 3. I refuse to believe there is some unwritten law of the universe that says a couple of TV characters will lose all sparkle if they become a fully fledged couple.
Surely talented writers can come up with sexy/romantic scripts that keep the fires burning for the audience. It’s a cop out to say it can’t/must never happen. Writers … be brave …
JessicaM Reply:
June 2nd, 2009 at 6:21 pm
Maybe they are afraid of the Ross/Rachel paradigm. It was great when they loved each other from afar, but then it kind of fell flat once they were together. Granted they drug that out for a really long long long time, and it did weigh the show down. I guess they assume the same will happen with Chuck and Sarah. I for one wish they would stop with the will they/won’t they and just they will or they won’t… end of story. The back and forth kills me! Just let them get married and have little spies! lol They definitely cannot afford to alienate their rabid fans.
I am sure “love interest” could refer to more than just Chuck. Casey could use some good lovin’. God knows Jeff probabely hasn’t seen any lovin’ since his Missel Command days. I am stead fast in my belief that Jeff and Jill need to hook up during season 3. I am sure she finds the Nerd Herd uniform an afrodisiac. I really do not want to see any more Charah love triangles…
Hi again, everybody. Not to try to take away any business from this web site – I check it every day and “post” on it all the time – but in the interest of trying to expose/promote CHUCK to as many people as possible (and recruit new die hard fans like us), here’s a link to a web site (The Nick C. Blog – Nick is a Chuck supporter and often posts on another web site http://www.tvbythenumbers.com whose creators Robert and Bill also promote Chuck fairly regularly). Anyway, Nick has a really fun idea – he’s soliciting questions from CHUCK fans to ask Josh and Chris about next season. Apparently he’ll pick a few when he interviews them before or at Comic Con. Make your voice heard on what you want to ask about for Season 3. Click on this link: http://nickctv.wordpress.com/2009/05/31/1question4chuck/#comment-1022
or if clicking on it doesn’t work, copy and paste in your browser.
thanks everybody. And Keep on Chuckin’!!!!!
‘A couple of TV characters will lose all sparkle if they become a fully fledged couple’. (By Zacfan) – That’s it.
I agree with the screenwriters, they are wise and know what they are doing, so I approve the suspense. Once hooked, nobody will leave until the end, because, I’m sure, all is worth waiting, seeing and getting.
Zacfan Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:35 am
All the romance will die for me if I start to believe they’ll never truly be allowed to be together. I’m starting to believe that’s the case now so I’m thinking where’s the joy in a third season for someone like me?
I personally watch for Charah. If the writers are just going to keep keeping Chuck and Sarah apart then what’s the point of having them in love at all?
Sure they can put them together at the very end of the whole series, but by then I’ll probably feel blah about them because It’ll have been drawn out for so long.
God, I’ve depressed myself. lol
I know Chuck is about so much more than just the Charah romance, but THAT is and ALWAYS will be the main draw for me. Of course I’ll probably still watch every week for Zac, but it won’t give me the buzz and excitement that it’s giving me at the moment.
Rick Holy Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 8:23 am
Amen. “Saving it for THE END,” is pretty pointless. Seeing how they can pull it off while they’re living the life of spies – now that is a heck of a lot more interesting – and exciting – than the yes/no, we can/we can’t silliness – which is also EXTREMLEY frustrating, NOT entertaining. Think about it, people!
JessicaM Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 11:18 am
Myself and another chuckster at work were discussing this topic this morning… (instead of working, ahem) and we were hashing out the whole, who is “Sarah”. I mean do we really know who she is, sure we got a name in season 1 when they went back to High School, but is that really a name or just one she was using at the time? Sarah is so damaged emotionally an Chuck is a bit damaged as well, but he does not nearly have the trust issues that Sarah has. She’s always telling him to trust her, but does she trust him? So how can you work out a realtionship when he probably will never really know who she is? So what happens if the intersect is out of his head, and she has to move on to the next assignment? What then, not like Chuck can just go along with her or rather just stay at home, happy husband, boyfriend whatever and not see her for months on end. Now I realize the premise of the show is he has the intersect she must protect him, but we were expounding on the out of the box stuff for a quasi-real relationship. I guess it’s like any workplace romance, sometimes those are a huge no-no, lets face it most of the time. I’m not against them being together, but I just can’t get on board with it if she is still his handler. I just don’t see the happy ending ride off into the sunset for the two of them. It would be nice but even under the best circumstances it’s tough. Granted the will they won’t they drags down sometimes, but I kinda dig the he doesn’t know how she feels and she sorta knows how he feels, and the fun miscommunication at times. I don’t know, I guess I’m a sadist. lol Torture me some more will ya! lol Opposites do attract but I think you need some common ground to really maintain a relationship. So Chuck needs to become a spy and not just an “asset”, then with the training and know how and common ground, then yeah ride off into the sunset like Mr. & Mrs. Smith and be kick @ss spies. Or Sarah needs to quit being a spy and just be a normal girl, if that is even possible for her. Sometimes unrequited love can be painfully sweet. Sometimes “you can’t always get what you want, but you find you get what you need… “
Rick Holy Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:03 pm
Jessica, Jessica, Jessica [ I kind of wanted that exaggerated, exaspirated emphasis
]. This doesn’t have to be so hard or so complex. No one is expecting (at least not in the world of TV Land) an Awesome and Ellie wedding and a carriage ride off into the sunset for Chuck and Sarah – they are spies, after all. But both of them being spies and her being his “protector” doesn’t have to preclude some kind of deeper relationship between them. Because let’s be honest, some of the back and forth stuff has just been downright silliness – and what hasn’t been sillinesss has been (don’t know if this is a word, but here goes) ANGSTiness.
Dear Lord, we all have enough ANGST in our lives. Do we REALLY want to have our hour of “Chuck escapism” up the ANGST?? A THIRD season of a TORTURED relationship would just be TOO MUCH.
I think – and this relates to what you brought up about the character of Sarah – what would be far more interesting is to bring them closer together and in that process really learn more about them as people (as they learn more about each other). Again, we do know so little about Sarah – that’s why I find her one of the most interesting characters on TV. And with Chuck, we still don’t know all the things with his mother, etc.
To me, some of the most enjoyable moments have been when they’ve “learned more” about each other. When Chuck explained to Sarah what “Mother’s Day” was all about. When Chuck met Sarah’s father. When Sarah explained to Chuck what Christmas was like “in the Burton Household.” When Chuck explained to Sarah the depth of Morgan’s friendship – and her later explaining why she wasn’t able to understand/appreciate what he meant. Those are the kind of things that are interesting and entertaining – and which bring Chuck and Sarah into a deeper relationship – and that I think the fans would like to see more of.
Dear Lord, I feel all “Dr. Phil” here. So it’s time for me to quit. All I say is that they can grow closer, have the relationship that each of them wants (and needs), and still not jeopardize anything. Again, we’re not talking about another “walk down the aisle” in Season 3!!
So how does that sound (coming from a celibate male!!)?
JessicaM Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Haha Rick, I get your drift. Perhaps my 5 year celibacy has gone to my head. Dangit if I can’t have it no one can! lol Just kidding. Perhaps I have become a cynic but as they say under ever cynic is just a frustrated romantic. Sigh… you can have your Charah, I won’t stand in the way. lol Like I was. I do so enjoy discussing it back and forth!
Rick Holy Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 2:03 pm
Come on now, Jessica – if I can pull this celibacy thing off for 45 years! (and for the rest of my life) and STILL want for my TV show characters to get the lovin’ they deserve, then YOU CAN DO IT, TOO!! Kind of the running joke around here – at least the staff thinks it’s a joke (but I’m TOTALLY serious) is when I tell them “I’m in love with love!” Just to B.S. them I tell them my middle name is “love.” (Hey, if Jennifer LOVE/LUV Hewitt can get away with it, why not me). But it’s the truth! I dig seeing young couples (and even OLD couples) REALLY in love – real, rock-solid, committed love. There aint nuthin’ more beautiful – or dare I say it, more AWESOME !!! So Father “I’m in love with love” Rick wants to see a little more love between Chuck and Sarah. ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S SO OBVIOUS THAT THEY’RE IN LOVE!!!!! Enough of the ANGST already, it’s time for a little more “Love and Happiness” (incidentally, the title of one of my favorite John Mellencamp [fellow Hoosier] songs!)
lol… ok ok I give, I give! lol
Bring on the love!
Rick Holy Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:08 pm
Sweeeeeeeet!!! Now the only thing…… Are you LISTENING Josh and Chris??? Remember, the 11th commandment is, “Thou shalt not make thy true and devoted fans suffer by torturing them with will they/won’t they and they can/they can’t Chuck and Sarah story lines!!!”
Just kidding (well, actually I’m NOT). But we DO love you guys for giving us such a great show!! Just add a few more tablespoons of lovin’ to Season 3’s recipe!!!
Thanks, and PEACE all!!!
Ok so too much information but I’m on 10yrs of celibacy!! That’s why I need Chuck and Sarah to be together because I definitely have no romance in my life!!!
*sob*
Rick Holy Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Yes, but remember, Chuck and Morgan have a “bro-mance!!” (In the GOOD and NOT gross sense of the word!)
JessicaM Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Hug! I’m crying right there with you!
O.K., so should I start a web page of “Celibates for Chuck!” Kind of like what they used to call in the good old days a “Lonely Hearts Club.” [except on my end, I ain't lookin' anymore - as should be obvious by the picture].
Can you imagine how quick NBC, Warner Brothers (and even Subway) would disavow any association with THAT! Or maybe NOT.
JessicaM Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 7:43 pm
lmao…. that’s all they need one extreme or the other. Chuck us Celibates for Chuck! LMAO
wow. this tread got depressing fast. i will try to bring it back on topic. I think Chuck has accepted that fact he will never be able to know everything about Sarah’s past including her real name. Sarah has demonstrated time and again that she trusts Chuck. She they have issues and defects, who doesn’t? The only people who don’t are Awesome and Ellie and they are boring. They can still create all types of angst, but I don’t want to see them doing it by re-hashing love triangle stories.
Rick Holy Reply:
June 3rd, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Hey Marco! No – not depressing at all! Just laughing at life! No more, no less!! And I’m diggin’ those glasses you’re wearing. They look like the 3D glasses from the Chuck Superbowl episode.
All these interesting discussions could be transferred to the forum.
Go Zach! Love the attitude (or lack of!) Hey, that’s why we love this guy. He is so NOT wrapped up in the insanity of Hollywood. he just continues to work hard and do a great show. And Adam and Yvonne are the best! can’t wait for season 3. And yes, I trust the writers. They haven’t let me down yet!
please let chuck and sarah get together,the suspense is killing me. My idea is why not let them get together and to keep the flame going slowly reveal some of sarah’s past, for example her birthday her hometown and finally her real name, and for the love of god do not introduce another love triangle, dat got boring after the jill saga.