Chuck vs the Pink Slip / Three Little Words / Angel de La Muerte: 3 for 1

So the "24" method of launching apparently worked as far as premiere night, with some 7.7 million tuning in. Hopefully (for NBC's sake at the very least) most of those millions liked what they saw enough to tune in tonight for the 'awesome' episode.

It was a solid three-episode opening, but I'm of the mind that it would've worked better with just a heavily promoted one hour/regular night premiere*. "Chuck vs the Pink Slip" was oriented for that, obviously, with the Rocky III-referenced ending, and having it continue on to "Chuck vs the Three Little Words" sort of lessened the impact of the solid ending. Not that the second hour was a bad episode, more that it just wasn't as good as the first (or tonight's).

*Also works better to blog... without screners this year, it's just too hard, hence the three-for-one deal that's also tremendously late.

Musically, with a smaller budget, I'm not sure we can expect the quantity of music we heard in previous seasons, but in the first episode, there was the usual combo of indie rock (Frightened Rabbit, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart) and 80's referenced material (Survivor, Wilson Phillips). Tonight's episode featured some musica economia from band leader (and sometime actor - Rise) Jesus Alejandro Perez, aka "El Nino" and an unsigned artist Daniel Zott.

Playlist: Chuck - Episodes 3.01-3.03
1. "Black & Gold" - Sam Sparro: opening training exercise
2. "Wait It Out" - Imogen Heap: Chuck calls Sarah, plays later over first encounter at restaurant
3. "Just Dropped In" - Kenny Rogers & the First Edition: Bearded Chuck on sofa with cheese balls
4. "Hold On" - Wilson Phillips: Millbarge's unfortunate encounter with Javier
5. "Backwards Walk" - Frightened Rabbit: Flashback of Chuck & Sarah in Prague
7. "Young Adult Friction" - The Pains of Being Pure at Heart: Chuck, Casey & Morgan back at Buy Mart, Ellie/Awesome move out, Chuck & Morgan roommates.
8. "Eye of the Tiger" - Survivor: Chuck and Casey spar off, ending like Rocky III
-------- Episode 3.02---------------
9. "Sexy Bitch (feat. Akon)" - David Guetta: Sarah and Corrina in the dance club, and later plays while they get dressed for engagement party
10. "?" - : Chuck runs into Sarah and Corrina
11. "Just Like Paradise" - David Lee Roth: Corrina enters the Buy More / later in Morgan's bedroom
12. "Model Homes" - In-Flight Safety: Sarah works out her frustrations on Chuck
13. "That Kinda Booty" - Dem Naughty Boys: Morgan's party
14. "Here Comes Trouble" - Maino: Morgan's party
-------- Episode 3.03---------------
15. "Bohemian Like You" - The Dandy Warhols: flashback to Ellie and Awesome in med school
16. "El Yerbero" - Jesus Alejandro "El Nino": Costa Brava consulate reception
17. "Cafecito Cubano" - Jesus Alejandro "El Nino": Costa Brava consulate reception
18. "Songozon" - Latin Mambo Orchestra: Costa Brava consulate reception
19. "Living a Lie!" - Daniel Zott: Awesome and Chuck talk

Previously: Bring on the Chuck!