The Intersect

As Chuck is a comedy series with strong ties to both geek and tech-culture, and also part of the 'spy' genre, some emphasis is placed on technology within the show. Technologies in the show usually drive the plot (most notably the Intersect), but some gadgets are directly for comic effect (tennis ball grenades). Some of the devices in the series are accompanied by a nod to pop-culture, such as the GLG-20 listening device. There are multiple references made to James Bond in particular. As Chuck is a comedy series with strong ties to both geek and tech-culture, and also part of the 'spy' genre, some emphasis is placed on technology within the show. Technologies in the show usually drive the plot (most notably the Intersect), but some gadgets are directly for comic effect (tennis ball grenades). Some of the devices in the series are accompanied by a nod to pop-culture, such as the GLG-20 listening device. There are multiple references made to James Bond in particular. During Chuck's first season, the Buy More was used as the main base of operations by the team, although by Season 2 it was largely replaced by Castle. Located in a strip mall near the 'Large Mart' (a parody of wholesale retail stores like Costco and Sam's Club), much of the store is a typical 'big box' style electronics retailer. However, the government made numerous modifications to some areas of the store to facilitate the team's operations throughout the course of the series. By the end of the first season Fulcrum began to identify the store as a place of interest, and sent an agent to infiltrate and monitor the store. Fulcrum has on several occasions attempted to determine what the government's interest in the store is, and by 'Chuck Versus the Predator', they identified it as a CIA substation. The store is a parody of electronics retailers such as Best Buy, and plays a large role in the branding of the series. In addition to its use as the team's base in the first season, most side-plots in each episode in some way involve the store and its employees. The store was managed by 'Big' Mike Tucker from 'Chuck Versus the Intersect' up through 'Chuck Versus the First Kill', when Emmett Millbarge manipulated Morgan into getting Big Mike demoted. Big Mike returned to his former position during the third season. When the secondary plots of an episode intertwine with the main plot, the Buy More is generally involved. In 'Chuck Versus the Ring: Part II', the Buy More is destroyed by explosives planted by Daniel Shaw, which were accidentally activated when Morgan dropped the detonator. This fiasco was blamed on Jeff and Lester as an arson crime, as Jeff suggested to Big Mike that burning down the store was the best way to keep their jobs. The Buy More was rebuilt by the CIA between the end of Season 3 and the beginning of Season 4, and by 'Chuck Versus the Anniversary' is once again up and running, now as a full CIA substation. The store's Home Theater Room was utilized by the team as a communications facility. The room's regular big-screen and sound system were modified to allow for video conferencing with the team's superiors for briefings. In 'Chuck Versus the Sandworm', it was revealed that the room could be used to interface with the U.S. Air Force's training command. Hidden compartments were also available for backup weaponry. In the second season, an access tunnel from Castle led to the Home Theater Room.Throughout season four, an entrance lift to castle is well hidden in the curved corner of the home theatre room. Although not often used directly by the team, the store's video wall is one of the store's prominent features. Videos subtly referencing the main plots or themes of an episode are often playing on the wall in the background. Clips of What's Opera, Doc? run throughout 'Chuck Versus the Fat Lady', in which a sizable part of the episode occurs in an opera house. In 'Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover', Casablanca can be seen (the plot of which the episode itself frequently parallels) while in 'Chuck Versus the Sensei', a movie featuring ninjas is played. An access tunnel to Castle is hidden behind a set of lockers in the employee's break room. Casey also has a safe hidden inside his locker, containing a substantial cache of money, passports, and other documents. This property was turned over to his daughter, Alex to help her and her mother flee from the Ring when Shaw moved against Team Bartowski and his family, doing so also protected the money from incineration when Daniel Shaw's bomb destroyed the store. After the store is rebuilt by the government as a façade for a significantly enlarged NSA/CIA base, Casey's new locker (or a second locker to which he has the key) contains a security interface computer, behind which is a manual emergency bypass. The apartment Casey occupies in the complex shared by Chuck and his family is frequently used as a secondary base of operations by the team throughout the first and second seasons. Like the Buy More and Castle, Casey has a live video link back to General Beckman's office which the team can use to consult with their superiors. The apartment has been outfitted with a highly sophisticated security system, which Casey can monitor from Castle. A shooting gallery with pop-up targets is built into the fireplace and concealed within the room is a chemical emergency eyewash and shower station, which Casey uses (along with an intracardiac injection of epinephrine hidden in a framed picture of Ronald Reagan) to survive being attacked with a toxin. Since Casey's dismissal from the NSA and Marine Corps in 'Chuck Versus the Tic Tac', it is unknown how much of this equipment has been removed, or reinstalled following his reinstatement.