‘Chuck’: All aboard the ‘Bullet Train’ to the finale

It’s sad to think about “Chuck” ending a week from now. But if it has to end, at least it’s going out with all guns blazing.

“Chuck vs. the Bullet Train” had a boatload of great action on its titular set, fine comedy from the Buy Morons and a brilliant setup to the two-hour finale on Jan. 27. The endgame for the series is in sight, and it’s full of possibilities: Wiped of her memory, Sarah thinks she’s working for Quinn, and her orders are to kill Chuck.

Even if we kind of know that good will triumph in the end — “Chuck” is a comedy, after all — the show has set up a potentially great final ride. Chuck has to save the love of his life by reminding her of everything they’ve been through over the past five years. And it’s all because of the Intersect, the thing that’s been both blessing and bane to these characters from the pilot onward.

Nicholas Quinn is proving to be a very fine last foe for Team Bartowski, and his history with the Intersect is an interesting parallel story to what we’ve watched over the past five seasons. But the real focus of the finale looks as though it will be squarely on Chuck and Sarah — as it should be.

As for the specifics of “Chuck vs. the Bullet Train,” the show’s homage to trapped-on-a-train movies (complete with old-school-looking credits) hit several of the expected story points — guy thrown off train improbably hangs on and returns to the action, fight in the baggage compartment, bad guy gets away by decoupling cars — but executed those familiar beats quite well. It also provided two more examples of the A-plus fight choreography the show has been bringing in Sarah’s demolition of Quinn’s men and the uglier, grittier brawl between Chuck and Quinn.

Back in Burbank, meanwhile, the quest to figure out why the Intersect went haywire in Morgan’s head (and is now doing so in Sarah’s) turned into maybe the best Jeff-and-Lester story (that doesn’t involve singing) we’ve ever seen.

After Quinn’s people (including “Farscape”/”Stargate SG-1” star Ben Browder) take Alex hostage — which also forced Casey to at least appear to turn on Chruck and Sarah — and then foil Morgan and Awesome’s rescue effort, the two guys who should never, ever be allowed near the trunk of Casey’s Crown Vic manage both to save Alex and not blow anything up in the process. And the scene of them in Castle fondling all the guns? Priceless.

But as we did last week, we’re going back to the final few minutes and what happened with Sarah. The callback to her waking up in her old apartment was fantastic, and it sets up a whole lot of intrigue for “Chuck’s” final two hours. We can’t wait to see how it plays out.

What did you think of “Chuck vs. the Bullet Train”?

Photo/Video credit: NBC