10 thumbs up for an amazing run.

Ever since Chuck was renewed for a fifth and final season, I’ve been thinking about what I wanted to say in this post.  How do you say goodbye to not only a show, but the people who have meant so much to us the past five years?  I’ll admit, I haven’t been looking forward to writing this.  There is so much I want to say, but for someone who isn’t always good with words, and maybe even for those of you who are, expressing that gratitude and appreciation isn’t the easiest task. But I’ll give it a go.

I discovered Chuck by accident at the start of season two.  Flipping through channels, I couldn’t find anything to watch and somehow ended up landing on Chuck.  I had no idea what the show was about or what was going on, but something made me stop there.  It looked like a fun show and so I watched.  By the end of the episode I was hooked.  Little did I know then the impact Chuck would have on my life.  I came back week after week, becoming more captivated each time.  Towards the end of season 2, after learning Chuck was on the bubble, I started actively campaigning and buying Subway sandwiches to try and get the show back.  Needless to say, Chuck came back, again and again… and again.  Three years later, I’m looking back on one of the most incredible journeys I’ve ever taken.  It’s been a rollercoaster over the years, but it’s been so much fun!  

Before Chuck, I had never become so emotionally invested in a show and I had NEVER fought to save one.  And for many of you, I’m guessing that’s probably true too.  Why though?  Why has this quirky spy show taken such a hold of us?  The list goes on and on, but one of the most important reasons for me is the characters.  Good shows have great characters, but great shows make us care about those characters and what happens to them.  From the very beginning, Chuck was able to pull at our heart strings with loveable characters.  We’ve cheered them on along the way and feel as though we know them, because we’ve watched them grow up before our eyes.  That has been one of my favorite things. 

One of a kind cast.

Another important reason doesn’t have to do with the show so much as the people behind it.  Along the way, this cast and crew have captured our hearts just as much as their characters.  We can see how much fun they have making the show because their chemistry radiates through our screens.  We can tell that they are invested, which makes it that much easier to become invested ourselves.  But it’s not just how well they do their jobs; it’s how down to earth and kind they are; it’s how much they care.  Why do we care so much about Chuck?  It’s because they do.  Not only that, but they care about US.  We’ve continued to fight for them because we knew how much they appreciated it.  They have brought us into their world and made us a part of the family.  They didn’t have to, but they did because that’s who they are.  We are important to them and they show it.  It’s this mutual love and appreciation that’s created a lasting and special bond.

Chuck is special.  It’s a show with tremendous heart, and it proved to us that amongst all the junk, there was still good television out there.  We grew to love Chuck unconditionally.  Even through the ups and downs, we continued fighting to keep Chuck with us. Why? Because it was our show too, the cast and crew made sure of that.

It's hard to say goodbye.

Chuck has meant a lot of things to a lot of different people and maybe that’s why it’s so hard to see it go.  It’s difficult for people outside the Chuck family to understand what this show means to us and the void we’re going to feel when it’s over.  If you’re like me then you’ve always gotten funny looks when you talk about fighting to save Chuck, or how much you love the show.  But what those on the outside don’t realize is that Chuck is much more than just a show.  Maybe it’s how you met your best friend, or maybe it’s given you the confidence to go out and try something new.  Maybe it’s even shown you that you can do more with your life than you ever thought possible.  Whatever it is, Chuck has changed our lives in ways we never imagined.  Chuck is a community and it’s hard for those who aren’t in it to understand, but for those who are, you know exactly what it represents.  It represents a group of people that share the same passion you do.  It’s people to talk with, laugh with, and sometimes even cry with.  We share a connection, not only with each other, but with the cast, crew, and the show itself.   We’ve become a large family over these past five years and that’s why it affects us so much.

It’s okay to be sad and it’s okay to cry.  Sometimes it’s just a necessary part of the process.  Like Sarah said, “when you meet somebody you care about, it’s just hard to walk away.”  Saying goodbye is never easy, especially to something that has become such a big part of our lives.  Remember this though, even if the show is ending, we aren’t really “losing” Chuck.  Long after the final episodes air, Chuck will continue to live on through us and touch the lives of anyone willing to give it a chance.  All the experiences, all the memories, we get to take those with us.  We’ll help others to discover what we’ve enjoyed so very much.  Every time we see one of the cast or crew we’ll think of Chuck and be reminded of all the great memories.  Chuck has left us with a great gift, a great legacy.  It has changed lives, built bonds, and is living proof that we can, and did, make a difference.  We continued to believe in Chuck even when others didn’t. 

I would’ve never dreamed the journey I’d take with Chuck, and perhaps that’s part of what made it so much fun.  Simply put, I’m really going to miss Chuck.  I’m going to miss this cast, this crew and these characters that we’ve come to know and love.  That being said, I am so incredibly grateful for these past five years.  What a blessing they’ve been.  I’ve been so lucky to meet some amazing people and have so many new adventures I would’ve never had otherwise.  Chuck has changed my life in the best possible ways.  I can finish this journey happy, feeling satisfied in what we’ve accomplished, in what the show has accomplished.  Let’s face it, if what was supposed to happen, happened, Chuck probably wouldn’t have come back after season two.  Instead, we bought (sometimes literally) three more seasons and closure.  Our favorite story gets an ending, a proper ending.  And not only do we get closure, but so do the cast and crew.  They get the chance to say goodbye and so do we.  It’s something that many shows never get and it’s certainly something to be proud of.  Yep, five seasons and a finale, not too shabby!  I guess in the end, our little show that could became the little show that DID. 

So congratulations to the cast and crew for five wonderful years.  Thank you for pouring your heart and soul into Chuck and embracing the fans like no other.  Congratulations to the fans for always believing and continuing to fight.  And congratulations to you Chuck, you did it!  You beat the odds and took us on an unforgettable journey that changed our lives.  You get to go out on YOUR terms.  No one could’ve done better.

And tonight as we watch Chuck close the book on this final chapter, and our heroes take their final bow, maybe the best thing to say isn’t “goodbye” but rather, “see you later.”  I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of these guys yet, our paths may very well cross again someday.  Chuck will continue to live on through all those whose lives it’s touched, and if you’ve been paying any attention to all the press the finale is getting, it’s clear that it’s touched a lot. So thank you Chuck, a million times… thank you.  We’ll save you later.