Chuck Versus the Balcony is the eleventh episode of Chuck's fourth season.
Chuck and Sarah try to combine a romantic French getaway with a mission to find a specialized microchip, while Chuck has a very special side mission to complete. Lester asks Big Mike for romantic advice.
This episode provides examples of:
- Arranged Marriage: Lester is horrified that his parents have arranged a marriage for him, in the traditions of the old country: Canada. He goes all-out to repel the woman, Jasina, when she comes to meet him. However, when she turns out to be a "genuine twelve," he tries to wow her instead with a Jeffster performance, causing her to leave in disgust.Jasina: Lester... that was...
Lester: Shh. I know, baby. I know.
Jasina: The most uncomfortable five minutes of my life!
Lester: Wait. Wait. Wait! I want to get married!
Jasina: Try the internet! - Call-Back:
- Chuck's Cockney accent gets another airing.
- When Chuck's proposal goes spectacularly wrong, Casey of all people has words of comfort.
Casey: You know, I proposed once - to Kathleen. We had plans to go to Niagara Falls. I was about to ship out. We were young. I was stupid and things got screwed up. So I ended up proposing in a Buffalo bus station. Not exactly the most romantic spot in the world. But I'll always have that day. I'll always have that look on her face. You know, the truth is, there is no such thing as a perfect moment or perfect spot. So forget about the balcony, Bartowski. All you need is the girl. - Ironic Echo: When bemoaning that his parents have arranged him a marriage, Lester brags that he's doing too well on internet dating to want to settle down. Later, when Jasina rejects him, she advises him to "try the internet!"
- Mood Killer: Nothing derails a proposal like a Special Forces team arresting the prospective bride for treason.
- Shout-Out:
- Acting as support for Chuck's sub-mission to propose to Sarah in the Loire Valley, Morgan calls Chuck "Goose".
- The "peppery Pinot with the stable on the label and the stork on the cork," comedy at the vineyard echoes the "pellet with the poison in the vessel with the pestle," from The Court Jester.
- The Reveal: Sarah's arrest for treason is a setup allowing her to go undercover with Volkov's organisation so Chuck can get his mother back.
