Click to play on Blip.tv

Ryan McPartlin is always fun on Chuck, and this week he’s back on the podcast with an equally fun video interview.

Does he do his own stunts?  How does he feel about his more active schedule this season?  Find out here!

It’s also our longest video podcast yet, featuring news, listener emails, episode commentary, spoilers, and more.

Next up: Sarah Lancaster video interview!

PLEASE NOTE: For the highest resolution, click on the image at right to view at Blip.tv.  And if you want to help support us at no cost to you, please click on some of the ads!

Click to play on Blip.tv

Yes, Smallville fans, it’s true! We finally have Gray’s video interview with Kristin Kreuk.  She lights up the screen on Chuck, and she does the same in our podcast!

How is she like her character on Chuck?  And what is special about the way she likes to travel?  Find out here!

We also have updates on Chuck’s solid ratings performance, discussion about the latest Chuck episode, “Chuck vs. First Class,” and lots of spoilers!

Next up: Ryan McPartlin!

 
We’re very excited to bring you new ways of watching and listening to the podcast! We tried our very first all-video podcast recently, and we’re hooked! And as the reports come in, we see that you are too.

The main challenge we face is the high cost of bandwidth, so we have decided to start hosting the podcast on Blip.tv as well as our site.

What does this mean?

Apart from not us having to pay for the bandwidth, Blip also offers many great benefits to us and you:

1. More flexible player, which can be embedded anywhere, even on your own blog or site.
2. Fully browsable Blip channel, for those who have had site connection issues here.
3. (in progress) Distribution to other places, like Tivo and Boxee.
4. Embedded advertising, which helps us with our server costs.
5. We will still always be available on iTunes and here on the site.

It should be a pretty seamless transition, and you may not even notice the difference here.  We imagine there will be some happy campers among those who don’t like iTunes or who have had connection issues with our site.  Also, we will not need to rely so much on donations and merchandise to support the podcast.

Click here to see what our podcast looks like on Blip.tv.

This is a work in progress, and we really need your feedback.  Please post feedback here on this post, or send to mail@chuckpodcast.com.

Click to play on Blip.tv

Today is another milestone — it’s our first ever all-video podcast, with Gray, Mel, and Liz on webcams.

Plus, we bring you a new contest to win a Chuck press kit, Gray’s video interview with Steve Austin, who plays Hugo Panzer on Chuck 305, and lots more!

We had a lot of fun with this one…  watch for some silliness at the end of the video after spoilers.  If you dislike spoilers, you can skip to the last chapter to see it.

Up next: Kristin Kreuk!

Click to play on Blip.tv

That’s right – yet another interview with Zachary Levi! Toronto podcast listener Kayley was in New York just before the premiere, and had a great interview with Zac.

We also have Mel & Liz’s comments on the first four episodes of the new season, ratings updates, and a lot more!

Gray was MIA this episode because he had a killer work week. He’ll be back in full force next time!

Up next: video interviews with Steve Austin and Kristin Kreuk.

Click for large version of poster!

Chuck is back tonight!  Set your DVR, plan your viewing parties, call your family and friends, and don’t miss out on on not one, not two, but three hours of Chuck action between today and tomorrow.

Two back-to-back episodes play tonight, Sunday Jan. 10, at 9/8c on NBC.  Then, there is a third episode tomorrow night at 8/7c, which happens to be Chuck’s season 3 time slot, exactly the same as it was in season 1 and 2 — Monday nights at 8/7c.

Please check your local listings to verify when and where it is playing in your area!

Also, please call your friends and family, Facebook, Twitter, email, and do whatever else you can to spread the word.

Chuck creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak, as well as star Zachary Levi and many critics who have seen the first few episodes have said that even someone who has never seen Chuck can hit the ground running with season 3, without needing to have watched season 1 and 2.  Having seen some of the episodes myself in L.A., I assure you that’s true!

Plus, Chuck’s “Matrix-style” new abilities and “No More Mr. Nice Spy” attitude might just appeal to a broader range of people.  Never fear, Chuck’s nerdiness and clumsiness are never going away, and the Buy More antics are as funny as ever.

Let’s make sure Chuck’s season 3 ratings are much higher than last year!

Zachary Levi and Yvonne Strahovski

“One Toronto podcaster didn’t just talk about his favourite show.
He may have saved it from the axe”
– Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010 edition of Toronto Star

Gray with Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez

I’m incredibly pleased to confirm that in today’s Toronto Star, the front page and sixth page of the entertainment section are devoted to Gray, Chuck vs. the Podcast, and Chuck’s return for season 3!

“On the outside, it looks to be about spy stuff but it always ends up
being about the relationships,
at work and at home.”
– Gray Jones

A web version with fewer photos is available online here, for fans who don’t have access to the physical newspaper.  However, most bookstores in Canada sell the Toronto Star, so if you have access, I urge you to buy the paper and see the full article!

Gray on Chuck set in L.A.

“Hosted along with Mel and Liz, the women behind the expansive and exhaustive Chucktv.net website…”

Mel and Liz, ChuckTV.net, and Wendy Farrington all got mentions in the article.  Plus, they interviewed Chris Fedak, both to comment on the podcast story and for a separate piece on Chuck season 3.

Enjoy!

Chuck Season 2 Limited Edition Blu Ray

Today’s the release day for the Chuck season 2 DVD and Blu-Ray!  Many got theirs in the mail today, and many ran out to the stores to find either good news or bad news, as the discs sold out very quickly in many places.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As many have been disappointed to discover (and I just found out today), only the discs marked “Limited Edition” have the 3D episode and 3D glasses (and a Chuck comic book as well).

Here are some places you can get the Limited Edition:

LIMITED EDITION DVD:

Best Buy US — Best Buy Canada — Amazon.com

LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY:

Best Buy US — Best Buy Canada

CHUCKAZON NOTE:

Unfortunately, Amazon.com is not letting affiliates order the Limited Edition, so Chuckazon does NOT carry any titles with the 3D episode.  Please accept my apology if you ordered from Chuckazon and did not get the 3D episode.  We did not see this coming.

Click to play on Blip.tv

New Year’s surprise! Instead of part 3 of our editor series, we decided to include the first of Gray’s video interviews from his L.A. trip. Get ready for an exciting interview with Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez.

For the highest resolution possible, just click the image on the right to go to Blip.tv.

The iTunes feed has a smaller 94MB 320×240 version.

PLEASE NOTE: minor spoiler warning.

UPDATES JAN. 5th:

In the podcast, I mention that there will be a Toronto Star article on me Sunday Jan. 3rd.  It is now 100% confirmed that it has been moved to Sunday, Jan. 10th, to coincide with Chuck’s season 3 premiere.

Also, Chuckfest has been further expanded:  Now ALL the Wii golfers who register for the golf competition will meet the cast of Chuck!  For more details, please visit weheartchuck.com.

You may have seen Mel’s excellent Year in Review at ChuckTV.net… I thought it would be good to highlight 2009 from the perspective of Chuck vs. the Podcast.

Some highlights:

Chuck vs. the Podcast ends the year as:

- the #1 TV-themed podcast in the world, now for 13 months straight!
- #4 in the TV & Film category
- #36 overall out of 73,000 podcasts worldwide (all categories)

(Don’t forget that the votes reset on the 1st day of every month — please vote for us at Podcast Alley and help spread the word about Chuck!)

- We released an average of 2 podcasts per month (24 total), with a whopping 31 interviews. As of now, all of the regular cast, 3 directors, 4 writers/producers, 4 editors, and the composer have now appeared on the podcast (many more than once).

- On average, 15,000 people listen to our podcasts each month, hailing from at least 20 different countries.

- We hit a peak in the renewal campaign, with 70,000 listening to a single episode.

- This caused a need for more bandwidth — we welcomed 2 sponsors to help cover the cost, and are grateful for many cash donations.  An important note is that 25% of the podcast running is still out of my pocket — if you enjoy the podcast I ask that you please consider a donation this year.

Other highlights were:

- We were involved in a massive fan renewal campaign, which ended up seeing Chuck renewed.

- Gray posted an iReport calling for Chuck’s renewal at CNN.com

- Because of this iReport, he was mentioned in a CNN article and was chosen to appear in a live interview with Chuck stars Zachary Levi and Joshua Gomez

- Gray was invited to come visit the Chuck cast and crew, and spent 2 weeks in L.A. in September visiting with and interviewing the gang behind Chuck.

The first of the video interviews taped in L.A. will be on the site later tonight!

Happy Holidays! Here’s our Christmas present to you: Gray’s interview with Chuck editor Jeff Granzow, along with the latest Chuck news and some spoilers!

Next up: part 3 of our editor series, featuring Kevin Mock.

I just wanted to wish you all a very merry Christmas, Chrismukkah, Hanukkah, Ramadan, or whatever else you celebrate!

This is a time to celebrate with our families and friends, and be grateful for all that we have.  For my part, I want to express my thanks to a number of people:

• Mel & Liz, without whom I could never have started this podcast, let alone see it build to what it has become.
• The cast, crew, and creative team of Chuck, who have been incredibly gracious, and generous with their time and even their pocketbooks…  and certainly for making the best show on television!
• Our guest hosts and other interviewees…  Ros, Lou, Mark Stephens, Robert Seidman, Emily.
• All the fans who have helped the podcast with monthly votes, donations, and items purchased at Chuckazon and Cafepress.
• For all who contributed questions by email, twitter, and on the web site, including those who sent cool photos, and entered our contests.
• Our sponsors, Movie Morons Podcast and serienjunkies.de.
• All who have spread the word by introducing new viewers to Chuck and new listeners to the podcast!
• Specifically, thanks to all who helped us stay the #1 TV-themed podcast for the last 13 months straight!

Have a wonderful and safe holiday!

With kindest regards,
Gray.

Chuckfest is coming! And so are a number of other contests and cool events.

We have two interviews today: Mark Stephens, the brainchild behind Chuckfest, and Robert Seidman from TV By The Numbers.

Enjoy!

We kick off our 3-part editor series with Gray’s interview with Matt Barber. You can follow him on Twitter – @barbermatt.

Next up: editor Jeff Granzow!

It’s official:  Chuck will be back January 10th, with a special 3-episode, 2 day event!  But what if you can’t wait that long?  How about a record 80 minutes of podcasty goodness?

We announce the breaking news of Chuck’s Jan. 10-11 return, and then follow up with other news, Mel’s two interviews with Vik Sahay, and spoilers.  It’s a great week to be a Chuck fan!

Next up: 3-part editor series!

Chuck is Back Jan. 10th!

We have a start date!  NBC confirms that Chuck will be returning with a major kick-off event.  First we will see two back-to-back new episodes on Sunday January 10th, and then a third new episode on Monday, January 11th at 8/7c (which will be its regular time slot, just before Heroes at 9/8c).

Of note is that the season 2 DVD will go on sale Jan. 5th, so you have a few days to peruse the special features or host a Chuck marathon before the Sunday premiere event.

Big thanks to Alan Sepinwall and Mo Ryan for breaking the news!

To see Zachary Levi talk about the premiere event, and a full clip from one of the new episodes, click here.

Up next tomorrow, watch for Podcast 032 featuring Mel’s long interview with Vic Sahay!