Chuck Versus the Alma Mater

Season 1, Episode 7, Aired

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Returning to Stanford, the University that expelled him, Chuck has to help a former professor who is a government agent being hunted for a sensitive top-secret file he has in his possession. At the same time, Chuck learns much about himself and about the death of his friend Bryce Larkin.moreless
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Fan Episode Reviews (23)

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  • Chuck goes back to Stanford. Tang is evil. And then there's Bryce.

    9.8
    "Superb"
    By allaboutmoxie, Jun 20, 2010
    I am amazed by this episode. When I read the summary saying that Chuck was going to go back to Stanford, I knew it was going to be a good episode. But this I was not expecting. There are some hilarious moments with Morgan and Tang: Yay for crazy amounts of Lord of the Rings references. And Captain Awesome is awesome as usual. But what really grabbed me was the friendship between Bryce and Chuck. In the beginning I hated him so much for ruining Chuck's life. He seemed like the wrong kind of friend to have for someone like Chuck. The writers turned everything around and made it work perfectly. Bryce was a good person and trying to help Chuck. Will this be the last we see of him? I really hope not. Overall, this episode had exactly the right spy-feel (the Icelandic assassin) with humor and so much heart and character development.moreless

  • This show is amazing!

    9.5
    "Superb"
    By Sarah_LOST, Mar 28, 2009
    Chuck has to return to Stanford University, his Alma Mater from which he was unceremoniously expelled, on homecoming weekend to help a former professor, who, as Chuck finds out, is also a government operative being hunted for a sensitive top-secret file. Chuck must use his past experiences to find the Professor's hidden secret, while also discovering shocking secrets about his own life. More importantly, Chuck discovers the truth about his former friend Bryce Larkin and why Bryce had Chuck kicked out of Stanford. Meanwhile, Morgan has problems with the new assistant manager at Buy More. Another awesome episode from Chuck. I just love this show. My third favourite, anyway, I loved the fact that Chuck had to go back to Stanford. Another great storyline.moreless

  • Chuck goes back to Stanford and faces his past...

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By nofeartina, Aug 16, 2008
    This was a fantastic episode!! I love that we finally got to know more about Chucks past and why he was expelled from Stanford. In the episodes so far it has been very obvious that this has been very painfull for Chuck, and even though it has been 5 years he still has many questions about it. These question are finally answered, and we learn that Chuck almost became a CIA-agent, but that his roommate Bryce made sure it didn't happen out of concern for Chuck. I'm so glad he learned this, so now Chuck can finally stop hating Bryce, which is going to be somewhat easier for Sarah to handle, since she was together with Bryce before he died...moreless

  • Great!

    10
    "Perfect"
    By vishus1990, Jun 21, 2008
    This episode was great, mainly because, we, the viewer, got to finally find out more about Chucks past history and more about the mysterious character of Bryce.

    The episode was written well and in the end turned out great in my opinion. It was great that we got so many questions raised and answered all within an episode, and it developed the overall Chuck storyline much much better.

    This is exactly why i watch this show, and this is a top episode in the first series. Its good to see that Chuck is living up to the potential that I thought it had.moreless

  • awesome

    9.6
    "Superb"
    By efc91, May 31, 2008
    Chuck has to return to Stanford University, the institute that expelled him, on homecoming weekend to help a former professor, who, as Chuck finds out, is also a government operative being hunted for a sensitive top-secret file. Chuck must use his past experiences to find the Professor's hidden secret, while also discovering shocking secrets about his own life. More importantly, Chuck discovers the truth about his former friend Bryce Larkin and why Bryce had Chuck kicked out of Stanford. Meanwhile, Morgan has problems with the new assistant manager at Buy More. Another great episode of this superb show. pure entertainment at its best.moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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  • TRIVIA (8)

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    • In the library scene, the librarian finds Chuck and says he has to pay for the book overdue. But when the foreign agents come, the librarian vanishes and Chuck flees the place.

    • The lunch schedule posted by Harry Tang incorrectly lists Morgan as a Nerd Herder rather than a "Green Shirt," and lists neither a Fernando nor Amanda, the names assigned to two green shirt "extras" who have appeared throughout the series.

    • Captain Awesome remarks that instead of Stanford he'd rather see UCLA play SC (the University of Southern California), the Alma Mater of series creators Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak.

    • Chuck started college and met Bryce at Stanford University in 1999. Chuck's old fraternity at Stanford is Gamma Delta Phi. Chuck was kicked out of Stanford in 2003.

    • The picture of the yellow flower, shown in the presentation of Professor Fleming, is the same one Chuck flashed on in the episode "Chuck Versus the Helicopter".

    • Featured Music: "Chelsea Dagger" by The Fratellis "Maneater" by Hall & Oates "Don't Look Back In Anger" by Oasis "Drama Queen" by Switches "Trendsetter" by Goose

    • Some of the names of the agents the Professor recruited include Sarah Yang, production coordinator on a number of The O.C. episodes, Joshua Safran, a writer for Gossip Girl and Tim Good, a special effects crew member on The O.C. Both shows were and are produced by Josh Schwartz, creator and producer of Chuck.

    • On the lunch break schedule, Morgan's break time is listed with the Nerd Herd employees, Leticia Williams has two lunch breaks scheduled (one under both Buy More and Nerd Herd) and Anna Wu has no lunch break.

  • QUOTES (11)

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    • Hippie Spy: Plant a Stanford tree, they're a renewable resource for you children's future.
      Casey: Oh, so, you want to save the environment, huh? Take a shower, hippie!
      Chuck: Nice job blending in with the crowd. Who you rooting for, death?

    • Casey: List off the numbers you remember.
      Chuck: There was like ten of 'em, a couple of nines, a five, it definitely started with a two...
      Casey: That's it? You got a computer for a brain, that's all. Chuck: Look it was a very stressful situation, Casey! I watched a guy get skewered by a crossbow!

    • Chuck: Tang's no drug policy includes Red Bull! I remember the last time you tried to detox. Morgan: How am I supposed to push electronics with the shakes?

    • Chuck: Professor Fleming, it's me, Chuck! I was in your psychology-symbolism class. You probably don't remember me... Professor Fleming: Chuck Bartowski. 'Course I remember you. Chuck: Yeah, I guess it's not every day you kick a guy out of school. At least I hope not.

    • Chuck: People were getting freaky in the break room? Morgan: NO. But I like to know I had the option!

    • Casey: You're looking for this? (gives Chuck his Stanford student ID) Chuck: You stole my ID? Casey: I borrowed it to reactivate it. Sorry I couldn't wipe the idiot grin off your face with photoshop.

    • Casey: Just got a hit of a traffic camera in Hollywood. (shows Chuck that picture) Chuck: That's Fleming. Casey: Thanks. You've just saved me a lot of investigative work there, intersect. DMV told me that. Chuck: Wow, sarcasm. What a surprise.

    • Chuck: You didn't offer to kill Harry for Anna, did you? Casey: No. Why? You want me to kill him? Chuck: No. No, just curious.

    • Morgan: Harry Tang is drunk with power. Anna: He could have an accident. I'm just saying I know a guy, very reasonable. His rates, I mean. Not him. Morgan: Way to think outside of the box, Anna. Me likey. What do you say, Chuck? Chuck: Are you two crazy? What? No! I'm not gonna have a guy rubbed out just because he upsets our lunch routine!

    • Chuck: I'm sorry, but is Harry wearing a new assistant manager polo shirt? Morgan: It's monogrammed. Chuck: He must be stopped.

    • Morgan: Chuck, we have an emergency. We need to talk. Chuck: I'm on the phone. Morgan: Shh! Not here, not here. There are spies at the Buy More. Chuck: (quickly hanging up the phone) Spies? Really? Morgan: Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Tang's minions, man, they're everywhere.

  • NOTES (3)

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    • International Episode Titles: Czech Republic - Chuck a univerzita (Chuck and the University)

    • The scenes from Stanford University (other than stock footage) were actually filmed on the campus of UCLA (which is ironic, considering it was the rival school in the episode). The library scenes were filmed in Powell Library, the University's main library. The tailgate party was filmed on Dickson Court, the quad directly in front of administration building.

    • Original International Air Dates: Latin America: December 19, 2007 on Warner Channel Denmark: March 21, 2008 on TV3+ Turkey: April 1, 2008 on CNBC-e Sweden: May 3, 2008 on TV3 United Kingdom: May 19, 2008 on Virgin 1 Poland: May 20, 2008 on TVN7 New Zealand: July 30, 2008 on TV2 Greece: November 2, 2008 on Star Czech Republic: May 13, 2009 on Prima COOL Australia: May 13, 2009 on FOX8 Germany: October 10, 2009 on ProSieben Slovakia: March 28, 2010 on Markiza Finland: July 20, 2010 on Sub

  • ALLUSIONS (3)

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    • Harry: It is now mine! The one remote that controls them all, the master remote! This is a reference to the movie trilogy Lord of the Rings, which was referenced earlier in the episode when Morgan refers to Harry as Lord Sauron.

    • Aquaman One of the last encoded images shown when Chuck is flashing on his student ID is the seahorse necklace from the failed 2006 Aquaman pilot.

    • OU812 Chuck tells Morgan that the code to Harry's remote is OU812#. "OU812" was the name of a 1990 Van Halen album, as well as a piece of graffiti seen in the 70's sitcom Taxi.

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