Chuck Episode 1.12 Chuck Versus the Undercover Lover

Grozny, Chechnya, 2004. Posing as an energy consultant, Casey is having a torrid affair with photojournalist Ilsa. He presents her with a necklace just before she enters a caf�© that explodes. Casey finds Ilsa's melted camera on the street, but there's no way she could have survived. Back at Buy More in the present day, Casey snaps out of his reverie, looking as if he wants to kill a pesky customer who is uncordially demanding assistance. Chuck cuts in before Casey loses it and helps the customer out.

Chuck finds Jeff stalking celebrities online, having broken into the Hotel Seville's database. Chuck goes to shut down the windows, and flashes on several names, all Soviet arms dealers, black marketers... and Ilsa. Chuck presents Casey with a list of names, explaining that for the sake of discretion, he left Ilsa off the list. Casey slams Chuck against the wall and threatens to end him if he ever mentions Ilsa's name again. Chuck runs to Wienerlicious to persuade Sarah to help him find out more about Ilsa.

Ellie and Captain Awesome break up Jeff and Lester's game of paper football, asking for sales assistance. "Retail therapist" Morgan steps in to help the couple, who want to go dutch on one big anniversary present to themselves. Ellie votes for a big flat screen TV so they can spend more time together, but Awesome wants a washer/dryer for clean boxers. When Ellie is paged to come to the hospital, she tells Awesome to surprise her and choose the gift.

Beckman sends Chuck and Sarah to infiltrate a private party at the Hotel Seville that will be attended by all the Soviet criminals. Chuck shows up in his tux, but he's overdressed, so Casey pulls off his jacket and sticks a tray of vodka shots in his hand. One of the gangsters recognizes Chuck as his cousin Sasha, so Chuck plays along and joins in a lusty circle dance. Chuck recognizes Ilsa, and Sarah calls in that their cover has been compromised. Chuck tells her to let Casey live a little.

Russian oligarch Victor Federov takes the mike to make some announcements, just as Casey makes his way over to Ilsa in disbelief. Victor introduces his bride-to-be: Ilsa! Back at Buy More, Chuck asks Casey if he wants to talk, but he doesn't, aside from informing that Sarah has been assigned to set up surveillance on Victor. Morgan and Awesome surprise Ellie at home with a new washer/dryer, but she thinks Awesome getting what he wants is no surprise. They want different things in life. Therapist Morgan suggests Awesome's need for extreme adventure stems from his fear of intimacy. Ellie has been banking her future on a giant muscley child, and she's not going to do it anymore.

Chuck presses Casey for info on Ilsa. If a guy like Casey can find love in spyville, maybe there's hope for Chuck. Casey finally admits that he met Ilsa in a flower market, and she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, but it's over. Nice girls don't marry corrupt Russian oligarchs. Chuck thinks nice girls don't marry guys like Casey, either. Casey points out that Ilsa didn't know what he did for a living, and Chuck suggests she might not know what Victor does, either. Casey should fight for her.

Chuck convinces Casey to return to the Hotel Seville, where they run into Sarah, on her way to plant a bug in Victor's suite. Chuck pretends they came to watch surveillance footage, so she leaves them in a housekeeping closet, where she's set up the monitors. Spying Ilsa alone at the bar, Chuck persuades Casey to go after her. Sarah runs into Victor's goon in the hallway, then radios to Casey to plant the bug while she takes care of the body. Only trouble is, Chuck's holding the radio.

Chuck radios Sarah back faking Casey's voice, then leaves to plant the bug. He spies a briefcase on the desk, filled with files on Ilsa, who is an undercover French agent. Ilsa and Casey enter, and immediately get busy on the bed while Chuck hides underneath. When Sarah calls, his cover is blown, and Ilsa aims her gun at Casey. When drunken Victor shows up, Ilsa tells Chuck and Casey to hide under the bed. Victor passes out on top of Ilsa, and she kicks the guys out.

Newly single Awesome plays poker at Buy More with Morgan and the guys. When he learns it's strip poker, Awesome leaves to reconsider the single life. Dejected, Casey lays around the Home Theater Room, telling Chuck that Ilsa is dead to him, when she shows up to explain her cover. Casey threatens to make one call and have her and all the Russians detained, but Ilsa knows he wouldn't be unprofessional like that. She wishes things could be different, and gives him back the necklace before saying goodbye.

Chuck visits Casey, who drowns his sorrows in scotch. Sarah knocks on Ellie's door looking for Chuck. Ellie's been drowning her sorrows, and doesn't want to be left alone, so when Morgan shows up with a comforting shoulder, Sarah takes off. Meanwhile, Chuck discovers that Ilsa's necklace contains a Russian bug, so her life is in danger. Chuck and Casey proceed to the hotel and phone Sarah to join them.

Sarah cases the wedding party as the poolside ceremony gets underway. Meanwhile, Victor captures Chuck and Casey in Ilsa's suite, and ties them up while laying plans for their imminent death. Tied together, Casey and Chuck do battle with Victor's goons, only to fall off the side of the balcony into the pool. Casey exits the pool to protest the wedding and all the Russians pull out their guns. Sarah puts down her gun, then kicks it to Ilsa, who holds it to Victor's head, and the d�©tente is finished.

After passing out, Ellie wakes up hung over in bed with fully-clothed Morgan, who assures her that nothing happened except a hug. Awesome interrupts, with a surprise for Ellie - he's bought the big TV. She apologizes for getting mad, but Awesome tells her that he was being selfish, which he realized after a taste of the single life. Chuck spies on Casey and Ilsa saying goodbye. She's going back undercover. Chuck thinks it sucks, but Casey assures him that such is the spy's life.