Stars: Zachary Levi, Yvonne Strahovski, Adam Baldwin, Joshua Gomez, Vic Sahay, Scott Krinsky, Sarah Lancaster, Ryan McPartlin, Mark Christopher Lawrence, Bonita Friedericy
Writers: Henry Alonso Myers, Craig DiGregorio
Director: Frederick E.O. Toye
Network: NBC, airs Monday nights
Original Telecast: February 28, 2011

Is Vivian Volkoff (Lauren Cohan) good or evil? That’s the big question CHUCK offers up in “Vs. The First Bank of Evil.”

While Chuck (Zachary Levi) spent the first four seasons looking for his mom and dad, it thankfully didn’t send him over the deep end – it just made him a spy.

However, after the events of this episode, could the good-natured (but self-sufficient) Vivian Volkoff be turning to the Dark Side?

The episode begins, where last week’s episode ended – with Vivian going to her dad’s office with her necklace and finding something secretive behind a false wall.

That secret is a bank card for a super-elite bank in Macau that her dad had left her. She immediately goes to Chuck and Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski) for guidance and they enter the belly of that banking beast, not once, but twice.

What Vivian uncovers are a bunch of clippings her daughter saved throughout her life inside a safety deposit box. Could her evil father, actually have been not so evil?

Adding to the mystery is Volkoff’s attorney played by Ray Wise, who may be grooming Vivian for evil with his numerous lies and deceit (or are they?)

Several subplots float in and out of this episode, including the mysterious catacombs being built underneath Castle. Last episode, Casey (Adam Baldwin) agreed to work on some rogue missions with some new agents, and it’s clear he’s harboring some massive secrets that, sadly, we don’t get any answers to this week – although Morgan (Joshua Gomez) is on to Casey and leverages this knowledge to become his roommate.

Yvonne Strahovski, Lauren Cohan and Zachary Levi in CHUCK - Season 4 - "Vs. The First Bank of Evil" | ©2011 NBC/Greg Gayne

We also see a softer side of Sarah. At first, she’s put off by the wedding planning, but when she finally starts to figure out what her wedding dress might be (in a way, only Sarah could do), we get one of the most refreshingly softer moments we’ve ever seen with Sarah. This, of course, sets her on a bridezilla course to an expensive and crazy wedding planning. Can’t wait for more of this side of Sarah.

There’s also a bank robbery Chuck and Sarah pulls at the Bank of Macau, the second time around they visit the place – which results in gunplay and discussions of wedding plans in a way only CHUCK could successfully pull off.

“Vs. the Bank of Evil’ is yet another great episode, setting up the pieces for a family Volkoff antagonism that could  transform the rest of the season into a very explosive and thematically satisfying family affair.

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