As of this post, Strahotski.com is officially retired. The forums have been shutdown. The gallery and main site will stay up as an archive and shrine to the beautiful and talented Ms. Yvonne Strahovski. Commenting will no longer be open on either site.

The photos, wallpaper, and text from Strahotski.com are free for use with proper attribution to the site and/or Lykaon. Any other use is prohibited.

A lot of Strahotski.com veterans have banded together to start a new Yvonne Strahovski fansite — YvonneDaily.com. Check it out. They have vowed to maintain the same level of respect as Strahotski.com and I wish them well in their endeavor.

I’ll miss you guys. Lykaon out.

Fast forward 4 years later, and Yvonne Strahovski is on the verge of becoming a household name. Chuck is in the hopper for its 5th season, Yvonne has two big movies coming out in 2011, and she is the voice of one of the most intriguing characters in the Mass Effect video game series.

It’s truly been a wild ride for Yvonne Strahovski for the last four years, and Strahotski.com has been there every step of the way to organize her fans. The Strahotski.com faithful was instrumental in adding their voice to all of those Chuck fans who managed to keep getting Chuck back every season. They’ve banded together to win Yvonne Strahovski quite a few online polls, and also helped the Emmy4Yvonne campaign make their stand.

The Strahotski.com fan community could not be a better set of fans. I’m sure that Yvonne Strahovski feels extremely blessed to have such faithful fans. As a webmaster, I know that I could have never imagined the community that would build up around the site.

It is thus with a heavy heart, that I must announce that Strahotski.com will soon be no more. As of the end of June, Strahotski.com will be coming down permanently. I tried a number of different avenues to keep the site alive, but all have failed. I’m proud of the integrity that Strahotski.com has always displayed, and in the absence of trustworthy successors, I would rather shut it down than have it fall into the “wrong” hands.

I realize that this may come as a shock to many of the Strahotski.com faithful, and I’m sorry that I am unable to continue to maintain the site. It’s been a great pleasure getting to know all of you in the community, and hopefully I will run into some of you again as I fade into the sea of anonymous Yvonne Strahovski and Chuck fans.

Sincerely,

Josh aka Lykaon

It’s hard to believe that we’re wrapping up yet another season of Chuck. It seems like just yesterday that it was doomed to failure because of the writer’s strike and we were going to lose it before it even got started.

And here we are about to put four seasons behind us, beginning the dreams of an already guaranteed fifth season. As much turmoil as we’ve been put through as Chuck fans, we persevered and have managed to keep one of the best shows on television going. It’s nothing short of a miracle.

But enough reminiscing, it’s time to get to the review of Episode 4.24 – Chuck Versus the Cliffhanger.

So what can I say. This episode was awesome. It had about 100% less Yvonne Strahovski than I would have liked, but it’s hard to whine too much when this episode delivered so well.

In Phase Three, we saw what lengths Sarah would go to in order to get Chuck back and now we got to see what lengths Chuck would go to in order to get Sarah back. It’s really a great mirror of the story, and I absolutely love that Chuck lost the intersect early in the episode.

The problem with the Intersect as a macguffin is that it shielded Chuck from responsibility and the credit of being an awesome spy. Sure, they’ve flirted with the concept that Chuck had some spy abilities on his own, but the Intersect has always been his safety blanket.

It’s an absolute awesome evolution of the show to really let Chuck solve something on his own. No Intersect, no government backing. He used logic, reason, and heart instead of secret information, guns, and kung fu. It’s what makes Chuck endearing. It’s not the tech, the action, or goofs. It’s not even Sarah Walker (as much as we all love her).

The show is named Chuck for a reason. It’s about Chuck, and tonight’s season finale highlighted what makes Chuck special as a person and a show. The show is about an ordinary guy thrust into a fantasy world. A guy who abhors violence and is sometimes scared of his own shadow. But he gets things done when he has to – his way.

I loved that Chuck ultimately just marched into Vivian’s office and negotiated for Sarah’s life. It was selfless; a last ditch effort to save the only thing in life worth living for. It was touching that Volkoff and Vivian could ride off into the sunset, too.

This episode showed the Bartowski extended family pull together. We’ve seen it before, and I think such episodes will always be the best. I would put the characters in this show up against any other cast in history. They’re just an awesome set of characters that can pull off amazing feats in television when given the script.

I liked that this episode really put it all on the line. It went for broke. There was almost no humor, which I generally hate, but this episode didn’t need it. Casey’s love for his team didn’t need to be masked behind a gruff exterior. Mommy issues didn’t need to haunt every scene. Morgan didn’t have to be a goof.

They just all showed up and they did what they had to do when the stakes were high. The love for one another was taken as a given for once, and we got to just see them all deliver at peak performance.

I loved that Carina and Zondra showed up out of nowhere. It made sense and it was a great treat for the fans. Though I have to admit that I knew Chuck would have the forces of Volkoff at his back, the “magnet” theme was nicely played. I loved seeing all of the spies in Chuck’s life behind him. I wish that the squad they were facing up against was a more established villain. It would have made the standoff a bit more satisfying.

So Chuck and Sarah are married. At long last. Where can the show possibly go from here? I love that the Mr. and Mrs. B now have Volkoff’s fortune in their hands. It’s a great setup for next season with no CIA backing and their own funding. Not that I would wish away our 5th season, but it would have been a superb ending to the series.

*spoiler* I imagine the transfer of the Intersect to Morgan will be a polarizing issue. I sorta like it. Morgan has grown a lot as a character over the years, and this revelation gives us a great way to relive the first few seasons of Chuck. I also liked the symmetry with the episode ending with “I know kung fu.”

It was really a great end to what I would mostly consider a bit of a rocky and uneven season. The setup for Season 5 is insane and I can’t wait to see what they manage to morph it into. I’m also eager to see how Beckman’s going to fit into the picture.

What do you guys think? Surely you loved it as much as me, but are all of you stoked about Morgan’s new bag of tricks?

Chuck Season 5

Though NBC has yet to hold the official presentation of its fall schedule, it’s a virtual certainty at this point that the little engine that could has managed itself yet another season. That’s right – Operation Bartowski will continue for at least 13 episodes in the fall.

Often projected as doomed by naysayers, Chuck doesn’t know how to quit and we fans are a big part of its staying power. I’m sure you can all join me in a collective sigh of relief to know that we’ll be getting our weekly fix of Yvonne Strahovski for another season.

My Mother’s Curse

As if Chuck doesn’t keep her busy enough, it was recently announced that Yvonne will be starring opposite Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand in “My Mother’s Curse.” It’s a comedy detailing a road trip between mother and son with no release date yet.

The size of Yvonne’s part is unknown at this time, but we do know she’ll be playing a former flame of Seth Rogen’s. Yvonne Strahovski certainly knows how to go big or go home. Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand are both legends in their own right, and it’s going to be great exposure for Yvonne to play opposite them.

Killer Elite

Speaking of legends, it doesn’t get much bigger than Robert De Niro, and he’s yet another actor that Yvonne will share a movie with when “Killer Elite” hits theaters this fall.  The movie wrapped a while ago, but was recently picked up by a US distributor, finally guaranteeing that we’ll see Yvonne on the big screen at a theater near us.

Mass Effect 3

We’re half a year away from battling the Reapers alongside Shepherd and company, but the news is coming hot and heavy about the next installment in the Mass Effect series. Recent tweets by lead developer Casey Hudson confirm that not only will the character of Miranda be returning, but it’s a virtual lock that Yvonne Strahovski is the voice once again.

It’s Good to Be Yvonne

So, Yvonne Strahovski is pretty much having the best month ever. As a devoted fan, I couldn’t be more proud and excited of all of the revelations in her career as of late. Not only does it serve the selfish motivation of getting a constant supply of Yvonne Strahovski, but it also helps to further cement Ms. Strahovski as a future major star in Hollywood.

Join me in congratulating Yvonne on all of the good news. I’m sure she’s on Cloud 9, but we Strahotskiers are too!

As a matter of fact, it seems like it was sort of a short engagement. I guess that’s what happens when you play the will-they/won’t-they game for years, eh?

Anyway, surely there’s nothing that can go wrong now. Let’s get to the review of Episode 4.23 – Chuck Versus the Last Details.

So, I always start writing my review as the episode plays to get it up faster. Most of the words come from before the crazy cliffhanger of an ending. Though that sort of high stakes ending almost makes me want to rethink my overall view of the episode, I’m going to choose to not be tricked by the gimmick this time.

This was a solid episode. It didn’t blow me away, but it didn’t make me roll my eyes either. Well, actually, the Jeffster bits made me roll my eyes. Seriously? Nobody is that weird. I know a lot of weird people, but Jeffster cross the threshold of weird. I’m just not buying it anymore.

But despite my frustration with the inanity of Jeffster, I have to admit they caught me off guard at the end to find out that Jeff put together the perfect tribute video to Chuck and Sarah. Just when I think I can’t stand Jeffster anymore, they endear themselves yet again.

My real take away from this episode was the fun to be had with Chuck trying to deal with Sarah and his mother at odds. It’s a hard thing to keep the two women in your life happy, and I’m glad they chose to deal with it. Sure it was for laughs and not a super-important plot point, but I really liked them touching on it.

I find it interesting that Vivian was suddenly such a pansy this episode. It felt like she was really building herself up to be as ruthless as her father, but then her henchman starts acting like she doesn’t have the guts. It didn’t compute for me; almost like the writers changed their minds about where they wanted to go with her at the last minute.

I love John Casey. He is one of the best characters ever, played by one of the best actors ever. But seriously, it makes absolutely no sense that he would be able to shoot those guys with a sniper rifle based on Morgan’s glasses. How would that even be possible? I guess maybe he has a photographic memory and could tell which direction Morgan was looking based on the background or something? I dunno. Silly.

That aside, the relationship between Casey and Morgan is always satisfying and you can certainly see how the story could take it further and further until Casey is literally Morgan’s father (in-law). I can see some laughs there when Casey and Big Mike try to prove they are each the better father figure.

I really like Morgan as part of the team because it captures the fun of the old Chuck. Chuck is too awesome of a spy now to provide the same kinds of laughs that Morgan can bring to the table. Literally, in this episode.

[Spoilers here] So then there’s the cliffhanger ending. The previews alluded to it, but I had forgotten until the party started. Of course, we know Sarah isn’t going to die (and the previews confirmed it), but it was still a nice high stakes move. It’s almost like the rest of the episode was just phoned in so they could get to that crazy act. Will Sarah pull through? Of course she will, but I’m sure going to enjoy Chuck getting his revenge. [End Spoilers]

At the end of the day, though, this was just a typical Chuck episode with typical background locations, typical spy set-ups and a typical plot line. Chuck works because of the actors and the warmth that the writers brings to them.

It’s really quite impressive how well they manage to keep such a predictable plot together. I’d watch this episode again without a second thought, even though there’s nothing particularly remarkable about it (except Yvonne Strahovski of course). That’s what makes a great show that survives the ages. Chuck is one of those shows.

So what do you guys think? Ready to see Chuck avenge Sarah’s honor? Sad to see another season almost over? Comment below.

Last time we had some time off from the main story line for some fun with Sarah’s past.  I love that stuff, but we shan’t forget that we’ve got an arc going on here!

Let’s get to the review of Episode 4.22 – Chuck Versus Agent X.

More than anything about this episode, I liked the premise. It’s classic Chuck to take completely predictable plots (like the old suitcase switcheroo) and make them fun anyway. It’s plots like this that make way for the entire cast to get involved in their usual ways.

Other than the premise, the episode was a little disjoint for me. The first half was sort of typical Chuck, but the last half was both atypical and unexpected. When I looked at my clock and realized that Chuck was telling Ellie about his secret halfway through the episode, I knew something strange was afoot.

Given the strange episode, we’ll start with the first half. It was a rip-roaring good time with switched luggage, plays on words, and Sarah having to deal with a typical bachelorette party. It was genuinely funny stuff that didn’t break any new ground, but played well with our favorite characters.

Jeff, Lester, and Big Mike felt a little forced into the plot but I suppose Chuck really doesn’t have any other friends to accompany him to Las Vecas. My favorite part of the first half was definitely Casey spreading mud on his face and then taking out all of the mercenaries. And what did he do with Awesome and Morgan?  Gave them busy work making spears. Hilarious.

Then we got a bit of a lull while everyone sorted out their feelings and the writers backed themselves out of having Chuck’s bachelor party crashed by Vivian’s goons.  I gotta give props to the writers for throwing it all out there. There’s no one left in the dark about the spy life. Well none that matter anyway.

Then a montage of the nerd herd at its best as Orion’s computer got all fixed up and then boom — almost like another mini episode for us to contend with. Unorthodox for the typical Chuck plot. I can’t decide if I like it or not. It certainly advanced the plot faster and further than usual but it also prevented us from getting to savor the humor.

I enjoyed the scenes out in England. The old lady was a hoot, and I especially loved the relationship that quickly formed between her and Casey. In fact, this was one of Casey’s stronger episodes in a while in terms of comedy. Seeing him protect his team in the way that he did was a far cry from the Casey we met four seasons ago.

I’m a fan of the Intersect lore, and I’m always happy to see that furthered. I was surprised to find out that there was an original Intersect out there that had gone haywire, but I wasn’t so surprised to find out who it was.

Here be spoilers – I find it extremely hilarious that they explained away Volkoff this way. It totally explains why he never managed a convincing Russian accent. I wonder if this was the plan all along or if they decided on it later as a bit of a wink and a nudge to Dalton’s inability to carry the accent through. End spoilers.

Yvonne Strahovski didn’t get a lot of air time this go around since all the action happened out at the bachelor party, but I did quite enjoy her British accent. I assume that’s easier to do than an American accent when you’re Australian, so I found it especially impressive that it was distinctive when she did it.

I don’t talk about the music much, but K$sha caught my ear this week. I liked how they used the song in both halves of the episode in an effort to tie it all together. Not quite enough to save it from feeling cobbled together, but a noticeable and valiant effort all the same.

In the end, I really liked the premise of the episode and I especially liked the plot and lore reveals. I wasn’t a fan of the disjointed presentation of the plot, however. It made it feel like they were trying to stuff two episodes worth of material into one episode (which they may well have been trying to do). It leaves us with way too much to wrap up in two episodes which makes me worry that we may have seen the last of “fun” in last week’s Wedding Planner.

So I’m on the fence with this episode. Great story, plot, and lore but mediocre execution. What say you?

Sarah Walker episodes are so few and far between, that we have to squeeze every last ounce of awesome-sauce from the caps. We’ve got Yvonne looking beautiful, sad, happy, and silly with some serious butt-kicking thrown in on the side. She really ran the table for this episode and showed that she can easily handle being the lead.

Versus the Wedding Planner: Review | Gallery | Forum Discussion

I hope you enjoy this batch as much as I do. It’s just in time for yet another Chuck-tastic episode tonight! Enjoy!

Whenever I take a break like this, it’s always a treat to come back to it. This episode wasn’t Yvonne Strahovski heavy, but there were still a few treats like the snow jacket outfit. There were also some nice emotional scenes about the pre-nup.

Versus the Family Volkoff: Gallery | Forum Discussion

I know I’m still one episode behind, but I expect to have those up before the new episode on Monday. Enjoy!

I’m not sure I’ll really need the Volkoff stuff for this week, though.  It looks like a nice standalone episode with the awesomely funny Gary Cole back as Mr. Sarah’s Dad.

Less talk, more review.  It’s time for the review of Episode 4.21 – Chuck Versus the Wedding Planner.

This episode was awesome.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, Chuck works best when its plots are standalone with nothing but character arcs.  When it gets weighed down with big story arcs, it can’t afford to be as light-hearted as an episode like this one.

Chuck is a comedy first in my opinion.  This episodes proves it and then some.  It took our characters and put them in a silly situation then let us watch as they wiggled their way out of it.  In the meantime, we get some serious character development from Sarah and her dad.

Though it was mostly comedy, it was really great getting some backstory on Sarah.  It’s so rare that Sarah gets to be the center of an episode.  The little actress who played a young Sarah also did a pretty good job and looked believably like Yvonne Strahovski.

Yvonne Strahovski had some legendary moments in this episode. I loved Sarah’s “flash face.” Every time I think we’ve seen Sarah Walker at her silliest, she comes back with something even funnier. Yvonne Strahovski must have had a great time trying to make that face.

Then she wows us with her accent when she takes over the ballroom.  But not to be outdone by herself, Sarah Walker establishes herself as a master cake decorator.  Oh the things you learn in the CIA.

Jack is one of the best guest characters that has ever been written into the show. Not only that, but Gary Cole also delivers the character to maximum effect.  I love the complex relationship he has with his daughter, and they both play off of each other well.  I also love the continuity with Jack calling Casey “copface” again.

Never before have we seen so deep into the Sarah Walker mythos, and never has her character been advanced so well. It’s a feat of writing that has been four seasons in the making. It’s well overdue.

And somehow, the writers managed to squeeze in some really great development on the Casey front.  It was a great reunion with his old wife; touching amidst the inanity of the wedding and hunt for the Zephyr.

I also liked Morgan in this episode.  He’s the sidekick; he should be playing a support role and he did so in this episode without being too much of a screen (or joke) hog. I also liked him apologizing to Casey there at the end. It’s a subtle nod to the deep relationship that has formed between the two.

I know a lot of people like the spy stuff and the action, but I much prefer it as the MacGuffin to further the Bartowski universe and develop its characters. I don’t care about the Zephyr. It just doesn’t matter. What matters is that Sarah and her dad had some moments, Casey is on the road to recovery with his former wife, and Chuck & Sarah are still the solid couple they were to start with.

It was an excellent episode that should serve as a template for more episodes. It’s the sort of episode that has the capacity to really draw in new viewers who are flipping through the channels. There’s no confusion or necessary prerequisites to enjoy the heart and comedy.

Also. Long live Chicken Pepperoni! What did you guys think?

Though this sort of comes out of the blue compared to other stuff Yvonne has done, I can’t deny that she is absolutely smokin’ in this video. I also like it because it shows us a different side of Yvonne and her sense of humor.

To have College Humor consider Yvonne a worthy subject for one of their videos is a definite win in the recognition department. What do you guys think?