Watching this show gave me the weirdest sense of deja vu.
I honestly thought that this series aired *after* Chuck had wound up its final season. -That some fanboy producer said, "Yeah! I loved Chuck! Make me another one of those, (only not as good)!"
It was a genuine surprise to discover that Jake 2.0 aired four years before Chuck's premier episode.
And honestly, look at it: It's the same show!
"Nerdy computer tech support guy, languishing in a life for which he is over qualified, is accidentally infused with government cyber powers and must now work with his team to fight global threats and manage his dorky private life."
All the same characters are there, just with different (and less skilled) actors portraying them. The NSA is part of the story, (who writes about the NSA? Nobody.)
Jake's blond love interest even has the same name in both series. (Sarah).
I thought I was seeing Easter egg style nods to Chuck throughout, even the title having the same phonetics, but with a "2" pinned to the end, but I guess it was the other way around; Chuck's production team saw Jake 2.0 and realized the potential, but knew it needed tweaking and polish. -Which was perhaps why Chuck seemed so flawlessly executed. How many shows get, in essence, a complete do-over? None.
Anyway, if you like Jake 2.0, you must watch Chuck.
As for Jake...
I couldn't get past episode 2. After having seen the formula done to perfection elsewhere, this was just too painful to watch, seeing everybody stumble around, getting it wrong, missing the comic timing and not being half-way as charismatic.
I honestly thought that this series aired *after* Chuck had wound up its final season. -That some fanboy producer said, "Yeah! I loved Chuck! Make me another one of those, (only not as good)!"
It was a genuine surprise to discover that Jake 2.0 aired four years before Chuck's premier episode.
And honestly, look at it: It's the same show!
"Nerdy computer tech support guy, languishing in a life for which he is over qualified, is accidentally infused with government cyber powers and must now work with his team to fight global threats and manage his dorky private life."
All the same characters are there, just with different (and less skilled) actors portraying them. The NSA is part of the story, (who writes about the NSA? Nobody.)
Jake's blond love interest even has the same name in both series. (Sarah).
I thought I was seeing Easter egg style nods to Chuck throughout, even the title having the same phonetics, but with a "2" pinned to the end, but I guess it was the other way around; Chuck's production team saw Jake 2.0 and realized the potential, but knew it needed tweaking and polish. -Which was perhaps why Chuck seemed so flawlessly executed. How many shows get, in essence, a complete do-over? None.
Anyway, if you like Jake 2.0, you must watch Chuck.
As for Jake...
I couldn't get past episode 2. After having seen the formula done to perfection elsewhere, this was just too painful to watch, seeing everybody stumble around, getting it wrong, missing the comic timing and not being half-way as charismatic.