A rambling ode to "Chuck"

Don't you just love Mondays?
Monday nights, that is.
It's when I go to escape,
When "Chuck" is on my TV.

Don't need a song or a dance.
Don't need reality to set in.
Just need Sheldon on a roll
(Rock-paper-scissors-lizard-Spock);
Or Jack Bauer on a spree
(Tony killing Larry was a shock!)
But most of all,
Give me a dose of spies and nerds:
Now that's what makes Mondays rock,
It's when "Chuck" is on my TV.

The DVR's working overtime,
CBS comedies will have to wait,
I may give "Heroes"
another one more chance.
But on Mondays, it's gotta be
"Chuck" on the TV.

Just need the Buy More gang
With little pal Morgan
Scheming and slacking,
Sarah Walker, gorgeous and deadly,
John Casey scowling and growling,
Plus Captain Awesome and beautiful Ellie.

And then there's Chuck,
Smart, sweet, with a computer program
Downloaded into his brain.
He could go insane
But instead,
Chuck falls in love and fights
for his freedom, family and friends.
I so hope it never ends.

Now another Monday is about to take hold,
The day of "Chuck's" season finale.
I know it might be the last episode.
But can this really be
The end of the road?

Look, I know NBC is in a bind,
Opting for cheaper fare, like
"Howie Do It" and Leno at the mike.
I also know about ratings, I understand
The network ownership deal.
But really, can a network count
On those shows' lasting appeal?
I know there's no accounting for tastes,
Yet I can't help thinking, what a waste
Of viewers' time and prime-time space,
Especially when a quality show
May have nowhere else to go. 

So now my rant is almost through
But I can't leave before giving
The great cast of "Chuck" its due:

Zachary Levi's Chuck is a dream,
Yvonne Strahovski lights up the screen,
The Nerd Herd fills me with glee.
And there's action in every scene.
"Firefly" fans adore Adam Baldwin,
Jerome Bettis took a guest spin,
As did Tricia Helfer, Chevy Chase
And Scott Bakula . . .
It doesn't take a quantum leap
To get what I mean.

"Chuck" is fun and its light and
Has more heart than almost anything
Now on for free.
I could go on and on,
Which I guess I have been,
But give me one more moment
To present my plea.

I end where I began:
Saying no thanks to a celeb or an idol,
Can wait for NPH's Barney to leer.
And it has to be later for insults from House
(And for "24's" Tony, that louse);
I know "Big Bang Theory" will be there.
But I must have my weekly dose of "Chuck,"
That's all that's in it for me.
'Cause when it's Monday at 8,
I won't be late.
You know what's on my TV.

-- By Sharon Eberson, with apologies to anyone
who's ever written anything resembling
poetry and who believes keeping "Chuck" on the air
is essential to quality-of-life TV viewing