Even if only one of them could remember it in the end, the love story between Chuck and Sarah was an impressive one. This slideshow takes a look at the Chuck-and-Sarah romance over five seasons of Chuck.
#37 Chuck Meets Sarah
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Intersect” (1.1)
It was a totally cute story of a boy meeting a girl and beginning to fall for her. Too bad the girl was a spy and the boy was her mission
#36 No Olives
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Wookiee” (1.4)
Chuck’s early attraction to Sarah was tempered by the fact that he didn’t actually know anything about her. Sarah’s dislike of olives on pizza wasn’t enough truth for him, and, unfortunately, Chuck didn’t hear Sarah admit her real middle name.
#35 When Princess Leia Counts as “Real”
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Sandworm” (1.6)
With only a cover relationship — and nothing real — existing between them, Chuck wasn’t exactly satisfied. So Sarah gave Chuck a present by dressing in a Princess Leia costume and photographing the pair together.
#34 It’s Hard to Find the Truth
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Truth” (1.8)
Sarah denied loving Chuck, even when under the influence of truth serum, and so Chuck turned to deli-owner Lou instead. Too bad he didn’t know that Sarah had been trained to not be affected by truth serum.
#33 A Kiss Before Dying
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Imported Hard Salami” (1.9)
Thinking they were about to die, Sarah kissed Chuck. Then they didn’t die. It was awkward.
#32 A Second Try at a First Date
Episode: “Chuck vs. the First Date” (2.1)
Chuck did manage to get Sarah to go on a real date with him when it looked like he’d be leaving government service. Unfortunately, an entire restaurant full of Fulcrum agents decided to come on the date too.
#31 Failed Seduction
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Seduction” (2.2)
Desperate to capitalize on the messed-up promise of that first date, Chuck took the advice of suave spy Roan Montgomery and showed up at Sarah’s apartment in a white dinner jacket and holding a red rose. It was really too bad that Bryce Larkin had decided to visit that evening.
#30 Enough Is Enough
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Break-Up” (2.3)
The jealousy of a returned Bryce Larkin was too much for Chuck. Knowing that they wouldn’t work out as lovers, Chuck told his handler that he had to cover-break up with her.
#29 Past Lovers Should Stay in the Past…
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Ex” (2.6)
Jill may have broken Chuck’s heart at Stanford, but that was nothing compared to what she would do to him on her second pass. Having “broken up” with Sarah, Chuck was free to date Jill when their paths crossed again. But, since she was a Fulcrum agent, he would have been better pretending with Sarah.
#28 A Bracelet and a Bullet
Episode: “Chuck vs. Santa Claus” (2.11)
Christmas among the spies was celebrated with both sentimentality — as Chuck gave Sarah a charm bracelet that had been his mother’s — and brutality — as Sarah killed the Fulcrum agent who posed an ongoing threat to Chuck. The bracelet helped the relationship better than the execution.
#27 Fake Marriage, Real Danger
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Suburbs” (2.13)
When a mission took them to the suburbs, Chuck and Sarah had to pose as a married couple. Both enjoyed the experience a little too much, a problem when it had to end.
#26 A Break-Up Leads to Cohabitation
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Lethal Weapon” (2.16)
Although Chuck had tried to break off his cover relationship with Sarah (again), a new threat meant 24-hour surveillance and a possible fake cohabitation situation. This situation was made even tenser by the presence of super-spy Cole Barker and his interest in Sarah.
#25 Performance Evaluation
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Broken Heart” (2.18)
Thanks to a video of Chuck expressing his feelings, the CIA sent a new agent, Alexandra Forrest, to evaluate whether Sarah could continue to function as Chuck’s handler. Fortunately for everyone, it was eventually determined that any feelings only helped to keep Chuck safe.
#24 Running Away Together
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Colonel” (2.21)
Chuck and Sarah, defying CIA orders, ran away together and might have even consummated their relationship, if it weren’t for Casey.
#23 Sarah Makes a Choice
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Ring” (2.22)
Even though she was supposed to leave on a mission, Sarah decided to stay with Chuck — now Intersect free and ready for a new life — in Burbank. That would have been nice if that had worked out. But it didn’t.
#22 Chuck Makes a Choice
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Pink Slip” (3.1)
Having realized that he could make a difference as a spy, Chuck refused to disappear with Sarah when she asked him. It didn’t ruin their relationship, but it sure did strain it.
#21 A Confession
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Three Words” (3.2)
Trapped in a vault and about to suffocate in poisonous gas, Chuck explained his feelings and choices to Sarah. Too bad she couldn’t hear him. At least she got to watch a video later.
#20 Seeing Other People?
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Mask” (3.7)
Chuck liked Hannah. Sarah was attracted to Shaw. There was obviously nothing about to happen between Chuck and Sarah, so it was time — briefly — for other options.
#19 The Assassination of Love
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Final Exam” (3.11)
When a date night turned into an order for Chuck to kill an enemy agent, things were bound to go wrong for Chuck and Sarah. Sarah believed that Chuck had gone through with the assassination (he didn’t) and felt she couldn’t love him anymore.
#18 Together at Last
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Other Guy” (3.13)
Sarah and Chuck had finally both expressed their feelings for each other when Daniel Shaw struck. Almost murdered by Shaw, Sarah was only saved by Chuck’s intervention. Even though he had killed someone (or so they thought…), Sarah finally gave in and the pair got together at last.
#17 Lots and Lots of Sex
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Honeymooners” (3.14)
Having decided to run away together, Chuck and Sarah spent a great deal of time alone in a train compartment. But even when on a mission later, the pair didn’t separate. The handcuffs probably helped with that.
#16 Bad Role Models
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Role Models” (3.15)
The CIA was willing to allow the relationship between Chuck and Sarah, but the agency insisted on giving them lessons on being a spy couple. It was unfortunate that the teachers were an aging, unfaithful and somewhat traitorous couple.
#15 Admissions of Love
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Tooth” (3.16)
Although derailed by Chuck possibly going insane, it was lovely when Sarah decided she could finally express her love for Chuck.
#14 An Awkward Non-Proposal
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Cubic Z” (4.3)
The tension between Chuck and Sarah about the possibility of marriage and children was only heightened when Chuck picked up Big Mike’s lost engagement ring at a singularly inappropriate time.
#13 Every Couple Fights, Eventually
Episode: “Chuck vs. the First Fight” (4.7)
It took Chuck and Sarah this long to have an actual fight? Chuck was angry at Sarah for arresting his mother (fair) and proceeded to seek the advice of Tuttle (aka, Volkoff) and Morgan. The fighting was only resolved with a bank heist and the explosion of Chuck’s childhood home.
#12 What a Girl Will Do to Find a Man
Episode: “Chuck vs. Phase Three” (4.9)
With Chuck kidnapped by the Belgian, it was up to Sarah to brave the wilds of Thailand in order to find him. She did, and those terrorized by the “giant blonde she-male” might never recover.
#11 The Perfect Proposal That Wasn’t
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Balcony” (4.11)
Ready to commit to marriage, Chuck tried in several ways to propose to Sarah. They were, however, always interrupted. And then Sarah was arrested and sent to infiltrate Volkoff Industries. This delayed the proposal a lot.
#10 In the Hallway
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Push Mix” (4.13)
Volkoff was defeated. Mary Bartowski returned home. Ellie had her baby. There was only one thing left. And Chuck took care of that when he finally proposed to Sarah in the hospital hallway.
#9 Mutually Assured Seduction
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Seduction Impossible” (4.14)
Chuck wore a suit to convince Sarah about having a big wedding. Sarah wore a belly dancer costume to convince Chuck to elope. Neither outfit worked on its own.
#8 The Perfect Dress
Episode: “Chuck vs. the First Bank of Evil” (4.17)
Sarah wasn’t very excited about her own wedding — not until she found the perfect dress. Even if that dress did come with bullet holes in the back, Sarah was suddenly ready to wed.
#7 Bumps in the Road
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Last Details” (4.23)
They lost their wedding savings to an unscrupulous planner and failed at having worthwhile bachelor/bachelorette parties, but Chuck and Sarah should have been free and clear to proceed to the wedding. Too bad the Norseman weapon showed up to nearly kill Sarah at the rehearsal dinner.
#6 Wedding Bells
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Cliffhanger” (4.24)
It took a rogue mission, termination by the CIA, and the loss of the Intersect, but Chuck and Sarah did eventually manage their perfect wedding day. They even got an excellent gift from the former Alexei Volkoff.
#5 The Perfect Home
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Zoom” (5.1)
Among Chuck’s many plans for Volkoff’s millions was buying Sarah her dream home. They eventually found that house with a red door and picket fence. Alas, they had lost their money by then. The house would have to wait.
#4 Leaving Their Mark
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Baby” (5.8)
They didn’t own their dream home (yet), but Chuck and Sarah were ready to claim it anyway. That or they were just really excited to vandalize someone else’s home by carving their names in a doorframe.
#3 Babies?
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Kept Man” (5.9)
Chuck and Sarah were definitely not ready for babies. But a pregnancy scare did get them thinking — and pushed the couple into some new life goals as a result.
#2 Attempted Killing Puts a Strain on a Relationship
Episode: “Chuck vs. Sarah” (5.12)
Thanks to the Intersect and Nicholas Quinn, Sarah forgot her entire relationship with Chuck and thought that she had to kill him. She came pretty close too, beating Chuck all over their dream home. Fortunately, the sight of their names in the doorframe stopped the abuse. Alas, non-killing did not signal a return to love.
#1 Their Story
Episode: “Chuck vs. the Goodbye” (5.13)
Sarah didn’t want to kill Chuck anymore, but her memory loss precluded a restarted relationship for quite awhile. Finally, however, she was ready to hear their story. And a magical kiss might have even made everything right in the end!
Senior Writer, BuddyTV
Laurel grew up in Mamaroneck, NY, Grosse Pointe, MI and Bellevue WA. She then went on to live in places like Boston, Tucson, Houston, Wales, Tanzania, Prince Edward Island and New York City before heading back to Seattle. Ever since early childhood, when she became addicted to The Muppet Show, Laurel has watched far too much TV. Current favorites include Chuck, Modern Family, Supernatural, Mad Men and Community. Laurel received a BA in Astrophysics (yes, that is possible) from Colgate University and a PhD in Middle Eastern Studies and History of Science from Columbia University before she realized that television is much better than studying.
