NBC Gets Behind Friday's 'Chuck' Series Finale

Bullets have been dodged five years running, either with timely good fortune or persistent audience intervention. But "Chuck" just couldn't dodge them all.

This Friday, the ride ends. "Chuck" has spent five seasons since 2007 being a critical darling but being pulled to safety by audience outcry not a moment too soon when ever-dropping ratings have brought the axe within an inch of its neck. Finally, on Jan. 27, Chuck Bartowski's journey from an ambition-free Buy More associate to formidable if sometimes reluctant CIA operative ends with a two-hour series finale.

Though it's ended its every season up to this point on the bubble for renewal, nobody could say "Chuck" hasn't had a satisfying long life. When a show gets past six seasons or so, every season after becomes as much a marvel as when Nolan Ryan was still dialing up 90 MPH on the radar gun 20 seasons into his career. "Chuch" could be called about that remarkable and then some simply for being apparently born under about the worst possible sign a show could be.

It debuted in 2007 and was a top-10 pick by USA Today and by no less than Rolling Stone to "wipe the floor with the other fall debuts." Unfortunately, it's been run since then against the likes of "Dancing With The Stars," "How I Met Your Mother," and "House." The 2007-2008 season was impacted by Hollywood's writers strike that cut almost every show off at the knees. President Barack Obama's State Of The Union speech postponed a heavily promoted second episode during the show's second season.

After the second season's close with disappointing ratings, fans badgered show sponsor Subway until the sandwich giant struck a big third-season sponsorship deal to cover the show's costs. And since then, one fan movement or another has always made enough noise that NBC kept listening.

But now, the time is near. And so, "Chuck" faces the final curtain.

Give the nerd this: he did it his way.

Check out this quick promo clip from NBC.com of a conversation between Chuck and his pal Morgan and tell us: did the show deserve to go on? Or is it just time?