Comic-Con 2007

It is hard to believe that a show that has yet to air could have such a large following, but such is the case with NBC’s “Chuck.”

After the pilot was screened, executive producers Josh Schwartz (“The O.C.”) and Chris Fedak, director McG (“Charlie’s Angels”) as well as cast members Zachary Levi (Chuck himself), Joshua Gomez and Yvonne Strzechowski were welcomed with standing ovations from the crowd.

“Chuck is a Comic-Con guy,” McG told us, after we caught up with some of the crew. “It’s about a guy whose life is kind of boring,” Schwartz explained. “He’s an average guy, and all of a sudden one day he became the single most important piece of evidence to the American government, (and) is basically assigned Jack Bauer and Sydney Bristow to babysit him, and has to live his life as an ordinary guy working at Buy More and saving the world.”

Throughout the Q&A session, fans compared the main character to everyone from “The O.C.’s” Seth Cohen to a male version of Jennifer Garner. However, Schwartz reassured the Bruin that “Chuck” and “The O.C.” would have nothing in common. “There was never any spies or ninjas in ‘The O.C.,’” said Schwartz. “Season five there were, but they had to cut it.”

When asked about their influences for the show, the writers had many different inspirations.

“It’s inspired by a lot of our favorite movies, comic books,” Schwartz said. “It’s a big pop culture blender. Basically, Chris and I went to college together at USC, where people go to succeed. I’m just kidding – totally kidding.”

Levi and the other cast members seemed overwhelmed and genuinely excited about the audience’s enthusiasm for the show, with Levi and his on-screen sidekick Gomez even simulating an awkward body position the two characters find themselves in at the end of one of the action scenes (you’ll know it when you see it).

We’ll be watching this fall, despite the Trojan influence.

– Kate Stanhope and Michelle Castillo