| "Chuck Versus the Family Volkoff" | |
|---|---|
| Chuck episode | |
| Episode no. | Season 4 Episode 20 |
| Directed by | Robert Duncan McNeill |
| Written by | Amanda Kate Shuman Nicholas Wootton |
| Featured music | "In A City Without Seasons" by The One AM Radio "UK Jamaican" by Tricky "Distant Sures" by The Cave Singers[1] |
| Production code | 3X6320 |
| Original air date | April 11, 2011 |
| Guest appearances | |
| |
"Chuck Versus the Family Volkoff" is the 20th episode of the fourth season of Chuck, and the 74th overall episode of the series. The episode was directed by Robert Duncan McNeill and written by Nicholas Wootton and Amanda Kate Shuman. It originally aired April 11, 2011.
The episode has several unrelated sub-plots. In the episode, Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) throws Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) a surprising relationship curveball as the CIA orders Vivian Volkoff (Lauren Cohan) assassinated. In order to prove Vivian's innocence, Chuck must put his trust in a dangerous ally – Vivian's father Alexei (Timothy Dalton). Meanwhile, Ellie Bartowski-Woodcomb (Sarah Lancaster) suspects that her mother Mary (Linda Hamilton) is interfering with the search into her father Stephen's past.
"Chuck Versus the Family Volkoff" received positive reviews from critics. However, the episode continued Chuck's steady decline in viewership, drawing 4.03 million viewers, a series low. According to the Nielsen ratings system, it had a 2.5/4 share among all households and 1.3/4 share among those aged 18–49.