Topic: How "Chuck" murdered the Footprint in the Snow
Listening to Down in Front has, among other things, made me more observant of tropes and, well, "glossary items" in movies and TV shows. Don't get me wrong, I love NBC's "Chuck". Even though it has a lot of problems, it still has fun plots and good writing. However, they commit one mortal sin in each episode that rocks me to my core.
Minor spoilers for the past 2 seasons of "Chuck"
In case you didn't know, "Chuck" is about a nerd who works in an electronics store who absorbs all of the CIA's secret information into his brain. Because he is now the only remaining copy of that database (and because he can access it at random), the CIA and NSA each give him a highly-trained handler to protect him, and to use his abilities when necessary. Whenever he sees a picture, object, or map, the camera zooms into his eye, into his brain, and we see flashes of information. I was okay with the repeated use of this device, because he saw different images each time, and they occasionally had easter eggs that became important later.
At the end of the second season, he absorbs another one of these databases. This one imprints him with incredible kung-fu prowess, like in The Matrix. (It doesn't count as a second magic bean, because we already accepted that the technology works that way). Now, whenever he is in danger, he can use these skills to defend himself. This is first represented by the classic move of zooming in on his eye, into his brain, and watching drawings of kung-fu poses fly past the camera. This is a horrible, horrible thing.
After about 35 episodes of this, I have become furious. Unlike the original "flashes", which showed different pieces of information each time, these new "flashes" show the exact same fucking thing. Every. Single. Time.
They could have showed it a few times, and then have been done with it. I believe you call that a "Footprint in the Snow". We, the audience, understand what is happening now. We don't need a constant reminder of how he is able to do kung-fu. Long time viewers will know what's up, and new viewers will accept that he can fight, because they never make anything of it anymore. It's gotten to the point where the tension of a fight scene is completely shattered by a pointless effects shot.
After months of listening to Down in Front, I finally understand that there are a multitude of valid reasons to complain about something. I'd like to thank you for assisting my transformation into a more valid critic. And an enormous nerd.
But seriously, people who watch "Chuck", doesn't this piss you off as well?
Still, never having watched the show I assume you're right. Maybe they're doing for the same reason they do it in anime, to kill 5 seconds of screen time 
