By Dean Robbins

‘Chuck’ expertly mixes spy action and comedy

Despite its awesomeness, the comic spy series “Chuck” has been under threat of cancellation ever since it premiered in 2007, and NBC has finally decided to pull the plug after the current season. But until then, we can enjoy the adventures of Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi), the lowly retail clerk who became a superspy when an “Intersect” downloaded amazing skills into his brain. In season five, Chuck has lost the Intersect but started his own spy agency with wife Sarah (Yvonne Strahovski), National Security Agency honcho Casey (Adam Baldwin) and goofy friend Morgan (Joshua Gomez). In a twist, Morgan gets the Intersect, and his newfound powers turn him into an out-of-control egomaniac. In this week’s episode (Friday, 7 p.m.), Chuck tries everything he can to shame Morgan into being his old self, even resorting to pantsing him.

As always, that kind of silly stuff melds seamlessly with poignancy and exciting action. Is there any way we can shame NBC executives into giving “Chuck” yet one more reprieve? Pantsing them, perhaps?

‘Boss’

Friday, 9 p.m. (Starz)

I never thought I’d be scared of Kelsey Grammer. The genial sitcom comedian is cast against type in this well-written new series about hardball politics, set in Chicago. Grammer plays the city’s mayor, Tom Kane, who works the levers of power with a well-practiced smile. Behind the smile is a ruthless player who gets what he wants, even if he has to resort to physical violence.

Grammer deftly switches from public to private mode, offering a creepy portrait of a manipulative modern politician. As if that weren’t enough of an acting challenge, his character also suffers from a degenerative disease that affects the brain and muscles. Yes, Grammer makes that a believable part of his portrayal, too.

Who knew the “Frasier” star had this kind of role in him? CV