Director Langston Graham
Operation Bartowski is a fictional top-secret project to guard Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) and the Intersect in the television series Chuck. In the field the mission is overseen by CIA agent Sarah Walker, and Colonel John Casey. Civilian Morgan Grimes joined the operation in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy". CIA Agent Daniel Shaw led the operation until he was corrupted by the Ring. The project is overseen throughout the series by Brigadier General Diane Beckman (Bonita Friedericy) of the NSA. CIA Director Langston Graham (Tony Todd) worked directly with Beckman until his death in "Chuck Versus the First Date."
Brigadier General Diane Beckman
Brigadier General M. Diane Beckman[1] is the director of the National Security Agency (although her videoconference screen displays a large seal around which are the words "Office of the Director of National Intelligence"). She holds her rank of brigadier general in the United States Air Force although, in the real world, the NSA director is a three-star (lieutenant general or vice admiral) billet - or a four-star (general or admiral) billet if dual-hatted as commander of United States Cyber Command.
National Intelligence Director
In "Chuck Versus the Intersect" actress Wendy Makkena appeared in a role credited as the National Intelligence Director. In some casting lists the character is identified as "General Mary Beckman."[2] In the episode, the Intelligence Director briefed Casey alongside Director Graham on the Intersect theft, before dispatching him to Burbank to track down Bryce Larkin's contact.
Makkena was to continue appearing in this role, however was forced to drop out for unspecified reasons after the pilot was filmed. Bonita Friedericy also auditioned for the role, and took over when Makkena left. Although the Intelligence Director's name was never used in the pilot Friedericy has suggested the two characters are the same,[3] although no official stance by the Schwartz or Fedak exists to confirm this, aside from General Beckman's ID card reading "Gen. M. Beckman". as shown on Chuck's Chart (first seen in the second season episode, "Chuck Versus the Lethal Weapon", and clearly referring to Friedericy's character by its reference to her relationship with Roan Montgomery).
Note also that the video conference screen shown immediately before and after conferences with Friedericy's General Beckman displays a large seal (essentially the U.S. Coat of Arms with the crest replaced by a globe ringed with satellites) around which are the words "Office of the Director of National Intelligence - United States of America".
Director Langston Graham
| Langston Graham | |
|---|---|
| Chuck character | |
 Tony Todd as CIA Director Langston Graham | |
| First appearance | "Chuck Versus the Intersect" |
| Last appearance | "Chuck Versus the Nacho Sampler" (voice only) |
| Portrayed by | Tony Todd |
| In-universe information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Title | Director |
| Occupation | CIA |
Biography
Director Langston Graham was the direct superior of agent Sarah Walker, and assigned her to follow-up on Bryce's theft of the Intersect by sending her to Burbank to track down where he sent the data. Little personal information about Graham has been established, other than that he arrested Sarah's father when he conned the wrong people. The details of the arrest and later release of Sarah's father have not yet been revealed. During this event, Graham cornered and confronted Sarah while attempting to recover money her father left in the event something happened to him, where he was impressed by her skill with knives and took her under his wing. Graham is one of a few people who knew Sarah's real name, (from her birth certificate) as well as the series of aliases she used growing up as part of her father's con jobs. It was Graham who first gave her the name "Sarah Walker."[4]
Series
CIA Director Graham first appeared in "Chuck Versus the Intersect" alongside the National Intelligence Director, when Casey was dispatched to Burbank to follow up on Bryce's theft of the Intersect. Sarah was already in the city and made the first contact with Chuck, quickly identifying him as a non-threat. After Sarah's failed attempt to recover Chuck's computer, he warned her that Casey was being sent in and he recommended she pull out. When she objected and insisted on "fixing" the situation herself he relented, and ordered her to kill Chuck if he attempted to run.
Graham served as the CIA liaison to General Beckman and the US Department of Defense,[5] and in several episodes assisted her in briefing the team on their upcoming missions and providing additional intelligence. However this was primarily handled by Beckman, and Graham only appeared sporadically in the first season. Prior to "Chuck Versus the First Date," all mention of Casey's orders to terminate Chuck once the second Intersect was brought on line was made by Beckman. It wasn't until that episode where it was revealed that Graham was fully aware of the termination order, and was unsympathetic to Casey's objections that Chuck's skills made him a promising analyst. Graham also confirmed the order to have Chuck brought into protective custody when a Fulcrum agent infiltrated the Buy More.[6]
Graham's final appearance as a recurring character was in "Chuck Versus the First Date." He was in the process of activating the rebuilt Intersect and exposing several field agents to the data when it exploded due to Fulcrum sabotage. The computer and facilities were destroyed and Graham was killed. Shortly before this event he and Beckman activated Casey's termination orders, however once he overheard Sarah informing Chuck of Graham's death the order was rescinded.
Actor Tony Todd has reprised his role once more in the series, appearing in a flashback at the end of "Chuck Versus the Cougars," where it is revealed that Graham mentored Sarah Walker after arresting her father to protect him from a scam gone wrong.
Graham is only sporadically mentioned after "Chuck Versus the Cougars," however in "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" Beckman tells the team that Graham took the name of whoever ordered Sarah's red test—a first kill order to test whether an agent can indeed kill when ordered to do so—with him to the grave. The Director later revealed that Graham himself arranged the hit on Eve Shaw after the CIA uncovered evidence that she had been turned by the Ring. This information had been withheld from Daniel Shaw, and contributed to his decision to join the Ring.
Personality
Few details on Graham's personal life have been revealed. Like Beckman, Graham is portrayed as a stern, no-nonsense individual. He mentored Sarah in the CIA, and placed a significant amount of trust in her by allowing her to proceed with her operation to find the Intersect despite Casey being sent in by the NSA to clean things up.[7] Like Beckman, Graham has displayed little regard for Chuck's family and personal life, and generally overrules Sarah's objections to orders that put Chuck in danger or interfere with his personal life.
Development
Because of Friedericy's height compared to Tony Todd (5'3" vs. 6'5") Beckman is almost always seated, with Graham leaning over her desk to fit them in the frame.[3] Beckman's diminutive stature was later mentioned in the show by Chuck in "Chuck Versus the Predator."
Although featured with lines in nearly every episode, Bonita Friedericy was not promoted to series regular until season 4.
References
- ^ Although consistently identified in dialogue as Diane Beckman, her identification card reads "M. Beckman", as shown on Chuck's Chart originally seen in the second season of the series, and which notes Beckman's relationship with Roan Montgomery.
- ^ Actor Credits Wendy Makkena on tvguide.com
- ^ a b Cast Interview, Bonita Friedericy: Hobo Trashcan
- ^ "Chuck Versus the Cougars"
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
chartwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
marlinwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Chuck Versus the Intersect"