"Chuck:" A thorough, insightful review of one minute and 45 seconds of online content

Today, NBC.com offers a new webisode of "Chuck," its engaging action-comedy that so far in its second season hasn't been able to lure in many viewers. (It'll go live at noon today California time.)

Though NBC sent this webisode in a DVD in handsome, presumably vaguely costly traditional DVD packaging, all that was on the disk was a scant one minute and 45 seconds of content; "SNL" sketches last longer. And they want people to click onto NBC.com and navigate through all the sundry obfuscations and perhaps even sit through an ad or two to watch this, uh, gem, which concerns John Casey (Adam Baldwin) offering Buy More security tips (which involve an apple and a shoplifter's noggin).

So: It's mildly amusing, but nothing any sentient being (even a diehard "Chuck" fan) would go out of his (or her) way to access. Particularly given that you can find a funnier clip with less effort at any number of other sites.

But: The question is, why did ABC's and NBC's strategy of bringing back bubble first-season shows (NBC's "Chuck" and "Life," which tanked Friday with a mere 5.4 million viewers, and ABC's "Pushing Daisies," "Private Practice" and "Dirty Sexy Money") fail so decisively?

Well, of course, the writers strike hurt them, if not killed them. I like a lot of those shows, but could've predicted their ratings failures. Viewers detect the taint of failure and don't want to adhere themselves to shows that probably won't be around for long, no matter how good they might actually be. And right now, that taint covers whole swatches of broadcast TV's lineup.

So: "Chuck," whimsical, amusing, "Chuck:" America would rather see has-beens try to fox-trot than a wryly sexy nerd comedy. Is that a comment on "Chuck" or American viewers in general? Whatever the answer is, it's probably not encouraging for any of us.