'Chuck' exec teases mother plot

Chuck producer Chris Fedak has hinted that viewers may be surprised by upcoming revelations surrounding Chuck's mother.

The fourth season of the NBC comedy-drama will see Chuck (Zachary Levi) search for his mother Mary (Linda Hamilton), who has been missing since he was a child.

"Ellie (Sarah Lancaster) and Chuck grew up thinking that their mum had left and run off," Fedak explained to TV Guide. "Through the first episode, we're going to learn that the story is much more complicated than that."

He confirmed that Hamilton's character will be "involved in the spy world".

"We have plenty of surprises... in regards to who she is, and what we expect her to be, and what's really happened," he teased. "She's been living in a very dangerous world."

It was previously announced that Timothy Dalton will make a guest appearance as a mysterious man with a connection to Mary. However, co-producer Josh Schwartz dismissed speculation that Dalton's character will be revealed as Chuck's real father.

"We will never desecrate the memory of [Chuck's father] Stephen... played by Scott Bakula," he insisted. "We don't even want to entertain it. To do it would be spitting on the grave. [Dalton's] character is still shrouded in mystery."

Chuck returns to NBC tonight at 8/7c.