Psych (2006)
TV PG
Starring: James Roday, Dule Hill, Maggie Lawson, Timothy Omundson, Corbin Bernsen, Kirsten Nelson, Kurt Fuller
The Story:
Shawn Spencer (Roday) was trained to use keen observational skills by his father, Henry (Bernsen). However, unlilke growing up to be a cop like his dad, Shawn's pretty much been a slacker. Then he stumbles on an idea to get himself out of hot water with the cops: Pretend he is actually psychic! He enlists his childhood friend, Gus (Hill) and they start the Pysch detective agency. For the next 8 years, they will solve "about a case a week."
And now it's over, and Pysch-o's around the world are a little hurt on the inside.
:)
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my favorite television show, in the history of television shows.
A show that was smart, funny, dramatic, fun, engaging, full of wit, well written, superbly acted and never afraid to try something new, to include a full-fledged musical.
Psych had it all, and it will be missed.
And trust me, this comes from a family of fans that didn't come onboard until the end of the 5th season. We caught an episode, We'd Like To Thank the Academy, where the boys have to enroll in the Police Academy, and we were instantly hooked.
Trust me, when I find something that I like AND my wife enjoys, that's two thumbs up and let's see what else is available.
We found it was streamable on Netflix, and so we began our foray into season one.
About halfway...maybe almost all the way through, some of the kids stopped by and watched an episode or two.
They too were hooked.
So we did what any good parents would do, we started over with the whole family, and quickly caught up the series.
I probably should not admit that we've had many Psych-o-thons and have probably seen all the streamable episodes on Netflix...on average... 10 times each.
Each time, you catch something new.
A line you missed, a facial reaction by Gus....
The million and one 80s references that populate the dialogue...
The pineapple randomly hidden in the background.
Yes, we now go through life yelling "Pineapple" whenever we see one.
You'd be amazed where pineapples crop up in life...
I've also purchased all of the DVD sets, because someday they won't be streaming, or like seasons 7, 8 and the musical, are as yet NOT on Netflix for reasons unknown to mankind.
It's also a show that, in my opinion, never "jumped the shark".
There were a few episodes that were not as great as the rest, but for the most part, aside from Dual Spires, we loved them all.
And if you're a fan of Twin Peaks, then Dual Spires was probably right up your alley.
So when I hype Psych up to friends and family, I always give them one warning:
The Pilot is not the best episode.
It's not bad... but things really clicked with Episode Two: Spellingg Bee
It was here that the lovely Detective Juliet O'Hara joined the cast, and you could tell by the chemistry that someday Shawn and Jules (Shules) would be a couple. But boy, was it a long, crazy road to get there, and again, unlike many episodes that began their downward spiral when the leading man and woman got together, Psych did not fall into that trap, so kudos.
:)
So, running down 8 seasons, what were *some of* the best episodes?
Season One:
The Spellingg Bee - Just know that 'banana' gets intoned around our house the same way Shawn uses it in the storyline.
Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast - Juliet goes undercover at a sorority where years earlier Shawn and Gus witnessed a suicide!
Season Two:
American Duos - The boys take to an American Idol style contest with judges Tim Curry and Gina Gershon. The guest stars that were on this series were amazing and fit in perfectly with the show.
Lights, Camera...Homicidio - Shawn must solve a murder recorded for a telenovela by getting a part on the show.
Picking only 2 for this season is almost impossible.... :)
Season Three:
The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable - Shawn's uncle comes looking for buried treasure!
Lassie Did A Bad, Bad Thing - Lassister is accused of a crime, and Shawn and Gus must clear his name. Even if Gus is pretty certain that Lassiter did it. :)
Again, another strong season that's hard to only pick 2 great episodes from.
Season Four:
Death Is In The Air - Beware the Thornberg Virus! And the 2nd member of the Brat Pack to guest star!! They would eventually get them all, except Emilio. Tsk tsk.
Shawn Takes A Shot In The Dark - An episode that was very different in format to what we'd seen before. Proof that the show was willing to take risks, and you couldn't always be sure everything would be okay at the end of the episode.
Again, this season is full of great episodes... A Very Juliet Episode, High Top Fade-Out... Possibly the best single season of them all...
Season Five:
Not Even Close...Encounters - An alien abduction in Santa Barbara? Shawn and Gus enlist an old friend to help them solve the case!
The Polarizing Express - Another Psych Christmas episode, this one a strange take on It's A Wonderful Life where Shawn gets to imagine what life was like for everyone had he not come back to Santa Barbara.
Season Six:
Last Night Gus - Imagine The Hangover... but funnier. This is the winner for my favorite all-time episode of Psych.
Santabarbaratown - The cliffhanger to end all cliffhangers! A cast member is shot.... will they survive??!! It was a long hiatus....
Season Seven:
100 Clues - An homage to the 1985 film, Clue. Including several guest stars from that movie. Yes, audience participation even got to pick the ending(s) for each coast.
Office Space - When Gus' boss ends up dead... and Gus appears to be the prime suspect.. the more the guys do to clear his name, the more guilty he appears!
Season Eight:
Cog Blocked - Gus is murdered, or at least a man whose life mirrors Burton's is found dead, and Gus is determined to find the murderer... and live again!
The Breakup - It's the final episode of the series, and it wraps up in just the way that a Psych finale should. After 8 years hanging out with these guys...
Bring a tissue.
Final Grade: A+
Rewatchability/Purchase Factor: I may not be watching them live anymore, but they live on through streaming, DVD, and DVR! I hope to see them return in a 2 hour special movie in the future, but I suppose I'll just have to...
wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiittttttttt!
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