Psych

For the social science, see Psychology. For extrasensory perception, see Psychic. For the style of music, see Psychedelic music.

Psych
File:Psych title card.png Title card
Created by	Steve Franks
Starring	James Roday Dulé Hill Timothy Omundson Maggie Lawson Kirsten Nelson Corbin Bernsen
Opening theme	"I Know You Know" by The Friendly Indians
Country of origin	United States
No. of seasons	5
No. of episodes	72 (list of episodes)
Production
Production locations	White Rock, BC Vancouver, BC
Running time	43 minutes
Original release
Network	USA Network
Release	July 7, 2006 (2006-07-07) – present

Psych is an American criminal comedy-drama mystery television series created by Steve Franks and broadcast on USA Network. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer, a young crime consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department whose "heightened observational skills" and impressive detective instincts allow him to convince people that he solves cases with psychic abilities. The program also stars Dulé Hill as Shawn's best friend, straight man and reluctant partner Burton "Gus" Guster, as well as Corbin Bernsen as Shawn's captious father, Henry.

The series airs new episodes in the US on Wednesdays at 10PM ET/PT on USA Network. During the second season only, an animated segment was added to the series titled "The Big Adventures of Little Shawn and Gus". Psych debuted on Friday, July 7, 2006, immediately following the fifth season premiere of Monk, and continued to be paired with the series until Monk's conclusion on December 4, 2009. It was the highest-rated US basic cable television premiere of 2006. William Rabkin has written three books that tie in with the series. Psych ended its fourth season on March 10, 2010. The first half of season 5, consisting of nine episodes, premiered on July 14, 2010 and ended on September 8, 2010 with a "mid-season" or "summer finale". The second half of season 5 will then pick up on November 10, 2010. Psych's third Christmas special will air on December 15, 2010, using Its a Wonderful Life as its theme.

Overview

Flashbacks begin most episodes. These flashbacks show that Henry Spencer wished that his son would follow in his footsteps and become a law enforcement officer. In preparation, Henry helps Shawn hone his powers of observation and deduction, often using games and challenges to test him. Each flashback also sets the theme for the episode, based on the challenge Shawn's father presents him.

Shawn originally becomes known as a psychic when, after calling in a tip on a crime covered on the news, the police become suspicious of his knowledge. Theorizing that such knowledge could only come from the inside, they decide to arrest him as a suspect when he uses his observations to convince all present that he is psychic. The interim police chief warns Shawn that if his "powers" are fake, he will be prosecuted. With no choice but to keep up the act, he becomes a psychic consultant to the police. Pretending to have psychic powers allows him to engage in strange and comic behavior as he turns real clues into hunches and otherworldly visitations. He enjoys teasing lifelong friend Gus, a pharmaceutical representative, over his eclectic interests.

Head detective Lassiter doubts Shawn's psychic abilities and is constantly exasperated by his antics. On the contrary, junior detective O'Hara and Chief Vick are more willing to go along with the charade to solve cases. Henry Spencer and Shawn have a difficult relationship, but despite this, Henry reluctantly helps Shawn on numerous occasions.

Cast and characters

Main characters

The cast of Psych, from left to right:
Maggie Lawson, Corbin Bernsen, James Roday, Kirsten Nelson, Dulé Hill, and Timothy Omundson.

• Shawn Spencer (James Roday) is a periodic consultant with the Santa Barbara Police Department, pretending to be a psychic. However, it is really his exceptional observational skills and eidetic memory that allow him to obtain his "visions." He refuses to take anything seriously. He has had romantic tension with Juliet since they met.
• Burton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill) is Shawn's best friend and business partner. He also works in pharmaceuticals. Unlike Shawn, he takes his work very seriously, and usually tries to act professionally. He is famous for his many aliases (usually given to him by Shawn), including "Magic Head," "Lavender Gooms," and "Control Alt Delete."
• Carlton "Lassie" Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) is the head detective for the Santa Barbara Police Department. He is skeptical of Shawn's psychic abilities, and is extremely annoyed by Shawn's comic antics. However, he occasionally must come to Psych for help with his more difficult cases.
• Juliet "Jules" O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) is a junior detective for the Santa Barbara Police Department, and is Lassiter's partner. She has constant romantic tension with Shawn, and eventually admits to it. She then at the end of the Psych summer finale, kisses Shawn.
• Chief Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson) is the SBPD Chief. She is usually reluctant to hire Shawn and Gus for cases, but almost always gives in.
• Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen) is Shawn's uptight and precise father and a former police sergeant. He is usually visited by Shawn with questions about various cases, but is usually reluctant to help. He has been rehired to the SBPD to be in charge of the department's consultants, much to Shawn's chagrin.

Recurring characters

Main article: List of Psych characters

• Young Shawn (seasons 1-5: Liam James; seasons 5-present: Skyler Gisondo) is the younger version of Shawn Spencer. He is shown at the beginning of most episodes in flashbacks to the late 80's and early 90's, usually learning a life lesson from his father. He has also been portrayed in various episodes by Josh Hayden and Kyle Pejpar.
• Young Gus (Carlos McCullers II) is the younger version of Burton "Gus" Guster. He is shown at the beginning of various episodes in flashbacks with Shawn. He was also portrayed by Isaah Brown during the first season.
• Buzz McNab (Sage Brocklebank) is a naive but lovable cop who often provides Shawn and Gus with clues. He also was given a 'little boy cat' (who is actually a girl cat) by Shawn that once helped him solve a case in season one. In Shawn Gets the Yips (4.05), McNab was severely injured when a bomb went off in his mailbox while he was getting his mail. Later in the episode, he returned to work with a severe concussion and on crutches, but alive; he remarked to Shawn and Gus that he had lost part of three toes, though. In the season 4 finale episode, Mr. Yin Presents (4.16), McNab was attacked and knocked unconscious by the unseen killer, otherwise known as Yin, but survived. He returned in season 5.
• Madeleine Spencer (Cybill Shepherd) is a police psychologist who is Shawn's mother and Henry's ex-wife. In the episode Ghosts (3.01), she tells Lassiter that she has eidetic tonal memory, which is like Shawn's photographic memory but with sound, which implies that Shawn inherited his 'gift' from his mother. She appeared in Ghosts (3.01), Murder? ... Anyone? ... Anyone? ... Bueller? (3.02) and An Evening With Mr. Yang (3.16). She was portrayed over-the-shoulder by a different actress in Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead (2.16).
• Abigail Lytar (Rachael Leigh Cook) is Shawn's high school crush, whom he let get away when he moved from, then back to, Santa Barbara and his parents got divorced. She first appeared in Murder? ... Anyone? ... Anyone? ... Bueller? (3.02) and returned in An Evening With Mr. Yang (3.16), He Dead (4.02), Bollywood Homicide (4.06), and You Can't Handle This Episode (4.10). In You Can't Handle This Episode, the winter half premiere of season 4, Abigail departs for Uganda. She tells Shawn that she'll be gone for 6 months or longer and that it has been a life-long dream of hers. Shawn clearly doesn't seem interested in going with her, so they share a goodbye kiss at the airport before Abigail gives her last farewell. However, she returned in Mr. Yin Presents (4.16). After being kidnapped by Yin, the unseen killer supposedly working with Yang, and saved by Shawn, she told him she did not like the danger and broke up with him after the two shared their final kiss.
• Winnie Guster (Phylicia Rashad) is Gus' mother. She appeared in both of the series' Christmas episodes, Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy (2.10) and Christmas Joy (3.09).
• Bill Guster (Ernie Hudson, Keith David) is Gus' Father. He also appeared in both Christmas episodes, though played by Ernie Hudson in Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy and by Keith David in Christmas Joy.
• Mr. Yang (Ally Sheedy) is a serial killer, first appearing in An Evening With Mr. Yang (3.16). She returns after a decade-long absence to target Shawn in her deadly game of cat-and-mouse. She was visited in prison by Shawn and Gus in the season four finale, Mr. Yin Presents (4.16). She seems to have a deeper connection to Shawn, as the last scene of Mr. Yin Presents shows Yin, Yang's partner, looking at a picture of what is presumably a younger Yang, standing next to young Shawn.
• Mary Lightly (Jimmi Simpson) was a racquetball-loving department psychologist who was an expert on Mr. Yang. He first appeared in An Evening With Mr. Yang (3.16) and later in Mr. Yin Presents (4.16). He was killed in the season four finale by Yin while bravely trying to capture him alone.
• Woody the Coroner (Kurt Fuller) is a police coroner that Shawn shares a mutual respect with. His wife cheats on him with multiple men, some of which he has approved. He first appeared in High Top Fade Out (4.07). He also appeared in Thrill Seekers and Hell Raisers (4.11), The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Episode (4.15), Feet, Don't Kill Me Now (5.02), and Not Even Close... Encounters (5.03). His most recent appearance was in Shawn 2.0 (5.08).
• Declan Rand (Nestor Carbonell) is a rich criminal profiler so good at his job that he poses as a threat to Shawn. He turns out to be a fake criminal profiler and knows that Shawn is not a real psychic. His first appearance was in Shawn 2.0 (5.08), and his most recent appearance was in One, Maybe Two, Ways Out (5.09).

Episodes

Main article: List of Psych episodes

The first season comprised fifteen episodes and ran on USA Network from July 7, 2006 to March 2, 2007.

The second season, comprising sixteen episodes, began airing on July 13, 2007. The second half of season 2 began on January 11, 2008, with the season finale airing on February 15, 2008.

The third season, comprising sixteen episodes, began airing on July 19, 2008 with the mid-season break episode (which was Christmas themed) airing on November 28, 2008. The second half of the season 3 began on January 9, 2009, with the season finale airing February 20, 2009.

Psych's fourth season, which was announced on October 10, 2008, premiered on August 7, 2009. The ninth episode, or "fall finale", aired on October 16, 2009. New episodes for season 4 resumed on January 27, 2010 and the entire season concluded on March 10, 2010.

Season 5 premiered on July 14, 2010 and had its "mid-season" or "summer finale" on September 8, 2010.

Lengths and dates of series

Season	Episodes	Premiere Date	End Date
Season 1	15	July 7, 2006	March 2, 2007
Season 2	16	July 13, 2007	February 15, 2008
Season 3	16	July 18, 2008	February 20, 2009
Season 4	16	August 7, 2009	March 10, 2010
Season 5	16	July 14, 2010	TBA 2011

Production

The show uses White Rock, British Columbia, Canada for its arid Santa Barbara, California setting. Psych also incorporates Vancouver and various locations around the Lower Mainland of British Columbia as a backdrop. Santa Barbara is on a mountainous coastline without bays and just has the few Channel Islands miles offshore. Many of the overlooking helicopter shots and set up shots (in which the exterior of the Santa Barbara Courthouse is shown) are actually filmed in Santa Barbara. The animated segments "The Big Adventures Of Little Shawn And Gus" were created by J.J. Sedelmaier Productions, Inc. The music, effects and sound design for "The Big Adventures Of Little Shawn And Gus" were created by Fred Weinberg.

Production for season 5 began on April 28, 2010 in Vancouver.

Theme song

The theme song for Psych is "I Know You Know" by The Friendly Indians, series creator Steve Franks' band. Some episodes in Season 3 and 4, and many in Season 5, use the extended full-length version of "I Know You Know", but most episodes use the usual, shortened version.

Variations

• Re-done with a Christmas theme for the episode Gus' Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy (2.10) and another one used for Christmas Joy (3.09).
• Sung in Spanish for Lights, Camera, Homicidio (2.13).
• Expanded into Bollywood-themed version of the song sung in Hindi in Bollywood Homicide (4.06).
• Boyz II Men performed an a cappella version of the theme for High Top Fade Out (4.07).
• Curt Smith of Tears for Fears guest starred in Shawn 2.0 (5.08) and recorded his own version of the theme.

The Christmas and Hindi-themed variations of the song also include variations on the main titles. In particular, the Hindi and Chinese-themed episodes phonetically translated words into Devanagari and Chinese characters, respectively, in their title sequences.

Response

Critical reaction and ratings

Psych scored a 4.51 rating and an average of 6.1 million total viewers at its premiere, which made it the highest rated scripted series premiere on basic cable in 2006 in all key demographics (households, P18-49, P25-54, and total viewers), according to a USA Network press release, quoted from the Futon Critic.

From the San Jose Mercury News:

James Roday (Miss Match) is utterly charming and delightfully funny as Shawn Spencer (who may not be psychic but who does have wonderful powers of observation), and he gets fine support from Corbin Bernsen (L.A. Law) as his cop father and Dulé Hill (The West Wing) as his Dr. Watson-esque sidekick.

From the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Psych is one of those happy collisions of an intelligent script and an appealing cast. Roday's a charmer, nice looking but more charismatic than pretty, and ably paired with West Wing alumnus Dulé Hill, who plays Shawn's ultra-responsible childhood friend Gus.

Nominations and awards

• Psych was the winner of the Independent Investigations Group Annual Award for "Excellence in Entertainment" for advancing the cause of science and exposing superstition (2006).
• James Roday was nominated for the 2006 Satellite Award for Best Actor - TV Series Musical or Comedy and the 2009 Ewwy Award for "Best Actor in a Comedy Series".
• In 2008 & 2009, the series was nominated for the Ewwy Award for "Best Comedy Series".
• Psych was nominated for its first Emmy Award in 2010 in the category Outstanding Music Composition for a Series for the episode Mr. Yin Presents. Adam Cohen and John Robert Wood were the composers for this episode.

DVD releases

Title	Ep #	Region 1	Region 2	Region 4
Season One	15	June 26, 2007	April 24, 2008	April 30, 2008
Season Two	16	July 11, 2008	June 7, 2010	March 3, 2010
Season Three	16	July 21, 2009	TBA	TBA
Season Four	16	July 13, 2010	TBA	TBA

Novels

William Rabkin has written and published five novels based on the series. The novels are written in third person narrative style.

• Psych: A Mind is A Terrible Thing to Read. ISBN 978-0451226358
• Psych: Mind Over Magic. ISBN 978-0451227447
• Psych: The Call of the Mild. ISBN 978-0451228765
• Psych: A Fatal Frame of Mind. ISBN 978-0451231598
• Psych: Mind-Altering Murder. Due 02/01/2011

External links

• Official website
• Psych at IMDb
• Template:Tv.com
• Psych on TV Squad