Psych’s James Roday and Dulé Hill Perfect the Buddy Act
James Roday, Dule Hill
Psych's resident fake psychic, Shawn Spencer (James Roday), may not really be able to read minds. But after four years, five seasons and 72 episodes, Roday and his on-screen partner-in-crime, Dulé Hill, have developed some very telekinetic capabilities."We're always thinking the same thing, but then he always says his out loud and then I don't have to, which is awesome," Roday says. As the duo prepares for the second half of Season 5 — in which they'll pay tribute to pop culture touchstones like Twin Peaks, Police Academy and It's a Wonderful Life — the stars of the USA comedy talked about their characters' romantic entanglements (or lack thereof), dream guest stars and the joy of reading each other's minds.
Psych plans Twin Peaks episode
On moving the show's fictional location to Vancouver:
Roday: That's for sure. We spend a lot of time running around and covering up signs and replacing license plates and moving fake palm trees. And when we shot for actual Vancouver we didn't have to worry about any of that stuff, which means we could allow our minds, and the minds of some of our crew members, to drift in a good way.
Hill: And you also don't have to frame out the ice-capped mountains either. You can use that.
Roday: Oh, that's true. Good point, Dule.
Hill: See what I'm saying?
On their on-screen love lives:
Roday: I think those things sort of came to a head, and everybody was on the same page that five years of "Will they or won't they?" was enough. It was time to throw a curve ball and mix things up, cross our fingers and hope for the best.
Hill: I think Gus is definitely kind of backed up. He could use a little bit of tender care, you know what I mean? But we'll see what happens going into Season 6.
Watch full episodes of Psych
On which reality show Shawn and Gus could win:
Hill: Amazing Race.
Roday: Oh, yes. Absolutely. And they would win. .... If a character ever deserved to go and be The Bachelor, I think it's Gus though.
On the best part of working together:
Hill: The challenge of working outside the box. He's such a talented actor that his mind will go anywhere and sometimes keeping up and staying on the train is a challenge for me, but I enjoy it. You know, it's a muscle that I haven't really used in previous parts of my careers.
Roday: He also says everything that we're both thinking... whether it's weather-related or food-related or trailer-related or anything you can think of. We're always thinking the same thing, but then he always says it out loud and then I don't have to, which is awesome.
On dream guest stars:
Hill: I would say I'd love to have Chris Tucker come and do a quick spot. I don't know if he ever would but I mean, you know, he's just hilarious to me. It would be great to have him come swing through the show one time.
Roday: I've been saying David Bowie since the first season, so I'll stick with that until he actually shows up, which again may never happen. ... It doesn't cost us anything to hope... Hope is free and it springs eternal. It's actually Dule who taught me that.
Psych returns Wednesday, Nov. 10 at 10/9c on USA.