The when: Fridays at 10 pm/ET. The midseason premiere airs Jan. 11.
Why watch?: Because
Psych might be the funniest detective show out there now. Or perhaps
ever. The private-eye duo at its center, Shawn and Gus, live off the lie that psychic abilities are the key to their prolific case-cracking. What gets cases solved and the duo out of the pickles their charade invariably creates, however, is more often their creative initiative, and has nothing in common with Miss Cleo. Still,
Psych pulls off the kind of whodunit suspense you'd expect from its more serious sleuthing counterparts in the TV universe, while making its own the kind of quick, witty banter that was also
Gilmore Girls' signature. The show's writers continue to smartly stick their characters in very awkwardsville moments week after week, a risk that could have easily made this already hard-sell-sounding show one we laugh at in a bad way. Instead, it makes for some of the show's most uproarious and memorable scenes. We bet your gut will ache from all the ha-ha-ing you'll do watching
Psych, and if so don't blame us: You've been warned.
Who's who: P.I. Shawn Spencer (James Roday) is the man with the not-so-psychic mettle who solves cases using his sharp intuition and specializes in getting himself and partner Gus (Dulé Hill) in deep doo-doo. Detectives Carlton "Lassie" Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) and Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) are the cops they simultaneously try to impress, assist and beat at their own jobs. Shawn's father, Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen), is a retired cop who trained Shawn since youth to hone his keen eye for detail. His former P.D. colleague, police chief Vick (Kirsten Nelson) cracks the whip at the police station these days - albeit gently - and helps keep the crime-solvers she both employs
and endures on task amidst their verbal jousts and blunders.
What's next: The season premiere brings us a whirlwind (no, really - think lady hurricane) visit from the wife Shawn is surprised to learn Gus has. Later on, the guys take on one loco murder case when someone's found dead on the set of a telenovela. Shawn's dad might even be looking for love when he goes on a date with a woman played by Bernsen's real-life wife, Amanda Pays. And speaking of love, despite the midseason finale's
kiss "very close talking," don't hold your breath for Shawn and Juliet - it's just not in the cards. For
this season, anyway.
Say what?!: Is this show bananas? Nope, just pineapples. After Roday improvised a hilarious quip using a pineapple in the show's pilot, the
Psych crew tries working a reference to the tropical fruit into the show as often as possible. Pineapple smoothie, anyone?
What do you say? Do you think it would be a good idea for Shawn and Juliet to get together? Will Gus ever find a lady love? Or the thing on everyone's mind: Will Shawn ever get caught with his psychic pants down? -
Sandra Kofler Use our Online Video Guide to find past episodes of
Psych as well as "see into the future" with new clips.
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