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Watercooler: Psych Slays Us with Some Help from the Original Buffy

Leave it to Shawn and Gus to find the sharpest way possible to stick it to the vampire craze.Last night, the perfect storm of crime fighting and pop-culture comedy that is Psych served up a bloodsucker-centric scream that flowed with bloody goodness like a severed vein. Perfectly (and misleadingly) titled "This Episode Sucks," the hour first won us over with the guest spot by Kristy Swanson, the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer, here ...

Damian Holbrook

Leave it to Shawn and Gus to find the sharpest way possible to stick it to the vampire craze.
Last night, the perfect storm of crime fighting and pop-culture comedy that is Psych served up a bloodsucker-centric scream that flowed with bloody goodness like a severed vein. Perfectly (and misleadingly) titled "This Episode Sucks," the hour first won us over with the guest spot by Kristy Swanson, the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer, here playing the main suspect in the murder of a man completely drained of his blood. To tweak a phrase from that flick, we weren't mad or disappointed to see her having so much fun.
And while she looked great and was clearly game for the goofiness this show excels at, Swanson was but one of "Sucks" bits of awesome. There was also a cameo by Lost Boys survivor Corey Feldman (complete with the musical strains of "Cry Little Sister" from that kick-ass gem of '80s cinema), a turn by Tom Lenk, who previously did some damage as Andrew on TV's Buffy, and more nods to vamp movies than you could shake a wooden stake at.
In fact, we gotta give major props to James Roday for directing the episode with such smarts that he was able to pull off so many undead gags and still fit in a story with an actual beating heart. It's not every day you get Lassiter looking for love, as Blacula and Lestat banter about True Blood, Dracula 2000 and Count Chocula. Hell, there was even a shout out to TB's Alexander Skarsgard and a scene straight out of The Strangers, which isn't about vampires, but is still one of the most messed up horror movies ever. Seriously, don't watch that thing alone or at night. It's as wrong as this episode was right-on.
So did you sink your teeth into Psych last night? Wasn't it a scream?
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