One of the best shows left on television was on for six years before I discovered it on Netflix. Psych is a fabulous, funny, crazy, quirky comedy/mystery series shown on USA cable network and set in Santa Barbara CA. (Like so many shows these days, however, it's filmed in Vancouver BC.)
Before I discovered Psych -- all 6 seasons are on Netflix instant watch -- I hadn't heard of either lead actor, James Roday or Dule Hill, who play best friends since childhood, Shawn and Gus, respectively. There hasn't been a duo that puts forth more energy and just plain good acting in decades. And the scripts, fast-paced and always dealing with unusual mysteries and murders, keep us guessing right to the end. In between the lines, there's a lot of obscurity.
Shawn is a psychic detective (sort of) for the Santa Barbara Police Department, and Gus, a pharmaceuticals salesman, is his partner, and sometimes straight man, in the escapades. They're constantly in trouble with the police department and the bad guys. Always on the lookout for free food, they eat at crime scenes, at the morgue, wherever they can find food, usually in the form of snacks -- Doritos, churros, pizza cheese fries, jerk chicken, chalupas, smoothies. Pineapple in various forms appears in each episode.
Shawn and Gus recite obscure quotes from 80s movies and compare people they meet to 80s actors. A romance develops between Shawn and Juliet, a policewoman on the SB force. The actors Roday and Maggie Lawson, who plays Juliet, are real-life romantic partners, which might add to the authenticity of the various scenes between the two of them although the romance part, thankfully, is kept to a minimum.
I could write a lot more about this favorite show of mine, but it's one of those things that you have to see for yourself. No one can tell you about all the innuendos, subtle jokes and the obvious ad libs that combine with everything else to make the show such an all-around hit. You know that's right.
Season 7 starts on USA cable this Wednesday night, Feb. 27, but you've got to watch all 6 seasons on Netflix first. I don't know if this season will be as good as the rest, however, so far, season 6 is the best. Seeing how those guys operate, and the rest of the crew too, I have no doubt I'll play season 7 over and over on my DVR. Supposedly, they'll make a season 8 and that probably will be it because there's just so long two 30-something guys can act so childish and hilarious and not be resigned to maturity.
I'm so happy I found Psych because the selection out there, on TV or Netflix, is pretty dismal. It will be a long time before another series comes along that entertains me as much as this one. By the way, my favorite episode is Last Night Gus, #2 of season 6, and the whackiest scene with Shawn and Gus is in episode #9 of season 1. It'll psych you out in the end.
