"Psych" Review: It's Always Good to Have the Guys Back

Following a scripted show on basic cable can often be a little frustrating. Just as a season hits its groove, the show takes a break. Often the show comes back a few months later, but for just a few episodes before it’s gone again.

But if the characters are strong and the writing is solid, then it’s worth all of the starts and stops. And that is certainly the case with “Psych”…

If you’ve never watched it, “Psych” follows Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dule Hill), who help the Santa Barbara Police Department solve crimes through Shawn’s “psychic” skills. Of course, what the audience knows that the police don’t, is that Shawn is not psychic at all. He just has extraordinary powers of observation, which his father, Henry (Corbin Bernsen), honed all his life hoping Shawn would follow in his footsteps and become a cop. But now, Henry gets some satisfaction out of the fact that he is now in charge of any SBPD consultants—including Shawn and Gus. Rounding out the cast of characters are skeptical Head Detective Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) and his partner, Juliet O’Hara (Maggie Lawson).

When last we left Shawn and Gus back in the summer, Shawn was dealing with his longtime feelings for Juliet, while she was trying to choose between something with Shawn and going on a lavish trip with her new boyfriend. But when the Season 5.5 premiere begins, Shawn has other things on his plate as he and Gus have a trip to make themselves. They’ve been invited to visit the dashing art thief, Despereaux (guest star Cary Elwes), in prison by Despereaux himself. Gus, as usual, is skeptical and doesn’t want to go but Shawn drags him along because he actually admires the thief and wants to find out what’s going on.

But it turns out, as usual, that Gus is right to be skeptical because Despereaux actually uses the duo to pull off the perfect crime. But when that crime turns him into a murder suspect, Despereaux actually has to turn to Shawn and Gus for help.

I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. There is no other duo on TV with as much chemistry as Roday and Hill. It’s their rapid-fire banter that really makes this show work. At times, it can be a little too much, but in this episode it’s absolutely perfect as Hill gets off some really funny lines. And although the humor is the main component of the show, there is an actual case to be solved and the episode does a good job of helping you follow the clues along with Shawn.

But don’t worry. Shawn doesn’t forget about the Juliet situation. I don’t want to say whether you’ll like it or not because that will give away what happens. I’ll just let you guys use your own psychic powers on this one…

I have to say it’s always good to have Shawn and Gus back on TV—no matter how little they might be sticking around this time…

“Psych” premieres Wednesday, November 10th at 10 p.m. on USA…

Photo Credit: Alan Zenuk/USA