Carstairs Considers....: TV Show Review: psych

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

TV Show Review: psych - Season 3

Stars: 5 out of 5
Pros: Goofy fun to make you laugh; light mysteries are fun

Cons: None

The Bottom Line:

A great sitcom with

Mysteries thrown in to boot

You'll have tons of fun

"I Am Getting Some Serious Jive and It Is Fly."

I don't watch nearly the number of sitcoms I used to. I miss them. But for my money the best comedy on TV right now is psych. This mystery/comedy show makes me laugh week after week as I puzzle out the solution to the mystery. And it just gets stronger in the third season.

It follows the adventures and misadventures of Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and his best friend Gus (Dule Hill) as they solve cased for the Santa Barbara police. The catch? Shawn has convinced them he gets the clues he uses not because of his keen powers of observation (the truth) but because he is a psychic. While the chief of police Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson) and detective Juliette O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) appear to believe him, head detective Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) is opening disbelieving. Rounding out the cast is Corbin Bernsen as Shawn's dad Henry. Henry knows the truth but plays along reluctantly, sometimes for his own reasons.

This season finds Shawn and Gus taking on some of their wackiest cases yet. They get involved in the death of a sea lion. Gus is held captive in a bank robbery gone bad. There's murder at the roller derby and among stunt men. They go on a treasure hunt. The camp they attended as a kid is being haunted by a serial killer (in a great Friday the 13th spoof called "Tuesday the 17th"). In the annual Christmas episode, the duo take on the case of a jailed Santa who turns out to be a con man. And the show takes on a 70's theme when Henry's first conviction is overturned on a technicality and he asks his son to help put the criminal back behind bars.

The writers have become very adept at crafting good mysteries. I might have some idea where the story is going, but I don't have everything figured out before Shawn fills us in at the end. Yet the solutions are never so illogical that I am shaking my head.

But the real reason I look forward to the show so much is the comedy. There is the fast paced dialogue between Shawn and Gus, the wit, the random 80's references, and the physical comedy as Shawn and Gus react to situations. Honestly, I figure that James and Dule must be exhausted by the end of a day of filming after all the high energy their parts require. Heck, you can get some of the humor just by looking at the titles. My favorite has to be the football themed episode "Any Given Friday Night at 10PM, 9PM Central." I'll give you one guess what time this show normally airs.

As you might have already guessed, I find the acting to be wonderful. I can't imagine anyone besides James Roday and Dule Hill in the leads. They absolutely make the show. The rest of the cast often acts as straight men, but they do it very well. And if the writers do give them a chance for comedy, they shine just as much as the leads. Cybil Shepherd shows up a few times as Shawn's mother, a character we've only heard about before. She adds a good dynamic to the cast as well.

The only flaw this season has is the season finale, "An Evening with Mr. Yang." This episode takes on a serious note as someone Shawn cares about is kidnapped by a serial killer who wants Shawn to play the killer's mind games. It's just too serious. It works okay for one episode, but this show is at its best when it is being nothing but goofy.

Just as you can't go wrong with the show, you can't go wrong with the DVD set. All sixteen episodes are presented here on 4 discs in their native widescreen and full surround. Extras include deleted scenes, the gag reel, the psychouts presented at the end of the episodes, and 6 commentaries by cast and crew.

If you love to laugh, be sure get psych's third season. You'll be laughing before you know what hit you.

Season 3 Episodes:

1. Ghosts

2. Murder?...Anyone?...Anyone?...Bueller?

3. Daredevils!

4. The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable

5. Disco Didn't Die. It Was Murdered!

6. There Might be Blood

7. Talk Derby to Me

8. Gus Walks into a Bank

9. Christmas Joy

10. Six Feet Under the Sea