If you haven’t watched “Psych”, you are definitely missing out. “Psych”, first airing in 2006 on USA Network, follows the antics of hyper-observant man-child Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez), who claims to be a psychic to avoid being arrested. Shawn, dragging along his best friend and pharmaceutical sales rep Burton “Gus” Guster (Dulé Hill), opens a fake psychic detective agency, known as Psych, and works as a consultant for the Santa Barbara Police Department. Detectives Juliet O’Hara (Maggie Lawson) and Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) form the other half of the team. Like most shows, Psych featured several spooky and paranormal episodes, complete with ghosts, werewolves, aliens, vampires, and haunted houses. They offer perfect viewing for the Halloween season.
“Psych” Goes Paranormal (“Psych” Halloween Watch Guide)
“Who Ya Gonna Call?” (Season 1, Episode 7)
A ghost seemingly appears to be haunting a man by rearranging rooms and his personal items then upping the antics to arson.
“Scary Sherry: Bianca’s Toast” (Season 1, Episode 15)
The recent death of a student mimics the urban legend of a woman, who years earlier jumped from the window of a spooky psychiatric hospital.
“Shawn (And Gus) of the Dead” (Season 2, Episode 16)
A mummy appears to have returned to life, wreaks havoc in a museum, and potentially murders someone.
“Ghosts” (Season 3, Episode 1)
Gus’s boss at the pharmaceutical company threatens to fire him because of his work with Psych. Later he hires Gus and Shawn to determine the cause of some ghostly occurrences in his house.
“Tuesday the 17th” (Season 3, Episode 15)
Shawn and Gus return to a camp they attended as kids to investigate some mysterious happenings. A violent thunderstorm sets in, cell phone service is lost, and the counselors start getting murdered. The murderer is among them.
“The Devil is in the Details…And the Bedroom Upstairs” (Season 4, Episode 4)
The duo investigates the death of a student at a Catholic college. Another student, who witnessed the death, then appears to be possessed.
“Let’s Get Hairy” (Season 4, Episode 8)
Shawn and Gus protect a man who believes he’s a werewolf.
“Not Even Close…Encounters” (Season 5, Episode 3)
A lawyer claims his assistant was abducted by aliens. Shawn and Gus make fools of themselves attempting to explain the extraterrestrial happenings.
“In Plain Fright” (Season 5, Episode 11)
A man is murdered on a haunted house ride during Fright Night. Shawn witnesses the murder but has a hard time proving it, especially when the murderer appears to be a teenager killed on a ride several years prior.
“This Episode Sucks” (Season 6, Episode 3)
Victims are found, with puncture marks on their wrists and their blood drained. Shawn and Gus believe the woman Lassiter has fallen for might just be a vampire.
“Heeeeere’s Lassie” (Season 6, Episode 11)
Lassiter moves into a new apartment building, and things start to get weird. He sees creepy twins in the hallway. His furniture is mysteriously stacked on his table. His bathroom light fills with blood. And there’s something not quite right about his neighbor Rose Marie, who has yet to have her baby.
“Lassie Jerky” (Season 7, Episode 3)
Shawn and Gus join a pair of college students as they attempt to hunt down Big Foot. But is there something hunting them instead?
“100 Clues” (Season 7, Episode 5)
Shawn gets an invitation from an unknown host to attend a dinner party at a local mansion. While there, a body turns up, and the team must find clues as to who the murderer is. Maybe there are different murderers, who used different methods of murder.
“A Touch of Sweevil” (Season 8, Episode 8)
Shawn and Gus attend a conference for paranormal crime fighters. While Shawn and Gus give themselves an over-the-top introduction to the stage. The moderator drops dead. Working with a ghost interpreter and a Wiccan, the duo sort through paranormal clues to solve this murder.
“A Nightmare on State Street” (Season 8, Episode 9)
Diving into his psyche, Gus can’t tell what is real and what is a nightmare. The zombies might provide some clues, but it’s hard to tell.
Psych aired for eight seasons and produced a musical and three movies, with the third (advertised as “the sequel to the sequel”), Psych 3: This is Gus, set to release on Peacock on November 18th. Throughout its eight seasons, Psych features innumerable and ridiculous nicknames for Gus (Gus T.T. Showbiz, Ovaltine Jenkins, Lavender Gooms, Longbranch Pennywhistle, Hollabackatcha, Doughnut Holschtein, and Brutal Hustler) and catchphrases (“Have you heard about Pluto? That’s messed up, right?” – Gus).
Playing on the fact that Shawn and Gus spent their formative years in the 80s and 90s, the series has all the pop culture references you could want and a soundtrack to match. It also features awesome guest stars: Curt Smith from Tears for Fears, Molly Ringwald, Freddie Prinze Jr., Jason Priestley, Judd Nelson, Corey Feldman, Billy Zane, Rachel Leigh Cook, Mira Sorvino, Anthony Michael Hall, Ally Sheedy, Cary Elwes, Christopher Lloyd, Val Kilmer, Josh Malina, Kenan Thompson, and Kerry Washington.
In its eight years, the majority of the episodes focused primarily on different murders or mysteries with unique storylines. One storyline follows an American Idol-esque competition, with Shawn and Gus performing “Shout” by Tears for Fears as Roland Ozabal and Thriller-era Michael Jackson, respectively. Another involves solving the murder of Shabby the Sea Lion. Yet another involves Gus and Detective Lassiter using tap dancing to clear their minds to solve a murder.
Psych also features Kirsten Nelson (Chief Karen Vick), Corbin Bernsen (Henry Spencer), and Kurt Fuller (Woody Strobe, the coroner).
“Psych”, “Psych: The Movie”, and “Psych 2: Lassie Come Home” are all streaming on Peacock. “Psych 3: This is Gus” premieres on November 18th.
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