Psychilicious! Shawn and Gus are back!

There aren’t too many shows these days where I anxiously await a new season of episodes. In fact, I can count them on one hand. There’s Doctor Who, Chuck, Eureka, Big Bang Theory, and … wait for it … Psych. Out of all of these, Psych is probably the first on my list. So, thank the television gods above (otherwise known as NBC Universal), the series is returning on Friday night for a fourth season.

I won’t reveal too much about the premiere episode in this post — I’d rather you watch for yourself. However, I will say this: everything is status quo. Oh, Shawn may have a new girlfriend, and he and Jules have a new understanding of each other (after the actions of last season’s finale), and Lassie is sporting a very short, but natty, hair style. Other than that, the show is the same as it was in season two or three.

Except for one thing….

The first episode doesn’t take place in Santa Barbara. To begin season four, Shawn and Gus travel all the way to the city of Vancouver. Which really isn’t such a big trip since the show is filmed in that British Columbia city (The Hollywood of the Great Northwest). So, really, they haven’t gone anywhere at all, have they? Then again, this is the first time since the show started that the Dynamic Duo have traveled outside of the several mile radius of Santa Barbara. So, I guess that means something!

There’s also no murder this time around. Instead, Shawn and Gus go up against an international art thief, played by Cary Elwes. Elwes is particularly good in this role as he lays on the suave English charm while playing a game of cat-and-mouse with the Psych detectives. What’s also interesting is how he ends up stealing these prized pieces of artwork without anyone noticing. Of course, we don’t find that out until Shawn’s “Big Reveal” at the end of the episode.

In addition to the usual quips and jabs between Shawn and Gus (and Shawn and Lassie, Shawn and Jules, and Shawn and British Columbia), there are plenty of pop culture references in this episode, including a not-so-veiled mention of the CBS series The Mentalist. There’s also a good bit of Lassie and Jules, which is a problem for Shawn. It seems young Mr. Spencer isn’t quite sure how to handle his relationship with Detective O’Hara after she expressed feelings for him last season. You’ll just have to tune in to see how they work it out.

Heck, even the modern-day Henry Spencer shows up to help in his gruff, yet compassionate, way. If I had one problem with this episode it’s the following: Young Shawn is not so young anymore. So, they better start moving those dates up during the cold open. Or, as I think they may have done, remove the date entirely. If not, we’re going to see an 18-year-old Young Shawn still in 1987.

Okay, now sit back and wait for the Psych’s season premiere to begin. And folks, don’t go all crazy if this first episode isn’t to your liking. It’s just because you haven’t seen it in six months. Let your brain shutdown a bit and the good feelings will return.

Clacked by Richard Keller
on Aug 06, 2009 @ 15:00 EST5EDT