"Psych": The 10 Best Episodes
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Psych is one of those shows that fans cannot get enough of—and it is not hard to see why. Puzzle-solving and murder with humor instead of drama? Check. Loveable characters who you root for and laugh with? Check. Inside recurring jokes that make you feel part of something? Check. Even the title is too clever for its own good.
GUS: “You named your fake detective agency ‘Psych’? Why not just call it, ‘Hey, We're Fooling You and the Police Department, Hope We Don't Make a Mistake and Someone Dies Because of It’?”
SHAWN: ”First of all, Gus, that name is entirely too long. It would never fit on the window. And secondly, the best way to convince people you're not lying to them is to tell them you are.”
While Psych may have gone off the air in 2014, its legacy still holds on. Psych: the Movie hit in 2017 and the sequel is due to premiere in 2020. Needless to say, we Psych-o’s are still as excited as ever. That means it is time to catch up on the very best episodes.
Want to know where to watch? All 8 seasons of Psych are available on Amazon Prime Video. Sign up for a free 30-day trial.
10. Shawn Interrupted
In “Shawn Interrupted” (Season 6, Episode 6), Shawn and Gus go undercover in a mental hospital to prove that a man Lassiter arrested for murder, but who pleaded insanity and got off, is faking his mental illness. Meanwhile, Juliet fears the mental hospital will determine Shawn is truly insane. The episode spins off Girl, Interrupted and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, which seems like it would be depressing but ends up being surprisingly funny. Another highlight—Molly Ringwald guest stars.
Did you know there is a hidden pineapple in almost every episode of Psych? Look for the pineapple in this episode—it’s on the counter in the restaurant.
9. Tuesday the 17th
“Tuesday the 17th” (Season 3, Episode 15) pays obvious and hilarious homage to the slasher film Friday the 13th. Shawn and Gus are invited to return to a summer camp they attended as boys that has since closed to search for a woman that has gone missing before it reopens. When things start to get freaky, Shawn and Gus fumble through to solve the case, and as usual, Juliet shows up to save the day. Not only does this episode make fun of the conventions of horror films, it also charms you with the relationships between the characters. Case in point, when Shawn urges Juliet:
“If I'm not back in exactly four minutes, please go looking for me. But really start giving it some serious thought after two. And if you think that there is anything even slightly amiss after forty-five seconds, you're the leader here.”
Look for the pineapples—there’s a pineapple piñata, pineapple design on a teepee, pineapple inside the fridge, and pineapple above some shelves.
8. Deez Nups
Shawn and Gus throw Lassiter an impromptu bachelor party the day before his wedding. Unsurprisingly, they come upon a local mob boss and the party turns into a case to close before Lassiter walks down the aisle. If you are a fan of Psych, “Deez Nups” (Season 7, Episode 7) is an essential episode. It places all of your favorite characters in the most ridiculous of scenarios and also contains a big plot twist.
Look for the pineapple—it’s on the animated slot machine during one of Shawn's visions.
7. Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark
“Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark” (Season 4, Episode 9) starts with a bang as a mysterious text leads Gus and Juliet, as well as Lassiter and Henry, to search for missing Shawn. They soon find out he has gotten himself shot and kidnapped solving a case about an ice cream truck. This episode keeps you on the edge of your seat as everyone’s skills are put to the test in hopes of saving our beloved psychic detective.
Look for the pineapple—it’s on the doormat in Shawn's apartment.
6. Extradition: British Columbia
The first of four episodes guest starring Cary Elwes, “Extradition: British Columbia” (Season 4, Episode 1) follows Shawn and Gus on a ski vacation to Vancouver, Canada, where they run into elusive art thief Pierre Despereaux. Choosing this episode for the list was a tough call, considering the second of the Pierre Despereaux series brings Shawn and Juliet together (finally), and the third one recalls Indiana Jones. But in the end we went with the first, if nothing else because we love watching Shawn pretend to Gus this romantic vacation was completely normal and not a trip for him and Abigail gone awry.
Look for the pineapple—it’s on the balloons.
5. Dual Spires
You don’t have to be a Twin Peaks fan to enjoy this homage, “Dual Spires” (Season 5, Episode 12), though it does spoof the show in a spectacular way. Shawn and Gus receive a mysterious email inviting them to a Cinnamon festival in Dual Spires, a town barely visible on any map. Intrigued, they make the journey there only to find they were invited for good reason. We love this episode for many reasons, including that they get paid to investigate the case with cinnamon pie and cider.
Look for the pineapple—it’s in a fruit basket in the victim's house.
4. Heeeeere’s Lassie
“Heeeeere’s Lassie” (Season 6, Episode 11), in the middle of what we would deem the best season of Psych, follows Inspector Lassiter as he moves into a sinister new building and hires Shawn and Gus to investigate some strange happenings. Inspired by The Shining with a hint of Ghost Busters, you can’t help but smile as a drugged Lassiter loses his mind and attempts to impale Gus with a sword.
Look for the pineapple—there are slices on the ham in Lassie's welcome basket.
3. Last Night Gus
The top three episodes were a tough call, but “Last Night Gus” (Season 6, Episode 2) was a shoe in. As with many of the episodes, this one alludes to an outside source. This time: The Hangover. Shawn and Gus wake up the night after what started as a boring retirement party for a coworker they hardly knew and cannot remember what happened or how a man they befriended ended up murdered. They go on a mission to uncover what happened.
Look for the pineapple—they are on the drink glasses in Gus's apartment.
2. An Evening with Mr. Yang
Perhaps one of the most memorable episodes, “An Evening with Mr. Yang” (Season 3, Episode 16) is the first of a series of three that involve serial killers Yin and Yang. While all three have their own merits, we opted for the first one as the best. Shawn is targeted by Yang, a serial murderer reminiscent of the Zodiac Killer, who plots a series of puzzles for him to solve in order to save innocent lives. While it is one of the more dramatic episodes in the series, funny moments still shine through as relationships are tested and Shawn is pushed farther than he can handle on his own.
Look for the pineapple—it’s on Abagail's desk.
1. Office Space
While this one might rouse some debate, we chose what we consider the funniest Psych episode to come in first: “Office Space” (Season 7, Episode 11). Despite the title, it does not allude much to the movie of the same name except in that Gus’s regular pharmaceutical job is a real drag. Fed up with how his boss mistreats he and his coworkers, he decides to quit on a whim, then immediately regrets it. But when Gus goes in to apologize, he finds his boss has been murdered. A series of unfortunate accidents put him in line as the prime suspect and the rest of the episode is a frantic and hilarious scramble to cover his tracks and find the real killer. This is Psych at its finest.
Look for the pineapple—it’s on a scratch-n-sniff sticker.
Did we include your favorite episode in our Top 10? Let us know in the comments or on your favorite social site @makeadateofit
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