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Tested with VLC on PC and also on Xbox 360 using Playon server to stream content.
Psych is an American crime/mystery comedy television series that premiered on July 7, 2006 on USA Network. It is the network's longest running current original series. It stars James Roday as Shawn Spencer who uses his eidetic memory with the observational and investigative skills that his father ingrained in him during childhood to fake being a psychic who consults with the Santa Barbara Police Department to solve cases, as well as running a psychic detective agency called Psych. He is (reluctantly) helped in his charade by his best friend, Burton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill), and his father, Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen). He generally works with police detectives Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) and Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) and under the direction of Police Chief Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson).
Episodes usually begin with a flashback to Shawn's youth, showcasing one of Henry's lessons for his son. These lessons are typically used or applied later in the episode.
A sixth season of the show, consisting of 16 episodes, premiered on October 12, 2011.
Overview
Most episodes begin with a cold open in the form of a flashback. These flashbacks show that Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen) wished that his son would follow in his footsteps and become a law enforcement officer. In preparation, Henry helps Shawn hone his powers of observation and deduction, often using games and challenges to test him. Each flashback also sets the theme for the episode, based on the challenge Shawn's father presents him.
Shawn (James Roday) originally becomes known as a psychic when, after calling in tips on dozens of crime covered on the news, which help the police to close the case, the police become suspicious of his knowledge. The police theorize that such knowledge could only come from the "inside" and they decide to arrest him as a suspect. To avoid being sent to jail, Shawn uses his observational skills to convince the police that he is psychic. The interim police chief warns Shawn that if his "powers" are fake, he will be prosecuted. With no choice but to keep up the act, and having proven himself an effective aid to the police in solving crimes, he establishes a psychic detective agency, Psych, and becomes a consultant to the police. Pretending to have psychic powers allows him to engage in strange and comic behavior as he turns real clues into hunches and otherworldly visitations. He enjoys teasing lifelong friend Gus, a pharmaceutical representative, about Gus's eclectic interests.
Head detective Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), playfully named "Lassie" by Shawn and Gus, quietly respects Shawn's crime-solving skills but doubts his psychic abilities and is constantly exasperated by his antics. On the contrary, junior detective Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) and Chief Vick (Kirsten Nelson) are far less antagonistic – with O'Hara expressing belief in Shawn's abilities, while Vick is mum on the subject – and usually willing to give Shawn the leeway he needs to solve cases. Henry and Shawn have a difficult relationship, but despite this, Henry reluctantly helps Shawn on various occasions.
Main characters
Shawn Spencer (James Roday) is a freelance consultant with the Santa Barbara Police Department, pretending to be a psychic. However, it is really his exceptional observational skills and eidetic memory that allow him to obtain his "visions". He refuses to take anything seriously, though has matured slowly throughout the seasons. He has had romantic tension with Juliet since they met, which led them to start dating in the middle of season 5.
Burton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill) is Shawn's best friend and business partner. He also is a pharmaceuticals salesman. Unlike Shawn, he takes his work very seriously, and usually tries to act professionally, yet usually ends up as invested in jokes and snacks as Shawn is. He is famous for his many aliases (usually given to him by Shawn), including "Magic Head", "Lavender Gooms", "Ghee Buttersnaps", and "Control Alt Delete". He is known for being attracted to all types of females, who usually end up as the prime suspect.
Carlton "Lassie" Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) is the head detective for the Santa Barbara Police Department. He is skeptical of Shawn's psychic abilities, and is extremely annoyed by Shawn's comic antics. However, he occasionally must come to Psych for help with his more difficult cases.
Juliet "Jules" O'Hara (Maggie Lawson) is a junior detective for the Santa Barbara Police Department, and is Lassiter's partner. She joined the SBPD after Lassiter's old partner got transferred in season 1, and was originally a cop in Miami. Throughout the series she and Shawn share constant romantic tension, and the two start dating in season 5.
Chief Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson) is the SBPD Chief. She is tough but fair, usually reluctant to hire Shawn and Gus for cases, but almost always gives in. She respects Shawn's help and input but firmly keeps him in check (as much as she can) when he pushes the limits of the law or her patience.
Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen) is Shawn's uptight and precise father and a former police sergeant. He is usually visited by Shawn with questions about various cases, but is usually reluctant to help. He has been rehired to the SBPD to be in charge of the department's consultants, much to Shawn's chagrin. At the end of Season 6, Henry quit the SBPD and then was shot by a former police partner in the season's cliffhanger ending.
"Extradition: British Columbia" Steve Franks Steve Franks August 7, 2009
While on vacation in Vancouver, Shawn and Gus are suddenly on the trail of elusive art thief Pierre Despereaux (Cary Elwes). Since Lassiter has been trying to arrest this criminal for years, he and Juliet arrive in Canada as well, and Shawn believes that this thief has pulled off the perfect crime, until he realizes what's really going on.
"He Dead" Michael McMurray Saladin K. Patterson August 14, 2009
The private jet of billionaire hedge fund manager Warren Clayton crashes in a forest. Shawn and Gus manage to find him first and are asked to fulfill his dying wish: to find out who killed him. His widow (Christine Baranski) is one of the suspects, and as Shawn digs deeper, he uncovers more than a murder. At the same time, Abigail (Rachael Leigh Cook) insists on meeting Henry, which Shawn isn't ready for due to their complicated relationship.
"High Noon-ish" Mel Damski Kell Cahoon August 21, 2009
An Old West tourist attraction called Old Sonora, run by Sheriff Hank Mendel (James Brolin), is in danger of being shut down due to sabotage. Since Lassiter is very fond of the town - he spent many weekends there as a child - he enlists Shawn and Gus to investigate.
"The Devil's in the Details... and the Upstairs Bedroom" John Badham Bill Callahan August 28, 2009
A college girl commits suicide at a Catholic University. While Shawn believes it to be mere suicide, Father Westley (Ray Wise) - one of the professors at the school - and Gus are convinced the girl was demon-possessed. Although he is skeptical towards that idea, Shawn decides to play along, until the case takes a turn.
"Shawn Gets the Yips" Tawnia McKiernan Kell Cahoon & Bill Callahan September 11, 2009
As Shawn, Gus, Lassiter, and Juliet are celebrating Buzz McNab's birthday in a police bar, somebody attempts to rob the place and engages in a gunfight with Lassiter. It is believed that the incident was a random attempt at robbery until Shawn reveals that the gunman (Stephen Lang) was targeting a cop.
"Bollywood Homicide" Jay Chandrasekhar Steve Franks & Anupam Nigam September 18, 2009
A young East Indian man named Raj (Sendhil Ramamurthy) believes he is cursed when all of his serious girlfriends have met with suspicious accidents. Shawn and Gus decide to figure out what the real problem is, and Juliet also gets involved in a big way. For Shawn, solving the case is a chance to get back at Lassiter for embarrassing him in front of Abigail (Rachael Leigh Cook).
"High Top Fade-Out" Stephen Surjik Saladin K. Patterson & James Roday September 25, 2009
The death of Leonard "Diddle" Callahan, a computer cryptologist who was the baritone in Gus’s old college a cappella group, is suspected of being murdered by the other two members (Jaleel White and Kenan Thompson). Although they both had a falling out with Gus, they ask Shawn to investigate, but he and Gus find themselves stonewalled at every turn by the police, and later, an undercover agent for the FBI (Tony Todd).
"Let's Get Hairy" Andrew Bernstein Todd Harthan & James Roday October 9, 2009
A man named Stewart Gimbley (Joshua Malina) believes he is a werewolf, so he offers Shawn and Gus three times their normal rate to tie him up and observe him. Unfortunately, they fall asleep and wake up to find Stewart missing, their window broken, and a tuft of animal hair. Their investigation leads them to a psychiatrist (David Naughton) and a Wiccan (Larisa Oleynik), each with possible secrets.
"Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark" Mel Damski Andy Berman October 16, 2009
Gus, O'Hara, and Lassiter, arrive at a vehicle storage yard after receiving a message from Shawn. They realize he's been shot and abducted, so Henry works with Lassiter to find him, while Gus tries to remember the details of the case. Shawn realizes that his abduction is part of something much bigger after speaking with his kidnappers (Michael Rooker and John Hawkes).
"You Can't Handle This Episode" Mel Damski Andy Berman January 27, 2010
Shawn deduces that a U.S. Army Private who was found hanged was the victim of foul play, and Juliet calls in her brother Ewan (John Cena), a former soldier who has DOD Security Clearance to help them get on the Army base. Unfortunately, Shawn comes into conflict with Juliet over his hunch that Ewan is somehow more deeply involved with the murder. As the case proceeds, Abigail (Rachael Leigh Cook) has some unwelcome news for Shawn.
"Thrill Seekers and Hell-Raisers" Mel Damski Kell Cahoon & Saladin K. Patterson February 3, 2010
Gus reveals his new girlfriend Ruby (Sarah Shahi) to Shawn, who hasn't forgotten Gus' poor track record with women - he drunkenly got married to a crazy woman in 1997 - but immediately takes a liking to Ruby. Shawn and Gus join Ruby and her friends (Stacy Keibler and Steve Howey) on a river-rafting trip, and when one of them goes missing, Shawn figures out two things: it was no accident, and Ruby was somehow involved. Gus learns the truth, and is soon put in a compromising position.
"A Very Juliet Episode" Steve Franks Steve Franks & Tim Meltreger February 10, 2010
In 2003, Juliet made a pact with her boyfriend Scott Seaver (Josh Braaten) to meet up in seven years. After he fails to show up, Shawn finds him, and by extension endangers his life since he was a key witness against mobster J.T. Waring (Arnold Vosloo), who was convicted for the murder of a U.S. Marshal. When Waring denies killing the Marshal, Shawn must prove him right in order to protect Scott.
"Death Is in the Air" Stephen Surjik Bill Callahan & Anupam Nigam February 17, 2010
A courier named Donny Lieberman (Ernie Grunwald) loses a cooler containing the deadly Thornburg virus, so he asks Shawn and Gus to help him find it, and Shawn realizes that the same lab that Donny was working for is somehow involved. Luckily, they get help from Dr. Steven Reidman (Judd Nelson), the foremost expert on the virus who also expresses interest towards Santa Barbara's favorite psychic. In the race to stop an outbreak, Shawn has an epiphany concerning Juliet.
"Think Tank" Stephen Surjik Andy Berman & Steve Franks February 24, 2010
Shawn and Gus are recruited into a think tank to help prevent the murder of business tycoon Ashton Bonaventure (Chris Sarandon). While Shawn doesn't shine in the group, he figures out that someone in the think tank was using it to figure out ways to kill Bonaventure, so he manages to be put in charge of his security and re-assembles the remaining members to help him prevent the assassination attempt.
"The Head, the Tail, the Whole Damn Episode" Matt Shakman Steve Franks & Tim Meltreger March 3, 2010
A shark attack victim washes up onshore, and Lassiter notices what appears to be a knife wound on the body. With that, he thinks that the victim was actually murdered, which impresses Shawn since it's a theory that he would come up with. Meanwhile, Henry begins flirting with a shark expert (Jeri Ryan) and a fisherman (Michael Hogan) lends Shawn and Gus a hand.
"Mr. Yin Presents..." James Roday Andy Berman & James Roday March 10, 2010
As Mr. Yang's (Ally Sheedy) book is released, Shawn and Gus meet up with Mary Lightly (Jimmi Simpson), who believes that Yang had a partner (Christopher Turner), and he turns out to be right when a dead body (Beverley Turner) turns up. As another murder is committed, Shawn, Gus, Juliet, Lassiter, and Henry find themselves in scenarios from classic Hitchcock films in order to stop Yin. Just like Yang, Mr. Yin makes it personal when Abigail (Rachael Leigh Cook) is dragged into his game. However, she is not the only victim...
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