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Psych: Juliet Takes A Luvvah

"Home should be wherever you are, and the dogs we're going to get relatively soon."

After a bit of a dark season opener, Psych's second Season 7 episode –- thankfully -- took things a little wackier. Besides the crime of the week, there was a nice little undercurrent of personal change -- moving in, moving on, pairing off. The episode may be remembered as “the episode where one or maybe two major things happen." It was a pretty good hour and I laughed. I don't like Psych when I don't laugh. It makes me angry, in fact -- and you wouldn't like me when I'm angry... You all got that Hulk reference, right? Bruce Banner, Bill Bixby? Old school. I was joking, though. I'm really a very nice person even when I'm mad... All right, I'll just move on... Let's do this.

The murders in this episode happened off-screen. Juliet went undercover at a dating service as bait for the online killer. There were two running jokes with this: Shawn's discomfort with Jules' “dating” and Juliet's consternation she wasn't attracting the most popular guy on the site-- who was also the suspected killer. In the end, the case was resolved as one of those “nerd takes revenge on all the women who dumped him for the hot guy” things.

I have to say -- some turns were super-predictable: that one guy was just giving Juliet a necklace, Gus' new “gf “wasn't the killer. (I mean, we all know Parminder Nagra is going to be on recurring and be “the one” for him, soooo, that wasn't exactly suspenseful.) And the clue that Shawn zeroed in on - the head shape in the cropped photos the killer put on his profile? That was a little last minute tacky-onny. But the actual killer's identity surprised me (and it shouldn't have, probably), and I appreciated how it was ultimately wrapped up by Jules' quick thinking and kicking butt, and not by cops charging in with guns drawn. That gets a bit old.

The focus on this episode, though, was definitely on the personal stuff, but not in an annoying way. Shawn had to deal with a lot: his dad's recovering, his mom's stopping in to help his dad, temporarily living with them both, and then his walking in on his mom and dad while they were....well, you know. He also had the shocking task of dealing with Gus dating a girl who might actually be right for him. Or as Gus said “neither a killer nor about to be killed” - or something to that effect. This was a big deal for Shawn: we know how our detective partners get when one of them gets a real girlfriend. Gus went through a rough patch back when Shawn and Juliette got together (is there some cute blendy name for them I should know about: Shaliette? Juawn?)

We'll be seeing more of Rachel and more Shawn's attempts to cope with her new presence in their lives.

Oh, and then there was the thing where she, you know, has a kid.

Annnd, the biggest move of all: Shawn and Jules (Shalette? Shules? “I've heard it both ways...”) are moving in together. Usually when characters do that, my first thought is “Whatever. Trying to save on rent and gas money spent on booty calls isn't romantic.” But in Shawn's case, this was a huge deal. And we all know – and they both know - they're together “4eva” anyhow. So, it was a nice step.

It's going to be an interesting season, friends.

Psychlights:

I liked seeing Shawn be (a) on his own and at a loss for someone to talk to –- mainly because he was being so immature to everyone else -- which was funny and in character and led to his growing some (b) wrong about the killer –- twice. Or three times. Because each was funny, and each showed Shawn was off his game –- which made sense given everything going on in his life – including his three usual partners Gus, Jules or Henry – all being sidelined.

Did anyone else note that “medium pace” comment when Lassie and Shawn were in their “lovers” embrace and think it was an Adam Sandler comedy routine reference? I'm not proud I caught that.

The thing about Psych jabbing The Mentalist in this episode was, it wasn't just a little “inside joke” reference –- because, at this point, Psych knows that would have been really old. Instead, Shawn really went off defending The Mentalist. And the exaggeration there made it funny.

I hope Henry doesn't go soft. His toughness and insights are a good counter to Shawn's silliness. And if the Season 7 premiere made me realize anything, it's that Rambo Shawn isn't very funny.

I'm liking Maddie and Henry, but, let's not overdo it on the cutesy Mom/Goose stuff.

Rachel can stay. Just enough spark with Gus and just enough spunk vs. Shawn. Though, if you're online dating and have a kid, don't you say that upfront so you don't fall for a guy who is dead against stepdadding? Speaking of the kid, let's just not overdo it with Maximus. (Wait for the Brady Bunch/Oliver reference. You and I both know there will be one...)

I loved Gus' sincere wannabe tough guy routine when he thought Jules was stepping out on Shawn-- followed by Shawn's “That's my bro, sonnnn” reaction in the surveillance van.

Good episode. I should probably score it by Pineapples or something, but, I've never been good at math...or spikey tropical fruit.

-Beth

5 comments:

  1. Welcome to the site, Beth! And hooray for Psych reviews--now I have to watch more. (I've only seen the Twin Peaks episode.)

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  2. really happy to see psych reviews on this site!

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  3. Shules is the couple name I've seen the most. Great review! And so happy we're getting Psych reviews here!

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  4. Great review of a good episode. It's about time that both Shawn and Gus move on and have relationships with people other than each other. Not sure about the son, though. That may have been a step too far.

    Loved the fact that Juliette took down the killer on her own. There is one tough cookie under all that sweetness.

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  5. Hating Juliette's new haircut. Her hair is way too thick to look good with a cut that blunt. Layers, girl. Layers.

    I love the continuity they've shown with Jules undercover. She always gets way too into it. Every single time.

    Josie - The Twin Peaks ep was one of their all time bests. :)

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