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Psych: Right Turn or Left For Dead

"I think, no, I know I need space."

Now, Psych, this is what I'm talkin' about. You were funny. The mystery was mysterious. This was a good episode, the best since the winter season began. Now let me expand on that. C'mon, son!

Juliette was not psyched that Shawn was lying all these many years about being a psychic. This episode gave us a "what if?" to play with starting with that night. It posed the question: what if Shawn didn't give his jacket to his cop galpal and instead stole the Captain's pashmina for her at the reception (of the world's weirdest or at least most heavily armed wedding...). And so the mystery of the week -- who stabbed these two guys in the woods and some Swedish lady -- unfolded in two side-by-side stories: one where Shawn and Jules had their fight, and one where they didn't. It seemed to be a tribute to some kind of Swedish film kind of thing, but, I'm not up enough on it to know. Someone fill me in.

Anyhow, what I loved about this was the jokes totally landed. Even when Shawn was distraught, he was still wisecracking -- and was funny. His banter with Gus: funny. The side things they had Gus doing (or going through...): funny. When Psych is funny, any other problems are forgivable.

And I also liked how the "good" version of the story was so obviously Shawn's fantasy of what might have been, because it was just way too sugary sweet. Also, good pacing, with no attempt to make each story get equal screen time. We knew which one was real, and that was the more interesting mystery. The mystery itself was a solid B... B minus, maybe. But it kept my interest.

I also liked that Juliette didn't go totally off the deep-end and Shawn didn't totally fall apart. They haven't really broken up, they're just in, like, their biggest fight ever. I continue to wonder why the show hired Parminder Nagra to play Rachel given she has not been integrated decently into one single episode. What's the deal with that, son?

Maybe my favorite little nuance was how Shawn spent a lot of time alone, though Gus had his back (I don't think he would run off like he did at the end, even though he is a big baby...) He is sort of in a weird place in his life and it felt like it.

Psych, you reaffirmed my faith in you. I still think next season is going to be one too many, but, we'll see...

Psychlights:

The all-Swedish bar was so bizarre and didn't really make sense -- why would a bunch of Swedes speak English to each other -- but it was very funny, probably for both those reasons.

Good Henry/Shawn conflict over Shawn's screw up with Juliette.

Jeffrey Tambor for the continuity/recurring character win!

Shawn and Gus describing the hospital that the Swedish crazy was going to be taken to: "lol"

Surprising Seinfeld reference.

Dig the basset hound; could have been schticky, but worked.

See you next week,
Beth

3 comments:

  1. I have a question! Will there be retro Psych reviews coming along eventually?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I really enjoyed this episode and thought the way the two stories wove together was fun and interesting.

    I really hope they bring our two together again soon. I think they are both stronger when they are together and it makes me sad to see Shawn sad.

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  3. I didn't find the episode particularly funny, but I really liked the crime of the week. It's been a while since we've had a decent one.

    The breakup is just not landing for me. Maybe because Maggie Lawson and James Roday are still together irl.

    ReplyDelete

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