Best and Worst of Psych

[raven]

 

Spellingg Bee is the first episode I saw and therefore a sentimental favorite of mine

Though it's part of my "don't share the love list", I gotta agree, the way Shawn says Ba-Na-Na and a Yellow FRUIT will never NOT be funny!

 

Not Even Close Encounters was the first ep I saw, may be why I love it so much; Gus & Denny mimicking Shawn's "I have a clue" face, Gus being mistaken for Geordi LaForge, the Bigfoot stuff, nope, pretty much a funny episode all around :)

 

I guess I'm leaning more towards 4-6, but I haven't seen all episodes in all seasons yet.  I just watched "A Very Juliet Episode" for the first time the other day and really liked it - it was a little more serious, Maggie Lawson was very good in it and I'm glad they didn't make her ex a jerk, kind of like they did by having her brother be a military hero but involved in shady stuff.  There's a trend that seems to start in S4 to make Shawn overly heroic and physical (seriously? hanging onto the roof of a car and shooting a gun?) that bugs a bit.  They try to compensate by having him not be super tough but it still feels a little off balance.

 

I love it though!  Will post more thoughts as I hit more eps that are new to me.

Edited May 14, 2015 by raven

[bettername2come]

Though it's part of my "don't share the love list", I gotta agree, the way Shawn says Ba-Na-Na and a Yellow FRUIT will never NOT be funny!

 

I love when the girl asks to hear it in a sentence and his exasperated response of "Anna Banana would like to hear 'Venus' by Bananarama. Banana!"

[raven]

Some more thoughts as I begin S7:

 

Since I've been watching over the last few weeks, it's really S7 that the show changes a bit for the worse IMO. 

 

Too many jokes about Gus eating, too much action-hero Shawn and though I guess it's kind of inevitable in this type of show, too often the police (even Lassiter) come off looking kind of incompetent in order to prop up Shawn.  There was better balance in the earlier seasons. 

 

S6 for me had the last full batch of good ones "Last Night Gus" (any excuse to have the guys work together is great); "Amazing Psych-Man & Tap Man'; "In for a Penny" (though I don't like the retcon of Juliet's family life, bit more on that later); "The Tao of Gus" was especially fun, so was "Lover's Retreat" and "Indiana Shawn" - oh hell, I pretty much enjoy all of S6, except that Henry's history as a detective is trashed a bit in "Santabarbaratown" - I know they try to make up for it that the other guys were actively trying to keep him off the trail, but still, doesn't say much for his detective skills, which already got put down a bit in "Disco Didn't Die" from S3.

 

S7 feels a little more desperate to me;   Starts off strong with "Santabarbaratown 2" and though the episodes following all have good bits, things are off.  I like the introduction of Rachael but Shawn's behavior toward her is a bit much even for him; "Lassie Jerky" is one of my faves because of the gang's interactions, Bigfoot and the riffs on "Blair Witch" , Juliet being bad-ass but Gus eating food left in a tree (and eating what they thought was Lassie) was just way too much and make me love the ep just a little bit less. 

 

"No Country for Two Old Men" 's problem is because of Juliet's family story.  We can think that way back when Shawn told Juliet her parents had been happily married for over 20 years (proven not so with Shatner) that maybe it was her mother and stepfather, but in this episode Juliet talks about her mother's many "bad choices" and even lists them!  Bad form, continuity staff!  So though Henry with Juliet's stepfather having an adventure is fun, that part bothers me.

 

Have some more to watch in 7, I think I've seen them all at one time or another but it's fun to watch this way.

[amensisterfriend]

Has anyone's very favorite episodes and/or season rankings changed with rewatch?! I think High Noon-ish might be even higher up on my list of favorites than I had thought :) 

 

As for season rankings, it's a struggle since every season has tons of strengths AND a few episodes/things I don't love, but:

 

1) S2 (I've rewatched this season to the point where I'm probably a tad sick of it by now, but it's still nearly flawless TV for me!)

2) S1 (My opinion of this season fluctuates quite a bit, but right now I'm really loving it. There's a lot of the usual 'trying to find itself' clunkiness you get in the first season of most shows, but there's just such an amazing and contagiously fun energy here, and it features such classic moments for all of our core characters)

3) S4 (This one has a few I usually skip, but also some of my all-time favorites of the series)

4) S6 (This one features a lot more that I skip and the Juliet/Shawn relationship does absolutely nothing for me, but it also has a few all-time classics, and I really like the Marlowe episodes!) 

5) S3 (I have no idea why I don't adore this one more than I do, but it just doesn't click with me. I can't stand Shawn's mom, and the 'will they/won't they?!' stuff with Shawn and Jules starts to feel heavyhanded and overdone here. There are surprisingly few S3 episodes that I love, though they do exist!)

6) S5 (Just surprisingly few episodes I really like and a bunch that I'll very happily skip!)

7) S7

8) S8

 

...these might change again by the time you guys read this ;)  

Edited June 8, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[DittyDotDot]

Well, damn, I guess I need to re-watch so I can participate in this challenge since I've only watched the show once. I guess there's worse things in the universe though, right. ;)

 

BTW, I've been considering buying the DVDs for easy watching...do any of you guys have them? Are there any special features that are worth the cost or maybe I should just keep streaming it on Netflix?

[amensisterfriend]

OMG, you MUST own the DVDs!!!! 

 

Okay, so maybe that's my fangirly bias talking...plus, I'm an old fogey who still vastly prefers to watch my favorite TV shows on an actual TV rather than on a computer :) I'm not a huge special features person---I usually watch them either just once or not at all and mostly own DVDs of my favorite shows purely so I can watch episodes whenever I want and without annoying commercial interruption. The gag reels are amusing and cute, though, and just think of how easy and fun it would be to do mini-rewatches with your fellow Psych-os once you own the DVDs! And they're awfully cheap on Amazon right now... [/subtle hint]

[GHScorpiosRule]

I had the first three on DVD, but had to trade them in because I needed moolah. But one thing I missed from those, were the outtakes we got in the series when they aired on USA.

[DittyDotDot]

OMG, you MUST own the DVDs!!!! 

 

Okay, so maybe that's my fangirly bias talking...plus, I'm an old fogey who still vastly prefers to watch my favorite TV shows on an actual TV rather than on a computer :) I'm not a huge special features person---I usually watch them either just once or not at all and mostly own DVDs of my favorite shows purely so I can watch episodes whenever I want and without annoying commercial interruption. The gag reels are amusing and cute, though, and just think of how easy and fun it would be to do mini-rewatches with your fellow Psych-os once you own the DVDs! And they're awfully cheap on Amazon right now... [/subtle hint]

 

Yeah, I was looking at them yesterday and the price isn't too bad. I have rules about how much I can spend on a season of TV or I'd be bankrupt with all the shows I'd like to own on DVD. I too prefer to watch them on my ancient TV. The photographer in me hates HD and most modern screens. I find they're more flash with little substance and so much of the artistry is lost, IMO. I know, I know, I'm an old fart.

 

Anyhoo, I like to know how things work, so sometimes I love the extras. Depends on the show and what the extras are. I'm not fond of the let's-explain-what-it-all-means stuff because really, I generally prefer to decide what it all means myself. But I do love to hear how they shot certain scenes and how actors approach big moments and stuff like that. Gag reels can also be fun, but for me it's more learning how a show works.

[amensisterfriend]

DD, maybe treat yourself to just your two favorite seasons for now..? And what are those, by the way?! 

[DittyDotDot]

God, that's so very hard to say, S2 stands out In my mind as one with a whole lot of episodes I would love to re-watch, as does S6. I think S3 and S4 were the ones where I got little bored, but still have some episodes I adore. I guess I'd rank them: S6, S2, S1, S7, S8, S3, S4, S5.

[amensisterfriend]

Ditty, your ranking S7 and S8 above S3 (and my beloved S4!) is enough to make me want to rewatch those seasons :) 

 

Current top 20 episodes in chronological order:

 

9 Lives

From the Earth to the Starbucks 

Game Set Muuuurder 

Scary Sherry 

American Duos 

And Down the Stretch Comes Murder 

Meat is Murder, But Murder is Also Murder 

If You're So Smart Then Why Are You Dead? (Heh---just typing these titles makes me happy!)

Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy 

The Old and the Restless

Dislodged 

The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable 

Tuesday the 17th 

High Noon-ish 

The Devil's in the Details...and the Upstairs Bedroom 

Shawn Gets the Yips (I just adore Lassie in this one...and the characters all look so cute in their team shirts! And I happen to be a baseball fan. Oh, and I have weird taste ::) 

Let's Get Hairy 

Dual Spires 

This Episode Sucks 

Heeeere's Lassie 

[DittyDotDot]

It seems most folks don't have much fondness for S7 and S8, but I actually liked quite a few episodes. And, as I've mentioned before, I thought the way they handled Shawn and Juliet's breakup was decent. I really like Juliet Wears a Pantsuit. I don't know, to tell you the truth, I could easily flop around my season rankings except for S6 and S2 (although, those two are interchangeable with each other). I think this show's seasons were fairly even as seasons; filled with some episodes I liked and some I liked less, none I can say I have a real hatred for, though.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I think one of the things that irks me about season 7/8 is the constant retconning of Juliet.  She didn't RENT that house when we first meet her and see it. She owned it, and was paying the mortgage. But of course, after Shawn moves in, then out, after their break up, for plot reasons, she was renting it and suddenly needed to get a new roomie to help pay the rent/mortgage. Even if she was renting it from the beginning, she didn't need no roomie to help pay the mortgage. What? did breaking up with Shawn, suddenly make it difficult for her to continue paying it by herself?

 

Then there was Lassiter. He OWNED his own house. Sure, he probably had to move after Juliet thought his book of people were his friends, and not people he'd put away showed up at the first season's finale. Being the kind of person Lassie was, he could have just amped up the security on his house.  

 

But moving to an apartment? Then a condo? Again, "PLOT Reasons!"

[amensisterfriend]

You know what a true 'best' is? This show just makes me so freaking happy. It's not the highest quality show I've ever watched or even the most consistent, but it's probably the most effective TV antidepressant I've ever come across. I love rewatching it. I love looking at screencaps and quotes. I love 'meeting' people like you guys who want to chat about the show. Even when aspects of Psych drive me crazy, the show is like a very close friend or relative---sure, you'll find them exasperating and wish they made different choices sometimes, but you love them like crazy anyway. 

Edited June 8, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[DittyDotDot]

You know what a true 'best' is? This show just makes me so freaking happy. It's not the highest quality show I've ever watched or even the most consistent, but it's probably the most effective TV antidepressant I've ever come across. I love rewatching it. I love looking at screencaps and quotes. I love 'meeting' people like you guys who want to chat about the show. Even when aspects of Psych drive me crazy, the show is like a very close friend or relative---sure, you'll find them exasperating and wish they made different choices sometimes, but you love them like crazy anyway. 

 

Yes! I also have a weird love of things that may not always get everything right, but you can tell they're trying and I love to watch things where it seems people are enjoying their jobs. It makes me enjoy it too.

[amensisterfriend]

Yes! I also have a weird love of things that may not always get everything right, but you can tell they're trying and I love to watch things where it seems people are enjoying their jobs. It makes me enjoy it too.

 

It's so true. I know that nearly every show features a cast that talks about how much they all love each other and how much they adore their show and the fans, but with Psych that enthusiasm and camaraderie actually comes through on screen for me. And you're so on point re. the 'points for effort' thing---even when the show misses the mark, there's just so much heart and energy and attempts to make the audience smile that I can't be too mad at it for long ;) See, this is why you need the DVDs, ditty---there's so much grim, depressing material both on our screens (Supernatural, anyone?!) and off that you need this guaranteed dose of goofy joy at your disposal whenever you happen to be craving it! 

[desertflower]

Yeah, I really appreciate them trying to make a lighter hour long show. The are so many super dark crime shows and depressing medical shows; this was a nice alternative to those.

[amensisterfriend]

Here are a few more best/worst type questions to distract us (okay, me) from real life (we've done some of these before, but these are slightly harder versions!): 

 

1) If you could pick just TWO characters as your special favorites, they would be ____ (I know, I know...I'm cruel!)

 

2) The two friendships/relationships that meant the most to you were _____ 

 

3) One character you wish we had gotten to see a lot more of is ____ 

 

4) One character you wish we had seen less of is _____ 

 

5) Your three "go to" episodes when you just need to make myself laugh are ____ 

 

6) The one recurring storyline/arc you would have gotten rid of is ____

 

7)  One storyline/theme/type of episode you'd have loved to see is _____ 

[DittyDotDot]

It's so true. I know that nearly every show features a cast that talks about how much they all love each other and how much they adore their show and the fans, but with Psych that enthusiasm and camaraderie actually comes through on screen for me. And you're so on point re. the 'points for effort' thing---even when the show misses the mark, there's just so much heart and energy and attempts to make the audience smile that I can't be too mad at it for long ;) See, this is why you need the DVDs, ditty---there's so much grim, depressing material both on our screens (Supernatural, anyone?!) and off that you need this guaranteed dose of goofy joy at your disposal whenever you happen to be craving it! 

 

I think that's the reason I am both so frustrated with Supernatural and can't give it up. I really feel like management isn't even trying much anymore, but just collecting the checks. The cast and crew are still having fun and loving their jobs, though, so I find I have a hard time not supporting them. But, Psych seemed to hold on to it's fun-loving nature with management, crew and cast throughout it's run, so I tend to forgive it's missteps more.

 

I agree, I do need the DVDs, I'm gonna go home and order the first season tonight. ;)

[amensisterfriend]

I think that's the reason I am both so frustrated with Supernatural and can't give it up. I really feel like management isn't even trying much anymore, but just collecting the checks. The cast and crew are still having fun and loving their jobs, though, so I find I have a hard time not supporting them. But, Psych seemed to hold on to it's fun-loving nature with management, crew and cast throughout it's run, so I tend to forgive it's missteps more.

 

I feel like there's this widespread misconception among nearly all one hour shows these days that being 'good' entails getting progressively darker, grimmer and packing in as much angst as humanly possible. Aside from a couple of comparatively serious episodes per season---which were either mild misfires or welcome tonal changes for me, depending on the specific episode and my mood!----Psych stayed true to its roots as a feel good, unashamedly silly comedy with a little more smarts and heart than many critics gave it credit for :) Some say that lack of ambition made it solidly mediocre (I think the AV Club writers, among others, have made that argument), but I actually respect the show for being so comfortable with what it is and doing it well...and for being one of the only shows these days that doesn't aspire to have its viewers to slit their wrists by the end of each episode!  There's a quote from Steve Franks to that effect, something about all how they really tried to do was to make their fans smile and feel a little happier by the time they were done watching. It's a seemingly modest goal, but not one that too many other hour-long shows successfully achieve or even aspire to these days, and I'll always love the show for that.  

 

Attempting to answer my own questions and wondering why I made them so hard:

 

1) If you could pick just TWO characters as your special favorites, they would be Lassiter and Gus 

2) The two friendships/relationships that meant the most to you were Shawn/Gus (of course!) and Lassie/Juliet 

3) One character you wish we had gotten to see a lot more of is Buzz. I just adore the guy. 

4) One character you wish we had seen less of is Shawn's mom. I love the idea of occasionally seeing her and getting some insight into Shawn as a result but nothing about the writing or casting of that character worked for me at all, and even her few appearances felt like a few too many for me. (Runner up: cold, flat, I-still-don't-know-who-she-was-supposed-to-be Abigail) 

5) Your three "go to" episodes when you just need to make myself laugh are American Duos, Down the Stretch Comes Murder, Meat is Murder...yeah, so have I mentioned my obsession with S2?! ;)  

6) The one recurring storyline/arc you would have gotten rid of is---Henry as a consultant for the SBPD, which, while an understandable attempt to integrate Henry more naturally into the weekly storylines, did no one any favors IMO. I also would have had Shawn and Juliet either get together sooner or not at all and to have had her be open with her a lot sooner. 

7)  One storyline/theme/type of episode you'd have loved to see is maybe another (and better!) 'alt universe' episode. I also would have loved an episode that featured Lassie's family/childhood etc. (The one with his sister and the video camera is so forgettable to me that I always forget it exists---they could do a lot better!)  And since they did Clue---albeit with mixed success---I would have adored seeing them do an homage to one of my all-time favorite mysteries, Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, featuring characters stranded on an island and getting muuurdered [/shawn] one at a time. 

I agree, I do need the DVDs, I'm gonna go home and order the first season tonight. ;)

 

Ha---this news just made my day :) 

[amensisterfriend]

---So I think I may have been a tad too hard on S3: it's not just my beloved Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable and Tuesday the 17th that are worth rewatching! Parts of Daredevils are actually really poignant and interesting, There Might Be Blood features one of my favorite guest stars ever (Jane Lynch as Chief Vick's Sister---and I actually would have loved to see her and Lassie go on that date!), Gus Walks Into a Bank gives us one of my other favorite bits of casting in Gary Cole, and Six Feet Under the Sea and Earth Wind and Wait For It are both so much funnier and more engaging than I had recalled. I may need to move S3 higher on my rankings now, though I'm not sure which season to demote...ah, the 'problems' of a Psych-O ;) (On a less cheery note, Ghosts and Christmas Joy are both still among my most skip-worthy episodes of the series!) 

[DittyDotDot]

I adore Daredevils for some reason. I think it's the whole idea of Shawn wanting to be a daredevil, but not really.

 

Agree about Jane Lynch and Gary Cole too. I laughed so very hard when that van door opened and Gary Cole was standing there and the wind and the slow mo...I'm chuckling just thinking about it again. Plus, Gus Walks Into A Bank is so great in highlighting just how much Gus really means to Shawn. It's also a nice Gus episode.

 

I hate to say I told you so...but I told you ranking the seasons is hard! ;)

[amensisterfriend]

I hate to say I told you so...but I told you ranking the seasons is hard! ;)

 

How about picking just 10 episodes to rewatch for the rest of your Psych-loving life? You know I love this particular brand of torture ;) 

 

I've been a little down lately, and this show really picks me up like no other. And you guys seem to have influenced me for the better, because while I always found Shawn a well-drawn character with an interesting mix of strengths and flaws, he used to drive me crazy a lot anyway...and I'm now finding myself less annoyed by him than I used to :) It helps when I think of him as genuinely, geekily (and sometimes obliviously!) passionate about the stuff he prattles on about rather than deliberately trying to be obnoxious/conceited/etc.  and to view a lot of his insistence on making jokes during serious moments as a defense mechanism and a desperate attempt to lighten the mood.  

[amensisterfriend]

ETA: Abigail has always bordered on a 'worst' to me, but I love a lot of S4 and would love it even more if I liked her or at least got who she was supposed to be and why she and Shawn connected, so I'd love to hear people's thoughts. I'm guessing she was a together, mature, somewhat 'cool' girl from high school who he had always idealized while the slightly quirkier, animated, passionately dedicated-to-crime Juliet is more suited to the man is he is now? (Juliet was quirkier in earlier seasons---randomly blurting out with weird anecdotes from her past, into things you wouldn't necessarily expect her to be into, getting humorously immersed in undercover assignments to the point where she slightly lost track of reality, etc.---and I loved that about her! She was much more of a generic 'straight man' later on) 

Edited July 10, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[DittyDotDot]

I'm working my way through S1 again and I'm rather impressed by how quickly this show seemed to find it's legs. First seasons can be the awkward toddler-learning-to-walk stage and some episodes seem to bumble and sway and eventually fall down on their generously diapered bottom. But this show really seemed to gel from episode five (9 Lives). Don't get me wrong, there's some wobbly episodes here and there, but they seemed to know what they were fairly early on and I can't say any of them were failures. That seems rather rare to me.

 

How about picking just 10 episodes to rewatch for the rest of your Psych-loving life? You know I love this particular brand of torture ;)  

 

I just don't think I can do it. Nope, can't be done! ;)

[Tangerine]

I just finished watching this series for the very first time on Netflix and it quickly became one of my favourite series. I just loved how much heart it had and there wasn't a single episode I didn't enjoy.

 

Except for Season 8. I don't know if it was because we were close to the end, but everything about season 8 felt off. It was weird that Juliet left so early in the season and wasn't seen or mentioned at all. Still, I admit to getting very verklempt after the last episode.

[amensisterfriend]

Welcome! I love that this show is still attracting new fans :) What were some of your very favorite episodes, characters, etc.? 

[Tangerine]

Welcome! I love that this show is still attracting new fans :) What were some of your very favorite episodes, characters, etc.? 

 

So hard to pick a favourite episode! But somewhere along the way, Lassie became my favourite character. He was a bit of a nice reprieve from the constant over the top-ness of Shawn and Gus. I felt bad for him most of the time, sometimes it just felt like the writers were punishing him for whatever reason when in reality, he was really a great detective.

 

I also really loved Juliet. I loved that she was a tough, smart, capable detective but also really genuinely sweet, kind, flirty and feminine. I just wished they had fleshed her out a bit more.

[amensisterfriend]

This show really is my antidepressant, so it makes me so excited that others are still first discovering and loving it too :) Most of the people I know in real life dismiss it as "dumb", which in some ways it is, but somehow on this show it's such a deliberate, playful goofiness that adds to the fun rather than eye-rolling stupidity, you know?! 

 

So hard to pick a favourite episode!

 

Yeah, as Ditty will attest, I just won't accept that as an answer ;) Seriously, I'd love to hear some of your favorites even if it's not a comprehensive list! 

 

But somewhere along the way, Lassie became my favourite character. He was a bit of a nice reprieve from the constant over the top-ness of Shawn and Gus.

 

I know, right?! Lassie is the kind of character I normally don't like and probably not a guy I'd be too wild about in real life, but even by the end of S1 and certainly as the seasons progressed the acting and writing combined to make him just vulnerable and human enough to root for and a hugely vital part of the show for me. And, as already confessed in the UO thread, if they had to pair Juliet up with someone I'd have preferred Juliet/Lassie to Juliet/Shawn. 

[DittyDotDot]

Yeah, as Ditty will attest, I just won't accept that as an answer ;) Seriously, I'd love to hear some of your favorites even if it's not a comprehensive list! 

 

Oh, yeah, you might as will give up and throw something out there, Tangerine. ;)

 

I'll take a walk on the wild side and rashly state that Good Night Gus, might be my favorite. And now that I said that, I'm already backtracking and wishing I could take it back...sigh.

 

 

I know, right?! Lassie is the kind of character I normally don't like and probably not a guy I'd be too wild about in real life...

 

I actually think I would like to hang out with Lassie in real life. Not on a daily basis though, that might be crazy! But, I think he'd be very amusing to hang out with. If nothing else it might be amusing to try and get under his skin from time to time. Hey, maybe I'm more like Shawn than I'd like to think? ;)

[DittyDotDot]

Amensisterfriend, I have to thank you for convincing me to buy the DVDs. I decided to forego my usual Supernatural re-watch this summer and instead have been working through Psych again. I'm really enjoying the DVD commentaries, Steve Franks and Kelly Kulchak are very funny and charming. I love how much fun they all had making the show!

 

I just started into S2 and I had forgotten how much I loved some of he flashback openings in S2. American Duos is so adorable with young Shawn  and young Gus in their respective '80s get-ups! And how awesome was the 65 Million Years Off opening with us following a dinosaur head down the school halls? But, I absolutely adore Zero to Murder in Sixty Seconds with Shawn and Gus racing to Eye of the Tiger. Of course Shawn's bike is all flash and Gus dinging his little bell never fails to warm the recesses of my cold dark heart!

[DittyDotDot]

Hey guys, in watching S2, I was reminded of a question: What happened to Tim's arm that made Lassie walk around in a sling for a few episodes? I thought it was really funny how they handled it, "I don't want to talk about it" instead of making it a big story point. It was also funny when the kids in If You're So Smart, Why Are You Dead told him he wasn't very intimidating with only the one arm. Nicely done show, nicely done.

Edited July 26, 2015 by DittyDotDot

[amensisterfriend]

Someone asked Tim Omundson about his arm injury on Twitter. This was his awesome response: "Me, a Mountain Bike, Speed & the Ground." I hope that clears it up :) 

 

Is it weird to name Bollywood Homicide as a best? I get that the Shawn/Juliet jealousy thing is a little tiresome and Abigail is her usual still-don't-get-who-she-was-supposed-to-be yawn, but the rest of the writing and acting in this episode is pure gold! 

[DittyDotDot]

Someone asked Tim Omundson about his arm injury on Twitter. This was his awesome response: "Me, a Mountain Bike, Speed & the Ground." I hope that clears it up :) 

 

Oh, that's funny! Thanks amensisterfriend.

 

BTW: No, I don't think it's weird to say Bollywood Homicide is a best...

[amensisterfriend]

Which episodes/scenes stand out for you guys as the 'best' for Juliet, the times when you enjoyed and liked/admired/etc. her most? (Or, if you'd rather, favorite episodes/scenes for Shawn, Gus, Lassie, Henry...? I just want to talk about this show!) 

Edited July 27, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[DittyDotDot]

Which episodes/scenes stand out for you guys as the 'best' for Juliet, the times when you enjoyed and liked/admired/etc. her most?

 

I'm sure there's others, but  these five jumped to mind immediately:

• Cloudy... With a Chance of Murder: I love how she stood up for Lassie and subtly gave Shawn and Gus the information they needed to know that Lassie had reservations about who was on trial too.
• If You're So Smart Why Are You Dead?: I loved her taking on a case as lead and her and Lassie together in that episode is one of my favorites for them.
• A Very Juliet Episode: I love how it's not so much that Juliet is in love with this person, but just stumbled upon a mystery and just couldn't let it go.
• Lassie Jerky: I love it when Jules is the smart one.
• Juliet Wears A Pantsuit: For a while there, I was excited Juliet was sticking to her guns and not letting Shawn charm his way back in.

Edited July 27, 2015 by DittyDotDot

[amensisterfriend]

What do you guys like best and worst about Shawn?! And here's a related question: Do you consider him genuinely cocky, or do you feel like a lot of his cockiness is him joking around or even covering up for a couple of insecurities?  

[bettername2come]

What do you guys like best and worst about Shawn?! And here's a related question: Do you consider him genuinely cocky, or do you feel like a lot of his cockiness is him joking around or even covering up for a couple of insecurities?  

Both? I feel like it's very realistic that there's a combination there. Didn't the Nestor Carbonnell character even call him on his insecurities and have Shawn agree once he was gone? That being said, I also think he's cocky because he's confident in his abilities and his charm. 

 

Okay, best things about Shawn:

I like that he actually cares about the people he's trying to help. I love his speech to Jules, when Jules tells him to come clean to the Chief and he refuses because "this is what I have, Jules, this is how I do good." It's a quality that gets brushed over in the comedy sometimes, which is one reason I like the dramatic episodes more than others do. 

 

His friendship with Gus. He's absolutely loyal when he needs to be, and for someone who spent a lot of years constantly on the move and changing jobs pre-series, it's kind of sweet that he maintained this friendship.

 

I liked that his taste in women wasn't shallow. He liked Jules and Abigail for their who they were, and I remember in the pilot he developed a crush on a girl by analyzing her photographs and figuring out her personality. I also liked that "sweetheart" was his preferred term of endearment. It was sweet and kind of old-fashioned.

 

Worst:

Sometimes I really wanted to punch him in the face when he couldn't take things seriously. 

Edited August 4, 2015 by bettername2come

[Kiddvideo]

I work in an open office environment and listen to Neftlix a lot (yep, listen). Today I happened to have the browser up on my screen and saw that Shaun did indeed name the fossil "Zippy the Dinosaur." LOL. I hadn't seen it before.

[amensisterfriend]

Is it possible that even this late in my "career" (haha) as a Psych-o that Season 5 could transform from a 'worst' to a 'best'---or at least tied as the top three or four best?! It's got Close Encounters, Dual Spires and Viagra Falls, all of which I think are among the most awesome and eminently rewatchable episodes of the series. We get Shawn and Juliet finally together which, even for someone like me who doesn't ship them in the least, was a welcome change from the increasingly tiresome 'will they/won't they?!' stuff between them. And in the process of them getting together we see a SLIGHTLY more mature version of Shawn, which is always a treat for me.

I actually like Declan, due in no small part to how much I adore the actor who plays him, so those episodes are more enjoyable for me than they probably are for most. The Polarizing  Express may not have been executed to perfection, but I still appreciate it as one of the most thought-provoking and interesting episodes of the series (I'm always a sucker for "alt universe/what f...?!" episodes of any show!) I even enjoy We'd Like to Thank the Academy far more than most do! 

 

There are a few clunkers, and I'm definitely among those who dislike Henry as a consultant, but overall S5 is so much better than I had given it credit for. And I think James Roday looks better in this season than he had since S2...um, not that I'm a shallow viewer or anything ;) 

Edited September 16, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[bettername2come]

The Polarizing  Express may not have been executed to perfection, but I still appreciate it as one of the most thought-provoking and interesting episodes of the series (I'm always a sucker for "alt universe/what f...?!" episodes of any show!)

 

Not a huge fan of the episode but I love the fact that Shawn knows he's pulling an untrue It's a Wonderful Life thing. Self-aware Shawn is a good Shawn and season 5 did have several of those moments. 

[amensisterfriend]

I'm feeling nostalgic (and inclined to procrastinate!), so I figured we could name random 'bests' about each season :) In no logical order whatsoever

 

S1: ...everyone looks ridiculously adorable (yes, I'm shallow!), getting to see Shawn and Henry's complex relationship first thawing this season is arguably one of the most emotionally rewarding facets of the whole series, Stubbornly Irresponsible with a Slightly Angry Yet Vulnerable Edge Because He's Rebelling Against His Excessively Strict Upbringing Shawn is arguably a more interesting and enjoyable incarnation of the character for me than Smug, Cocky and Obnoxious Just Because He Wants to Be Shawn we sometimes get later on; there's this amazingly high energy level and infectious sense of fun to this season, I'm always surprised by how many of the funniest scenes and lines were found in this first season (Juliet accidentally inviting Lassiter's former arrests to his party will always be among the funniest bits of the whole series for me!), the newness of Shawn and Gus first establishing and coming to care about Psych is always a delight, this is arguably the season during which Juliet is a most interesting, vibrant and lovable character,  and I can still enjoy the vast majority of these episodes no matter how many (many, many, MANY!) times I've rewatched them :)   

[amensisterfriend]

---Woody is a best for me. I just adore him for some reason. He's a surprisingly big reason why seasons like S6 are stealthily creeping up in my rankings of 'best' season :) 

[pawneerangers]

I still watch this show all the time but forgot to look for it on here and am glad I found it now. This show makes me so happy and it's fun knowing I'm not the only fan because not many people I know have heard of it!  

 

My opinions are a little different and maybe it has to do with when we all started watching the show? Or it's just that my opinions are strange anyway, LOL. Season Five was the first one I saw and made me become a big fan of the show. Season Six came on soon after I found Season Five and became my favorite season. I still watch that season all the time and love almost every episode. I didn't love Season Seven and Season Eight as much but still liked them enough to see them again on DVD. After the finale aired is when I finally went back and saw all the earlier seasons. Now this is where my opinions get weird, because I didn't them that much. They were still Psych and therefore still fun to watch for me but if I had first seen the first three seasons of the show first then I'm not sure I would have stayed with it. I felt like Shawn was way more annoying and immature in the earlier seasons and I wanted to sedate him everytime he would flail around like a hyperactive meth head during his psychic visions. He was way more conceited then too. He still had those issues in later seasons but not as badly and usually seemed more like a normal man who happened to be excited and sometimes act childish and silly than an annoying overgrown child who sometimes acted like an adult. By the fourth or so season I thought Shawn was an amazing friend to Gus despite his quirks but when I watched earlier seasons I wondered why Gus even put up with Shawn. Like most of you here I love the Gus and Shawn friendship and think it's the best part of the show but I think it gets a lot better in the middle of the series. 

 

Shawn and Juliet were boring but if she's the reason he became a little more mature than I'm all for it LOL. I make up a lot about Juliet in my head anyway because she didn't have that much of a personality, like they just made her the woman who's more normal compared to Shawn, Gus and Lassiter and forgot to make her interesting on her own. Shawn and Abigail were more boring than Shawn and Juliet because at least Shawn and Juliet had getting excited over solving crime in common. I agree with the fan who said that they just didn't get the kind of character Abigail was supposed to be and the writers had no clue what to do with her and Shawn. People here say they liked the idea of Lassiter with Juliet but I liked their partnership the way it was. I think I would have liked Lassiter with Vick if Vick weren't married but putting him with a felon was a fun idea. I hated Shawn's mom and thought she was cold and thought too much of herself. I was glad that she didn't come around much. 

 

Sorry to just babble but I'm excited to find a place to talk about this show! My season rankings which as you can guess from what I wrote above are different than most people's---

 

1) Season Six 

2) Season Five 

3) Season Seven 

4) Season Eight  

5) Season Four 

6) Season Two 

7) Season Three

8) Season One 

[amensisterfriend]

Seasons five and six have definitely grown on me a lot. I also think you make an interesting point about how our opinions can be influenced by when we first started watching the show---I feel like the first seasons we see, even if they're not the first seasons of the series, tend to be the template while everything else feels like a (usually somewhat unwelcome!) change :)

 

I also like the reminder that Jules and Shawn have a love of crime solving in common---that's an increasingly important part of Shawn's life, and one that I guess we're supposed to feel Abigail didn't really get or appreciate (especially when she was a victim of crime in her last appearance). I can see why people think Jules made Shawn a little more adult like...my problem is that that same relationship made Juliet more drab, in the position to perpetually disapprove of Shawn's antics rather than getting into some fun of her own. I wish they'd sent her undercover more often---that's when we got really fun looks at how amusing and hyper-competitive she could be. 

 

Most of all...

 

 

 

his show makes me so happy

 

It really is a mood-lifting gem, isn't it?! 

Edited September 25, 2015 by amensisterfriend

[DittyDotDot]

Dual Spires, y'all. I think that was the episode where I realized I was all in with this silly show. I mean, I had already fell in love with the show back in S2, but that's the episode where I realized it. I was watching this episode yesterday and got that tingly feeling all over again. 

 

This show is like comfort food.

[amensisterfriend]

Ditty, were/are you a Twin Peaks fan?! I saw just enough of the show to see why people loved it but determine it wasn't for me, which means I get some---but almost certainly not all---of the references in Dual Spires :) 

 

And pawneerangers and whoever else, you know I need to challenge all of us to name our three or so favorites from each season, right?! Mine have probably changed since we last did this, so it'll be fun compiling my list...and by "fun" I of course mean "pure torture because I love most episodes too much to exclude them." 

[amensisterfriend]

...Bear in mind these are just my personal favorites from each season, often not regarded as the highest quality or 'best' :) 

 

S1: Game Set Murder, Poker? I Barely Know Her and Scary Sherry (yeah, can you tell I think the show improved at the end of its first season?! I just love all three of these episodes so very much) 

 

S2: American Duos, And Down the Stretch Comes Murder, Meat is Murder, But Murder is Also Murder (and, like, nearly every other episode---especially If You're So Smart..., Gus's Dad May have Killed an Old Guy, Lights Camera, Homicido and Dis-Lodged...) 

 

S3: The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable, There Might Be Blood and Tuesday the 17th 

 

S4: High Noon-ish, The Devil's in the Details, Let's Get Hairy (Runner up: Thrill Seekers and Hell Raisers) 

 

S5: Not Even Close...Encounters, Viagra Falls, Dual Spires (this was actually the easiest choice for me so far---I love these three more than the other S5 episodes by a fairly comfortable margin!) 

 

S6: Dead Man's Curve Ball (I know...could this be a weirder choice?! I just love it, probably due in no small part to the fact that I'm a baseball fan!), Heeere's Lassie, Autopsy Turvy (But, really, you could make a case for about five more!) 

 

S7: Lassie Jerkie, 100 Clues (even a slightly disappointing homage to Clue is still better than most things on TV for someone who loves both psych and Clue as much as I do!), and Office Space 

 

S8: Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels, A Nightmare on State Street, The Breakup (Not that I can actually rewatch the Breakup---it makes me too emotional---but I just can't NOT include it here!) 

[DittyDotDot]

Ditty, were/are you a Twin Peaks fan?! I saw just enough of the show to see why people loved it but determine it wasn't for me, which means I get some---but almost certainly not all---of the references in Dual Spires :) 

 

Not a fan, per se. I was in high school when it was originally airing and had friends who were fully engaged in the mystery of "who killed Laura Palmer". So, I watched it some just so I knew what they were talking about. I did like it's atmosphere--it really was like nothing else on TV at the time--and am always appreciative of the weird and wacky, but never fully got in to it. I doubt I get all the references, but enough to make me smile anyway. It's kind of ironic that I love this episode so much. I think it's that they took such glee in paying homage to something that I just can't help but adore it. I tend to love shows that occasionally mess with form and I guess I'm just a nostalgic gal at heart--and here I didn't even think I had a heart. Or at least I thought it was a cold, cold, dark one anyway. ;)

 

As to the favorite three from each season...gawd, I'm such a masochist:

• S1: 9 lives; From the Earth to the Starbucks; Scarry Sherry: Bianca's toast
• S2: American Duos; 65 Million Years Off;  Bounty Hunters!
• S3: The Greatest Adventure in the History of Basic Cable; Gus Walks into a Bank; Tuesday the 17th
• S4: The Devil's in the Details... and the Upstairs Bedroom; Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark; A Very Juliet Episode
• S5: Not Even Close... Encounters; Viagra Falls; Dual Spires
• S6: Last Night Gus; Heeeeere's Lassie; Autopsy Turvy
• S7: Lassie Jerky; No Country for Two Old Men; Juliet Wears the Pantsuit
• S8: Someone's Got a Woody; Cog Blocked; A Nightmare on State Street

Edited September 25, 2015 by DittyDotDot

[amensisterfriend]

It makes me irrationally happy that so many of our choices overlap---and that we picked the exact same three from S5! Though now you made me realize I was remiss in not choosing 9 Lives, From the Earth to the Starbucks, Somone's Got a Woody...