"Psych"
Pilot (2006)

Director:

Michael Engler

Writers:

Steve Franks (creator)
Steve Franks (written by)

TV Series:

"Psych" (2006)

Original Air Date:

7 July 2006 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Plot:

The police department in Santa Barbara hires someone they think is a psychic detective.

Plot Keywords:

Psychic Power | Fake | Murder | Solving Crime | Photographic Memory

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

James Roday	...	Shawn Spencer
Dulé Hill	...	Burton 'Gus' Guster
Timothy Omundson	...	Carlton Lassiter
Anne Dudek	...	Lucinda
Corbin Bernsen	...	Henry Spencer
Kirsten Nelson	...	Karen Vick
Don S. Davis	...	Mr. McCallum
Pascale Hutton	...	Katrina McCallum
Josh Hayden	...	Young Shawn
Ingrid Tesch	...	Waitress
P. Lynn Johnson	...	Mrs. McCallum
Jason Bryden	...	Camden McCallum
Robert Parent	...	Malcolm Orso
Jocelyne Loewen	...	Lobster Shack Blonde
Michael Roberds	...	Manager

Runtime:

67 min | USA:89 min (including commercials)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

USA:TV-PG

Company:

Pacific Mountain Productions

Trivia:

This episode debuted to 6.1 million viewers, making it the highest-rated premiere for a new basic cable series in 2006. It also became the most watched pilot in USA Network history.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Chief asks Lucinda to tell Shawn to leave, she opens and closes the door to the Chief's office, but in the next shot, when Lassiter comes out, the door is open.

Quotes:

Shawn Spencer: This one takes the cake.
Gus: Oh yeah? Better than your acupuncture clinic?
Shawn Spencer: I didn't realize experience was necessary.

Movie Connections:

References "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" (1962)

Good start to an entertaining show

Since the other comment focused solely on one minor cast member change, I felt this show deserved a real comment. The show itself is a light bit of romping fair, clearly produced to harness the popularity of the Dead Zone and Monk on USA, and it delivers. The premise is a slacker whose police office father trained him from a young age to be very observant. This observance coupled with a quick wit gives him a Scooby gang/Encyclopedia Brown style way of solving crimes. Having attempted to do this occasionally as a 'good samaritan' for the police results in them pegging him for a crime, thinking that only someone with inside knowledge could do it. His only way out--pretend he is psychic. The buy it, hook line and sinker, and put him on another case, which leads to a whole new career.

The pilot introduces the main cast of characters (although one of the group is replaced, with decent plot explanation, by the second episode). James Roday is over the top as Shawn, and while his antics can get a bit tiresome, he brings a nice life to the show. Dule Hill plays his best friend and reluctant partner Gus, who gets the lion's share of the good lines, and plays the put-upon but loyal companion to a T. Timothy Omundson brings all the gravitas you'd expect from a hard boiled police detective, unaware that he is the comic relief in the world of Shawn, and is perfect. And Corbin Bernsen shines in the screen time he gets as Shawn's frustrated father, who deep down cares about his son, but is too stubborn at trying to mold him into a protégé.

All in all, a well rounded pilot, that sets the rest of the series into motion.