This episodes, which stars Cybil Sheppard, begins with Gus getting in trouble for "Moonlighting" and Shawn's mom's name is "Maddie" like Cybil's character in "Moonlighting." Although I appreciate the references, it would have been even better if Bruce Willis guest starred as Maddie Spencer's new husband or boyfriend "David" Are there any other references to "Moonlighting" in this episode that I didn't pick up on? One of the things I love about this show is that whenever I watch an episode again, there is always a subtle reference or joke that I did not pick up on the first time around. I still can't believe Val Kilmer hasn't guest starred on this show Maybe next season
4 Reviews
A watchable episode...that isn't great.
jpapanone30 March 2021
I actually now skip past the scenes of this episode that DON'T have Shawn or Gus in it. Don't even know why they wasted time with the Lassiter bit...or the Cybil Sheperd bit. Give me more Shawn, Gus, ghosts and Shooter Mcgavin.
And I know they are trying to make the relationship of Shawn and his mom relevant etc...but I really hate her calling him Goose. Seems way too forced and not natural.
This is season 3...so season 1 and 2 are behind them...and this season they really start hitting their stride. My first #10 rating is the next episode...Murder, Anyone, Anyone, Bueller. And some 9's and 8's the rest of the way through.
Season 1 and 2 laid down a great foundation...and in season 3, Psych really hits it's potential.
And I know they are trying to make the relationship of Shawn and his mom relevant etc...but I really hate her calling him Goose. Seems way too forced and not natural.
This is season 3...so season 1 and 2 are behind them...and this season they really start hitting their stride. My first #10 rating is the next episode...Murder, Anyone, Anyone, Bueller. And some 9's and 8's the rest of the way through.
Season 1 and 2 laid down a great foundation...and in season 3, Psych really hits it's potential.
S3 premiere ends with tearjerker
joseph-boik25 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
I've seen every episode countless times, and this is one of those that stands out with its trademark hijinks and banter, but in a twist that many comedies lead us, is with development in Shawn and Henry's tenuous relationship following the appearance of Shawn's mother played by Cybil Shepard.
True, there were no murders and the mystery ended up being constructed by the fake psychic himself. However, with the somewhat B-side episode also being the premier for the third season, it has plenty of character development not only with the Spencers, but with Gus and his job, and a little into Lassiter's father issues, with Gus' being the forefront for the plot.
For this review, I specifically want to point out that this episode is the beginning to a long defrosting to how Shawn treats his dad upon the revelation that his mom is the one that left after all. Cybil Shepard and James Roday Rodriguez have fantastic chemistry in this scene that I couldn't help but empathize with how the three felt.
This one can sneak by, but I recommend this is an important episode to see.
True, there were no murders and the mystery ended up being constructed by the fake psychic himself. However, with the somewhat B-side episode also being the premier for the third season, it has plenty of character development not only with the Spencers, but with Gus and his job, and a little into Lassiter's father issues, with Gus' being the forefront for the plot.
For this review, I specifically want to point out that this episode is the beginning to a long defrosting to how Shawn treats his dad upon the revelation that his mom is the one that left after all. Cybil Shepard and James Roday Rodriguez have fantastic chemistry in this scene that I couldn't help but empathize with how the three felt.
This one can sneak by, but I recommend this is an important episode to see.
Fun Spooks Can't Save Bad Drama
RestlessRust5 April 2022
Warning: Spoilers
The third season tries to start off with a bang, but what we end up with is a mess of an episode.
First the good stuff: This is a fun ghost story with a bit of a mystery within a mystery. It's fun to see where it goes, and then when it gets there, to find out that there's still a layer or two to uncover. Couple that with Gus on the verge of losing his job, and you have what is easily the best part of the episode.
Because the rest is lackluster at best. Juliet is barely even present, and Lassiter's role amounts to little more than the build-up to a predictable reveal.
And then we have the drama, which fluctuates between being inconsistent and nonsensical, and which gives us a Shawn who has transformed from being occasionally annoying to borderline unlikable.
The first two seasons made it clear that Shawn's strained relationship with his dad was due to the fact that his father was so hard on him when he was young. But suddenly, Shawn is no longer just resentful but downright bitter. And his anger now stems from the fact that he blames his dad for breaking up their family. This is a pretty big shift in tone for a comedy about a slacker who spends most of his time coming up with ever-more-obscure '80s references.
But the worst part is that most of it doesn't make any sense, and the part that does paints his mom in an extremely negative light. Let's break this down: Shawn was a senior in high school when his parents split, yet somehow he had absolutely no clue how it all went down. His mom moved away, leaving Shawn with his dad in their family house, and Shawn's takeaway from this was that his dad left her? Not that he kicked her out, but that he LEFT her. When in reality his mom left because she got a once-in-a-lifetime job offer, AND SHE DIDN'T BOTHER EXPLAINING THIS TO HER SON! What kind of mother is she??? If anything, his mom deserves all the hatred he's been directing at his dad, but no, nothing could ever make him think any less of her. Because the episode is almost over, and it's Cybill Shepherd!
The writers do their best to gloss over all this, because it's more about the emotions than the details, right? Well, it might have been, if there had been ANY hint of ANY of this before this episode. Instead, it feels like a desperate attempt to justify getting Cybill Shepherd into a few episodes.
This may not be the weakest episode of the series, but it's one of the hardest to sit through, simply because of how Shawn behaves toward his dad, and the unsatisfying reason behind it.
First the good stuff: This is a fun ghost story with a bit of a mystery within a mystery. It's fun to see where it goes, and then when it gets there, to find out that there's still a layer or two to uncover. Couple that with Gus on the verge of losing his job, and you have what is easily the best part of the episode.
Because the rest is lackluster at best. Juliet is barely even present, and Lassiter's role amounts to little more than the build-up to a predictable reveal.
And then we have the drama, which fluctuates between being inconsistent and nonsensical, and which gives us a Shawn who has transformed from being occasionally annoying to borderline unlikable.
The first two seasons made it clear that Shawn's strained relationship with his dad was due to the fact that his father was so hard on him when he was young. But suddenly, Shawn is no longer just resentful but downright bitter. And his anger now stems from the fact that he blames his dad for breaking up their family. This is a pretty big shift in tone for a comedy about a slacker who spends most of his time coming up with ever-more-obscure '80s references.
But the worst part is that most of it doesn't make any sense, and the part that does paints his mom in an extremely negative light. Let's break this down: Shawn was a senior in high school when his parents split, yet somehow he had absolutely no clue how it all went down. His mom moved away, leaving Shawn with his dad in their family house, and Shawn's takeaway from this was that his dad left her? Not that he kicked her out, but that he LEFT her. When in reality his mom left because she got a once-in-a-lifetime job offer, AND SHE DIDN'T BOTHER EXPLAINING THIS TO HER SON! What kind of mother is she??? If anything, his mom deserves all the hatred he's been directing at his dad, but no, nothing could ever make him think any less of her. Because the episode is almost over, and it's Cybill Shepherd!
The writers do their best to gloss over all this, because it's more about the emotions than the details, right? Well, it might have been, if there had been ANY hint of ANY of this before this episode. Instead, it feels like a desperate attempt to justify getting Cybill Shepherd into a few episodes.
This may not be the weakest episode of the series, but it's one of the hardest to sit through, simply because of how Shawn behaves toward his dad, and the unsatisfying reason behind it.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
