The inaugural first season of USA Network's hit comedy series, Psych, is quickly coming to an end. We're a little bummed out by this television viewing inevitability - Psych has become a perfectly acceptable reason to put off going out on a Friday night until 11pm so that you can catch the show in all of its comedic glory (directly after, in the 10 pm time slot, another comedic goldmine in Monk). In the most recent episode, entitled "Poker? I Barely Know Her," the comedic genius of fake psychic Shawn (played by James Roday) and his reluctant sidekick, Shawn's best friend Gus (played by Dul¿ Hill) remains as engaging as ever.
The two actors at the helm of the show's two main characters work so well together that you can't help but believe that they've really known each other since childhood (as the series' many 1980s flashbacks represent). Their struggles with each other, which are both perpetual and sometimes epic, occur only out of love and affection... and perhaps the fact that they have remained nearly inseparable for the better part of twenty years. A person that knows this friendship better than any other is none other than Shawn's father, an ex-detective on the Santa Barbara Police Department for which Shawn finds his most regular employment via his freelance fake psychic agency.
Shawn's father, Henry, doesn't see eye-to-eye with his talented son very often. Although he taught Shawn everything he knows, the very skills a detective needs to solve the high caliber crimes Shawn solves in his sleep, he's disappointed that he's gone about in a relatively underhanded way to utilize these skills. However, as the first season's progressed, Shawn's relationship with his father has become noticeably closer as Shawn continues to impress his father by solving the crimes Detectives Lassiter and O'Hara at the Santa Barbara Police Department just can't seem to handle. Yet, Lassiter and O'Hara have become increasingly embracing of Shawn and Gus as well.
Strangely enough, Shawn's dad hires Shawn and Gus to solve a case that even he can't seem to tackle. It involves a friend of Henry's, Bill, and his son Brandon. Brandon has disappeared and no one seems to know where he is, though Bill is certain of one thing - Brandon is up to no good. The connection is extremely interesting (and humorous) when Shawn and Gus discover an underground poker game taking place at a local garden supply shop. Shawn ends up joining a subsequent high stakes poker game in lieu of Brandon (who is safely recovered for his father, Bill, who is, by the way, played by the illustrious Dan Lauria of The Wonder Years fame), and uncovers the cheating antics of one of Brandon's rivals on the circuit.
Psych is so funny and well-written that it's difficult to find many, if any, substantial problems with the show. If anything, branching out from the Santa Barbara Police Department yet again, this time by having Henry pay for the help of his son, is a nice change that potentially breaks up any complaints of monotony. The high caliber acting, writing, and overall execution leaves little to be desired. We're just torn about next week's season finale; on one hand, we're excited to see how the writers and producers decide to wrap up the first season, but on the other hand, we're sad that some time will elapse before we can again see new episodes. Either way, this week's episode comes highly recommended indeed.