After a long absence Psych has returned and definitely did not disappoint.
Flashback: Henry has just gotten off the phone with Shawn’s teacher and learned that Shawn did not turn in an assignment. Shawn of course has an excuse, his project was stolen. Shawn claims that only his painting was stolen because that’s the perfect crime. Henry dismisses his excuse and forces him to do the project. More Henry words of advice “There is no such thing as the perfect crime”.
Present: Shawn enters the chief’s office and cannot help but make a comment about Lassie’s new hairdo. Shawn wants an advance on his next case for a ski vacation he has planned with Gus. He is denied the advance and is asked where he is going to find snow in the middle of summer.
He has found snow in Canada, more precise Whistler Mountain. Gus is ready to start skiing but Shawn wants to finish his hot chocolate first, he won’t throw it out because it represents the last of their vacation money. By their vacation money of course Shawn means he has maxed out Gus’s credit card. A few girls walk by and Shawn has to refrain from flirting because he is spoken for. Yes, Shawn’s relationship with Abigail is still happening. Shawn recognizes a guy who passes them but cannot place him. Finally it comes to him, he saw him on Lassiter’s wall of suspects that he has in his apartment. Shawn quickly calls up Lassiter to ask him about this man whom he remembers is named Pierre Despereaux. Lassie tells him to not do anything. Despereaux is about to start skiing so Shawn decides to go after him and hangs up on Lassiter.
Which brings me to the ski chase, which I must say might be my new favorite scene. Shawn shouts out “PIERRE!” and they’re off. Despereaux is a seasoned skier and our guys not so much, in fact they have only had one lesson. Despereaux flies down the slope with some impressive moves while Shawn and Gus are following in the typical beginner style. In Shawn words “Pizza Slices to slow down, French Fries to speed up”. Unfortunately, Despereaux makes a turn, which Shawn and Gus did not learn in their lesson and they lose him.
Shawn and Gus have gone to the Mounties to report seeing Despereaux. Since they are in Canada, Shawn has to convince these officers that he is psychic. Being a pro fake psychic Shawn has the entire precinct amazed by him within minutes. The Mounties call up Lassiter to have his case file on Despereaux sent up to Canada. Lassiter gets annoyed because he wants to catch Despereaux and decides he is going to use some of his 325 days of unused vacation time to come up to Canada and help catch this guy.
Lassiter has arrived in Canada with Juliet because she would not let him use her flying miles unless he took her with him. Lassiter is upset because he was not allowed to take his gun with him and is determined to get a gun in Canada. Shawn calls Juliet and gives her the location of Despereaux’s first crime scene in Canada.
The first item Despereaux has stolen is a necklace worth millions of dollars. Shawn says he senses a painting was stolen as well but the owner says he had sold it weeks ago. While Lassiter shares his knowledge of Despereaux’s methods Shawn notices a plant being blown by a barely open window. Glancing out the widow he sees Despereaux climbing onto the roof. He tries to get the all the officers to follow him but only Gus comes. They meet Despereaux on the roof where he chats then impressively leaps from the building. The Mounties refuse to believe anyone jumped off the roof and leave Shawn looking like an idiot.
Shawn and Gus go to a restaurant that to Gus’s mind is a little too romantic. Something is definitely up with Shawn who comments on long the waiting list is for this restaurant but he only invited Gus on this trip a couple of days ago. They are not the only ones with reservations to this restaurant, looks like Despereaux does too. He spots Shawn and Gus over to his table for another chat. Before he disappears again he leaves Shawn his schedule for his time in Canada because even with it he knows that they will never catch him. First up on the list, steal a Manet.
Juliet has found the location of a Manet painting within the area. The Mounties have it staked out and Lassie is still upset about not having a gun. A man arrives near the book and is grabbed, not Pierre Despereaux. Shawn observes that they are already too late, Despereaux has struck again.
For some reason Shawn and Gus are riding in a carriage. Gus realizes that Shawn had planned this trip for him and Abigail and had to take him instead at the last minute. Since Gus’s money paid for the carriage ride he kicks Shawn off and leaves him to walk back through woods possibly filled with raccoons. While Shawn is slowly walking and talking to “imaginary” raccoons he realizes what hotel Despereaux meant when he told them on the roof that he was heading back to his room.
Shawn goes to the hotel next and claims to have lost his room key. He spots Despereaux’s alias with a reflection of the computer screen and gets a key to the room. Shawn’s snooping is cut short because Despereaux was expecting him and sat waiting in his chair. Despereaux tells Shawn that he is leaving and has not yet been pushed into hurting Shawn with his gun. Only problem with Despereaux’s story is he has dry cleaning pickup card for Tuesday and it is only Sunday.
Lassiter and Juliet will not listen to Shawn about Despereaux not leaving town for a few more days. Shawn goes to another officer who will help him, Mackintosh. Mackintosh has put together a book of all the items Despereaux might steal. While flipping through the book Shawn notices a crown that makes him remember the last part of Despereaux’s to do list. Make myself feel like a king. Mackintosh helped install the security system where the crown is kept and agrees to disarm it so Shawn can get the crown before Despereaux.
After the museum owner leaves, Shawn and Gus make their moves. Surprising fact, Gus is very limber. Shawn tricks him into navigating through some infrared security lasers before telling him that they were already disarmed by Mackintosh. As Shawn goes to lift the glass from the crown’s display case the alarms go off and they are surrounded by a SWAT team.
Henry has to fly all the way to Canada to bail Shawn and Gus out of jail. On their way out they spot Mackintosh with a box full of belongings. He was fired because of their museum charade, he would only have been suspended but when the display case was opened the crown was gone. Shawn knows that Despereaux did not go into that museum and finally figures out how he does it, the owners of the items have been handing him the stuff for insurance fraud.
Shawn waits by Despereaux’s seaplane to tell him he knows how he does it and how disappointingly uncool he is for doing something so lame as insurance fraud. Despereaux tells Shawn how unfortunate it is that now he has to hurt him and that he is going to get away with it. Shawn tells him that he isn’t and before Despereaux can react he is arrested. Before he is taken away, Despereaux informs Shawn that he has dreamed of breaking out of prison.
I wonder if this is the last we will hear of Pierre Despereaux
