I can never tell if it is a good sign when a show seems so self aware of itself and its fans. Psych loves to advertise the running pineapple joke which I think is fun for the type of viewer who watches each episode enough times where they can look for these details. Even the recent slew of jokes aimed at the similarities between Psych and the Mentalist can still garner a laugh or two regardless of the fact that most viewers have already made the connection. Tonight’s episode included a mention of Shawn’s love of Simon Baker, the actor who plays the similar fake psychic on The Mentalist. These types of in jokes seem appropriate and a treat for viewers who stand by the show each week. But tonight I think the show may have perhaps overstepped the bounds of fun jokes acknowledging what the audience all knows and turned into a show that points out its own down falls without trying to fix them.
What I’m referring to is a conversations in the latest episode that made it clear that the writers know the show has turned into a crime of the week series with little to no over reaching plot arc. Yes, Shawn arguing with Gus that he shouldn’t accept a case without speaking with his partner and Gus responding that “You do it every week” is funny. But it also is a little sad that something is so routine that even its characters are admitting it has become cliché. Or later in the episode when Shawn explains his way of solving each case as basically following some leads, making inappropriate jokes and then using crazy psychic visions on the SBPD we again see an example of a funny enough line that strikes a little too close to my problem with the series. Each individual episode is funny enough by itself but when you watch them too closely or make a marathon of it you see that the show is losing some of its original charm.
This week’s episode, “The Devil’s in the Details… And in the Upstairs Bedroom” fits into the regular outline of pretty much every episode of the series. This time it is Gus who wants in on the case instead of Shawn and it is Gus who believes in the innocence of the most likely sounding criminal but other than that we have a typical episode. Shawn and Gus are brought to a Catholic school to help to determine the cause of the death of one of the students, Agatha. Unlike some episodes the viewers witness the crime as it happens and can see Agatha running from her friend Lucy and jumping off of a building in an effort to keep Lucy away. Three different theories are brought out initially in the episode about what caused the death. Shawn believes the story at face value, that Agatha really did commit suicide. Detective Lassiter as always believes the opposite in that someone murdered the victim. The final idea comes from Shawn and Gus’ priest in their youth who has come back to Santa Barbara to teach at the school. Father Westly believes that the girl is a victim of demon possession which led her to jump off the building in order to escape.
Shawn and Gus decide to look into the case together even though Shawn firmly believes that nothing will be found at first. Much of the episode relies on Shawn and Gus posing as grief counselors and meeting with different characters who all had a connection to the victim. Cameron was Agatha’s boyfriend but the relationship had recently ended and it isn’t too long before he already has a new girlfriend. The headmaster of the school also appears to be a less than welcoming figure that seems to want to be rid of many of the old beliefs that seem to border on superstitions. The Father himself comes under pressure for having a connection to exorcisms and drugs found in the system of the deceased.
For one of the first times in the series Shawn and Gus actually seem to get into a real argument rather than their usual playful banter. It is nice to see the two characters actually interacting with each other more than just the normal joking attitude. The arguing is mostly over the fact that Shawn refuses to believe with Gus that their really could be such a thing as demonic possession. For most of the episode it looks as though Gus is right where Shawn is wrong as now Lucy is showing signs of possession and Father Westly is brought in to save her.
Thankfully in this episode some of the side characters are given more of a part once again. Henry is placed in the spot light as he shares with Shawn his own advice on how to deal with a partner who you believe is wrong based off of his own experience with his fellow officers. There is also a sub plot of his new addiction to playing video games on the Xbox 360 he took from Shawn. It was amusing but also left me a little disturbed. The episodes lately seem to love to add in as much new technology and fads which adds to the realism but I think detracts a little from each scene. I can’t tell if we’re being subjected to extra advertising or the writers think the only way to make the audience feel connected with the show is to add things we too are familiar with. Personally, I think the Psych characters are likable enough that they don’t need these extra devices and reminders of real life. Most people probably weren’t as bothered by the mentions of different social networking sites and video games but I know it seems to stand out to me whenever I’m watching when they are featured so prevalently.
I will say I love how we seem to have headed back into the tighter writing found earlier in the series. The solution to the episodes crime felt less like a leap to some unrealistic conclusion that only Shawn could make and more like something that if we were paying attention we might have figured out. One scene in particular seemed well thought out. It is revealed early on that Shawn doesn’t believe that Lucy’s demonic demonstration in the bedroom was all real. Of course it is easy enough to say this but the show did a good job of showing exactly how Lucy would have faked such an act and each step actually made sense instead of feeling impossible. For instance, the falling of a lamp was credited to Lucy tugging on everything in her grasp, including any electrical cords, the seemingly demon voice speaking in German was explained through the previously mention social networking page where she had listed her favorite movie which included the German line she said. At this point in the episode though there are still enough loose ends that viewers can’t be sure if Shawn really has solved anything or is merely using his heightened senses to make up proof to back his own decisions. I admire the fact that they were able to both explain what may be going on but leave enough suspense and questions to still leave you wondering.
As I’ve said I felt like this was a very typical episode of Psych. It had its great moments but in the end it still is just a one hour crime solving show. This is fine when you’re in the mood for it but gets old week after week. As long as you’re willing to believe that demonic possessions are possible this episode works well as a suspenseful mystery. As much as I complain that each show blends into the next I really do see room where the show may improve and seems to actually be heading in that direction. With Shawn and Gus still providing humor to make the show worth watching but actually doubting each others relationship a little we might see some actual growth. Plus Gus didn’t cower in fear for most of the episode like he often seems to and I’m glad the character was able to stand on his own for awhile. Shawn also seems to actually listen to his father rather than just arguing and ignoring him which shows room for a new relationship between the two and could open up new possibilities for the future.
Although I do kind of wonder where the newest relationship on the show, and the only romantic one, has gone to. Shawn’s girlfriend was mentioned but made no appearance. It seems like kind of a waste of potential but perhaps it is just as well as it may have detracted from the chemistry of other characters on the show. Maybe someday we’ll find out what is going on. Until then we were able to enjoy yet another horror tinged episode that points to the possibility of improving on an already good show.
