DVD Review: Psych - The Complete Second Season

By June L. Jul 8, 2008, 12:38 GMT

Shawn Spencer (James Roday) is on the case again! Quick-witted Shawn and his skeptical best friend Gus (Dule Hill) race to solve crimes while deceiving the police into believing in Shawn\'s so-called psychic abilities. ...more

Well, the resident scientist (my husband) doesn’t understand why I like this show, and why it makes me laugh so much. 

That’s okay!  I don’t understand why every time the documentary about the building of Hoover Dam is on PBS,WE have to watch it….and be amazed.

It takes different things to entertain different people, and of course there is a time and a place for educational amazement.  BUT given a choice, most of us usually like to laugh, and Psych is funny.

James Roday is Shawn Spencer who works as a police psychic, although his “abilities” are more of the clever observational type, than anything he “senses.”  His best friend from childhood Burton “Gus” Guster played by Dule Hill helps him with the cases, and their interactions are some of the funniest things on television since Lucy and Ethel. 

A lot of the comedy depends on their long standing friendship. Each episode is introduced by a flashback to 1987 showing Shawn and Gus or Shawn and his dad in some action that will relate to the present day case.

Corbin Bernsen plays Shawn’s father Henry, a retired policeman who still sees his son as a child.  He taught Shawn the value of careful observation to make use of all available clues, but thinks his son has gone crazy,..maybe with good reason, as Shawn’s unabashed approach to solving crimes assisted by Gus’s unfailing cleverness is a bit like watching the Hardy Boys on speed. 

The show is peppered with great guest stars, imagine Tim Curry as a snooty American Duos judge Nigel St. Nigel, flanked by Gina Gershon and Cristian De La Fuentes playing the other judges.  Or picture a tough guy Lou Diamond Phillips as a Federal Treasury Agent leading a raid on the local Home Depot. 

Kevin Sorbo makes an appearance as a gritty bounty hunter Shawn admired as a kid, and has a chance to meet and challenge on a case.  Best of all, Felicia Rashad plays Gus’s mom, who is anything but thrilled with her son’s longtime friend. 

The Christmas dinner in that episode is so funny because Shawn is determined to let the Gusters know that he was a positive influence on Gus’s life, and there is a come-back for every instance he bring up.

Psych - The Complete Second Season is attractively packaged in a DVD case that did win the approval of the resident scientist as “clever.”  Season Two is presented on four discs, each episode with its own special features, deleted scenes, and/or commentary.  There is a gag reel, Where’s the Pineapple, The Name Game, The Adventures of Lil’ Shawn and Gus, and podcasts with commentaries. 

The episodes are in anamorphic widescreen, and the running time is over 11 hours. 

Psych is a very funny show, with clever to silly (but still hilarious) dialog, and bits that will keep you laughing every time you remember them.  In short, in a world where most shows are going gory to shock viewers, it is great to see something that uses humor and wit to catch its audience as well as the criminals!

Psych - The Complete Second Season is now available at Amazon. It is available for pre-order at AmazonUK for a Sept. 8th release. Visit the DVD database for more information.