Earlier in 2017, the USA Network shocked us all by announcing they were giving us something we didn’t even know we desperately needed, and that was a Psych movie. What was Psych? Well, for those who don’t know, Psych was a show about Shawn Spencer (played by James Roday), a psychic that solved crimes. The kicker? He wasn’t really psychic, just hyper-observant. If it sounds like the Mentalist, that’s because that’s where they got the idea for the show, fight me.
The movie won’t air until Christmas time, but that doesn’t mean we can’t get into the spirit! Ranked below are the top eight best episodes of Psych! What? It’s supposed to be top ten? Hmm, I’ve heard it both ways. Grab your best friend, a pineapple, and wait for iiiiiiiiiiiiit…
The Top Eight Episodes of Psych
8. Scary Sherry, Bianca’s Toast (Season 1, Episode 16)
The finale for the first season of Psych saw Shawn and Gus revisit the haunted, abandoned insane asylum where they saw a deranged patient leap to her death. Years later, history repeats itself as a young girl falls to her death in an act of sorority hazing gone wrong. Soon the sorority house is haunted by the girl’s ghost and Shawn and Gus investigate.
This episode was the first time the show decided to try and spook the audience a little. Parts of this episode are legitimately creepy. Not to mention, it has my favorite moment in the entire series.
7. Heeeere’s Lassie (Season 6, Episode 11)
Part of what made Psych so great was it’s ability to blend genres. It’s true that on the surface, the show is a silly buddy-cop comedy, but occasionally, it would get a little darker. This episode is a tribute to The Shining. No joke, the Stephen King book, the Stanley Kubrick movie, The Shining.
During a murder investigation, Lassie falls in love with a darling new apartment. He moves in and weird things start happening. He hires Shawn and Gus to investigate and shenanigans ensue. The casts is obviously having so much fun parodying the Shining that the episode absolutely glows.
6. An Evening with Mr. Yang (Season 3, what?, Episode 16, what?)
Firstly, if you don’t know why I included the “what?” near 3:16, I’m not sure we can be friends. Secondly, I really struggled with this episode. It had to be somewhere on this list, because it introduced Mr. Yang, Shawn’s nemesis. But… it also wasn’t the best episode in the Yang trilogy.
I’d love to get more into Mr. Yang, but I don’t want to ruin a further entry, and that’s called foreshadowing, kiddos.
5. Murder… Anyone?… Anyone? Bueller? (Season 3, Episode 2)
You know what Psych really needed? A tribute to The Breakfast Club. And that’s exactly what it got in the second episode of the third season. This episode sees Shawn and Gus, at their 13th, yes 13th, high school reunion. Face to face with “the one that got away” in high school, Abigail, Shawn believes he witnesses a murder.
This episode is hilarious, charming, and introduces Shawn’s future “other” love interest. Anyone that loves John Hughes movies will be absolutely tickled by this episode, and it’s one of my favorites.
4. Last Night Gus (Season 6, Episode 2)
Remember The Hangover? That comedy about a bachelor party gone in Vegas wrong starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zack Galifa-… well, you know the one. This episode is basically Psych’s parody of that, and Kurt Fuller’s performance as Woody is amazing, absolutely amazing. Basically, the Psych crew get drugged at an officer’s retirement party, and have to retrace their steps from the night before. Please. Watch. This. Episode.
3. 100 Clues (Season 7, Episode 5)
This episode was a tribute to Clue, the amazing movie based on the board game. It’s got the same wit, pacing, and fun as the original movie, and it’s littered with reference to the original film. What was fun about this episode was that it marked Psych’s 100th episode, and fans were actually able to vote to pick the killer. My only problem with this episode? That they had Tim Curry on the show in an earlier season, and he didn’t make a cameo in this episode. Tsk tsk.
2. Tuesday the 17th (Season 3, Episode 15)
Under no circumstances can my brother find out that I ranked this episode this high on the list. Years ago, we got into a debate about our favorite episodes of Psych, and I mistakenly said that Scary Sherry, Bianca’s Toast was the best “scary” episode of Psych.
Shawn and Gus go back to the summer camp where they spent their youths to investigate a missing counselor, only to discover that things aren’t what they seem. A killer plot twist, a Harvey Danger song (you know the one), and a clever title earn this episode the number two spot.
1. Mr. Yin Presents… (Season 4, Episode 16)
I think that Mr. Yin Presents is the best episode of Psych because it’s just so different. You’ll probably have noticed by now that many of these episodes are parodies or tributes of great movies. The Shining, the Breakfast Club, Friday the 13th, Clue, etc, etc. Well Mr. Yin Presents is a sequel to An Evening with Mr. Yang, and it has a Hitchcock theme.
This episode is dark. Really dark. It shakes Shawn to his core, and the final moments of the episode are deeply emotionally moving. It’s a shame that the final episode in the Yin/Yang trilogy wasn’t as good, because the first two gave the show some real depth.