Psych Returns And Something’s Fishy

The third season of Psych on USA resumes Friday, January 9 at 10/9c with the episode “Six Feet Under the Sea”, and yours truly got a sneak peek at the episode! You know I love me some Shawn & Gus (and Lassie and Juliet and Henry and the Chief), so it was a treat to get to see the episode in advance. But enough with the gloating.

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Synopsis: When Shabby the Sea Lion is found dead after being released into the wild, Shawn sets out to prove it was murder and stumbles onto a bigger conspiracy.

Melissa’s Review: One thing I love about this show is how seemingly throwaway lines or actions turn out to be important storyline drivers. For example, in the opening flashback, young Shawn and Gus have a plan to sneak away from a school field trip to the aquarium and ride a dolphin. Twenty years later, Shawn still pursues this dream with hilariously single-minded preparation. To avoid spoiling you, I won’t mention other specifics, but I have three more instances written in my notes from this episode alone. That kind of tight writing is what allows so much to happen in 42 minutes without the show feeling disorganized or unfocused.

Although there isn’t a lot of character development in this episode, we do learn a little more about Gus within the context of Shabby’s death. He is a supporter of marine rights and the environment, as we discover during the funeral when he gives a touching eulogy, and later as he tries to impress April, the “attractive conservationist”. Yes, there’s another lovely lady for Shawn & Gus to compete over. They must be the only two men on the planet who can compete for the same woman and still remain friends. April is the one who brings the sea lion’s case to PSYCH and asks for the boys’ help in finding Shabby’s killer. As a result of typical Shawn shenanigans, April gets  a chance to visit the police station where she and Juliet strike up an immediate (somewhat jarringly so) friendship that seems to be laying the groundwork for April to become a recurring character. That wouldn’t be a bad idea, especially because she seems well-suited as a love interest for Gus, and that guy deserves some lovin’!

Speaking of lovin’, we do get a teeny bit of movement on the Shawn/Juliet front. Nothing huge, but something to build on. It’s a nice tidbit thrown into the mix even though their relationship is not the focus in this episode. Instead, we get a rollicking, twisty mystery where the victim isn’t even human. My only real complaint is that Shawn barely uses his “psychic” abilities, something that always amuses me as much as it annoys Lassiter. Overall, though, this is an entertaining return and a fine kick-off for the rest of season 3.

Favorite Quote: “Shabby Thesealion – is he French?”

Movie Shout Outs: The Day of the Dolphin, Dead Calm, Deep Blue Sea, Out of Sight, El Cantante (for real!)

Don’t miss Psych‘s return on Friday, January 9 at 10/9c on USA. See more photos from this episode in our gallery.