Psych-ing Out The Paley Center

On April 22 the Paley Center for Media honored the popular USA Network series Psych with a special panel that included cast members James Roday, Dule Hill, Maggie Lawson, Timothy Omundson and Kirsten Nelson as well as series creator Steve Franks and Executive Producers Chris Henze and Kelly Kulchak.

Jimmi "Mary" Simpson was the event's irreverent host / Wireimage

As usual, opening the night was Craig Hitchcock, Executive Director of the Paley Center, who welcomed the audience to what was assuredly an entertaining night. He then invited moderator, Jimmi Simpson, to take the stage. Simpson is an accomplished actor who also appeared in several episodes of Psych in the role of Mary.

He led off the night joking that he would be the “Ferry Man” who would get the panel from one end to the next, starting with the introduction of Steve Franks, the Executive Producer and Creator of Psych. The audience was surprised when Franks took the stage – he is 6 foot 8 inches tall – but he put them at ease with his wit and humor, joking that the audience inside the theatre was larger than the average broadcast audience of the series – to which the audience strongly disagreed, of course. He also mentioned that he had been working for over two years to get Psych featured at the Paley Center and he was very excited for the night to begin.

He then introduced the night’s screening of the episode “A Very Juliet Episode” which he co-wrote and directed; but before the episode aired the audience was treated to a blooper reel that set the tone for the rest of the night: hilarity.

Private eyes are watchin' you! / Wireimage

At the conclusion of the episode, the cast and crew took the stage with Simpson asking for an additional round of applause for the show. The first question was who sings the theme song; everyone pointed at Franks.

In a surprising concise order Simpson started with a question directed at James Roday, asking “What is Shawn’s five year plan?” Roday chided he was glad Jimmi started with asking something easy and then he deadpanned an answer: “Discovering, inventing or stealing a pill that reverses the aging process and kidnapping Barbara Hershey and watching ‘Boxcar Bertha’ with her, convincing Gus to purchase one of those Japanese video games where you dance for your score and possibly kissing Juliet O’Hara on the mouth.” This, of course, devolved the audience into much laughter.

The questions to the cast and crew maintained an easy pace in the order with which they each sat on the stage and consisted of some of the following:

Simpson: Is there a breaking point for Gus (in regards to Shawn)?
Hill: I don’t think there is one (as they are) joined at the hip. Gus wouldn’t know what to do without him.

Simpson: Did Juliet always want to be a cop?
Lawson: Yes, always since she was 8.

Simpson: What’s keeping Lassie from doing S.W.A.T. or working as a Fed?
Omundson: Automatic weapons (in the hands of Lassister) would devolve very badly.

Simpson: Does Captain Vick believe Shawn is really psychic?
Nelson:  She believes that Vick doesn’t believe Shawn (is for real), but he manages to get results and that’s what’s important.

Tim jokes around behind Dule / Wireimage

Simpson: What would be different if Lassie were in charge?
Omundson: There would be a hell of a lot more arrests. The conviction rates would be higher. There would be no graffiti. (He would run a) very tight ship.

Other highlights from the night’s panel included:

Executive Producers Chris Henze and Kelly Kulchak explained that the ratings increased when WWE wrestler John Cena appeared on the show, and the move to Wednesday nights made a big difference.

Franks explained that he made a list on a board of all the stories he would like to do on the show and they were able to do nearly all of them, and Kulchak mentioned some of their upcoming story ideas include “riffs” on The Fast and the Furious, UFO’s and Rush Hour.

The most ridiculous car they could find was used in the pilot, and the appearance of the pineapple in each episode was a “happy accident” in the pilot that nearly didn’t make it into the debut. And, when asked who hides the pineapple in each episode, all fingers were pointed at James.

The cast and crew are hopeful they will be invited back to Comic Con this year. Attending last year was, “the greatest day of my life” said Franks, especially because they film the show in Vancouver and had no idea what to expect upon entering the convention room that holds 4,000 people. They found every seat filled with even more standing around the outer part of the room. That was a true treat for all of them.

Maggie gives the fans a smile / Wireimage

The cast were each asked what they would like to take from the set once the show wraps with James saying it would be the toy frog in the Psych office called Winkie; Tim said Lassie’s shoulder holster and gun; Dule stated it would be the Michael Jackson jacket he wore in an episode and the Jheri Curl; Maggie joked it would be Gus’ car but then said it would be the costumes worn by her roller derby alter-ego “Scary Carrie”; Kirsten said it would be the leopard print Captain Vick wore in an episode so she could then ignite it.

Before the panel could end, a big round of applause was extended to the writers of the show, most of whom were in the audience, and the audience learned that Steve not only sings the theme song but also wrote it, and – just like the pineapple – that nearly didn’t make it into the show.

Psych will return to the USA Network in July.