Looking at the way Monk has gone, I cannot help but watch Psych with an air of caution. The success of the show is down to such a simple formula week-to-week that I doubt it would work as it does of/when it starts mixing it up in an attempt to stay fresh. The start of season 3 has Shawn's mother enter the fray and I was worried that this would be the start of the rot in the way that movie series usually have to introduce a baby etc as a device to make the same characters seem fresh and allow for story lines. Fortunately this doesn't happen and for the vast majority of season 3, Psych sticks to the formula that I so enjoyed in season 2.
It goes like this: we have a mystery that Shawn solves by way of his amazing skills of deduction, which he has to dress up as psychic visions in order to get a consultant's fee. He works alongside his friend Gus (who provides business sense and a car) and, although death is always involved, essentially goes through the case with a carefree wit and a bagful of popular culture references and irreverent approach to life. It sounds really simple but it is not easy to make something so silly work like Psych has done for the last few seasons. And it is silly no point in denying it, the writing is good enough to provide solid stories to frame the silliness into engaging enough episodes but really it is silly. What makes this a non-issue though is that it is a lot of fun. As before this stems from the quick wit, mugging and references (self, films, music, TV etc) that it throws up. How many other murder mysteries have a pineapple in every episode? And how many do but yet also have good mystery plots? Well, just Psych I guess.
Season 3 stays fresh apart from a few missteps. The introduction of some "serious" threads don't work the clumsiest being Lassiter's ex-wife in a later episode, although I assume this is to allow a romance to be part of his character in season 4. Likewise the final episode, although reasonably exciting, is a warning to all those involved that the show simply doesn't work as well when it moves away from the light-hearted fun that is its engine. For almost all the episodes though, it manages to maintain this fresh air and it comes off the consistent delivery of the dynamics of Shawn and Gus. At some point I guess the writers will let this slide or change the dynamics or characters in order to create narrative but this has not happened yet (and I hope it does not as it destroyed season 5 of Monk which still has not recovered). These two play off one another and everything else with glee and aplomb, matching the structure of the episodes in throwing out references here there and everywhere. Big Punisher references, 80's high school movies, 80's slasher films and even references to their own critics (a character saying they're tiring of Shawn's mugging gets "what are you, Entertainment Weekly?" as the hilarious response).
The cast don't disappoint either and keep their focus on their jobs. Hill and Roday know their jobs are to deliver these characters in a fresh and fun way, keeping things free-flowing and enjoyable for the audience. They do this really well and deliver on the writing with a great double-act that regularly has me laughing. I'm not saying that their performances are Shakespearian but they have a set of things to do and they do these really well. Again I live in fear of the day the writers decide that the show should have development and depth because I don't think Roday will be as good at that, but then the show itself won't be either but this has not happened (yet). Lawson is good and manages to keep her character fresh with an edge of sex appeal but not to the point where it gets in the way. Omundson is weak when the script needs more from his character in terms of depth but in regards the general situation he is funny and plays it well (ironically he is less funny when trying to be funny in the "outtakes"). Bernsen and Nelson are also good and all of these supporting players do better in season 3 in regards carrying things when the main two are off-screen. Not a lot is put on them but generally they have better material this time.
Psych continues to be something I struggle to recommend to people because it is not "brilliant" in the way that some things of real quality will appeal to many this is a bit too silly for everyone to enjoy. However, season 3 yet again repeats the charm of the series as a whole, building on solid plots and writing consistent characters to formula, the whole thing is a great deal of fun that makes for easy and enjoyable viewing. I look forward to season 4 and hope it can maintain what it is doing and not collapse like its companion Monk has done over the last few years.
