psyched.

Over spring break, my sister received season 2 of "Psych" in her Easter basket (yes, at 19 and 20 we still get Easter baskets).  Having gotten the first two seasons of the far superior "Seinfeld" in my own Easter basket, I wasn't too interested.  Meg watches about 6 other procedural crime shows, so I can't say her tastes are too discerning.  But then she started playing "Psych" episodes.  When I was in the house.  And could hear them.  I became intrigued...

"Psych," which airs on USA, is basically about two friends who have a psychic business... but neither of them is actually psychic.  One of them is just super observant, and is just using the psychic cover to gain credibility as a detective (It makes perfect sense, I know).  The other one seems logistically useless, but he drives a blue Echo, so he certainly brings something to the table.  From what I gather so far, they go "undercover" by using silly names, look around at stuff to solve the case, and then make a big scene about psychic "visions," exposing the generic bad guy.  They also always seem to be desperate to cut in on police cases because the police can apparently pay them more money than they can make privately.  And if they do take a private case, it always, always, ALWAYS becomes related to whatever the po-po are currently investigating.

The mystery part of the show is ridiculous.  I learned quickly that it follows the Scooby-Doo formula: if a subsidiary character has a line early in the episode, he or she is probably the murderer/almost murderer/thief/etc.   The cops are stupid, and the villains are even stupider.   But the show's genius lies in its ability to cram a huge number of pop culture references into the witty banter of its primary characters, Shawn and Gus (played by James Roday and Dule Hill), between conversation about the actual case.  It makes me giggle, and I especially love that I don't have to actually sit down and watch it to enjoy it.  As I follow about 8 shows with additional DVD viewing, I'm big on multi-tasking. 

Although I wish they'd make it even more zany, "Arrested Development"-style, I'm still pretty stoked about a show that can make clever and seamless quips about Keyser Soze, the guy from the Pollo Loco commercials, and Are You There, God?  It's Me, Margaret without breaking a sweat.  And if you don't know who Keyser Soze is, go rent "The Usual Suspects."  Right now.