ICYMI: PSYCH
Pschyic Powers, Fun + Great Guest Stars
In Case You Missed It is a series on PROVOKR highlighting cult TV series that have recently made their way to streaming platforms.
Every new streaming service needs a killer app. New shows are nice, but tried-and-true cult hits will sell a cagey consumer on a platform better than all the Anna Kendrick star vehicles money can buy. When HBO Max launched, they launched with Chuck Lorre’s maligned yet beloved comfort food sitcom The Big Bang Theory. Disney+ arrived with every episode of The Simpsons available on day one.
Peacock has a little more leeway in that NBC has the most extensive back catalogs of sitcom episodes of the four major networks. The Office and Parks and Recreation have massive fan followings, but they’ve also been on Netflix for years and pretty much everybody who wanted to watch those shows has already watched them. So, where can Peacock look for a well-loved show that still has diligent viewers eager to consume more content? The answer is USA Network’s hour-long comedy Psych.
The premise? Clever, charming confidence man Shawn Spencer lies his way into a job as a psychic consulting for the Santa Barbara Police Department. The thing is, he’s not actually a psychic, and maintaining the ruse is the only way that he can stay out of prison. His best friend Gus comes along for the ride, and the two are forced to stay on their toes while keeping up the deception of a lifetime.
Of the 2000s era basic cable hourlongs, Psych is one of the few, along with its forebear Monk, to have a lasting impact on the comedy landscape. There’s no better time to get into this series than today, because on top of the eight seasons produced between 2006 and 2014, USA produced a TV movie three years after the show ended and Peacock just premiered a sequel. Psych 2: Lassie Come Home was released on July 15 and continues the adventures of Shawn and Gus. With four more films in the works, Psych isn’t ending anytime soon.
If you’re hungry for a unique police procedural that involves two hucksters pulling one over on the cops—a small comfort in today’s testy climate, with cop shows facing scrutiny like never before—this is it. This is Peacock’s killer app and, whether you missed it the first time around or are a self-proclaimed “Psych-O” (the nickname fans of the show have adopted), your next streaming obsession.
