Episode Title: 'Shawn, Interrupted'
Writer: Kell Cahoon
Director: Andrew Bernstein
Story:
After throwing a party to celebrate his arrest of billionaire killer, Bernie Bethel, Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) and the team learn that he's been found not guilty due to insanity. Bent on proving that Bernie is faking it, Lassie agrees to let Shawn (James Roday) go undercover at the mental institution and expose the ruse.
Soon after arriving at the institution, Shawn sees Bernie (Brad Dourif) visiting with his brother, Daniel, who offers him Skittles. At group therapy, Shawn witnesses the alleged killer become hysterical at the sight of a mirror. He tells Lassie and Jules (Maggie Lawson) he thinks Bernie might actually be insane.
Later that night, Gus (Dule Hill), working as an orderly, wakes up Shawn to show him Bernie, acting strangely in the kitchen. Now convinced Bernie is ill, Shawn promises Lassie he'll prove it to him. However, when Shawn surprises Bernie with a mirror while Lassie and Jules watch on hidden camera, he has no reaction. Bernie tells Shawn he's no fake, rather his meds have just kicked in. At Yoga the next day, Shawn notices Bernie's arthritic hand, suggesting he couldn't have strangled his assistant. Bernie tells Shawn he never made mention of it to his lawyer because he wasn't mentally well at the time.
After a visit to the infirmary, Bernie reverts back to his old behavior. Shawn notices he's taking new pills, causing him to believe someone is trying to keep Bernie crazy. When he goes in search of the doctor in charge of meds, Shawn finds him dead. Just then, Shawn is knocked unconscious. He wakes up, restrained in a bed. The nurse and attendant standing over him don't believe his story about being a psychic cop.
Meanwhile, Lassie and Jules question Bernie's lawyer, who never brought up his client's arthritic hand during his murder trial. He tells the two that he didn't realize how severe it was, as Bernie was mentally unwell at the time.
Back at the institution, Gus and Vivienne (Julianna Guill), a flirty patient with multiple personality disorder he's befriended, free Shawn. They're just in time to save Bernie, on his way to electro shock therapy which will wipe his memory.
Shawn realizes that Head Nurse McElroy (Molly Ringwald) is working with someone on the outside to keep Bernie ill. After breaking into her house, McElroy admits to changing the meds but not to killing the doctor. Just then, Bernie's brother, Daniel breaks in and holds McElroy at gunpoint. Shawn accuses Daniel of attempting to steal his brother's fortune and then killing his assistant when she got wise to his plans. Meanwhile, Gus remembers Bernie's extreme reaction to saxophone music and puts on a Kenny G CD. Daniel becomes preoccupied with his hysterical brother, allowing Gus to take his gun just as Jules and Lassie arrive.
Breakdown:
"Shawn, Interrupted" hit all the rights notes for an excellent episode of "Psych;" brilliant police work veiled in idiocy, a silly sendup of a Hollywood classic and a couple of iconic guest stars to compliment Shawn and Gus' antics.
Brad Dourif was the perfect choice for "Psych's" mash-up homage to "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Next" and "Girl, Interrupted." As Bernie Bethel (an obvious reference to Dourif's "Cuckoo's Nest" character, Billy Bibbit), Dourif stole a number of scenes from "Psych's" two leading lunatics. And Molly Ringwald even channeled a bit of Nurse Ratched as the stern Nurse McElroy.
"Psych" is best when it goes for broke with its patented approach to the police procedural farce, which is what made "Shawn, Interrupted" one of the best episodes so far, this season. Granted, the Shawn vs. Lassie saga is starting to feel a bit stale but James Roday and Timothy Omundson continue to get as much comedic mileage out of their characters' rivalry as can be expected after six seasons of bickering.
Another "Psych" staple that's due for a change is Gus' nonexistent love life. Creator Steve Franks and company told us to expect some movement on that front this season as well as with Lassiter, at the Psych Fan Appreciation event. Lassie's already found love, though she's locked up for the time being. So why can't Gus get it on with mental patient suffering from multiple personality disorder? One can only hope, or fear when Gus finally gets his Kenny G-lovin' groove on.
Crave Online Rating: 8.5 out of 10.
