TV Review: Psych – An Evening with Mr. Yang

Posted by Kevin Carr (kevin@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 21, 2009

Psych

Psych, USA, Airs Friday 10/9c

Episode: “An Evening with Mr. Yang” (Season Three, Episode 16)

Synopsis: For the Psych season finale, Shawn and Gus match wits with Santa Barbara’s infamous serial killer, the Ying-Yang killer. Mr. Yang has sent a threat to SBPD, requesting that Shawn track him down, and Shawn reluctantly accepts. Meanwhile, Shawn must also juggle a potential love life with a random waitress, Jules and his high school crush Abigail (Rachael Leigh Cook). Cybill Shepherd also guest stars Shawn’s mom.

Review: Between this episode and last week’s love letter to Friday the 13th, I’ve noticed a slightly darker trend to the Psych universe. It’s not dreary and oppressive, but there’s a heavier note to some of these later episodes. It might be a bit of the hand of James Roday, who co-authored this episode and directed the one from last week.

Still, a heightened sense of the show is what you might expect from a season finale. I do feel sad because this year’s Psych season seemed to go too fast. I’d expect that from last year with the writer’s strike, but I wish these cable networks would commit to at least 20 episodes a season for great shows like this.

The story was pretty intriguing, with Shawn going toe-to-toe with the Ying-Yang killer (and inviting a pretty awesome reveal of the culprit). Gus took a back seat, as he has in several shows of late, but he still had a chance to shine, offering completely inappropriate distractions for Shawn. After all, who knew Dulé Hill could do such an awesome Michael Jackson impression.

The key to this show was the guest stars. It was nice to see the call-back to Rachael Leigh Cook and Cybill Shepherd, but I have to give a shout out to Jimmi Simpson as the FBI profiler for Mr. Yang. Simpson delivers a McPoyle level of creepiness in this role, which had me in stitches.

Up Next: Nothing (sob, sob). We have to wait out the spring until Psych returns to USA this summer.

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Interjection

OMG the cameo of Mr. Yang is one of the best I have seen in a while. Even in an episode with not a lot of pop culture they managed to work that in. They were perfect for the role of Mr. Yang also. I did kind of miss the psychic banter...but it's nice to know the show doesn't hang on that. This has been one of my favorite psych episodes yet. Oh, Jimmi Simpson was also the patient on House this week...I always get kind of irked when an actor is in a central role as a guest twice in one week.

Kevin_Carr

yeah, the pop culture refs were down, but a lot was crammed into the scenes before the credits.

RobertFure

Psych might just be my favorite show on TV right now. Definitely my favorite comedy. The shows I watch in a week are: Simpsons, House, 24, Fringe, Lie To Me, Psych, Monk, Burn Notice, BSG. Out of all those this season, I think Psych and Burn Notice are my favorites. House is great, but 13/Foreman bores me. 24 is "meh," Fringe is mostly good, Monk is alright, BSG is 51% cool, 49% disappointing (to me), and Lie to Me is good but only 3 shows deep.

So yeah, Psych is awesome, This episode was awesome, Roday and Hill are awesome and I feel awesome.

Daniel S

Honestly found this episode underwhelming. While it had its high points (and don't get me wrong, even a bad Psych is better than most other shows on TV), the whole chase seemed a bit too rushed, and when Shawn finally cut up with Mr. Yang it was a bit too convenient (though pleasingly psychotic). I spent the last 15 minutes expecting something to go wrong, or there to be something... more happening.

Also Daniel

Thats mostly what i felt Daniel S
i got really excited when shawn notice the bomb, "she's strapped" but it was so easy from then on, i was just looking at the time wondering "when is this going to go wrong?" but the story just had a brain fart, and next thing we know, we got a love confession, and a quick bit with gus, roll credits. the hell, man? all i can hope for is a return to the killer with a more satisfying ending.

Still, its awesome, one less thing to watch on tv now, though, sadly, there isnt much else out there, like Robert was saying, except you forgot dollhouse, and the 13th season of king of the hill (though that is opinion) and lie to me seems like it wont last long (i dont think ive ever seen a tv show get pushed around so much, its never even on time) New Psych cant come soon enough.

TV Review: Psych – An Evening with Mr. Yang

Psych, USA, Airs Friday 10/9c

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