Gus runs afoul of his new boss, and when he sends a nasty note to the man it leads him to big trouble in this week’s episode of Psych. After that boss quickly turns up dead, Gus is left to cover up both the existence of that note AND his clumsy presence at the crime scene, which resulted in him tainting the evidence. This forces Gus to involve both Henry and Shawn, and eventually stake the reputation of Psych and his freedom entire, on outpacing a security guard who rankles Lassiter with his competence.
“Office Space” is Psych’s comedic side as its slapstick-heavy best. The opening montages in which first Gus, then Gus and Shawn, try to cover up Gus’ presence at the crime scene are classics. It was downright Lucille Ball-like in terms of timing, pace and general comedic element. There are a couple more moments of stand-out humor, including the musical stylings of one of Gus’ co-workers at a memorial service and Lassiter’s repeated clashes with Juliet, but the opening fifteen minutes of the episode truly make it.
While last week’s episode felt overlong with a pointless mystery, this week’s felt overstuffed, with a high number of red herrings that were colorful but pointless additions to the story. The actual perpetrator’s introduced about a half hour into the story, which is fairly inexcusable even with the story’s jam-packed landscape.
This episode is indisputably as big a showcase for Dule Hill’s talents as “Right Turn or Left for Dead” was for James Roday. When faced weekly with Hill’s formidable comedic timing, it’s hard to remember that he earned his stripes as a dramatic actor, and his monologue in this episode was delivered with panache and talent that was utterly stunning. This is an ensemble piece, and every main character has a role or appearance, but Dave Kochner as steals the show from everyone but Hill with his Leslie Nielsen-like mock-intensity and comic delivery.
For all of its various problems and flaws, “Office Space” is a solid example of a humor-heavy Psych plot. If you’re looking for drama or action, head earlier into the season, but if you’ve been missing out on the humor “Right Turn…” and “Juliet Takes a Luuvah” didn’t provide, then “Office Space” will provide an enjoyable diversion.
LOOSE ENDS:
- * The chill between Shawn and Juliet continues to thaw, as Shawn ends up spending the night on Jules’ couch in this episode. They also continue to split the custody of household items as if they were children, with a mutually-held coffee mug ending up at this week’s crime scene and locked up for evidence. She still wants to keep her hands clean, but in spite of herself she lies blatantly and repeatedly to Lassiter on the Psych team’s behalf.
- * Shawn and Gus’ mutual lack of athletic ability pops up once again, but this time it seems a little more ludicrous, as Gus is in a teeshirt. Note to wardrobe: we’d believe Gus as an athletic lightweight more readily if he were more heavily covered up.
- * Suck it count for the episode: 3
- * Is anyone shocked that kinky Woody enjoys being tied up? The show has well-established his wide-ranging sexual proclivities, as recently as last episode’s semi-kinky orgy with two willing lasses in “Juliet Wears the Pantsuit”.
- * Next week, Shawn and Gus try their hands at playing radio deejays when their favorite drivetime disc jockey gets killed in “Dead Air”.
