Before Psych 2, Rewatch These Essential Episodes

Before Psych 2 debuts on Peacock, take a look back at the series with a few (OK, a lot) of the most essential episodes

By Lauren Piester Jul 14, 2020 11:50 PMTags
Watch: "Psych" Cast Talks Upcoming Movie Sequel

We waited for it, and now it's here: Psych 2: Lassie Come home officially arrives tomorrow, with the launch of Peacock. 

You may want to just jump right in and find out where Shawn and Gus are in 2020, but you might also be in the mood for a slow build. You could, theoretically, rewatch all eight seasons of Psych, plus Psych the Movie, but that would take days! 

Instead, we've put together a list of the most essential Psych episodes that will help prepare you for Psych 2, starting back at the very beginning and making a few important stops along the way. Watch Shawn and Juliet fall (slowly) in love. Watch Shawn and Gus fall in (platonic) love. Watch Lassiter's heart grow three sizes over the course of the series.

Did we come up with what is likely too long a list of essential episodes to watch before you watch Psych 2? Perhaps. Feel free to pick and choose, but at least you can't tell us we didn't give you options. 

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Season 1, Episode 1: Pilot

You gotta go back to see how it all started, with Shawn Spencer (James Roday Rodriguez) and his somewhat reluctant best friend Burton Guster (Dulé Hill) becoming special consultants for the Santa Barbara Police Department...as psychics. 

Season 1, Episode 2: Spellingg Bee

Shawn Spencer, meet Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson). Jules made her debut in episode two, quickly establishing herself as a worthy partner and occasionally adversary. Plus the case of the dead spelling bee announcer is a hoot. 

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Season 1, Episode 10: From the Earth to the Starbucks 

Never forget that time Shawn, who knows nothing about astronomy, took an unsuspecting group of observatory visitors on the ride of their life in his own star show. But this episode is also notable for the Lassie of it all, as Lassiter (Timothy Omundson) is down the dumps over his divorce, and Shawn, Gus, and Juliet band together to help him. 

Season 2, Episode 1: American Duos

An absolute Psych classic. Tim Curry guest stars as a Simon Cowell-esque singing competition judge, which Shawn and Gus enter in an attempt to solve a murder. 

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Season 2, Episode 7: If You're So Smart, Then Why Are You Dead?

A case at a school for gifted kids turns personal when Gus discovers why he was never admitted to the school back in the day, and Juliet gets to try her hand at lead detective for the first time. A big day for everybody! 

 

Season 2, Episode 13: Lights, Camera...Homicidio

Me llamo Detective Carlton Lassiter. Me gusta queso. An absolutely classic Psych episode in which Shawn and Gus investigate a murder on the set of a telenovela, and Shawn somehow becomes an actor in the show.  

Season 2, Episode 15: Black and Tan, a Crime of Fashion

Shawn and Gus go undercover as models, but Gus has a much more successful time than Shawn, leaving him behind. Meanwhile Henry (Corbin Bernson) is on a date, and Shawn can't deal with either of these developments. 

Season 2, Episode 16: Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead

A mummy goes missing from a museum, which means Shawn and Gus get to spend a night at the museum, which goes about as well as you'd expect. Plus Shawn gets a visit from someone rather unexpected. 

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Season 3, Episode 1: Ghosts

Shawn is dealing with both the arrival of his mother (Cybill Shepherd) and the fact that Gus is on the verge of having to choose between his Psych job and his real job. Shawn fixes the problem by investigating a haunted house. 

Season 3, Episode 2: Murder?...Anyone?...Anyone?...Bueller? 

Shawn and Gus go to their high school reunion, where no one believes Shawn that a murder took place. Shawn also has to deal with a reunion with his ex-girlfriend Abigail (Rachael Leigh Cook), who he stood up years ago. It's a pivotal moment for Shawn and his ever-growing crush on Juliet, too...

Season 3, Episode 15: Tuesday the 17th

A classic. Shawn and Gus head to their old summer camp to find a missing counselor, and it becomes the ultimate tribute to a certain genre of scary movies. 

Season 3, Episode 16: An Evening With Mr. Yang

Just as Shawn and Abigail are about to go on a date, he has to go and catch a serial killer...who goes on to be one of the most beloved recurring characters in the series, with some help from another one of the most beloved recurring characters. 

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Season 4, Episode 1: Extradition: British Columbia

Meet Pierre Desperaux, an art thief played by Cary Elwes, who Shawn obviously idolizes even as he's investigating him for serious crimes. 

Season 4, Episode 7: High Top Fade-Out

A member of Gus' old college a capella group is murdered, so the other members (Jaleel White and Kenan Thompson) ask for Shawn's help, even though they no longer speak to Gus. 

Season 4, Episode 9: Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark

An unexpectedly serious episode that shows off the show's ability to mix the comedy with the drama. Shawn gets shot and abducted, and it's up to Gus, Henry, and Lassiter to save the day. 

Season 4, Episode 12: A Very Juliet Episode 

Once upon a time, Juliet made a pact with her boyfriend to meet up seven years later, and he doesn't show, so Shawn tries to find him, only to discover the guy's in witness protection. A crucial moment in Juliet's history and her friendship with Shawn. 

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Season 4, Episode 16: Mr. Yin Presents...

The follow-up to season three's finale is one of the most upsetting and emotional episodes of the series, as Shawn is forced to choose between saving Juliet and saving Abigail from a serial killer. 

Season 5, Episode 2: Feet Don't Kill Me Now 

Gus and Lassiter team up and bond over tap dancing, and if that's not enough of a description, we don't know what to tell you.

Season 5, Episode 9: One, Maybe Two, Ways Out

Shawn has to work with Juliet's cool new boyfriend, but it's just a means to a beautiful, beautiful end for this real slow burn of a couple. 

Season 5, Episode 10: Extradition II: The Actual Extradition Part

Pierre Desperaux is back, but what's really important here is Shawn Spencer finally expressing his feelings! 

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Season 5, Episode 12: Dual Spires

It's the Twin Peaks tribute episode, and it's about as weird as Twin Peaks itself, starring a whole bunch of former Twin Peaks stars...and Shawn and Juliet secretly dating.

Season 5, Episode 16: Yang 3 in 3D

The harrowing conclusion to the Yin/Yang saga! 

Season 6, Episode 2: Last Night Gus

One of the funniest episodes of the series features Shawn, Gus, Lassie, and Woody trying to piece together what happened during a night of debauchery. 

Season 6, Episode 3: This Episode Sucks

While Shawn is suspecting there are vampires in Santa Barbara, Lassie is falling in love with a possible criminal, Marlowe (Kristy Swanson). 

Season 6, Episode 11: Heeeeere's Lassie

Lassie gets a new condo that may be haunted, and he's so spooked that he hires Shawn and Gus to investigate.

Season 7, Episode 5: 100 Clues 

Psych's tribute to Clue, featuring three guest stars from the original movie and a song that gets stuck in our head: Let's all do the chocolate dance, the chocolate dance, the chocolate dance, let's all do the chocolate dance, it's an entire room! 

Season 7, Episode 7: Deez Nups 

Lassiter gets married! It's a beautiful wedding, but things go badly when Juliet discovers Shawn's not a real psychic. Oops. 

Season 7, Episode 8: Right Turn or Left for Dead

A devastating episode that tells two stories. In one story, Juliet never found the evidence that Shawn is not a psychic, and in the other, aka the real story, she did. Things do not go well! 

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Season 7, Episode 13: Nip and Suck It!

This episode has it all: Lori Loughlin. Plastic surgery. Shawn and Juliet getting back together. Relationship troubles for Gus and his girlfriend Rachael (Parminder Nagra). 

Season 7 Episode 14: No Trout About It

Ugh. Anthony Michael Hall arrives as Harris Trout, who's got no time for this misfit team. He suspends Chief Vick, demotes Lassiter, and basically also fires Shawn and Gus. 

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Season 7, Episode 15 and 16: Psych: The Musical 

You shouldn't have to be convinced to watch this two-hour special, so we won't try, but we will just tell you this masterpiece featured 14 original songs and an in-show play about Jack the Ripper. 

Season 8, Episode 1: Lock, Stock, Some Smoking Barrels and Burton Guster's Goblet of Fire

Shawn and Gus go to London to join an undercover op thanks to Pierre Desperaux, and Lassie is happy to help. 

Season 8, Episode 6: 1967: A Psych Odyssey

Chief Vick is back, but she's leaving again. This is the beginning of the end, as things start seriously changing. Chief Vick accepts a job in San Francisco and offers Juilet a job there too, while Lassiter becomes the new chief, and Shawn and Gus' futures are up in the air. 

Season 8, Episode 8: A Touch of Sweevil

Lassiter gets to know his new head detective and tries to drive her away (by telling Shawn and Gus to up the ridiculousness) so Juliet can replace her, but things do not go as planned.

Season 8, Episode 9: A Nightmare on State Street

Gus comes to terms with his fears of Shawn abandoning him when he falls into a deep sleep. 

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Season 8, Episode 10: The Break-Up

Shawn is afraid to tell Gus that he's moving to San Francisco with Juliet, while also trying to solve his final case, and if you think things don't get emotional in this series finale then you would be wrong! 

Psych: The Movie

Set three years after the series finale, Psych: The Movie is set in San Francisco and follows the investigation of the shooting of Juliet's partner. It also does some important scene setting for Psych 2, so it's worth a rewatch before Lassie comes home!

Psych 2: Lassie Come Home, as well as the rest of the series, will be available on Peacock starting Wednesday, July 15. 

E! and Peacock are both part of the NBC Universal family.