Twitter

I didn’t realize just how much I missed this silly series until I pressed play on Psych: The Movie. The USA Network’s fervently adored comedy about a fake psychic detective (James Roday) who solves crimes with his reluctant best friend (Dule Hill) may have solved its final case in 2014, but now it’s back, in movie form, and it’s just as enjoyable as ever. Written by Psych creator Steve Franks and James Roday, the holiday-themed special picks up three years after the series finale. The movie stays true to the events of the final episode as most of the original gang have relocated to San Francisco. Shawn and Gus have launched their own San Fran agency — psychphrancisco “one word, all lowercase, ph for the f” — and Juliet’s stolen engagement ring from the finale factors into the story.

Structured like an extended episode of Psych, the movie obviously has an intricate mystery for Shawn and Gus to unravel, but the unbridled joy of the movie is seeing everyone together again. It’s simple: If you enjoyed Psych the TV show, you’ll love Psych: The Movie. The film absolutely radiates fun, silliness, and holiday cheer. It’s obvious that everyone involved is thrilled to be back and the cast chemistry, a staple of the series, is better than ever. There are no two people alive who have more fun with their characters than Roday and Hill.

“Gus, don’t be the comma in Earth, Wind and Fire.”

The best reunion movies pay homage to the past while adding something to the present; Psych: The Movie understands this philosophy and executes it to perfection. The holiday-themed special is brimming with inside jokes, callbacks, familiar faces, and more pop culture references than you can shake a stick at. I desperately just want to talk about Shawn and Gus’ new pop culture themed office, or the film’s incredible musical number that almost made my ’90s music-loving head explode, but I don’t want to spoil the fun.

Joining in on all the absurdity is former Chuck star Zachary Levi, who is 100% game for anything as he portrays the villainous Thin White Duke. If you’re serving me Levi as an over-the-top antagonize who channels David Bowie and spouts John Hughes references, I’m not only 100% in, but I’m going to be stuffing my plate with seconds, thirds, and fourths. Nathan Mitchell and the WWE’s Charlotte Flair also shine as Levi’s henchmen — the Black Gentleman Ninja and Heather Rockrear, respectively.

One notable absence (save for one scene) is Timothy Omundson, who portrays Carlton Lassiter. Omundson sadly suffered a stroke shortly before the film started production, which resulted in Roday and Franks re-writing a good portion of the script.

If you love tonight’s two hour holiday special — and, trust me, you will — you’ll be elated to know that Franks has said that he hopes to produce additional movies, five more in fact, with the next installment fully reuniting the team by bringing Lassiter back into the mix. USA’s desire to produce yearly or bi-yearly specials will depend on how well this initial film is received. Psych loses a bit of its unique comedic zest over a 16-episode season, but the show’s ebullient absurdity is perfect for the occasional reunion movie. Based solely on fan interest and initial reviews, you must be out of your damn mind if you think this is the last we’ll see of Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster… and you know that’s right.

When speaking about the movie with Forbes, Frank provided the perfect summation of Psych: The Movie. “It’s just two hours away from any of your problems that makes you feel good about yourself and the world, and everybody around you.”

I couldn’t agree more.

You can now watch Psych: The Movie for free (no login required!) on the USA Network’s website.

Where to stream Psych