Psych: Every Holiday Episode, Ranked According to IMDb
As one of the most unique television shows in recent history, the USA Network cult series Psych has a knack for blending genres like comedy, drama, mystery, parody, and, apparently, holiday-themed fare. The zany buddy comedy series covers a variety of holidays during its eight season, one musical, and two Psych movies (and counting) run.
While not every holiday featured in the series receives the same amount of focus and loving tribute, Psych never shies away from exploring each holiday in its own unique way, serving up generous amounts of its signature "delicious flavor" in the process.
10 "Psych: The Movie" (7.5)
Though not a conventional holiday episode at all, and really, not even a conventional episode either, Psych: The Movie was billed as a Christmas movie in its promotion.
In reality, the movie has very little to do with the holiday, other than that it was released in December and some decorations can occasionally be glimpsed in the background of the action-packed movie's scenery. That may not be the reason why the movie ranks so lowly at IMDb, but the bait and switch merits the score.
9 "The Polarizing Express" (7.9)
Just like so many other television shows before it, Psych features an episode that is essentially its own version of It's A Wonderful Life. The season five episode "The Polarizing Express" finds Shawn wondering what Santa Barbara would be like if he never came back and became the SBPD's psychic detective.
In true Psych fashion, Shawn is visited not by a guardian angel, but by a snarky elf played by Tony Cox. Each alternate reality they visit also resembles a different genre of entertainment, with Gus's life a 90s sitcom, Juliet's life a cop drama, and the Chief and Lassiter in a 40s German war drama.
8 "Who Ya Gonna Call?" (8.0)
Not strictly a Halloween episode, but one that certainly features all the hallmarks of a great Halloween caper, the first season episode "Who Ya Gonna Call?" finds Shawn and Gus dealing with a client who thinks they're being haunted and possessed.
Typical Halloween antics ensue, including a pretend exorcism, threatening messages on mirrors, and more. But as it turns out, the client is merely dealing with undiagnosed split personalities.
7 "Bollywood Homicide" (8.1)
Psych's fourth season tribute to the world of Bollywood, "Bollywood Homicide," also happens to be the series' only episode to feature a storyline revolving around Valentine's Day. On top of that, the Valentine's Day story only happens in the episode's introductory flashback.
The opening scene finds a young Shawn working hard on a homemade Valentine, which impresses his father, Henry - until he learns Shawn is making the card for his teacher, Mrs. Phillips.
6 "In Plain Fright" (8.1)
In yet another caper that might not be strictly Halloween-focused but certainly Halloween-inspired, the season five episode "In Plain Fright" finds Shawn and Gus dealing with the mystery of a murder at Scare Fest, the town's spooky festival complete with a Haunted House ride.
The episode is filled with mystery and spooky thrills from the very beginning, as Scare Fest hasn't been held for nearly 20 years as it is. Matters take a turn for the darker, spookier worse when Shawn and Gus witness a murder within the Haunted House, and have to prove that it actually happened and wasn't just part of the ride.
5 "Ghosts" (8.2)
Shawn and Gus certainly seem to have a knack for getting caught up in potentially supernaturally tinged mysteries. The third season premiere "Ghosts" finds them in yet another of these, as they have to prove whether Gus's boss's house is haunted, as his wife fears.
As it turns out, there's nothing to the haunting story, but that doesn't mean Shawn can't have plenty of fun with it at Gus's expense, going all out to ensure that the mystery of the potential ghosts remains unsolved and believable for as long as possible.
4 "Christmas Joy" (8.3)
Gus's family takes a more prominent role than ever in the series during the holidays. The third season episode, "Christmas Joy," introduces the character of Gus's never before (and never again) mentioned sister, Joy, while working with a little girl to free Santa from jail.
Of course, the plot takes twists and turns, including the fact that Santa is the little girl's father, and they are both con artists, and that Shawn and Joy have been hiding the fact that they once had a fling. But the episode is perhaps best remembered for the gift giving games between Shawn and his father.
3 "Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy" (8.4)
In the world of Psych, nothing apparently says Christmas quite like Gus's parents being accused of potentially murdering a crotchety old neighbor.
Of course, neither of Gus's parents had anything to do with the murder at the center of the episode "Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy," but the tension of proving their innocence elevates the stress and stakes of the holiday season for the Guster and Spencer families. The episode also finds Lassie intruding on the O'Hara family holiday celebration, to great comedic effect.
2 "Scary Sherry, Bianca's Toast" (8.8)
"Scary Sherry, Bianca's Toast" is one of the more genuinely scary episodes in the otherwise lighthearted series. The episode begins with a flashback to Halloween 1987, when Shawn (dressed as a police officer) and Gus (dressed as Lando Calrissian) are trick or treating in Henry's squad car.
As the episode progresses, it focuses on the mystery of sorority girl deaths suspiciously reminiscent of an old Santa Barbara urban legend about Scary Sherry, a patient who supposedly died of suicide at a mental institution.
1 "Tuesday the 17th" (9.1)
The greatest of all of Psych's holiday-themed or holiday-inspired episodes also happens to be an episode considered among the series' best overall.
"Tuesday the 17th" is a total homage to horror movies, including the obvious Friday the 13th, and finds Shawn and Gus returning to their long-condemned childhood summer camp to solve a murder. It's an episode full of jump scares, revenge plots, horror parodies and homages, and so much more, making for the perfect Halloween viewing.