Psych/Pilot

Pilot
Season 1, Episode 1
Airdate	July 7, 2006
Production Number	1_1001
Written by	Steve Franks
Directed by	Michael Engler
— N/A	1x02 → Spellingg Bee
Psych — Season One

Pilot is the first episode of the first season of Psych.

Starring: James Roday (Shawn Spencer), Dulé Hill (Burton "Gus" Guster), Timothy Omundson (Carlton Lassiter), Anne Dudek (Lucinda) and Corbin Bernsen (Henry Spencer)

Guest Starring: Kirsten Nelson (Karen Vick), Don S. Davis (Mr. McCallum), Pascale Hutton (Katrina McCallum)

also Starring: Josh Hayden (Young Shawn - Age 11), Ingrid Tesch (Waitress), P. Lynn Johnson (Mrs. McCallum), Jason Bryden (Camden McCallum), Robert Parent (Malcolm Orso), Jocelyne Loewen (Lobster Shack Blonde), Michael Roberds (Manager), Dagmar Midcap (Reporter), Patricia Idlette (Desk Sergeant), Mark Acheson (Suspect), Sage Brocklebank (Buzz McNab), Rob Bruner (Police Artist), Anthony Harrison (Patrolman), Dylan Rhymer (Billy Camp), Artine Brown (Officer Koontz), Matthew Finlason (Bill), Christopher Heyerdahl (Long Hair), Ian Robison (Bodyguard), Chelan Simmons

Plot Overview

Shawn Spencer was taught at an early age by his father to be perceptive. Now that he's older he calls in tips to the police department when he sees cases on the local news. On one such occasion the police department thought he was a little too perceptive and so arrested him for having involvement. He got out of the situation by pretending to be psychic. He was also given a case about the kidnapping of a child of a local wealthy family.

Shawn was able to convince his best friend, Burton, to join him on his investigation for the day. Shawn arrives at the home, digs through the trash, and hits on the daughter. This is enough to give him a theory. He decides that the son in fact was not kidnapped, but rather hitched a scheme with an old friend to get the ransom money. When the police arrive at the cabin where Shawn suspects they are, they find both men dead. They call it a murder/suicide but Shawn knows better.

He follows the daughter, Katarina, whom he had been dating, because he sees her with a bag that looks like ransom money; it turns out to be clothes for a thrift store. Eventually Shawn figures it out; the father saw his son's friend on the road and immediately suspected him. He went to the cabin, saw and accidentally killed his son, and then killed the friend to cover it up. Shawn presents his case in a dramatic psychic vision, and help from his father Henry lands him a second case with the police department. He and his friend Burton open a private detective agency: Psych.

Notes

• The pilot originally aired as a 90-minute episode. For later airings it was edited down to a 60-minute version. An international version of the pilot also exists. It is available as an extra on the season one DVD.

Trivia

Behind the Scenes

• Recasting: This was the only appearance of Anne Dudek as Detective Lassiter's partner. Starting with the next episode, she was replaced by Maggie Lawson as Juliet O'Hara.