Not only will the rest of Psych season 6 have some major, major guest stars (Cary Elwes, Greg Grunberg, William Shatner, Kristy Swanson) but the wish list from James Roday and Dule Hill for future guest stars includes one of our favorites – Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski! Read on to see what else the duo had to say.
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ne of our favorite shows on USA Network – the channel that seemingly can do no wrong – is Psych, so we are happy to tell you that the second half of Season 6, or Season 6.5 if you will, premieres next week! I had the chance to chat with James Roday and Dule Hill to ask them about what we can expect on this season and what it’s like to film the show.
As any Psych viewer knows, the show loves to do an homage to classic pop-culture staples as often as they can, and Season 6.5 is no different. The premiere, airing February 29th (Leap Day!) is a send-up of the Indiana Jones franchise titled, “Indiana Shawn and the Temple of the Kinda Crappy, Rusty Old Dagger.” Naturally. It also marks the return of Despereaux (Cary Elwes.) Roday said that this was his favorite of all the Despereaux appearances, and having already screened it, I have to say I agree! They were clearly having a lot of fun, not just with Elwes but with other guest stars, Mädchen Amick (Roday’s first celebrity crush) and from the Indy movies, Sallah himself, John Rhys-Davies.
But Indy isn’t the only send-up this season. The second episode is a scary homage to The Shining, called “Heeere’s Lassie.” I’ve seen that one as well and I’m happy to say they didn’t hold back on the creepy just because it’s a comedy. Their version of the twins in the hall…. chilling. Roday was excited to find them. And Hill says the little boy who is the “Danny” character freaked him out. But according the Roday, “the highlight is easily Dule Hill’s impression of Shelly Duvall.” If that isn’t a reason to turn in, I don’t know what is.
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Coming up later this season is an episode that references “The Bachelor.” There was also going to be an homage to Clue, however the stars have not alligned for it to happen in Season 6.5, but the episode should be in the recently announced Season 7. As for the musical episode many fans are clamoring for, Roday says show runner Steve Franks wants to “not just do it, but do it incredibly well.” If it isn’t a home run, they aren’t going to do it. So fingers crossed the get that home run!
The show is known for it’s amazing guest stars and coming up in the seven episodes of Season 6.5 there are no shortage of them. In just the first few episodes alone we will see Sara Rue, Lou Gossett Jr., The Miz, Greg Grunberg, Wayne Brady and Lindsay Sloane. Plus returning guest stars Kristy Swanson, Jaleel White and the one and only William Shatner. Hill says the reason they get such great guests is because their set is a lot of fun, and word spreads around the industry. Here’s hoping word gets to the two people Hill says he wants on the show (as the characters they are best known for): Tony Shaloub, back as Monk, and Zachary Levi as Chuck Bartowski. Someone, somewhere, make this happen. Please. I beg.
But no matter the guest stars, the one thing we know we can count on from the boys at Psych – the funny. Roday and Hill said that a lot of the fake names for Gus and all those random pop culture references started out as improv, but have developed into such fan and writer favorites that they now keep a list of “to-dos” on hand. Hill told me he especially liked the Ed Lover “C’mon son” reference because he saw it online, it made it into the show, and then they even got Ed Lover to guest! The phrase, along with many fan favorites (“Did you hear about Pluto?”) will be back this season!
Be sure to check out the premiere on February 29th at 10pm on USA. And you can check out the premiere episode early on Video On Demand a week early, February 22.
Written by Melissa Miller. Find her on Twitter @serrae. You know that’s right.
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