(Courtesy of Creative Commons)
Dearest Mother,
The plague is too powerful. The time from which I have most recently glimpsed the sun’s rejuvenating glow approaches a fortnight as my harsh self-isolation practices continue. Regrettably, I must admit it has been even longer since I hath enjoyed the loving embrace of another person. My resolve grows weak, yet I shan’t concede! Nary the wind’s call nor raindrops’ siren song have succeeded in tempting your boy from his isolation, but there are distressing signs ahead.
My lone companion during these dark days has been staunch, reliable Netflix. My ally grows weak, however, and its reserves run thin. The “Tiger King” has fallen, and love’s blindness has long ago been remedied. These stories which I have consumed brought me comfort, laughter and tears, but the remaining options wear thin. Soon, Netflix may not be able to sustain me any longer. Mother, I am frightened for what’s ahead.
Your dismayed son,
W.C.
Does this sound like you? Quarantine can have everyone feeling like dramatic civil war soldiers at times, and the longer the world’s citizens are trapped in their houses, the more likely it is they’ll run out of obvious content to consume.
As the OG streaming giant, Netflix seems the most likely of the streaming services to have their content exhausted first, and when quarantiners reach that point, that next addicting binge could seem like a pipe dream. Have no fear, however, as there are plenty of alternative options when you look out from Netflix’s less-than-limitless library.
While it likely isn’t anyone’s first choice, Amazon Prime Video has a surprising selection—yet not many people realize because the platform’s user interface feels like the villain Jeff Bezos designed it to specifically spit in your face. All those bags of sweet, sweet cash money goes toward something though, as Prime Video is home to one of the most underrated TV shows of the 21st century and your next favorite binge. “Psych,” WTF?
“Psych” is what would happen if a police procedural and a sitcom had a baby, except that baby has more plot than either of them and the baby makes a career as a flimflam man. Created by Steve Franks, the show follows the misadventures of the titular psychic detective agency and the odd couple of Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster—played by James Roday and Dulé Hill, respectively. The catch is that Shawn, the supposed psychic, is in fact preternaturally observant rather than supernaturally gifted—a trait that comes from a fraught childhood growing up with his demanding police officer father.
Gus is the only one in on the joke, however, as the pair work each episode to ensure the Santa Barbara Police Department—who regularly hire Psych for consultation work during homicide cases—aren’t in on the charade. While its premise may seem derivative of other network TV staples like “Monk” or “The Mentalist,” “Psych” is an entirely original affair. The show features rapier wit and a level of self-awareness unheard of in other series in its vein, and it all adds up to distill pure, unbridled joy into episode after episode.
To put it plain, “Psych” is fun in a way that TV shows just aren’t a lot of the time. Sure there are plenty of funny shows available to you, and probably shows that are funnier than “Psych.” I love “The Office” and “Parks and Rec” as much as anyone, but when you watch those higher-profile sitcoms created for bigger networks, you can feel the pressure to create something special.
As iconic as those shows are, the man behind the curtain isn’t hidden too well—it’s all too obvious that the jokes and cleverness of those shows are relentlessly workshopped and formatted with more traditional comedic structure and delivery. The unique brand of comedic chaos in “Psych” makes it stand apart from these more beloved shows and prevents it from falling into the comedic patterns plaguing them. On top of that, the show’s unique premise and police procedural dressing give it a voice all its own.
“Psych” is the perfect quarantine binge—a unique stew of memorable side characters, 80’s nostalgia and the kind of fun you could be having if you weren’t stuck social distancing at home. It exhibits the kind of creative freedom that anyone who mentioned that dumb “Shakespeare wrote ‘King Lear’ during a quarantine” factoid seems to strive for, featuring countless themed episodes, a musical and a movie spin-off. With a sequel to that movie coming sometime this spring, now is the perfect time to get caught up on the best series you haven’t watched since you elected to watch “The Office” for the 10th time instead.
If Netflix’s library is starting to look bleak, or if you just need something fresh to check out as you help to prevent the end of the world, “Psych” is your show.