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Psych

An Evening With Mr. Yang

Season 3, Episode 16, Aired Feb 20, 2009

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7.8

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Shawn's exploits have garnered him fame, if not fortune. Unfortunately, they've also brought him to the attention of the Yin Yang serial killer, and Shawn's mother is his next target.

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Ally Sheedy

Mr. Yang
GUEST STAR
Jimmi Simpson

Mary Lightly
GUEST STAR
Dale Wolfe

Newscaster

James Roday

Shawn Spencer
Dule Hill

Burton "Gus" Guster
Timothy Omundson

Carlton Lassiter
Maggie Lawson

Juliet O'Hara
Kirsten Nelson

Karen Vick
Corbin Bernsen

Henry Spencer

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Fan Episode Reviews (30)

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Just all wrong.

5.0

"Mediocre"

By cherold01, Sep 22, 2011

I am just stunned that people are raving about this episode, because for me it was hands down the worst episode of the series. First off, it was weirdly dark. Psyche is a breezy, easy going show, and suddenly they have this whole ticking clock psycho killer storyline? I felt it was a bad fit when I saw the preview. It didn't even rely on Shawn's observational skills; it was all about puzzle solving. The denouement was absurd. (I won't put in spoilers, if you read the forum thread for this episode you'll see my explanation of why it's absurd).

Then the final bit is just annoying. It's both dramatically weak and silly (so she sees him track down a killer and that somehow clarifies her feelings for him?)

This was just not what I expect from Psyche; it's a whole different series, and one I don't care for.moreless
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Most intense episode of series!

10

"Perfect"

By jakratchet12, Sep 09, 2011

I think that every episode of psych tends to have a different idea making it fun to watch but this episode was very intense and kinda creepy and demented at points especially how the killer was there the whole time they were looking for her and just so many things in the episode gave me chills especially the part at the end when shawn meets with the killer it was just an insane episode and i loved every minute of itmoreless
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Best episode of the season.

10

"Perfect"

By Shekubi, Apr 27, 2011

The suspense that's built up through the entire episode is to die for. This was a epic episode that allows us to see a more serious side of Shawn Spencer and allows us to see him grow as a character. With twist after twist this episode leaps in intensity. I vow that this is the greatest episode of the season. Rabble rabble to finish up the review because it requires 100 words minimum. Psych is a great series. Guster is the Watson to the Sherlock Holmes and Gus is a great character. Got to love how Gus helped Shawn through this episode.moreless
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Great!

9.5

"Superb"

By FaizanKhan0, Apr 27, 2011

Psych has definitely stepped up to a new level of brilliance. It now has handled drama, comedy, suspense and occasional romance in one amazing episode. Fans will expect the same when the new season kicks off. I was among the many others who, frankly, were blown away by this episode. It was SPECTACULAR. I hope to see Mr., or rather, Ms. Yang in the future. She was a smart dude-er, I mean, dudette. The scenery also impressed me along with the storyline; the writers really showed their stuff. Hopefully, season four will live up to the intense season three finale.moreless
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The perfect blend of thrills, drama, twists, and comedy.

10

"Perfect"

By rebekah457, Apr 27, 2011

This brilliant episode has just about everything a TV show can fit in it. Humor: the usual snarky stuff, Gus's attempts at it, and the stuff from the supporting cast

Drama: Innocent girl kidnapped, dad's worry, mom's worry, mom's kidnapped, a chink in Shawn's armor.

Twist: Gus is the comedian to Shawn's straight man. Mr. Yang isn't a mister. The bad guy isn't the creepy profiler!

Shawn was forced out of his element early in the show, but was smart enough to realize he was out of his element and asked Gus for help. When things get too serious, Shawn loses his abilities and it was up to Gus to break the tension with some pretty lame attempts at humor. It was enough to make other people think Gus had lost his mind, but it was exactly what Shawn needed him to do.

They find the innocent kidnap victim, but to great personal expense for Shawn. Refusing to play Mr. Yang's game caused him to kidnap Shawn's mom. The chink in Shawn's armor is most poignant here. His voice is down to a whisper when he says, "He's got her, Gus. He's got my mom." The next scene opens with Shawn pulling a planner out of his mom's purse and it gives the feeling of a little kid going through mom's purse.

Shawn finds and saves his mom, catches the bad guy - rather bad girl, and keeps his date. The ending is the only thing I don't like about this whole episode. Mr. Yang should've escaped. Shawn shouldn't be perfect - he is human after all. The tense, emotional "payoff" conversation between him and Yang could've happened over the phone the next day. Over the next season or so, they could occasionally bring up the fact that they are all on the lookout for anything that resembles Mr. Yang's MO. Alas, the writers couldn't envision a payoff like that, so it ends here with the arrest of Mr. Yang. James Roday was nothing short of brilliant in this episode and he was robbed of an Emmy nod and an ALMA win. As co-writer, he should've been nominated as well. It was great to see Roday have a chance to play serious for once, and it definitely left me wanting to see more of that side of him.moreless
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Photos

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Maggie Lawson as Juliet O'Hara from Psyc...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
James Roday as Shawn Spencer and Cybil S...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
Cybil Sheppard as Madeline Spencer plays...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.
In the episode 'An Evening With Mr. Yang...

© 2009 NBC Universal, Inc.

Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (5)
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- Psych-Out: Timothy Omundson sings "Private Eyes."
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- When Shawn and the others arrive at the drive-in the long shot shows a red and white Ford Torino used by Starsky and Hutch and Columbo's Peugeot. Lovely reference to a couple of great cop shows.
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- Shawn is back to using his iPhone in the Psych iPhone skin, where in the previous episode he was using his old flip phone.
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- Goof: When Shawn finds the pictures in the train cart, he lays them all over the floor in front of the red sliding door; when they pull Mary into the cart the pictures are no longer on the ground.
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- Pineapple Spotting: A small toy one that sits on Abigail Lytar's desk.
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QUOTES (5)
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- (Discussing Mr. Yang.) Gus: All right, but where do we start? Shawn: Back to the beginning. Back to the beginning; we retrace the steps of Mr. Yang. Gus: Like what I did with the King Kong? Shawn: You're on fire, you're even using props.
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- Shawn: Yeah, forget that. I'm-I'm not going. Juliet: What do you mean? Shawn: I'm nobody's puppet, OK? I'm done I'm done playing his little game. I solved his puzzles, I talked to a rat, I even chased a train. I'm-I'm finished. Mary Lightly: But no one's ever gotten this far. That's why he's still playing. It's a sign of respect. Shawn: No, it isn't, Mary. You said it man, with your fey name, and your weird Ken Burns haircut, he's too good. Isn't that right? He's better than me. We never had a chance! He's gonna kill that girl either way. Juliet: Maybe, maybe not, Shawn, but I know this: you don't just give up. Shawn: Tell you what, Jules. Uh, the next time a serial killer calls you out, personally, uh, you can pick up your little pom-poms, and you can rally the troops to "never say die." I'm out. Now get out.
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- Henry: (storming into the police station) Shawn! Shawn: Hey, did I miss a memo? I thought "bring your daddy to work day" was next week. Henry: I forbid you to be a part of this, Shawn. (Henry pulls Shawn around by the arm.) You're coming with me. Shawn: Www "forbid" me. I'm familiar with your hands-on approach to parenting, but I'm not twenty-seven any more. I can do whatever I want.
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- Lassiter: (reading a note from Mr. Yang) Shawn no longer wants to play, Stakes too low to make you stay?
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- Shawn: (to the rat) Dr. Doolittle? I know you can do better than that, Lassie. I know you can.
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NOTES (2)
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- Original International Air Dates: Finland – March 15, 2010 on MTV3 Germany – March 29, 2011 on RTL Czech Republic – July 2, 2011 on Prima COOL Slovakia – December 21, 2011 on Markiza
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- Featured Music: "Say Hello Wave Goodbye" by David Gray (as Juliet talks to Shawn at the drive-in)
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ALLUSIONS (8)
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- Shawn: Abigail Lytar, Judd Nelson. Shawn is referring back to their high school reunion in "Murder? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?" where they converse about the teen movie The Breakfast Club. Ally Sheedy, who plays Mr. Yang, also costarred in The Breakfast Club, alongside Judd Nelson who "flared his nostrils uncontrollably."
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- Shawn: You said it, Mary, with your fey name and your weird Ken Burns haircut. Ken Burns is an award-winning documentary filmmaker who specializes in multi-part historical films. He is also renown for his trademark bowl cut.
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- Shawn: Sorry guys, Dad was just dropping off my Zodiac DVD. Referencing the 2007 David Fincher film starring Jake Gyllenhaal about a cartoonist who turns into an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac serial killer. Jimmi Simpson, who plays Mary Lightly in this episode of Psych, appeared as Mike Mageau in Zodiac.
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- Mary Lightly:: Yin and Yang. The origin of this Chinese symbol is the unity of opposites; two opposing and at the same time complementary aspects. Dark versus light, killer versus cop, Kramer vs. Kramer. In the Robert Benton film, Kramer vs. Kramer (1979), Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep play a divorced couple locked in a custody battle over their young son. The film won five Oscars, making this a nod to the fact that the episode aired two nights before the "81st Annual Academy Awards".
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- Shawn: All right, Hitch, you want me to take a chance? Huh? You want to see some Will Hunting action? Hitch was a 2005 Andy Tennant comedy starring Will Smith as a matchmaker, and Kevin James as his clumsy client. In Gus Van Sant's 1997 film, Good Will Hunting, the title character, Will Hunting, discovers that there's more to himself than he thinks there is.
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- Shawn Spencer: This is my partner, Sterling Cooper. Sterling Cooper is the advertising agency featured in the AMC TV show, Mad Men.
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- Madeleine: It's time you go see about a girl Shawn: (smirking) How 'bout them apples. Referencing Good Will Hunting starring Matt Damon and Robin Williams.
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- Ryan Reynolds: A British Columbia native, the same province that Psych is shot in, Ryan has also been in a relationship with the guest star Rachael Leigh Cook.
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