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Psych

Christmas Joy

Season 3, Episode 9, Aired Nov 28, 2008

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7.7

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Shawn and Gus investigate a department store Santa who they suspect is up to no good. Meanwhile, Gus' sister flies in for Christmas.

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Cast & Crew

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GUEST STAR
Keith David

Bill Guster
GUEST STAR
Faune A. Chambers

Joy Guster
GUEST STAR
Don McManus

Carl

James Roday

Shawn Spencer
Dule Hill

Burton 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 (6)

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I am such a huge fan for this show, but tonights episode was just too plain hokey.

5.5

"Mediocre"

By augcast, Sep 22, 2011

I've been looking forward for the return of Psych, but have to admit tonights Christmas episode really was extremely bad to watch.

I don't know if it was the director, writers, or just plain bad acting. But it started off with the little girl Brittany who's crying scene, which was shot to convince Shawn & Gus to take a case of the arrested Santa. It just came off way too "cute" and fake, the cinematography was unbearable and almost amateurish.

I thought "okay, i can forgive that scene maybe it's her first role", but as the episode continued we were greeted with yet again another poorly directed scene, with Brittany scolding her father as they were leaving the jail. This scene was just poorly shot, acted, scripted, and overall just a mess. It was at this time I knew this episode was terribly put together. I was beginning to think that maybe they wrote this episode to be sweet for the holiday's, but I noticed that the other cast members (Lassiter, O'Hara, Vick) were all staying true to their character's roles. It was almost as if the writer(s) purposefully wrote the characters Spencer, Gus, & Gus's family as overbearing sugary sweet family with non-realistic lines.

I mean come on Shawn runs into Gus's mother out of the blue at her Bookie's bar & she just tells him "oh Shawn i've got a vice, i'm sorry... Hello Mr. Bookie". I won't even bother you with my terrible examples of this sub-par script.

Lets also not forget the ending, throughout the entire show Gus is so protective of his sister, then with one little meet and greet at the door. Shawn say's sorry and "bam" that's it! Apology accepted, then they sit for a dinner and it's just "don't worry about it Shawn, we all fight but our family bond can't be broken"... Way to over the top for my taste. Gawd, I hope this is not a taste of what we have in store for this season. Otherwise this is just gonna be a permanent fast-forward on my DVR.moreless
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Another holiday episode from the cast of Psych!

6.5

"Fair"

By nestosmells, Sep 22, 2011

This was the first new episode in two months, and Psych's holiday special. I was looking forward to it, but when I watched it, I was disappointed. I thought it would be better than it was.

I think the reason it wasn't that good was because they didn't focus on the mystery as much as on Gus's family problems. This installment was funny, but the mystery was solved too quickly and wasn't much of the episode. That is why the episode gets my score of a 6.5.

I'm happy that there was a new episode, but it just wasn't my favorite. Hopefully the next one in January will be much better.moreless
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Christmas special.

6.5

"Fair"

By thefanof, Sep 22, 2011

After a few months away from Psych the people at USA Network were kind enough to give us a special holiday episode before the remainder of the season picks up next year. Unfortunately they were not nice enough to give us a particularly good episode of television.

Outside of a few chuckles this was nothing more than the predictable humdrum one would expect to see from any holiday special. Very little action, very little humor, questionable acting and just the general idea that this episode felt like it was written to fulfill the network's order and not because they were proud of its quality.

Not horrible, but not at all deserving of the hype.moreless
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Holiday episode...

5.0

"Mediocre"

By sequoa84, Sep 22, 2011

I suppose they shot this episode in like 2 hours or so. For a show that was doing so well in the little league, this installment did spell disaster. I do understand this is a special out of schedule episode. Nevertheless, they could have put in a little bit more into the story. The background score was annoying, and the acting was terrible. Out of the blue, an old flame of Shawn shows up and they start making out. And worst of all, she happens to be Gus' sister. What happened to all the build up they did last season with him and Jules?

The case this time around was weird. It started and got solved so fast, that one could hardly notice. The comedy was horrible with some stupid jokes revolving around Gus' family. If not this, we have Gus' crying when an accused starts to cry. It's so easy to notice when something is badly out of place. This installment is an minefield of a million flaws.

A holiday episode that never should have been aired.moreless
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Shawn and Gus' sister had a secret fling! A scam artist Santa! Great episode.

8.5

"Great"

By SweetMissJaye, Dec 11, 2010

I really liked this episode of Psych. I was disappointed that they got rid of the other actor who played Gus' father in last year's Christmas episode. I think he was great and they should have left well enough alone. I was also disappointed that we hardly got to see Henry in this one. Also, Shawn didn't even get him a Christmas present in the end. I liked last year's ending better than this one.

Although I was completely surprised to find out that Gus had a sister (who had NEVER been mentioned) I enjoyed seeing the sibling rivalry and bickering between the two. I liked Joy and I wouldn't mind seeing her come back for another episode or two. I loved the scene where she and Shawn were tip toeing around the hall, seeking each other out, and completely missing each other. I loved Gus' reaction when he found out about the old fling between Shawn and Joy. One of my favorite scenes is when the little girl cries, which makes the guys cry. It's funnier when her dad cries later on. LOL I love love LOVE Shawn and Gus' celebratory dance (like the Peanuts) when they "free Santa". The episode was full of funny moments. It was so great to see Psych after all this time. I really hate the break in the season. I love this show!!moreless
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Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions

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TRIVIA (2)
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- Psych-Out: Juliet crashes the Snoopy dance.
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- Pineapple Spotting: Shawn has one in the decoration box.
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QUOTES (0)
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NOTES (4)
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- Original International Air Dates: Finland January 25, 2010 on MTV3 Czech Republic June 5, 2011 on Prima COOL Slovakia December 6, 2011 on Markiza
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- Featured Music: "Santa Baby" by The Pussycat Dolls
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- Keith David has taken over the role of Bill Guster (Gus's dad) in this episode. The role was previously played by Ernie Hudson in "Gus's Dad May Have Killed an Old Guy!"
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- Solvang is an incorporated city with its own police department, contracted through the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department. Anyone arrested in Solvang would be processed in the city or county facility, not transported some 45 minutes away to Santa Barbara.
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ALLUSIONS (3)
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- Shawn's little dance when he first thinks he has saved Christmas by getting "Santa" released from prison references Snoopy's dance from the animated Charlie Brown's Christmas which is based on the Peanuts comic strip by Charles M. Schulz.
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- Shawn: Feels like a slap in the face. Not a Rhett Butler slap, Ike Turner slap. Referencing first Rhett Butler, the major male character in the book Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell and the movie by the same name. The second references Ike Turner, the late ex-husband of rock singer Tina Turner. While the slapping going on in the first case was indeed mere slaps, in the second case the "slaps" were actual severe beatings thus emphasizing Shawn's scale of feeling mocked.
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- Juliet: (about Moncrief Johnson) See, I knew I had heard that name before but I thought it was the black quarterback that replaced Woody Harrelson in Wildcats. Wildcats is the 1986 Michael Ritchie film starring Goldie Hawn. It's about a female high school track coach whose dream to coach high school football comes true. Strangely, the character Julie references is "Levander 'Bird' Williams" played by Mykel T. Williams; not even close to Moncrief Johnson.
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