`PSYCH' A GOOD FIT WITH VET `MONK'.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic `Psych psych also psyche Informal v. psyched, psych·ing, psyches v.tr. 1. a. To put into the right psychological frame of mind: ,'' the USA Network's newest series, is pretty much a letter-perfect companion to its biggest hit, the crime-dramedy ``Monk.'' Like its predecessor, it focuses more on the same agreeable dollops of whimsy whim·sy also whim·sey n. pl. whim·sies also whim·seys 1. An odd or fanciful idea; a whim. 2. A quaint or fanciful quality: stories full of whimsy. than on its fairly flabbily flab·by adj. flab·bi·er, flab·bi·est 1. Lacking firmness; flaccid: getting flabby around the waist. See Synonyms at limp. 2. constructed mysteries. James Roday stars as Shawn Spencer, a young slacker whose talent for divining telling details in any situation -- an ability drilled into him by his stern taskmaster task·mas·ter n. 1. One who imposes tasks, especially burdensome or laborious ones. 2. A source of burden or responsibility: The profession of medicine is a stern taskmaster. of a father (Corbin Bernsen) -- aids him in his endless quest to charm the pants off the world around him. For reasons best not dealt with here -- mainly because they're hardly convincing -- Shawn is forced to convince the Santa Barbara Police Department that he has psychic abilities that assist him in solving crimes. No one quite believes him, particularly not his grumpy foil, Detective Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), yet his observations prove vexingly vex tr.v. vexed, vex·ing, vex·es 1. To annoy, as with petty importunities; bother. See Synonyms at annoy. 2. To cause perplexity in; puzzle. 3. correct. Shawn invites his apparently long-suffering pal Gus (``The West Wing's'' Dule Hill) to participate -- and potentially profit -- from his ongoing benevolent scam. Roday's glibness glib adj. glib·ber, glib·best 1. a. Performed with a natural, offhand ease: glib conversation. b. recalls Bill Murray's trademark, ``It-just-doesn't- matter'' insouciance in·sou·ci·ance n. Blithe lack of concern; nonchalance. insouciance lack of care or concern; a lighthearted attitude. — insouciant, adj. See also: Attitudes Noun 1. of the '70s and '80s, which gives ``Psych'' much of its appeal but also a potential liability -- Shawn's sticking it to The Man while also helping him; knocking him down a peg or two won't feel like a lot of fun. Nonetheless, it's gratifying grat·i·fy tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies 1. To please or satisfy: His achievement gratified his father. See Synonyms at please. 2. to see a series puncturing the pretensions of shows like ``Medium'' and ``Ghost Whisperer'' that take psychics seriously. Even under dire circumstances, ``Psych's'' wit is breezily intact: When Lassiter warns Shawn, ``I'm not going to let you waltz around (the police department) like some kid in a candy store,'' Shawn issues this melodramatic rejoinder The answer made by a defendant in the second stage of Common-Law Pleading that rebuts or denies the assertions made in the plaintiff's replication. The rejoinder allows a defendant to present a more responsive and specific statement challenging the allegations made : ``I used to work in a candy store, and it's nothing like this.'' Meanwhile, the fifth-season premiere of ``Monk'' treads perilously close to jump-the-shark territory -- it concerns a film production about a previous case that the lovably neurotic Adrian (Tony Shalhoub) solved. The episode also begins a little more darkly than usual, with a married guy beating a woman to death for videotaping their tryst. Still, lightness is the order of the day, as Stanley Tucci, Shalhoub's co-star in the cult hit ``Big Night,'' portrays an obsessive actor who will portray Monk in the film. Tucci's impersonation Impersonation Patroclus wore the armor of Achilles against the Trojans to encourage the disheartened Greeks. [Gk. Lit.: Iliad] Prisoner of Zenda, The of Shalhoub's character is pretty amusingly dead-on. Naturally, the quirky trumps reality and Tucci's thespian seeks other pastures. ``He wanted to play a character that wasn't so depressing and dark,'' Monk explains near episode's end; ``he's in England playing Hamlet.'' David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke(at)dailynews.com PSYCH - Three stars What: A glib slacker boasting great attention to details at crime scenes poses as a psychic detective. Where: USA. When: 10 and 1:30 a.m. tonight; also 6:30 p.m. Saturday and 11 p.m. Monday; thereafter, 10 p.m. Fridays. In a nutshell: An amusing companion to ``Monk.'' MONK - Three stars What: Tony Shalhoub returns for a fifth season as the brilliantly neurotic detective. Where: USA. When: 9 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. tonight; also 5:30 p.m. Saturday. In a nutshell: Stanley Tucci does an amusing impersonation of Shalhoub's character. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: James Roday, left, and Dule Hill star in the USA Network detective series, ``Psych,'' premiering tonight. |
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