Psych Stars Dulé Hill & James Roday Rodriquez's Favorite Episodes Are...
Close friends in real life, the actors from Psych had some crazy behind-the-scenes moments.
Would you jump off a boat with your best friend into freezing cold water to escape flying bullets? Shawn Spencer and Burton Guster on Psych wouldn’t think twice. The detective duo at the center of the USA Network comedy had each other’s backs through the most outrageous scenarios. Their on-screen camaraderie is a big part of what makes the show so endearing.
It turns out that the actors who brought these lovable characters to life, James Roday Rodriguez and Dulé Hill, had just as much fun behind the scenes as they did on screen. The duo reunited for an interview with BuzzFeed to promote the film Psych 3: This Is Gus (2021) and were asked about filming their favorite episodes. Their responses might surprise you.
Dulé Hill’s Favorite Psych Episodes
“American Duos,” Season 2, Episode 1
In "American Duos," Shawn and Gus go undercover as 80s-inspired pop stars in a singing competition to protect a Simon Cowell-like judge (Tim Curry) from a potential attacker. Turns out, this fan-favorite episode was inspired by the actors’ own late-night shenanigans while filming the finale for Season 1.
“We were on a soundstage, shooting late into the night, pretty delirious from said late-night shooting, and we were just cracking up and pretending to be Michael Jackson and Roland Orzabal (the other half of Tears for Fears) and singing "Shout" by Tears for Fears,” Hill told the outlet.
“Then we were like, ‘Wouldn't it be funny if they were a duo?’ And then Steve Franks (the creator) saw it, and he was cracking up.”
Next thing they know, the actors are moonwalking through dry ice for one of the series’ most iconic scenes.
“This Episode Sucks” Season 6, Episode 3
On screen, the two detectives often finished each other’s sentences. In real life, they answer each other’s questions.
“Roday would know the specific name of the episode, but I really enjoyed filming the one with Blacula,” said Hill.
His co-star jokingly responded, “That episode was aptly titled, 'This Episode Sucks.'”
Shawn and Gus dressed up once again (we’re noticing a theme) to blend in at a vampire bar during an investigation of a suspect who may be a real-life bloodsucker. Shawn goes as Lestat from Interview with a Vampire (1994), and Gus dresses as Blacula from the 1972 blaxploitation film of the same name.
Dulé’s other favorite episodes include “Office Space” from Season 11, the Yin Yang trilogy — made up of the finales of Seasons 3, 4, and 5 — and anything involving the a cappella group Quarterblack. As part of Gus’ backstory, he sang in a college quartet called Blackapella, which reunited to solve a murder in Season 4, Episode 7 (“High-Top Fade Out”) and popped up again in Season 6. Once Shawn joined the group, they changed the name.
James Roday Rodriguez’s favorite Psych Episodes
“Bounty Hunters!” Season 2, Episode 9
The scene where Shawn and Gus jump off a boat and plunge into the Pacific to escape gunfire takes on a whole new intensity after hearing Rodriguez tell the tale.
“Dulé is not a fan of the colder temperatures, whereas I am the exact opposite of that — I'm an eskimo who doesn't like to sweat — and we were supposed to wear these suits under our clothes to keep us warm — like the ones divers wear,” he explained.
“I said to Dulé, ‘C'mon man, we don't need to wear those suits, it's going to be bulky...just man up, dude. It's not going to be that bad,’ knowing it was going to be that bad. So, Dulé opted not to wear the suit, and when he came up for air, the look on his face, no words needed to be spoken. I really enjoyed that moment.”
“Needless to say, I did not enjoy that moment,” Hill told the outlet, laughing.
Rodriquez’s story shows that no matter the situation, the two actors are always ready to mess around and tease each other like old friends.
“Dual Spires,” Season 5, Episode 12
Psych paid homage to the legendary 1990s series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch, which featured impressive guest appearances by seven of the original Twin Peaks cast members. The episode was a highlight for fans of both series, but especially for Rodriguez, who revealed that Twin Peaks was his favorite show growing up. During filming, he admitted that he was “geeking out externally and internally.”
Heeeeeere’s Lassie, Season 6, Episode 11
A parody of Stanley Kubrick’s seminal horror film The Shining, starring Shelley Duvall and Jack Nicholson, this episode centers on Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), the stoic head detective of the Santa Barbara PD, who moves into a condo with paranormal activity and seems to be slowly losing his mind. Rodriguez gave a shout-out to Omundson’s portrayal of a man unraveling at the seams: “It’s amazing watching Tim's performance, especially the scene where he chases Gus and then Gus turns into Shelley Duvall from The Shining...it will never get old.”
You can watch every one of these episodes on Peacock, where you can stream all seven seasons and all three movies.
