Psych: An Evening With Mr. Yang [season finale]
By fred | February 21, 2009
(S03E16) Already? Yes, already. This was indeed the last episode of the season, and if when the season began complaints were heard that Shawn & Gus were not investigating actual police cases, leaving Jules & Lassiter in completely separated (boring) fillers, this time we certainly cannot say anything like that. This episode was also another example of something else we saw back when the season premiered : a little more drama mixed in the universe of the show.
At heart, Psych is of course a comedy, and I’m sure many tune in for the great laughs that you get watching those two work the case surrounded by pop references and other silly jokes. But a few times before this season, and again tonight, there’s a more serious tone as drama takes over for a moment. But if in some of the earlier episodes it wasn’t always very well mixed together, this time it was.
Oh yes, this time Shawn was still his usual self, goofing around and acting like he doesn’t take anything seriously, but that’s only a mask. As he explained to Gus, who was shocked to see Shawn didn’t seem to care a girl’s life was on the line, this is just the way he works, and what he needs to be able to process everything – especially when there are such high stakes at play.
And if Gus wasn’t always really well written into this whole story, at least we got a little reminder of his infinite knowledge on everything – which hasn’t been used as much as it used to this season – and he did back up his old pal. Whenever all eyes were on Shawn, everyone looking at him and waiting for a magical answer, and Shawn couldn’t figure it out, Gus would just do something like pulling the Michael Jackson card, and it was awesome. Awkward, without a doubt, probably a little painful to watch a few times, but still great in the end. I mean, he even used probs FFS!
But Shawn was not indifferent to what was really at stakes here, and that was brilliantly illustrated when the Yin-Yang killer took his mother. The look on his face when he realized she was gone, and it was because of him, was just perfect. So were the moment between the whole family, Henry being there against the car in the end. But that ending felt very weird to me, like way too easy.
Because, in the end, Shawn didn’t even talked her out of anything, she just “gave up” and let herself be arrested. Now, maybe it was because Shawn had indeed won, and she had to play by the rules, her rules, or maybe it’s that we probably haven’t heard the last of her, and she had a plan for this to continue further all along. In fact, as she kept mentioned Shawn’s date I couldn’t help but think to myself, there must be something going on with Abigail.
The finale was indeed awesome, up until the last 10 minutes. I loved the clues and the drama surrounding them. Kudos for utilizing all the main characters and giving them room to shine. Jules finally giving Shawn a shot, Gus putting his knowledge of all things obscure to use, Lassie stepping up and not being a dope for once, and let’s welcome back Shawn’s mom (Cybil Shepard) thanks for joining us! Still not sure where Mary came from, still seems suspicious to me. And now, the big reveal…Mr. Yang is… a woman! Gasp! Huh? I don’t get it. What was the big deal? I kept waiting for this explosive ending where everything is wrapped up and we find out why all of this is happening. The anticipation was killing me, I was expecting this BOOM at the end. But tick tick tick…nothing. Just a woman who likes to play games. I was expecting a mind blowing climax, and I was still waiting long after the credits stopped rolling. Still waiting. So disappointed.
Well, two things: one, as I said I’m not sure we have seen the last of her… I mean, at the end she did surrender for no real reason, just like that, and I’m guessing she might escape or something next season, so that there’s some sort of rematch.
Second, I liked that there was no special connection to Shawn or nothing like it, it makes sense. As was told, she had been killing for many years now, and lately only coming up when she thought she found an opponent worth of her talent, and this time it happened to be Shawn.
She picked him because he’s been helping the police and doing a great job at it, so she “studied” him, but I don’t think there was a need for anything else… ?