Psych is a USA Network comedy/crime show. It’s premise is that slacker Shawn is a good detective but didn’t want to do all the requirements to get into the police academy so he passes himself as a psychic as to how he solves his cases in collaboration with the police department. It’s a funny show.
It’s based in “Santa Barbara.” They have at least 2 establishing shots of places in Santa Barbara but it’s really filmed in Canada. They will occasionally mention something Santa Barbara-ish e.g. Ledbetter Beach, Highway 154, State Street. Once they mentioned a gas station on highway 154. Daughter says “there’s no gas station on 154! They made that up!” Welcome to Hollywood, baby.
The courthouse is a reliable establishing shot for the show. It’s so popular that I know of someone who was on a cruise ship, had a stop-over here in Santa Barbara, and had to go to see the courthouse because of seeing it on Psych. I like when they show what is supposed to be State Street and it’s so obviously NOT state street. There is no place in Santa Barbara that looks like where their office is or where his father’s house is. For some reason, that tickles me.
I like the show for its silliness, camaraderie, and easy banter. I watch for references to Santa Barbara, where things are supposedly to have happened and the accompanying imagery that they supply. I’ve been watching since the beginning in 2006 and will watch it until they’ve driven it as far as it can go.