The latter half of Psych’s current season has seen the show at it’s best. It’s difficult to imagine them being able to so quickly top their Phylicia Rashad-tastic Christmas special, but the subsequent three episodes have been side-splittingly awesome – Friday’s in particular. “Lights, Camera… Homicidio” gave fans of the show something we’d been longing for, an opportunity for star (and secret-Latino) James Roday to use one of his many over-the-top caricatures for an entire episode as an actor in a telenovela. His turn as “Chad, the Delivery Boy” was the highlight of the last week in TV. Elsewhere… Gus’s neuroses are as blatant as ever, there hasn’t even been a hint of forced romance and Corbin Bernsen’s presence is feeling less and less suffocating.

But not everything is perfect in Santa Barbara. The second season marks a serious decline in the quality of the episode-ending “Psych Outs.” With one notable exception two weeks ago, they’ve been forced, awkward and kind of humiliating. We already know how amazing Roday and Hill are on set, so it’s surprising they haven’t chosen more organic outtakes. But it’s all a part of USA’s interesting interpretation of humor – anything and everything can be dumbed down. “Psych Outs” considered, the most obvious example of this comes from the recent tie-in shorts of Little Shawn & Gus – a cartoon chronicling the childhood adventures of our protagonists. Seriously, we get it. Shawn is the way he is because of how his father raised him. His dynamic with his father and best friend has changed little since. There are even little moments from childhood that conveniently parallel each episode’s case… I realize that my distaste for the show’s flashbacks is probably the fault of my aversion to them in general but adding this new cartoon element is really pushing me over the edge.

Psych has always been required viewing for me. The cold open and crappy marketing may be tedious, but the charm and hilarity of the remaining 38 minutes more than make up for it. There are only three new episodes left, so be sure to tune in if you haven’t been. No previous understanding required. It’s just lazy weekend morning DVR candy.