Just as USA was pivoting to Chrisley-based programming and away from Beach Law in 2014, they ended Psych after an 8-season run. Not to be outdone by reality television, Psych came back with a very excellent film sequel in 2017. They then followed up Psych: The Movie with Psych 2: Lassie Come Home and the recent Psych 3: This is Gus. All three films have managed to be as entertaining as the original run of the show (minus season 8, of course) but the first movie holds a special place in my heart. It takes place at Christmas, there’s more Gremlins references than you could have wanted, and they nail an “Allison Road” needle drop. A perfect film.
Along with a cameo from John Cena in one of his first full-head-of-hair theatrical roles, it also featured Charlotte Flair in a role not too dissimilar from her on-screen persona. Flair plays a henchman of Zachary’s Levi’s big bad, nicknamed “Heather Rockrear” by Shawn and Gus. I can’t believe Pat McAfee hasn’t used that yet. After impersonating hospital staff to kill a detective and attempting to break every bone in Corbin Bernsen’s body, she’s eventually subdued by several chair shots to the head, which is very legal in this film. Before she’s incapacitated and probably suffering from multiple concussions, Heather manages to show off a few wrestling moves and even spout some one-liners. A holiday miracle.
Pros
- You can tell Charlotte had a blast working on this; she’s had plenty of practice playing the smug asshole, and she once again nails it here.
- During a fight sequence she puts 64 year old Kurt Fuller in the Figure Eight and the Dis-Arm-Her. They should have just showed that at Survivor Series and Becky would have folded.
- She gets to yell “look at my thighs!” Clearly an inspiration for Pat McAfee’s commentating.
- Charlotte and Mena Suvari is the tag team I didn’t know I desperately needed.
- This is the perfect use of a wrestler who’s not at all an actor. She looks tough, she kicks ass, and she says about four lines. Excellent creative vision.
Cons
- I got nothing. Roday and Franks know how to do stunt casting. Let’s get Bianca in Psych 4.
