Plot

When a novice sleuth convinces the police he has psychic powers, he and his reluctant best friend are hired on as consultants to help solve complicated cases.

Think you are psychic? Shawn Spencer (James Roday) makes his living pretending to be. Shawn and his best friend Burton "Gus" Gu ster (Dulé Hill) own a business called "Psych". They are able to stay in business only because of the cases they work with the Santa Barbara Police Department as psychics. Shawn and Gus go through many ups and downs trying to keep the ruse up. Can they pretend forever? Or is the world they built going to come crumbling down?—Joshua Peterson

Shawn Spencer (James Roday) tells Chief of Police Karen Vick (Kirsten Nelson) that he is a psychic in order to get himself out of some hot water; this leads him to dragging his best friend Burton "Gus" Guster to a kidnapping case, after solving that, Shawn and Gus continue to solve crimes for the Santa Barbara Police Department along with Karen Vick, Juliet O'Hara (Maggie Lawson), Carlton Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), and Shawn's dad, Henry Spencer (Corbin Bernsen).—byron-sr

A man with the ability to look at the world with extreme detail uses his abilities to start a private psychic detective agency after lying to the Police Department. Shawn Spencer (James Roday) and his best friend Barton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill) go through a lot during their time as "detectives" while he has to keep his secret from every one.—gavin Johns

During his childhood, Shawn Spencer (James Roday) developed a remarkable talent for noticing the tiniest of details under the guidance of his policeman father, Henry (Corbin Bernsen). However, upon growing up, he found it difficult to get a job, and spends most of his time using his skill to give the Police anonymous tips. However, the tips are so good that some cops become suspicious that he is involved with the crimes. To clear his name, Shawn finally settles on a career: he pretends to be a psychic. No one really believes him, but he continues to be so helpful to the Police that they keep calling him in on cases they can't solve. Shawn soon brings his childhood friend Barton "Gus" Guster (Dulé Hill) into his scheme, and between their bantering, they manage to solve every case with which they are presented.—rmlohner