The sixth season of Psych is still a little more than a month away (October 12), but USA has planned a very fan-friendly event to celebrate the occasion – a New York City gathering with the show’s cast and crew – and they’re giving away 500 pairs of tickets for Psych-Os to attend the event.

The details, from USA:

WHAT: PSYCH FAN APPRECIATION DAY. As a thank you to Psych‘s most loyal fans, USA Network is hosting a Fan Appreciation Day featuring an advance screening of the sixth season premiere, Q&As before and after with the cast and creator and a chance to mix and mingle with the greatest Psych-Os of our time.  Beginning September 8 at 10AM EST, fans can go to Psych.usanetwork.com to sign up for a chance to win a free pair of tickets to Fan Appreciation Day on October 6 at the historic Ziegfeld Theatre in NYC.  All cast members – James Roday, Dulé Hill, Corbin Bernsen, Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson plus series creator Steve Franks will be in attendance.  Popcorn, drinks and surprise giveaways will top off an exciting evening.  And even fans who can’t make it to the event can catch the action from the comfort of their own homes: USA will stream live coverage of the event, including green carpet interviews and an exclusive cast Q&A.

Fan Appreciation Day is all about the fans, the Psych-Os who have made Psych USA Network’s current longest-running original scripted series, and with nearly two million Facebook fans. The show follows the adventures of a young police consultant who solves crimes with powers of observation so acute, he attempts to convince the precinct detectives that he’s psychic.

The tickets to the screening will be given away via a lottery system and each ticket will include a guest.  After fans signs up, they will be notified via e-mail if they have been selected and then will have 48 hours to claim their tickets online.

WHERE: Psych.usanetwork.com

WHEN TO ENTER TO WIN TICKETS: NOW through September 21

So, what are you waiting for? Season six promises to be another ridiculously fun collection of Psych eps, with installments spoofing/paying homage to vampires, Indiana Jones, baseball, Clue and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and a list of guest stars that includes William Shatner (as Juliet’s dad), Molly Ringwald (as the Psych version of Nurse Ratched), Wade Boggs, Wayne Brady, Tony Hale, Jason Priestley, Mekhi Phifer, Corey Feldman, The Miz and Kenan Thompson and Jaleel White as Gus’ one-time bandmates.

Visit Psych.usanetwork.com for your chance to win tickets to Psych Fan Appreciation Day. Good luck, and TVScreener will be there, so hope to see you on the green carpet!

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• Filed in Psych
• Tags: Psych, Psych Fan Appreciation Day

The boys are back, as Psych returns with new season five episodes tonight (10PM ET, USA Network). It’s a change-up for the show, which has aired on Friday nights since its premiere in 2006, but an hour of Shawn (James Roday) and Gus (Dule Hill) shenanigans is certainly something to look forward to mid-week.

Tonight’s episode is a gem — one of the most fun episodes of season four so far — as WWE star John Cena guest stars as Ewen, Juliet’s brother, a military man who’s hiding a big secret from his sis, which leads Shawn to assume Ewen is possibly involved in a murder.

The episode’s also a pivotal one for Shawn and girlfriend Abigail (guest star Rachael Leigh Cook);  let’s just say things might be looking up for “Shawniet” fans …

Meanwhile, the Psych devoted who’d like to see the gang in action live should enter USA’s sweepstakes to win a trip to the Psych set, which includes lunch with the cast and signed scripts. Sweet.

And one more Psych note: Send get well soon thoughts to James Roday, who had a little appendectomy surgery last weekend.

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• Filed in Comedy, Dramedy, Psych
• Tags: John Cena Psych, Psych, Psych season 4

TGIF, and the best reason for settling in on the couch on Friday nights is USA Network’s Psych, the always fun crime comedy with a great cast, great guest stars and an endearing obsession with referencing nearly every bit of pop culture that unfolded in the ’80s.

That obsession has made fans obsessed with catching every little detail of the clever series – from the running pineapple gags to the wacky character nicknames – which is one of the many things Psych star James Roday talked about when I had the chance to chat with him recently.

He also dishes on upcoming episodes – including one where his Shawn Spencer meets the too-perfect ex-boyfriend of his sorta love interest Juliet (played by Roday’s real-life girlfriend Maggie Lawson) – how much fun it is to work with co-stars like Dule Hill, who tops his wish list for Psych guest stars, the possibility of a Psych crossover episode (Psych/Chuck, anyone?) and how he and the Psych crew really feel about the similarly-themed CBS hit The Mentalist.

Hey James, thanks for making time to chat today.
It is my pleasure.

So where are you now? Are you still filming on season four in Vancouver?
We absolutely are. We will be here for another couple months, but we’re past the half-way mark. We’re shooting number 11 out of 16.

Is that the episode where we meet Juliet’s brother?
No, that’s (episode) nine. The one we’re filming now is where we meet Juliet’s college boyfriend, her ex-boyfriend, from back in the day.

That sounds like a fun little bit of love triangle stirring, with Shawn and Juliet.
Yeah yeah, it should be good. There’s an interesting hook to it, and the case is pretty interesting, and we bring him back in an unusual way.

And is Juliet’s ex at all like Shawn?
He’s not. He’s a completely, completely different kind of guy, and doesn’t really have any sort of glaring weaknesses or chinks in the armor for Shawn to go after, which frustrates him. He’s just a really good sort of earnest, slice of American pie kind of guy. Shawn just can’t figure out how to break him down, so there’s an interesting little dynamic there.

Sounds like a great episode.
Yeah, it should be good. (Psych creator) Steve Franks is directing it, and Maggie (Lawson, who plays Juliet) has all kinds of new fun stuff to play. We see her in a flash back from when she was in college.

I think one of the things that most endears the show to fans is that it looks like the cast is having so much fun making it. Is that true?
Yes. I would even go as far as to say we’re having even more fun (now), just because we’re that much more comfortable doing what we do, and there’s not quite as much pressure on us to succeed as there was when we were sort of starting out. We’re kind of established now and we know who our audience is, so it’s just us messing around, coming up with inventive ways every week to keep them laughing. It’s good … we have a great vibe on the set now, and I think it’s probably better than it’s ever been.

Does it help you bond as a cast that you’re filming in Vancouver, away from the craziness of Hollywood and studio interference?
Absolutely, we’re sort of in a little bubble up here. We don’t really know anybody but each other, and executives really don’t want have to get on a plane to come and visit your set so … there’s a little bit of the inmates running the asylum through our show, which I think we’ve handled responsibly. It’s weird. Like when we came back to the states – I say ‘the states’ now because I’ve spent half the year in Canada and that’s what they call it – but like when we went back for Comic Con not too long ago, and it was a real sort of eye-opening experience. We’re not used to being around our fans and seeing up-close-and-personal the kind of response that we get for the show. And, we knew we had fans, but we were a little worried going to Comic Con … it was kind of a big venue they were putting our panel in, and it could be embarrassing if, you know, only 100 people show up. So we were all sort blown away by the response. The place was jam-packed – it was standing room only – and it was sort of a nice reminder that, oh yeah, wow, we’re this cool show that people really dig. And I think sometimes we lose that being up here in Vancouver.

It must also be a plus though that you don’t have to deal with paparazzi as much as you would if you were in Los Angeles.
For sure. I mean, right now, we’re sort of being followed around by paparazzi just because Twilight is shooting here at the same time. So everybody is being followed around by the paparazzi, but then they realize that we’re not the Twilight people and we see the disappointment on their faces and then they leave us alone.

You mentioned Comic Con – that was the first time there for the Psych cast and crew, right? Was it overwhelming?
It was the first time, and it was a blast. All of us, I mean we were sort of in and out quickly because we were on a tight schedule, but I’d actually love to go back with a little more time and experience the whole thing. The energy was great, and we had a great time mingling with the fans.

Were you surprised at just how devoted the Psych fans are? They really notice every little detail in the show.
We sort of expected that (Comic Con) would have the most fanatical version of it, that it would be the enhanced fanmanship. But I still didn’t really expect people to be walking around dressed like giant pineapples, and they were. They were just full-blown fans, and all of them have caught all the in-jokes and the running gags that we always think like, maybe 10 people are appreciating. It was really, really cool. I felt like a Jonas brother for an hour. Hopefully they’ll invite us back next year.

Speaking of the pineapples, are you getting weird pineapple things from fans? Recipes in the mail, or actual pineapples?
Haha, yeah. A lot of people send fan mail adorned with various pineapple accessories and insignias. It definitely sort of became a trademark for our show, and it’s just so bizarre that it happened the way that it did. We always joke around about how it would have been if a different piece of fruit, in the pilot, had been on top of Gus’ refrigerator. Like, what if it had been a coconut? Then our trademark would be a coconut. Or a dragon fruit or a lychee? Whatever was up there, if I had grabbed it instead, that’s where we would be right now.

Well, at least the pineapple is a pretty fruit.
It’s beautiful, and it seems to be a naturally welcoming fruit. I couldn’t have picked a better fruit if I wanted to, which of course I didn’t, because I didn’t have anything to do with it.

Fans love the nicknames Shawn gives Gus. What’s the one that’s quoted back to you most often?
I think it would have to be Lavender Gooms. And Dule loves that, because it’s actually the name of his great aunt. So it’s a double score – people dug it and it’s also a shout out to one of his family members.

The show’s also known and loved for all the great pop culture references, particularly ’80s references. Is everyone in the cast and crew a big pop culture junkie?
Some of us more so than others. The writers, definitely, because it certainly starts with them. Me, I’m just full of all this information. As for Dule, I would say 60 percent of the time he doesn’t know what he’s referencing, but he can mix it up and sell it, because he’s just that good. And Steve Franks, he’s the king of it all. He puts me to shame. The stuff that guy can spit out, especially when it comes to music. He’s impressive … like, not only does he know the album name, he knows every song on it, when it was released … he can actually tell you the tracks in the order they appeared on the album, and that’s for like two decades worth of music.

Psych gets so many great guest stars, especially the really great character actors. Who’s on your wish list of people you really want to have on the show?
Yes, we really have lucked out with guests. We still really want to have Martin Sheen on the show, and sort of reunite him and Dule after all the years they worked together on The West Wing. It’s sort of been a work in progress trying to figure out what that character is he would play and what he would be interested in doing, but there is a dialogue happening, and I feel pretty good about the chances of it happening, probably next season. We’ve also been chasing David Bowie forever … he’s definitely my dream guest star. And I’m not giving up. I don’t know if we’ll be able to make it happen, but we’re certainly not going to stop trying.

What about the possibility of a crossover episode with another show? Monk would have been great, though now that it’s ending, probably too late. Psych would be a great match-up with a show like Chuck, though …
Yeah, definitely. I mean, Chuck is an NBC universal show, too, so that’s something that could happen. Monk, like you said, Monk would be the obvious one, but I think we sort of all kind of slacked on that and missed the boat. And then, as far USA Network goes, I’m a huge Mary McCormack fan, so whether it makes comic sense or not, it would be fun to do an episode with In Plain Sight.

When I first heard the description of The Mentalist, my reaction, like a lot of Psych fan reactions, I’m sure, was ‘Hey, that’s just like Psych!’ Can I assume from the jokes that have popped up last season and this season that the Psych gang agrees?
Haha, well, there are certainly enough similarities that we got our ears kind of perked up, but, for me it’s sort of like if you go back through the history of television, everything that you’ve ever loved is probably completely derivative of at least 30 other shows. So that’s sort of the way it’s been in our industry, and I just hope everybody can sort of have a good time with this. Because we’re certainly not going after The Mentalist. You know, anytime you can find the level of success, with both audiences and critics adoring you, the way that they have, it’s like, hats off, congratulations. We just have the type of show where we can get away with those kinds of jokes. So we’re going to for a little while. And, hopefully, you know, The Mentalist folks will be laughing all the way to the Emmy awards.

Have you gotten any reaction from The Mentalist crew about the jokes on Psych?
Um, we have not. But I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re not even aware that we exist. But if they fired back in some sort of clever way, I would love that. I would love to see a very sort of subtle response on their show. I think that would be great.

Dealing with the logistics of the different networks and studios would be a nightmare, but a Psych crossover with The Mentalist could be really fun.
And which theme song would you play?

Oh, the Psych theme song, of course. You can never replace the Psych theme song.
That’s true. Very true.

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• Filed in Interview, Psych
• Tags: James Roday, Psych

Season four … it’s amost here! To help wile away these last few days ’til Shawn, Gus, Lassie and the gang hit our screens again (August 7, 10PM ET, USA), 10 reasons to be fist-bumping Psych-ed about the season ahead:

1. The Guest Stars!
The season’s guest stars include Cary Elwes, Rachel Leigh Cook, James Brolin, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Robert Patrick, David Naughton, Tom Wilson (Biff from Back to the Future) and Christine Baranski

2. The Bobbleheads!
Shawn and Gus bobblehead dolls: They talk. And they bump fists.

3. The Storylines!
Among season four’s storylines: a western-themed episode (with Brolin), a Bollywood-themed episode (with Ramamurthy), an exorcism, the attempted murder of Lassiter (Timothy Omundson), more jabs at The Mentalist and the continuation of Shawn’s relationship with girlfriend Abigail (Cook) – sorry Shawn (James Roday) and Juliet (Maggie Lawson) fans

4. The Season Premiere!
“Extradition: British Columbia” finds Shawn and Gus (Dule Hill) trying to capture Despereux, a wily international art thief (guest star Elwes)

5. The Books!
Psych textbooks: meh. Psych novels: fun! Check out Psych: Mind Over Magic and Psych: A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Read

6. The Nicknames!
Lavender Gooms … the nickname by which all other nicknames should be measured. Of course, it’s just one of many faux monikers Shawn has slapped on Gus throughout the seasons, as this YouTube clip illustrates.

7. The Comic Con Panel!
Watch the cast and producers’ Comic Con 2009 panel, which includes lots of cast and character tidbits, Dule Hill showing off his dancing skills and the scoop on the real Lavender Gooms (she’s a real person!)

8. The Episode Titles!
Among season four’s other episode titles: “High Noon-ish,” “He Dead” and “You Can’t Handle This Episode”

9. The Pineapples!
Are you a fan of Psych? And a fan of delicious flavor? Then the perfect season premiere snack is, of course, the official fruit of Psych, the pineapple. Check out the many, many pineapple recipes at About.com and submit your own pineapple recipes to the official Psych Website.

10. The Theme Song!
The show’s promos are almost as good as their episodes. Season four’s discussion between Shawn and Gus about a new theme song for the show is a classic. Of course, Psych already features one of the most infectious TV theme songs of all time, “I Know, You Know,” by The Friendly Indians, the band of Psych creator Steve Franks.

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• Filed in Comedy
• Tags: Dule Hill, James Roday, Maggie Lawson, Psych, Psych season 4, Steve Franks, The Friendly Indians, Timothy Omundson

All the tube news that’s fit to surf …

– Among the TV shows that will host panels at the San Diego Comic-Con in July: Chuck, Dexter, Dollhouse, Lost, MythBusters, Psych, True Blood, Supernatural and Smallville.

– There may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there are free TV comedy episodes to watch while you’re noshing. Thanks to Sitcoms Online.com for the heads up about iTunes’ summer sale, which includes free episodes of Arrested Development, Reno 911! and The State, 99-cent eps of The Office, 30 Rock and The Larry Sanders Show, and, best of all, the entire five-episode first season of The State for $3.96.

– Fox has announced its fall 2009 premiere dates, kicking off its season on Sept. 16 with Glee and (another) new season of So You Think You Can Dance.

– Speaking of SYTYCD, why would Katie Holmes be performing on the show? Right? Yet, the rumor persists that she’ll be shaking her moneymaker on a July episode.

– American Idol season five vet, and one of the show’s most successful artists, Chris Daughtry, talks about his second album, which will be released on July 14.

– America’s Got Talent kicks off next week on NBC (June 23, (9PM ET), but will the show find its own Susan Boyle? Even though the Internet sensation was the runner-up on the latest season of Britain’s Got Talent, she’s reportedly earning more than $160,000 for a 12-minute performance at corporate events. In comparison, former President Bill Clinton gets between $140,000-150,000.

– NPH – Neil Patrick Harris, of course – is going to be a villain called The Music Meister in a fall episode of Cartoon Network’s Batman: The Brave and the Bold. Wouldn’t he be great in the next big-screen Batman, too …

– Gossip Girl is the big TV nominee at this year’s Teen Choice Awards.

– Heidi Pratt says Al Roker made her cry. So does dry shampoo … in other words, what doesn’t? Did being chastised by Whoopi Goldberg also make her shed tears?

– Dave Letterman apologizes, again, for the Palin jokes on tonight’s Late Show.

– Heroes star Sendhil Ramamurthy will guest star in the upcoming “Bollywood Homicide” episode of Psych, which premieres (not soon enough) its fourth season on Aug. 7.

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• Tags: 30 Rock, Al Roker, America's Got Talent, American Idol, Arrested Development, Batman: The Brave and the Bold, Chris Daughtry, Chuck, David Letterman, Dexter, Dollhouse, Fox fall premiere dates, Fox premiere dates, Glee, Gossip Girl, Heidi Pratt, Katie Holmes, Lost, MythBusters, Neil Patrick Harris, NPH, Psych, Reno 911!, San Diego Comic Con, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Smallville, So You Think You Can Dance, Supernatural, Susan Boyle, Teen Choice Awards, The Larry Sanders Show, The Office, The State, True Blood, Whoopi Goldberg