Finally putting the rumors to rest, USA Network has announced the cancellation of long-running mystery-comedy series Psych (Wednesdays, 9 p.m. ET). The zany show about a fake psychic detective working for the Santa Barbara police is in its eighth year, and USA Network had bought a shortened, ten-episode allotment for this year and refrained from affirming that the show would be back for a season 9.
The final episode will premiere on March 26, followed by Psych After Show, an hour-long production including a Q&A with series creator Steve Franks and the show’s cast. And in a brief statement that Psych fans will surely find tantalizing, USA Network President Chris McCumber said, in part, “While the series will wrap in March, somehow I don’t believe we’ve heard the last of Shawn and Gus.”
The show lasted more than 100 episodes, a long run for a cable drama. The series’ producers say that they had suspected the show wouldn’t be renewed after this season, and they planned this season as a suitable sendoff. The final episode, they promise, will provide closure for the show’s main story lines, including protagonist Shawn Spencer’s romance with police detective Juliet O’Hara.
After last night’s episode, USA Network showed a brief message in which series stars James Roday and Dule Hill announced the show’s end:
Psych has been a highly entertaining show, and I enjoyed it greatly. The prospect of further Psych phenomena after the series’ end is a comforting thought.