Comedic detective shows are nothing new; from Police Squad! to Monk, shows that show a more humorous side to law enforcement garner plenty of fans. One show that has a loyal fan base and is widely accepted as among the best in this genre is Psych. The show lasted for eight seasons, and, as of writing, two made-for-TV movies. The show about a man who uses hyper observance to pose as a psychic detective offers intriguing mysteries and side-splitting humor that has something for everybody.
As with most popular shows, the characters are at the heart and soul of the series. One of Psych's major advantages is the inclusion of more than several intelligent and authoritative female characters. The women of Santa Barbara have proven time and again to be just as capable, and many times more capable, than their male associates.
Ruby Jay
Shawn and Gus share practically everything with one another. Shawn's surprise is warranted when Gus reveals he has been dating a girl for some time without his friend's knowledge. Ruby quickly gains Shawn's twisted approval only for the friends to discover she is very much into extreme sports.
This is a perfect opposite to Gus' cautious, safety-first mindset; his reaction to this revelation is exactly what fans expected, and the following episode doesn't disappoint. Gus eventually relents to her lifestyle, but, alas, the two were not meant to be after all.
Rachel
Burton Guster has not had the best luck in women. There are only a handful of ladies in Gus' life with who he actually had a steady relationship with. Among these is Rachel, a woman who is able to care for Gus while simultaneously dealing with Shawn's initial distrust.
Rachel and her son are important to Gus, and, although it doesn't work out in his favor in the end, she still holds a special place in his heart and is a likable member of the cast during her short run.
Abigail Lytar
As beloved as Shawn and Juliet have become as a couple, both parties had several partners before finally settling with one another. For Shawn, there is one that he foolishly let go away while in high school. Shortly after reuniting at a high school reunion, Shawn undoes this mistake by making it official.
This is the first long-term relationship Shawn experiences during the show's run, and they last a fair amount of time. Abigail is a character not only beloved by characters in the show, but also by fans. While Abigail cares deeply for Shawn, the dangers involved with his job become too much to handle, and they mutually decided for her safety they should split up, ending a fantastic character's run.
Selene Guster
While Gus has had several partners over the course of the series, the one he finally settles down with initially gave him a run for his own money. Introduced in Psych: The Movie, Selene was portrayed as essentially the female Gus. Gus viewed her as slightly annoying, and, while meaning well, somewhat creepy.
This is ironic because this is how many characters view Gus at first. After following him and eventually joining Shawn and Gus in the movie's climax, Gus relents and marries Selene. Selene cares immensely for Gus and proves to be able to hold her own against the intensity the Psych duo often deal with.
Allison Crowly
While a majority of enjoyable female characters are protagonists, there are a select few that fall on the other side of the spectrum, and Yin's psychotic apprentice Allison Crowly shines in this category. While initially introduced as a victim of the recurring killer, Crowly quickly changes face and becomes a worthy adversary for the Santa Barbara Police Department.
She excels at being creepy and intimidating, and she gives fans an immense amount of entertainment as she terrorizes Shawn and goes toe to toe with Juliet. So well received was this character that she made a second appearance in Psych: The Movie to much fan praise.
Yang
Psych is home to a multitude of master criminals. One of the standouts of this lineup is the Ying Yang killer. The season finales of seasons three through five have become known as the "Yang Trilogy" to fans.
These three episodes have the character known as Yang as the center. Shown to be the apprentice of a once-great serial killer, she has a bizarre fascination with Shawn Spencer and will go to terrifying lengths to prove it. While not the mastermind behind the killings, she is a criminal genius in her own right, hindered by her fascination to impress Shawn.
Marlowe Lassiter
From the first episode, we learn that Detective Lassiter's love life is a complicated one. Throughout the majority of the series, he shows little interest in any woman who isn't his ex-wife. The beloved hardened Detective eventually relents when he meets a woman in a bar.
After spending some time behind bars, the two become man and wife, and Lassie is shown to actually be able to enjoy something that isn't firearm-related. When the two have a baby girl, a side of Lassiter is shown that fans had yet to see. One of Marlowe's greatest traits is her no-nonsense attitude that compliments Lassiter perfectly. She grounds the detective in a way that nobody else can, and fans love her for it
Madeline Spencer
The relationship between Shawn and his father Henry is shown in the first episode. It doesn't take a psychic detective to see that the two are estranged, and Shawn blames his father for his divorce from his mother. After several seasons with only sparse mentions, Shawn's mother is finally revealed, and a side of Henry is exposed that hadn't been seen before.
When the truth about the past comes to light, Shawn views his father in a different way and realizes that both of his parents want the best for him—they just show it differently. Madeline is an incredibly intelligent, strong-willed character who even manages to get to Detective Lassiter, which is a feat not many can claim.
Chief Karen Vick
For the employees of the Santa Barbara Police Department, nearly every day since the formation of the Psych agency has been chaotic, to say the least. In order to effectively run the station, while also maintaining law and order and dealing with the constant shenanigans of Shawn and Gus, it takes someone with the patience and intelligence that you have to be born with.
Police Chief Karen Vick has proven on multiple instances that she is more than qualified for the job. She can easily put Shawn or even Detective Lassiter in line while maintaining her composure and running an entire station. Chief Vick has even been interpreted by many fans to even be intelligent enough to know Shawn's secret, although she lets him run amock due to his abilities to solve seemingly unsolvable crimes.
Detective Juliet O'Hara
One of the standout Detectives in the Santa Barbara Police Department is Detective Juliet O'Hara. While characters such as Juliet—known as Jules to Shawn—are typically written solely to be love interests, Detective O'Hara stands on her own as an incredibly intelligent and capable character who can easily fend for herself while also being one of the more sympathetic characters on the show. Juliet has the ability to solve any crime thrown at her and hold her own against the likes of Detective Lassiter.