Comedy-drama series Psych brought us an abundance of craziness in the form of psychic detective Shawn Spencer. The hyper-observant Shawn may work with the Santa Barbara Police Department but he never plays by the rules. He brings his own form of insanity to proceedings, getting away with some questionable behavior at times due to his incredible penchant for solving tough cases.
While he provides a huge amount of comic relief, there are times when he can be more serious and others when he is downright knowledgable and profound. Here are 10 of his very best quotes which show the softer and more relatable side of Shawn’s quirky character.
“I don’t lose things. I place things in locations which later elude me.”
This is one of the most relatable quotes in the entire series. Who hasn’t been here? You come into the house, you put your keys or phone down and then get distracted. When you come back to grab them later, you discover that you aren’t quite sure exactly where it was that you left them.
We’ve all lost things but almost everyone hates saying the words “I lost it.” This alternative from Shawn is a great line which is sure to come in handy next time you need to find something that was left in a “safe place” when you went on vacation.
“Take pictures. Not of sights. Don’t take pictures of buildings. Take pictures of moments, because that’s what matters.”
One of the most profound quotes we hear from Shawn are these thought-provoking words. Here he lets us know that the truly important things in life are the little moments. It’s relatable because it’s something we all need to think about. So often we go on vacation and photograph the buildings and scenery. This prompts us to also think about those who are there with us.
While many people hate having their photograph taken, capturing moments can evoke far more powerful memories than the scenery. You can find hundreds of images of famous landmarks but you’ll never see a photo of your kids smile the first time they see the Statue of Liberty unless you take one.
“What isn’t clear is why people always say ‘goes without saying,’ yet still feel compelled to say the thing that was supposed to go without saying. Doesn’t that bother you?”
This quote is one for the sticklers amongst us, as Shawn once again tells it like it is. However, it’s unfortunate that the circumstances surrounding this quote are not ideal. He was, in fact, arguing with Chief Vick, who is trying to tell him in no uncertain terms not to allow his father to interfere with the case they are working on.
The whole scene is incredibly funny as Gus goes on to mention people saying “I could care less” instead of “I couldn’t care less.” The nitpicking is brought to an abrupt end when Chief Vick reminds them that she carries a gun after Gus informs her that she split an infinitive.
“Doodles are the windows to the soul, Gus.”
Who doesn’t love a good doodle? It can be incredibly relaxing to draw entirely randomly and Shawn quite rightly observes that the result can tell you a lot about someone. What you doodle may vary depending on your thought process at the time, where you are doodling and why. However, it will always reveal a little piece of you.
Scuffy, neat, repetitive, random. All doodles are unique, just like the people who draw them. This observation is typical for Shawn but is none the less incredibly true and very relatable.
“Just because you put syrup on something don’t make it pancakes.”
There are so many variations of this idea around, which likely refers to the concept of trying to disguise something with a superficial or cosmetic change. You can try and hide things as much as you like but you can’t change what they are and that’s being shown here.
The quote could also refer to the concept of not everything being as it seems. You see the syrup on top but it may not be pancakes underneath. The flexibility of this phrase is what makes it incredibly quotable and relatable. Also, it uses food as an analogy, who doesn’t love that?
Henry: “He’s afraid of raccoons.” Shawn: “Because they’re terrifying, and wear little masks.”
While not everyone’s afraid of raccoons, this quote is both amusing and relatable. The quip about the masks is funny but the sentiment behind it is also deeply understandable. So many of us have a fear of a specific type of animal, be it a reptile, mammal or insect.
While the humor shines through, we’re reminded of the fact that everyone gets scared sometimes and that these fears are not always rational. Mostly we know this but it doesn’t mean they aren’t as real and valid as Shawn’s fear of raccoons.
Lassiter: “What do you two know about street racing anyway?” Shawn: “Only what we learned from The Fast and The Furious. So… everything.”
Hands up if you didn’t learn something from movies. Cinematic masterpieces can teach us so much and there are many things we know because of them. While not everything you see in the movies is true, we can often learn enough to feel educated on specific subjects.
While Shawn’s confidence may be slightly misplaced the sentiment behind it is very real. He feels well equipped to take his place amongst the street racers due to all those hours spent watching them on the big screen.
Kurt Smith: “Afternoon, gentlemen.” Shawn: “Oh dear god. It’s you. The real you. The fleshy you. I love you. Do you have any idea how much I love you?” Kurt Smith: “I think I do now.”
This moment shows Shawn’s “fan-girl moment” as he meets Kurt Smith from Tears For Fears. It’s so relatable that the first thing he says when he realizes that is actually his idol standing by the pool is that he loves him. Who wouldn’t? The world is full of moments like this and Shawn’s is captured perfectly.
Disbelief, adoration and a touch of repetitive rambling make this so incredibly relatable that anyone who’s met one of their musical idols can surely relate.
“I’m thinking about taking on work as a manny.”
It’s always good to have a backup plan and this is Shawn’s. Yes, it’s not ideal. Well, I say not ideal, I mean not sensible in any way shape or form. Still, you can’t deny that it’s a great idea. Sometimes life doesn’t work out the way we expect and a backup plan and an alternative way to make money is always good to have.
While this fleeting suggestion is neither serious nor ever likely to happen, the sentiment remains relatable. Having a plan is a sound idea and many of us do. We just hope we never need it.
“Would you please stop quoting Math like it’s a person? Next thing you’ll tell me Math is black.”
Have you ever been driven mad with people trying to explain math to you? Here Shawn is despairing as he doesn’t want to hear any more math-based theories. We’ve all known that before. Math can be complex and exhausting, who wants to listen to endless math quotes, unless you’re Sheldon Cooper?
We really relate to Shawn in so many ways and his hatred of math is something which most of us can truly get behind. We’re with you Shawn, we don’t want math quoted at us either.
