Season 2, Episode 4
Zero to Murder in Sixty Seconds
"MY CAR!!"
Directed by Stephen Surjik
Written by Saladin K. Patterson
After Lassiter's car is stolen, Shawn discovers a series of clues that quickly lead to the police busting a car theft ring and illegal chop shop, arguably his most impressive feat yet. Shawn is slightly disappointed at how easy it was. In fact, it feels so easy that he visits the owner of the chop shop, Wally, in jail, to see how he's doing – but oddly, Wally hasn't even posted bail. Shawn also discovers a few connections between Wally and a man named Johnny G., owner of the "Bling it On" custom car shop. As oddities and coincidences pile up, Shawn grows sure that there's more to Wally and Johnny G. than meets the eye…Tropes:
- Abandoned Warehouse: Where Shawn initially busts Wally's operation. Gus even lampshades it.Gus: There's ALWAYS something happening on the DL inside a warehouse!
- Accidental Aesop: Invoked. Henry gives Shawn a piece of advice, which Shawn uses to solve the case. As Shawn is getting increasingly excited while putting it all together, Henry tries to stop him.Henry: Shawn, don't you learn a wrong lesson while I'm trying to teach you a right one!
- Are These Wires Important?: Shawn yanks some wires out of the pimped-out Blueberry to screw with the radio so they have a pretext to return to Johnny G.'s garage to repair it and look for clues. Unfortunately, Shawn also tore out a wire that affected the speedometer. Gus is not happy.
- Artistic License – Chemistry: The nitrous oxide in the car Johnny G dies in should have made him, Shawn, and Gus violently ill, as the kind of nitrous oxide used in custom cars is mixed with sulfur dioxide gas as a way of preventing people from using it recreationally.
- Bathos: Shawn reports on the discovery of the chop shop with a "psychic vision" that initially seems like a scene from a horror movie, with victims hacked apart and fluids spraying everywhere… until he starts naming off cars as the victims.
- Booby Trap: Wally killed Johnny G by tampering with the nitrous oxide canister in the car Johnny was due to inspect, as the car would be on a lift and Johnny wouldn't be able to get out.
- Call-Back: Gus mentions he's been pushing his spa day back further and further because he's been working on Psych's cases, specifically citing the events of "9 Lives", "Weekend Warriors", and "Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast".
- Cold Open: Little Shawn and Gus, racing on their bicycles in 1987. Shawn has a fantastically tricked-out bike with rear-view mirrors, streamers, playing cards in the spokes, and flags on the back. However, Gus wins on his plainer bike, because… he pedaled harder and went faster.
- Comically Missing the Point: Shawn charms a restaurant employee into giving him some information, then goes on a date with her. Unfortunately, it ends badly when he absentmindedly muses on how easy the case was, and she misunderstands on just who – or what – was "easy".
- Dead Foot Leadfoot: When Shawn and Gus go back to the shop, they find Johnny G dead behind the wheel of a car on a dynamometer while it's running.
- Dissonant Laughter: Shawn and Gus have this when they find Johnny G.'s body behind the wheel of one of his cars. Turns out he smothered on nitrous oxide – laughing gas, which was starting to affect Shawn and Gus.
- Evil-Detecting Dog: McNab is training a police dog who starts barking at the blueberry's wheels. It turns out there was residue from Johnny G.'s drug-smuggling operation on them.
- Flashed-Badge Hijack: After Shawn gets a lead on Lassiter's stolen car, Lassiter calls for them to go into action. Shawn and Gus then tease him about him not having a car at the moment. Then...Lassiter: I just got a new car. (flashes badge) Yours!
- Hated Item Makeover: Gus is horrified to discover that Shawn paid for the Blueberry, his company sedan, to be pimped out by the chop shop they're investigating. He hates its tacky yellow flames, ridiculous hood scoop, and pimpage-obligatory spoiler. That is, until some women show interest. He gets it un-pimped after McNab pulls him over because he now fit a profile and the women drive off disinterestedly.
- I Resemble That Remark!: After Lassiter calls Shawn and Gus childish, Shawn mumbles "I think I got a boo-boo…"
- Minor Crime Reveals Major Plot: Shawn and Gus go looking for Lassiter's missing car, and find a drug ring and a murder plot.
- No Challenge Equals No Satisfaction: Shawn feels that his busting the chop shop and getting Wally arrested was entirely too easy, and he keeps looking into the case even when everyone else is telling him to let it go. It turns out he's right.
- Not Me This Time: Lassiter briefly wonders if Shawn stole his car as a prank.
- Pimped-Out Car: Shawn pays to have the Blueberry turned into one of these. Gus is initially horrified, until some women start showing an interest in it. He later has it un-pimped after McNab pulls him over and bad timing makes the women lose interest.
- Profiling: McNab pulls the newly pimped-out blueberry over, but apologizes profusely when he realizes it's Shawn and Gus. He apologizes to Gus (who was driving) in particular, claiming that he "happened to fit a profile" in the loud car. Gus does not look pleased.
- Oh, Crap!: Shawn and Gus sneak Lassiter's car out of the chop shop before most of the police arrive in order to spare his pride… but accidentally park it on the wrong side of the road during a street-sweeping day. Cue two horrified expressions as a tow truck drives past, carrying it away.
- Real Men Wear Pink: Gus uses his down-time after the case to get a day at a spa.
- Sophisticated as Hell: Wally's Verbal Tic. He'll speak in Jive Turkey slang, then show off a knowledge of big words and law loopholes.
- The Starscream: Wally to Johnny G. This is why Wally allowed himself to get arrested and stay in prison while Johnny G. inspected a car Wally was working on – triggering a trap that killed him.
- Wacky Racing: Shawn and Gus race through the police department on rolling chairs near the beginning, annoying Lassiter.
