Season 2, Episode 14
Dis-Lodged
"DAD, YOU OWE ME AN EXPLANAtion... uh..."
Directed by Mel Damski
Written by Tim Meltreger
While snooping on his dad’s suspicious activities, Shawn discovers that Henry is a member of the Monarch Lodge, a secret society. Unfortunately, Henry’s been called to an emergency lodge meeting – a member named Arthur Holmstrom has unexpectedly dropped dead while he was being inducted as the lodge’s Highmost Patriarch. The lodge’s members want it wrapped up quickly and quietly, but Henry is in no mood for tiptoeing around and calls the police. When Juliet and Lassiter arrive, Shawn finds that the latter has wanted to be a member of the lodge for quite some time, but has been blackballed by his soon-to-be-former father-in-law, a high-ranking member named Irving Parker. Lassiter hires Shawn to solve the murder and make him look good at the same time… a task Shawn takes to with relish.Tropes:
- Blackmail Backfire: What happened to Holmstrom. He discovered that a leader of the lodge, Dr. Downs, had been skimming money off the lodge’s charitable donations for years. He blackmailed Downs into arranging things so that he would be elected the next Highmost Patriarch – but Downs didn’t trust him to keep it a secret, and laced a hood Holmstrom would wear for the induction ceremony with powdered snake venom.
- Brotherhood of Funny Hats: The Monarch Lodge is one. Well, more Brotherhood of funny Hoods. One of which may have smothered a Highmost Patriarch as he was being inducted. It’s a little more secretive and exclusive than most.
- Calling the Old Man Out: When Parker – Lassiter’s soon-to-be-ex-father-in-law - is arrested and interrogated under suspicion of being the killer, Parker initially keeps his mouth shut out of spite, mouthing off to Lassiter about what a terrible husband he was. Lassiter finally chews him out, pointing out that Parker is effectively being a hostile witness, and Lassiter has long kept his own mouth shut about what a pain in the ass Parker can be. Parker promptly tells Lassiter everything he knows.
- Dog Got Sent to a Farm: Apparently, Henry told this to Shawn about his cat, Chairman Meow, when he was little. According to Henry, the cat “got a little too familiar with the armrest of my sofa.”
- Does This Remind You of Anything?: Gus is uncomfortable watching a security tape of the Monarch Lodge members, claiming he’s not thrilled by the idea of a society of “white men in hoods” (even if they are purple). It doesn’t stop him from drumming up a lot of business through networking, though.
- Girls Have Cooties: In the Cold Open, young Shawn and Gus try to form a secret club. Their first rule is “No Girls”, and the club falls apart pretty quickly when Henry suggests they make some other rules.
- Master of Unlocking: Gus gets to display his safecracking abilities again while getting into Arthur’s private safe. Unlike most times, however, he does it by seeing a picture of Arthur’s wife on the wall and guessing her measurements: 36-24-38.
- Morally Ambiguous Doctorate: The killer is Dr. Downs, who was skimming money off the lodge’s charitable donations for years.
- Motive Rant: Defied. Once Shawn has exposed Dr. Downs as the killer, he doesn't burst into this, but just tells them to talk to his lawyer.
- Obnoxious In-Laws: Irving Parker always disapproved Lassiter as his son-in-law and continues to be a pain even when Lassiter is finalizing his divorce. He’s no-nonsense and short-tempered, but isn’t unreasonable.
- Sarcasm-Blind: After a conversation with Juliet quickly grows uncomfortable, Lassiter quickly pretends the connection is dying and abruptly hangs up. Shawn snarkily grumbles “Nice…”, and Lassiter responds with a grin.
- Secret Handshake: The Monarch Lodge has one. Shawn learns it by watching Henry do it from a distance.
- Spooky Painting: Henry has one of himself hanging in the Monarch Lodge. There’s nothing supernatural about it, but it is creepy enough to make Shawn and Gus (and Henry) uncomfortable.
- Stealing from the Till: What provided the motive for the murder. Arthur discovered that Dr. Roger Downs was skimming funds from the Lodge's charitable donations and blackmailed him over it.
- Teeth-Clenched Teamwork: Lassiter and Shawn; Lassiter is the one who hires Shawn, who in turn takes the opportunity to annoy Lassiter at every opportunity. That said, he does give Lassiter a lot of credit for the discovery at the end, letting him join the Monarch Lodge.
- Who Murdered the Asshole: Arthur was not well-liked among the lodge members, and nobody seems particularly put-out about his death.
- You Can't Handle the Parody: Henry bellows this after Shawn calls him out for not only lying about being sick, but never telling him he was a member of the Monarch Lodge.
