Summary
- Psych recast young Shawn's actor in season 5 due to Liam James looking too mature for the role.
- The show's flashbacks ceased in season 6 as Shawn had evolved out of needing past life lessons from Henry.
- Liam James moved on to star in The Killing, while Skyler Gisondo went on to have an even bigger career.
While most actors remained constant on the series, Psych recast young Shawn's actor in season 5. In USA Network's detective-comedy series, the child version of James Roday's Shawn Spencer was played by two different actors in the first two episodes before the show ultimately settled on Liam James as its young Shawn early in season 1. Later, Skyler Gisondo suddenly took over the role in Psych season 5. Gisondo continued to play young Shawn until the season 6 finale.
For the first five seasons, Psych had a tradition – which it rarely broke – that involved each episode opening with a flashback to Shawn's childhood. Typically, these flashbacks would revolve around Shawn learning some kind of valuable lesson from his father, Henry (Corbin Bernsen), and they would always be relevant to the main plot by coming in handy for him in the present-day storyline. Aside from the scenes with Henry, these flashbacks also addressed Shawn's friendship with Gus (Dulé Hill), whose younger self was played by Carlos McCullers II for the most part.
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Psych Likely Recast Young Shawn Because Liam James Looked Too Grown-up
Liam James Looked Too Mature
Name |
Birthdate |
|---|---|
Liam James |
August 7, 1996 |
Skyler Gisondo |
July 22, 1996 |
Liam James, the actor most closely associated with the role of young Shawn, played the character for the last time in Psych season 5, episode 4. So why did Psych replace James with Skyler Gisondo? Unfortunately, it likely concerns the problem every show faces with child actors – aging. In his last few appearances on Psych, James was noticeably taller, and his voice was deeper. The show may not have been ready for teenage Shawn, so it could be that an actor who at least appeared younger was needed — ironically, Gisondo is almost a month older than James.
While Liam James hit a growth spurt faster than Skyler Gisondo, both actors grew to be 5'7".
Liam James Moved On From Psych Quickly
Liam James ed The Killing Cast
Following Liam James' abrupt exit from Psych season 5, he was cast in AMC's The Killing. James played the recurring role of Jack Linden, the son of Sarah (Mireille Enos). James' new role in The Killing could also have led to his sudden Psycho departure. After the role was recast, Skyler Gisondo played young Shawn for the rest of season 5, but the show's format changed in season 6. Flashbacks ceased being a tradition, and it got to a point where they were only occasional; they completely stopped after the season 6 finale.
There have been three Psych movies since the series ended, in 2017, 2020, and 2021.
For the first few seasons of Psych, flashbacks were an essential part of the show, and a lot of that had to do with the father-and-son chemistry of Corbin Bernsen and Liam James, which echoes creator Steve Franks' actual childhood. Bernsen's Henry would give Shawn a piece of fatherly advice in nearly every episode, and it was always interesting to see what trouble Shawn was getting into each week as a child and how that problem would end up re-emerging as an issue for him in the present.
James' version of the character had many of his adult counterpart's mannerisms and personality traits, making it even easier to believe he was young Shawn. Their similarities were vital because they played into the idea that Shawn was like a child who had never quite grown up.
Psych's Central Relationship Meant The Flashbacks Weren't Needed Anymore
Shawn Had Grown Past Needing Past Life Lessons
Since these scenes from Shawn's childhood were such an integral part of the show for a long time, it's natural to wonder why cut the flashbacks after season 6. One Reddit , museloverx96, has a compelling theory. According to this theory, as Shawn and Henry's present-day relationship evolves and improves, the need for flashbacks gradually wears away. Henry may have been a tough-love kind of father, but in Psych's late-season narrative, it's shown little by little just how much he cares for his son on a deep level.
The flashbacks will always be part of what defines Psych as a show.
The more audiences understand this, the less need to emphasize the dynamic of Henry and Shawn's past. This change is a logical story-based explanation for why the show would choose to taper off its flashbacks, although it could have been based more on the logistical issue of maintaining a child actor for the role of young Shawn. Either way, the flashbacks will always be part of what defines Psych as a show.
What Liam James & Skyler Gisondo Have Done Since Psych
Deadly Class, Vacation, THe Righteous Gemstones, & More
Liam James went on to have a successful career after leaving Psych. He starred in The Killing for four seasons and then picked up two more main roles, first in as Adam Warren/Ben Murphy The Family on ABC and then as Billy in the superhero series Deadly Class in 2018. The young actor also played John Hunt in White House Plumbers in 2023. In movies, he was in Fred Claus, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, and The Way, Way Back. James won a Young Hollywood Breakthrough Performance Award for that latter movie.
Skyler Gisondo replaced Liam James on Psych and has had an even bigger career. On TV, he gained widespread acclaim for his role as Gideon Gemstone in The Righteous Gemstones. Other TV roles include Eric Bemis in Santa Clarita Diet and Sam Knowlston in The Resort. In movies, he has starred in Licorice Pizza, Booksmart, Vacation, and The Amazing Spider-Man and has a role in the DCU movie Superman as Jimmy Olsen.
Shawn Spencer happens to possess some uncanny powers of observation thanks to his father, Henry, a former police officer who taught his son to even the smallest details of his surroundings. When Shawn is accused of committing a crime that he actually solved, he convinces the cops that he's a psychic -- and with the reluctant help of his best friend, Gus, Shawn starts solving cases for a skeptical but increasingly impressed police force.
- Directors
- Mel Damski, Steve Franks
- Writers
- Andy Berman, Steve Franks
- Seasons
- 8
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