Psych is the best show in actuality, and also in terms of crazy fanbase.

Reasons in actuality: This show is hilarious, and the characters are deeply, even neurotically flawed, but completely lovable. It has an interesting and surprising mystery each week, in which the main character amusingly tries to convince people that his truly exceptional observation skills are actually psychic abilities (and this show predates the Mentalist!). The relationship between the psychic detective and his best friend is one of the most accurate depictions on TV of how best-friends-since-childhood really act with one another, and the central father-son relationship is angsty and involving but they don't spend an undue amount of time on it. All the minor characters are great, too, and are interesting, filled-out individuals in their own right. The main reason, though, is the funny!

Crazy fanbase reason:

This is trickier - how do you prove a fanbase is devoted and crazy? I suggest you use Star Trek and other big cult faves as your guide. No USA series has this type of following in terms of size of audience, but in terms of cultishness of behavior? Psych is the clear winner of all the USA original series.

Exhibit A: Fanfiction. The clearest sign these days of a cult fan following is the existence of fan communities online dedicated to telling stories about these characters, including about romantic relationships between characters that are not even involved with each other on the show. These pairings are numerous and have special mash-up names that only other fans would be able to decode. Sure sign of fan devotion. Check out livejournal.com for plenty of examples.

Exhibit B: Devoted fan communities love in-jokes. There are people who will start laughing when they hear someone say, "Pineapple."

Exhibit C: People buy "Psych" merchandise. They want Psych coffeemugs on their desk all day.

Exhibit D: There are people who watched the Dukes of Hazzard movie simply because Psych star James Roday was in it. They paid money for it and everything.

Asker's Rating:

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